July the 2nd, 2025 – The Croatian railway scene is undergoing a massive revamp. HŽ Passenger Transport (Putnički prijevoz) has announced it intends to purchase 13 Končar trains for almost 118 million euros.
As Sinisa Malus/Poslovni Dnevnik writes, HŽ Passenger Transport and the well known Croatian company Končar have signed a contract for the purchase and sale of 13 new trains. Four of these vehicles will be both battery and electric battery trains, and five are electric diesel trains. The total value of their contract stands at a huge 117.9 million euros.
The aforementioned contract was signed by the President of the Management Board of HŽ Passenger Transport Željko Ukić and the President of the Management Board of Končar – Electric Vehicles Josip Ninić. It was done in the presence of longtime Transport Minister Oleg Butković. The trains in question are the result of Končar’s own development, and several companies of the Group have participated in their production. The move further confirms Končar’s enviable position as one of the leading regional technology companies.
The President of the Management Board of Končar, Gordan Kolak, pointed out that these trains are among the most complex products constructed by Croatia’s own industry. The trains, according to Ukić, will be low-floor trains for easier access, equipped with a passenger information system, ramps for disabled people, space for bicycles and free WiFi. The electro-diesel and electro-battery trains will run along both electrified and non-electrified lines, while the battery trains are intended exclusively for non-electrified lines.
HŽ Passenger Transport has stated that the brand new Končar trains are being financed by a loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB), and will be delivered in 2027 and 2028. As part of this large project, charging stations for charging traction batteries will be built at the Lupoglav and Velika stations. Ukić also revealed that the electro-diesel trains will run along routes from Koprivnica to Osijek, Čakovec to Kotoriba, Zadar, Rijeka and Pula.
“HŽ Passenger Transport currently has 65 new trains in operation, and five more will be put into service by the end of the year. Next year, six more electro-diesel trains will be put into service, connecting Zagreb and Split,” said Ukić, adding that this process is replacing trains that are on average over 40 years old.
Minister Oleg Butković pointed out that the state is currently engaged in a major investment cycle in railway infrastructure. That is most evident in the construction of new and the modernisation of existing railway infrastructure. That investment cycle amounts to just over 1.5 billion euros, mostly thanks to European Union (EU) funds and an additional 900 million euro arrangement Croatia has with the European Investment Bank.
