July the 29th, 2024 – Great news for train journey lovers as Zagreb-Split trains are set to undergo a transformation. There will be more departures and shorter journeys between the two cities as of 2026.
As Morski writes, a contract was recently signed in the City of Split on the purchase and sale of six electro-diesel motor trains which will connect Split and Zagreb. What kind of trains these actually are, when they’ll be put into function and what the current plans for railway system improvement are were all answered.
All of the above and more on the upcoming Zagreb-Split trains was revealed on Studio 4, as their guests were the president of the board of HŽ putnički prijevoz (Croatian Railways’ passenger transport) Željko Ukić, and the president of the board of Končar – Električnih vozila (Electric vehicles), Josip Ninić.
“HŽ Putnički prijevost will finally replace the trains that were acquired back in 2004. We expect the delivery of the first train 24 months from the signing of the contract, which means it will arrive in around July 2026. After that, one train will be delivered every month. By the end of 2026, we’ll have all six new trains. It will be a completely renewed fleet. They will be highly comfortable, modern trains intended for longer distance journeys,” said Željko Ukić.
the new zagreb-split trains will be a far cry from the current situation
“We’ll ensure more daily departures, some of them will be from Split, some will be from Zagreb. This will of course depend on the bandwidth of the railway. We’ll also raise the quality of that transportation compared to the trains we have today,” added Ukić.
Josip Ninić from Končar revealed that these are trains that combine electric drive and diesel-electric drive.
“These trains are a kind of hybrids, or bimodal trains, that we concluded would be the optimal solution for a complex, demanding railway between Split and Zagreb. This railway has the characteristics of a mountain railway for the most part, and in fact we’ll have a train that will run to Oštarije as an electric train, and from Oštarije to Split as a diesel-electric train. In this way, we’ll use the part of the network that is electrified as much as possible, and for the hilly, more demanding part, we’ll use diesel engines,” Ninić revealed.
comfort above all
“These are trains intended for long-distance transport. That means that they will boast very comfortable seating, a zone where passengers can refresh themselves, vending machines where there will be a certain offer, more space for bikes, air conditioning, and WiFi. The biggest challenge facing us is to make sure that they are safe all the time, and that these trains actually have enough power to overcome the more demanding sections of the journey,” he added,
railway infrastructure preparation for the new zagreb-split trains
“HŽ Infrastruktura (Croatian Railways Infrastructure) is currently working intensively on upgrading the railway infrastructure. The section towards Split is being renovated and prepared for the new trains. The announcements we’re currently hearing are that alongside the timetable scheduled for 2027, that section of the railway will be ready. The travelling time along that section will be significantly reduced. The goal is to introduce the new Zagreb-Split trains and their offer as of 2027, with as many daily departures as possible. We initially planned four departures from Split and four departures from Zagreb. In this way, they’d raise the railway to a higher level,” said Ukić.
He emphasised that the goal is to bring passengers back to Croatia’s neglected railway system through various offers and benefits related to train travel.
