Photo credits @ HZ Infrastruktura

€350 million EU-funded railway project: Drava bridge improves Croatia-Hungary connection

Croatia has partially opened a €350 million EU co-funded rail project, including a 15-kilometre dual-track section between the Croatian Koprivnica and the Hungarian Gyékényes and a new Drava River bridge, to enhance freight and passenger connectivity between Croatia and Hungary, with completion expected by 2025.

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A newly upgraded railway section linking Croatia and Hungary has been partially inaugurated, introducing a major upgrade to rail transport between the two countries. This project includes the construction of a 15-kilometre dual-track line connecting Koprivnica in Croatia to Gyékényes in Hungary, alongside a double-track bridge over the Drava River.

The Croatian government has invested €350 million in the project, co-financed by the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). As part of the broader “Reconstruction and Construction of a Second Track on the Križevci–Koprivnica–State Border Section” initiative, the project also involves upgrading the railway’s signalling systems to European standards (ETCS).

Once complete, the line will support speeds of up to 160 km/h and facilitate smoother freight traffic, particularly between the Port of Rijeka and Hungary. The project is currently 75% finished, with the remaining work focused on the section between Mučna Reka and Koprivnica, scheduled for completion by the end of 2025.

HŽ Infrastruktura, Croatia’s rail network operator, expects the line to handle 30 freight trains daily once fully operational. This represents a dramatic increase from the minimal traffic levels before Croatia joined the Schengen Area. The enhanced capacity aims to alleviate bottlenecks along the Mediterranean Corridor, enabling more seamless cargo movement from the Adriatic Sea to Hungary and beyond.

“This project will significantly improve connectivity for freight transport, particularly benefiting the Port of Rijeka. It’s a major step forward in strengthening our international rail corridors,” said Ivan Kršić, CEO of HŽ Infrastruktura.

The new Drava Bridge, a key element of the project, is 300 metres long and weighs 4,000 tonnes. It was constructed using a longitudinal push technique, applied in Croatia for the first time. Replacing the previous single-track bridge, it supports dual tracks, enhancing the route’s capacity to handle modern freight traffic.

“The most challenging work involved constructing the elliptical bridge piers in the Drava River basin to ensure environmental harmony and structural stability,” noted Mehmet Yilmaz from Cengiz Insaat, the project’s contractor.

This project is part of a €6 billion rail modernisation plan launched by HŽ Infrastruktura, the largest investment of its kind in Croatia. Supported by the EU and global financial institutions, the initiative includes nearly 20 railway projects aimed at boosting freight and passenger rail infrastructure.

Strategic corridors prioritised in this modernisation include:

  1. The Rijeka-Zagreb-Budapest route, enhancing connections between Croatia, Hungary, and Central Europe.
  2. The Slovenia-Zagreb-Serbia corridor, improving links to the Balkans.

The upgraded Croatia-Hungary corridor is expected to enhance freight capacity, facilitating efficient cross-border trade and contributing to the region’s economic growth.

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