HŽ Infrastruktura Upgrades 28 Embankments and 17 Bridges

ZAGREB, Croatia – HŽ Infrastruktura expects most of its programme to eliminate critical points on Croatia’s railway network to be completed by the end of summer. The programme covers 28 embankments and 17 bridges, with total eligible cost of EUR 25 million. Full completion of all remaining work is scheduled for the end of 2026.

What Is the Full Scope of This Project?

The HŽ Infrastruktura programme comprises 28 embankments and 17 bridges, with work already completed on 27 cuttings along the Oštarije–Split line and multiple bridge sites. Completed structures include the Kolski put bridges near Knin, the Kambelovac bridge, the Moštanik Bridge on the Strizivojna–Vrpolje–Slavonski Šamac line, the Voćinka and Vojlovica bridges between Čačinci and Slatina, and the Brdovec footbridge near Zaprešić. The bridges on the Okučani–Nova Gradiška and Sibinj–Slavonski Brod sections, as well as the Penkovica Bridge and the Greda–Sisak bridge on the M502 line, are in final construction phase, while the Sava Jakuševac Bridge and the Zvečaj embankment remain active.

Some work was delayed by unfavorable weather and high water levels during winter, and by the inability to temporarily close certain railway lines because other strategic modernization projects were being implemented simultaneously, according to HŽ Infrastruktura. Work on the Lužnica Bridge on the Zaprešić–Savski Marof section is scheduled to begin in early fall. Specific post-rehabilitation speed targets per section were not disclosed by HŽ Infrastruktura.

Note: Independent verification of post-works line-speed targets was not available at time of publication.

Key Project Data

How Does This Compare to Similar Projects?

Croatia’s EUR 25 million critical-point package is a targeted state-of-good-repair measure, while larger US rail programmes such as PATH’s 2026 budget and Amtrak’s Dock Bridge works address similar bridges and power assets at greater capital scale. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s 2026 budget includes capital spending for PATH Substation 2 replacement, the PATH Railcar & Track State of Good Repair Program, and the third year of a reliability and station-modernization programme on the fifth-busiest rapid transit system in the United States (Source: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, 2026). Amtrak has signed contracts for the rehabilitation of the Dock Bridge in New Jersey (Source: Amtrak, 2025). In Croatia, separate reporting indicates the Koprivnica–Novo Drnje section is due for completion by the end of 2026, and an agreement has been signed to develop the Zadar railway network, including links to the airport, port, and industrial zones (Source: RailwayPro, 2025).

Editor’s Analysis

This EUR 25 million package is best understood as a tactical renewal of legacy structures, not a corridor-scale capacity project. It should help HŽ Infrastruktura remove speed restrictions and safety bottlenecks across less visible parts of the network, but the scheduling conflicts with larger modernization works mean operational resilience is now a delivery risk as much as a technical one. Croatia’s broader rail push — including the planned Koprivnica–Novo Drnje completion by end 2026 and the Zadar network development agreement — signals that EU-funded local fixes are being layered under long-term corridor ambitions (Source: RailwayPro, 2025).

FAQ

Q: What exactly is included in Croatia’s critical railway points programme?
A: The programme implemented by HŽ Infrastruktura includes the reconstruction and rehabilitation of 28 embankments and 17 bridges across the Croatian network, with a total eligible cost of EUR 25 million and 81% NRRP grant funding.

Q: When will the remaining bridge and embankment works be fully completed?
A: Most projects are expected to be completed by the end of summer, with all works scheduled to finish by the end of 2026. The Lužnica Bridge on the Zaprešić–Savski Marof section is set to start in early fall.

Q: Will train speeds or safety improve after this programme?
A: HŽ Infrastruktura says the aim is to increase train speeds and safety and align infrastructure with EU technical specifications for interoperability. Specific post-rehabilitation speed increases have not been officially confirmed.