Koprivnica and Križevci set to become Zagreb suburbs following rail upgrade

Big rail upgrade coming

ZAGREB, 11 Aug (Hina) – Koprivnica and Križevci could effectively become suburbs of Zagreb after the reconstruction of the railway lines, as the journey from Koprivnica to the capital will be reduced to just 60 minutes.

Currently, many Koprivnica residents travel over an hour to reach their workplaces in Zagreb, often requiring multiple transfers between trains and buses, with some journeys taking up to two hours.

Both tracks operational by mid-next year

According to HŽ Infrastructure, both tracks of the Zagreb–Koprivnica railway line will be in service by mid-next year, improving daily commuter travel and boosting the economy of towns along the line.

HŽ Passenger Transport plans to introduce additional services. In the 2024/2025 timetable, 26 trains will operate daily between Zagreb and Koprivnica in both directions, most being new low-floor electric trains whose full potential is currently limited by ongoing construction.

From mid-2026, the one-hour journey will become standard. Some passengers may even forgo Zagreb’s public transport, as trains will include carriages for bicycles and pets.

Nationwide, 66 new low-floor trains are currently in use: 55 electric, 10 diesel-electric, and one battery-electric.

By the end of the year, three more diesel-electric and one battery-electric train will be introduced. In 2026, six new electro-diesel trains will connect Zagreb and Split.

In June, HŽ (Croatian Railways) signed contracts for five electro-diesel, four electro-battery, and four battery-powered trains, set to enter service in 2027 and 2028.

Transport Minister Oleg Butković has recently emphasised that Croatia has entered a major investment cycle in rail infrastructure. Many local and regional lines are also being upgraded.

The entire national rail infrastructure will be renovated over the next decade, with a planned investment of €1.5 billion.

Koprivnica will soon be well connected not only to Zagreb but also to Varaždin and Čakovec, both popular commuter destinations.

Economic impact and new terminal for Križevci

The new rail line is also expected to support the economic development of Koprivnica-Križevci County.

HŽ Infrastructure has signed an agreement with the city of Križevci to allocate a track for industrial use, leading to a future intermodal terminal and forming a branch of the Botovo-Dugo Selo line towards Križevci’s new industrial zone, Čret.

At present, the area houses a temporary “Turkish village” for workers from the Turkish company Cengiz, which is reconstructing the line between Križevci and the Hungarian border.

Train speeds up to 160 km/h

The upcoming intermodal terminal may attract new investors, being located on the Croatian section of the Mediterranean Corridor, connecting the northern Adriatic port of Rijeka to Hungary.

Upon completion, train speeds of up to 160 km/h will be possible. Stations will be rebuilt to accommodate interoperable freight trains up to 750 metres long and passenger trains up to 400 metres.

Stops will be reconstructed to meet the needs of local passenger transport. The line’s capacity will be significantly increased, especially important for freight traffic from the port of Rijeka.