New fast train between Zagreb Airport and city centre coming

Zagreb

Croatian Railways Infrastructure (HŽ Infrastruktura) is planning a new railway line that will directly connect central Zagreb with the Franjo Tuđman International Airport, significantly improving public transport access to the country’s busiest airport.

The project forms part of the extensive Zagreb Railway Hub Development Study, a document of around 500 pages that is expected to be published in the coming weeks.

The study outlines long-term plans to modernise and expand rail connections in and around the capital.

Direct and faster connection

According to HŽ Infrastruktura, the selected route was chosen in cooperation with numerous institutions and represents the shortest and fastest possible rail connection between Zagreb’s Main Railway Station and the airport.

“With the cooperation of numerous institutions, during the development of conceptual solutions, a route version that suits everyone was defined and selected, a route with the optimal shortest and fastest connection from Zagreb Main Station to Zagreb Franjo Tuđman International Airport,” HŽ Infrastruktura told VG danas.

The planned route will run from Zagreb Glavni kolodvor (Main Station), via the Zagreb Klara station, and continue directly to Zagreb Airport.

This will ensure an efficient and uninterrupted link between the city centre and the international airport.

New line from Odra to the airport

A key element of the project is the construction of a new railway branch from the Odra stop to the airport’s new passenger terminal. This section will be dedicated exclusively to passenger traffic and will be approximately 6.2 kilometres long.

Along this stretch, two railway stations are planned:

• Zagreb Franjo Tuđman Airport – Old Terminal

• Zagreb Franjo Tuđman Airport – New Terminal, which will serve as the final station

The old and new airport terminals will be connected by a tunnel, allowing seamless access for passengers.

Tunnel under Velika Gorica

A significant portion of the new railway line will run underground. After the Odra junction, a railway overpass will cross Zagrebačka Street in the Velika Mlaka area.

From there, the line will descend to ground level before entering a tunnel ramp near the intersection of Rudolf Fizira Street and Zagrebačka Street.

From this point until the new airport terminal, the railway will run entirely in a tunnel approximately 2.8 kilometres long, passing beneath parts of Velika Gorica and leading directly to the airport complex.

The project also includes major upgrades to existing rail infrastructure.

Next steps

HŽ Infrastruktura will now move on to preparing detailed project documentation.

Once completed and built, the new rail link is expected to cut travel time between Zagreb Airport and the city centre to just a few minutes, offering a fast, reliable and sustainable transport option for both residents and visitors.

If realised as planned, the project would mark a major step forward in integrating Zagreb’s rail network with its international airport and bringing the capital closer to European transport standards.