Croatia signs €53.6 million deal for battery-electric trains and charging station

The Croatian government has signed contracts worth €53.6 million to finance the purchase of six battery-electric trains and the construction of a hybrid charging station at Kotoriba railway station, in a move aimed at accelerating the decarbonisation of the country's rail network.

The agreements were signed at Banski Dvori on Thursday in the presence of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković. Representatives of the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition, the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, HŽ Passenger Transport and Končar Electric Vehicles attended the signing ceremony.

The project includes the procurement of six battery-electric trains and the installation of a hybrid charging system to support their operation on the Croatian railway network.

Speaking after the signing, Plenković described the investment as an important step in reducing emissions in the transport sector, calling decarbonisation one of Croatia's strategic priorities in line with European Union climate objectives.

He said the project also demonstrates how funding from the Modernisation Fund is being invested in the domestic economy, noting that Croatian manufacturer Končar Electric Vehicles will build the trains.

According to the Prime Minister, the investment will not only support the country's rail modernisation program but also strengthen domestic industry and deliver quieter, cleaner and more modern train services for passengers.