The railway network in Albania has not benefited from major overhauls since commissioning. It currently allows for travel speeds below 60 km/h, is not electrified and the telecommunication and signalling systems are obsolete, causing frequent traffic interruptions. As a result, passenger services are seasonal and freight transport does not meet demand.
This project concerns the rehabilitation of the railway line between Durrës, Rrogozhinë and Lin (136 km) as well as the construction of a 2.8 km railway link from Lin to the border with North Macedonia on the Pan-European Corridor VIII, which connects southern Italy to the Black Sea in Bulgaria via Albania and North Macedonia. It is part of a broader plan to revitalise the railway sector in Albania.
Aligned with EU standards, these investments will enable faster journeys, reduce operation and maintenance costs, improve safety, and facilitate the shift of freight and passenger transport from road to rail, fostering regional connectivity.
The EU has provided technical assistance for project preparation and co-funds the investments in the Durrës - Rrogozhinë railway section under Flagship 3 - Connecting the coastal regions - of the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans through the WBIF.
