Croatian rail travellers should notice smoother, more reliable train services over the next couple of years. HŽ Passenger Transport, the country's main passenger rail operator, has launched a tender worth an estimated €7.4 million excluding VAT to modernise six train maintenance workshops, spread across Vinkovci, Solin, Osijek, Pula and Varaždin.
The tender appeared in the Electronic Public Procurement Notice on Monday, with bids accepted until 26 November 2026. The biggest slice — €2.73 million — goes to Solin, near Split, where two workshops will be overhauled. Osijek follows at €1.59 million, Varaždin at €1.48 million, Vinkovci at €998,000 and Pula at €606,000.
What does the money actually buy? Construction, electrical and mechanical work at each site, plus new equipment for keeping trains in working order. The Solin documentation gives a flavour of the challenge: one workshop there is described as being in poor condition and needing adaptation to handle both current and new trains. Plans include inspection channels so technicians can examine trains from below, a platform for checking roof-mounted equipment, and renewed flooring, roofing and lighting.
The schedule is deliberately staggered. Work starts on 12 January 2027 in Vinkovci (running to 10 May 2027) and wraps up last in Varaždin by 3 January 2028, with each workshop taking around 119 days. Spreading the projects out this way means the fleet can keep getting regular maintenance throughout — not every workshop closes at once. Finished sections go back into service once they clear expert supervision.
Contractors can bid for one site, several or all of them, and the winning offer will be judged on a mix of price and quality, with a warranty of at least two years required.
Why should holidaymakers care? Croatia's rail network links Zagreb with the inland cities of Slavonia and Međimurje, and connects the capital towards the coast. Reliable maintenance means fewer delays, better-kept trains and, ultimately, a more credible alternative to driving or buses. For anyone eyeing a slow-travel route through Osijek or a rail leg to Istria via Pula, this investment signals that the operator is putting money behind keeping services running. It also matters for the growing number of visitors combining stops — say, Zagreb to Varaždin for its baroque old town, or a train plus coach combination to reach the Dalmatian coast. The upgrades should be complete before the 2028 summer season, so trips planned from spring 2028 onwards stand to benefit most.
