A special heritage train rolled from Divača in Slovenia through the Istrian towns of Buzet and Pazin before pulling into Pula, retracing the route taken by the region's very first train on 20 September 1876. The journey marked 150 years since railways reached Istria and hooked the peninsula into the wider European network — a connection that shaped the region's economy and culture ever since.
The anniversary ride leaned into the atmosphere. Railway staff wore period uniforms, some passengers dressed in late 19th-century clothing, and stations along the line hosted ceremonies celebrating both the line's past and its future.
That future is already being built. Croatian rail operator HŽ Infrastruktura is spending €55 million rebuilding 50.13 kilometres of track from the Slovenian border through Buzet to Sveti Petar u Šumi — new track and points, repaired structures and safer level crossings. Completion is slated for the first half of 2028, with the aim of faster, more reliable passenger services, more trains and revived freight traffic.
The celebrations continue on dry land too. Pula's Historical and Maritime Museum of Istria is hosting "Gremo na makinu! 150 years of Istrian Railways", a joint exhibition with the Croatian Railway Museum. Highlights include the original 1875 plan of Pula railway station, a 1963 railway motor trolley, a teleprinter from Pazin station, old timetables, period photographs and a model of the Parenzana — the famous narrow-gauge line that once linked Trieste with Poreč. It runs until 30 November 2026, so there's plenty of time to catch it.
For travellers, this is a nudge to see Istria differently. Most visitors arrive by car and stick to the coast — Rovinj, Poreč, Pula's Roman arena. But the interior hill towns around Buzet and Pazin are truffle country, with medieval villages and a fraction of the summer crowds, and the railway is the slow, scenic way in. Once the 2028 works finish, hopping between the coast and Istria's green hinterland by train should get considerably easier — and pairing a museum visit in Pula with a ride on this historic line makes a good half-day out for rail enthusiasts and curious holidaymakers alike.
