photo: RAILTARGET Archive/Redefining Slovenia's Railways: Infrastructure Upgrades Set to Propel the Country's Transport System
Rail transportation, a cornerstone of economic supply chains and personal mobility, plays an instrumental role in safeguarding our environment thanks to its lower carbon footprint compared to road cargo transport. The European Commission, in its White Paper, "Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area - Towards a Competitive and Resource Efficient Transport System," underscores this by advocating for a shift from road to rail and water transportation. One of the tenets of this agenda is the expansion and improvement of railway infrastructure.
In line with these objectives, Slovenia has embarked on substantial investment in its state-owned public railway infrastructure. Large-scale modernization, new constructions, and routine maintenance of the network are the primary strategies to eliminate bottlenecks and increase line capacity and throughput, thereby catering better to the needs of the customers. Among the ambitious projects slated for 2023 and 2024 are the construction of a second track Divada-Koper and significant upgrades to the Ljubliana-Divaca line. Additionally, construction work will provide off-level access to platforms at multiple stations and stops, commencing in 2023.
The renovation efforts are not without their challenges. The works are likely to cause bottlenecks, impacting the operational timetable. However, companies of the Slovenian Railways Group are working together to minimize the disruptions and keep additional costs to a minimum. Despite the anticipated delays due to limited capacity, the hope is that the modernized public railway infrastructure will eventually result in superior services, fulfilling the needs of customers and propelling Slovenia's rail system into the future.
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