Croatian Railways

Croatian national railway company

Croatian Railways

Croatia Railways Headquarters in Zagreb

Trade name

| Hrvatske željeznice (Croatian Railway); HŽ
Company type| Government-owned
Industry| Rail Transport
Founded| 1991
Headquarters|

Zagreb

Croatia

Products| Rail Transport, Rail Construction, Services
Parent| Croatian Government
Croatian Railways network

Map of Croatian rail network

Overview
Headquarters| Zagreb
Locale| Croatian
Dates of operation| 1881-present
Technical
Track gauge| 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)

Croatian Railways (Croatian: Hrvatske željeznice, HŽ) was the national railway company of Croatia.[1] It was a member of the International Union of Railways (UIC). The UIC Country Code for Croatia is 78. The Croatian rail network carried 24.230 million passengers in 2023.[2][3][4]

## History

[edit]

Croatian Railways was founded in 1991 from the former JŽ ("Yugoslav Railways") Zagreb Division, following Croatia's secession from Yugoslavia. Its vehicle fleet was initially the one it inherited at the time of the breakup of Yugoslavia. It has been modernized over time, and further modernization is currently being carried out. The first railway section on the territory of today's Republic of Croatia, then part of the Austrian Empire and Austria-Hungary, was built in 1860 in Međimurje: the railway line from Nagykanizsa in Hungary via Čakovec and Kotoriba continued to Pragerski in Slovenia. Although only a small part of the railway passed through Croatian territory (Međimurje was part of Croatia at the time the railway was built, but in January 1861, it was annexed to Hungary by the decision of Vienna) was built only 35 years after the first European railway, which was established in 1825 between the towns of Stockton and Darlington in England.[5] Railroads that connected Rijeka, the most important port in Croatia, with Trieste (and further with Vienna), and with Zagreb (and further with Budapest) were put into service in 1873.[6]

The company ceased to exist in 2006 and its assets were taken over by the newly founded company Hrvatske Željeznice Holding d.o.o. The operation was then provided by the holding's four subsidiaries for infrastructure management (HŽ Infrastruktura), passenger transport operation (HŽ Putnički prijevoz), freight transport operation (HŽ Cargo) and traction/locomotives (HŽ Vuča vlakova).[7]

In accordance EU Directive 91/440.[8] requiring EU member states to separate "the management of railway operation and infrastructure from the provision of railway transport services, on 1 November 2012 HŽ Holding was ceased to exist, the three opúerational companies became completely independent:

* HŽ Cargo d.o.o. (responsible for cargo transport)
* HŽ Putnički prijevoz d.o.o. (responsible for passenger transport)
* HŽ Infrastruktura d.o.o. (responsible for railway Infrastructure)

HŽ Vuča vlakova was incorporated into HŽ Cargo the same day.[9]

## Types of passenger train lines

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Main article: Train categories in Europe § Croatia

## Power systems

[edit]

The original decision in SFR Yugoslavia was to use 3 kV DC electrification for the railway network. This was performed on the Rijeka–Zagreb line, which due to the mountainous Gorski kotar region had a need for more powerful trains than the traditional diesel powered ones.

Beginning with the modernisation of the Zagreb–Belgrade railway line an electrification system of 25 kV/50 Hz was used. Electrification on other lines in Croatia was then made exclusively 25 kV/50 Hz. Later, the majority of the Zagreb-Rijeka line was re-electrified to 25 kV/50 Hz, but until December 2012 there was still a part that under 3 kV DC. Consequentially a power system break existed at Moravice. HŽ was considering the purchase of dual-voltage locomotives, as an alternative to full re-electrification of 3 kV DC tracks, but the idea was scrapped for good as all electrified railways in Croatia are now using 25 kV/50 Hz.

All railway power systems in Croatia are exclusively of type overhead catenary.

## Rolling stock

[edit]

Main article: Rolling stock of the Croatian Railways

## Croatian speed record

[edit]

The maximum permitted speed of trains on the tracks in Croatia is 160 km/h. As far as the infrastructure is concerned, the specified speed can currently be achieved on part of the international corridor Novska - Tovarnik, more precisely on the relatively short sections Novska-Okučani and Vinkovci-Tovarnik. The current rail speed record in Croatia is 185 km/h. The record was set on the line between Novska and Nova Gradiška. The run was performed in order to demonstrate the possibilities offered by the Rade Končar built JŽ 442 electric locomotive class (now HŽ1142 train class).

## Technical information

[edit]

* Maximum operating speed: 160 km/h
* Train protection system used (where applicable): INDUSI (a stripped down derivative of German system, Punktförmige Zugbeeinflussung)
* Signaling system: at sight only, automatic block protection (on mainlines and where applicable)

## Railway network

[edit]

Main article: List of railway lines in Croatia

## See also

[edit]

* Transport in Croatia

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Zakon.hr (2012). "Zakon o podjeli trgovačkog društva HŽ - Hrvatske željeznice d.o.o." (in Croatian). Zagreb.
2. ^ https://podaci.dzs.hr/media/m5jdo2c4/tran-2023-1-1_4-transport-2023.pdf [bare URL PDF]
3. ^ HŽ Putnički prijevoz d.o.o. (2020). "STATISTIKA ZA 2019" (PDF) (in Croatian). Zagreb.
4. ^ "Railway Statistics – 2017 Synopsis" (PDF). International Union of Railways, IUC. 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
5. ^ "Stotinu i pedeset godina željeznice u Hrvatskoj", stranice "Savez za željeznicu" (udruga čiji su osnivači sindikati i poduzeća iz željezničkog sektora), posjećeno 8. veljače 2015. god.
6. ^ "OBILJEŽENA 140\. OBLJETNICA PRUGE KARLOVAC - RIJEKA" Archived 2016-05-13 at the Wayback Machine, Službene stranice Grada Rijeke, 23. listopada 2013.
7. ^ Croatia - Railway Policy Note (PDF) (Report). The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/the World Bank Office, Croatia. 2013. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
8. ^ "Rail Transport and Interoperability (overview of directive 91/440)". European Union. Archived from the original on 18 June 2007. Retrieved 6 July 2007.
9. ^ Vlad (2013-04-11). "HŽ Cargo - bankrot nebo privatizace". Želpage. Retrieved 2024-07-18.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Croatian Railways.

* HŽPP (passenger operator)
* Map with all railway stations
* Forum about Croatian Railways \- also with an English subforum
* Map
* Croatian stock list Archived 2016-03-14 at the Wayback Machine
* Croatian withdrawn stock list Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
* HŽ stock photo gallery

* v
* t
* e

Rolling stock of the Croatian Railways

Diesel locomotives|

* HŽ 2041
* HŽ 2044
* HŽ 2062
* HŽ 2063
* HŽ 2132

Electric locomotives|

* HŽ 1141
* HŽ 1142

DMUs|

* HŽ 7022
* HŽ 7023
* HŽ 7121
* HŽ 7122
* HŽ 7123

EMUs|

* HŽ 6111
* HŽ 6112

Withdrawn or not active|

* HŽ 1061
* HŽ 1081
* HŽ 1161
* HŽ 2042
* HŽ 2043
* HŽ 2061
* HŽ 2062-1
* HŽ 2131
* HŽ 2133
* HŽ 2141
* HŽ 6011
* HŽ 7021
* HŽ 7221
* ES 64 F4 (rented)

Curiose|

* JŽ 361

* Rolling stock of Croatia (wikimedia commons images)
see also predecessor Yugoslav Railways (JŽ), Rolling stock of the Yugoslav Railways

* v
* t
* e

Rolling stock of the Yugoslav Railways

Steam locomotives|

* JŽ 01
* JŽ 02
* JŽ 03
* JŽ 04
* JŽ 05
* JŽ 06
* JŽ 07
* JŽ 08
* JŽ 09
* JŽ 10
* JŽ 11
* JŽ 16
* JŽ 17
* JŽ 18
* JŽ 20
* JŽ 21
* JŽ 22
* JŽ 23
* JŽ 24
* JŽ 25
* JŽ 26
* JŽ 27
* JŽ 28
* JŽ 29
* JŽ 30
* JŽ 31
* JŽ 32
* JŽ 33
* JŽ 35
* JŽ 36
* JŽ 37
* JŽ 38
* JŽ 50
* JŽ 51
* JŽ 52
* JŽ 53
* JŽ 60
* JŽ 61
* JŽ 62
* JŽ 73
* JŽ 83
* JŽ 85
* JŽ 91
* JŽ 93
* JŽ 99
* JŽ 101
* JŽ 102
* JŽ 103
* JŽ 104
* JŽ 105
* JŽ 106
* JŽ 107
* JŽ 108
* JŽ 109
* JŽ 110
* JŽ 111
* JŽ 112
* JŽ 113
* JŽ 114
* JŽ 115
* JŽ 116
* JŽ 117
* JŽ 118
* JŽ 120
* JŽ 121
* JŽ 122
* JŽ 123
* JŽ 124
* JŽ 125
* JŽ 126
* JŽ 127
* JŽ 128
* JŽ 129
* JŽ 130
* JŽ 131
* JŽ 132
* JŽ 133
* JŽ 134
* JŽ 135
* JŽ 136
* JŽ 137
* JŽ 138
* JŽ 139
* JŽ 140
* JŽ 141
* JŽ 142
* JŽ 143
* JŽ 144
* JŽ 145
* JŽ 146
* JŽ 147
* JŽ 148
* JŽ 150´
* JŽ 150´´
* JŽ 151
* JŽ 152
* JŽ 153
* JŽ 154
* JŽ 155´
* JŽ 155´´
* JŽ 156
* JŽ 157
* JŽ 158
* JŽ 159
* JŽ 160
* JŽ 161
* JŽ 162
* JŽ 163

Electric locomotives|

* JŽ 341
* JŽ 342
* JŽ 361
* JŽ 362
* JŽ 363
* JŽ 441
* JŽ 442
* JŽ 444
* JŽ 461
* JŽ 462

Diesel locomotives|

* JŽ 641
* JŽ 642
* JŽ 643
* JŽ 644
* JŽ 645
* JŽ 646
* JŽ 661
* JŽ 662
* JŽ 663
* JŽ 664
* JŽ 665
* JŽ 666
* JŽ 667
* JŽ 720
* JŽ 731
* JŽ 732
* JŽ 733
* JŽ 734
* JŽ 741
* JŽ 742
* JŽ 743
* JŽ 744
* JŽ 761

Electric multiple units|

* JŽ 310
* JŽ 311
* JŽ 312
* JŽ 314
* JŽ 410
* JŽ 411
* JŽ 412

Diesel multiple units|

* JŽ 610
* JŽ 611
* JŽ 710
* JŽ 711
* JŽ 712
* JŽ 713
* JŽ 801
* JŽ 802
* JŽ 811
* JŽ 812
* JŽ 813

* v
* t
* e

National railway companies of Europe

* List of railway companies
* Rail transport by country
* Railway companies by country

* Abkhazia1 AŽD/AA
* Albania HSH
* Armenia1 YuKŽD/HKY
* Austria ÖBB
* Azerbaijan1 ADY
* Belarus BŽD/BČ
* Belgium NMBS/SNCB
* Bosnia and Herzegovina ŽFBH2 and ŽRS3
* Bulgaria BDŽ
* Croatia HŽ
* Czech Republic ČD
* Denmark DSB
* Estonia EVR / Elron
* Finland VR
* France SNCF
* Georgia1 GR
* Germany DB
* Greece OSE / Hellenic Train
* Hungary MÁV
* Ireland IÉ
* Italy FS
* Kazakhstan1 QTJ
* Kosovo Trainkos
* Latvia LDz / Vivi
* Lithuania LTG / LTG Link
* Luxembourg CFL
* Moldova CFM
* Montenegro ŽPCG
* Netherlands NS
* North Macedonia ŽRSM
* Norway Vy
* Poland PKP
* Portugal CP
* Romania CFR
* Russia1 RŽD
* Serbia ŽS, Srbijavoz
* Slovakia ŽSSK
* Slovenia SŽ
* Spain Renfe
* Sweden SJ
* Switzerland SBB CFF FFS
* Transnistria PŽD/PZ/CFN
* Turkey1 TCDD / Taşımacılık
* Ukraine UZ
* United Kingdom NR4 and NIR5

* 1Country partly in Asia
* 2For the Federation B&H
* 3For Republika Srpska
* 4For Great Britain
* 5For Northern Ireland

* v
* t
* e

Rail transport in Europe

Sovereign states|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Georgia
* Germany
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Ireland
*   * Italy
* Kazakhstan
* Latvia
* Liechtenstein
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* North Macedonia
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* Vatican City

States with limited
recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Kosovo
* Northern Cyprus
* South Ossetia
* Transnistria

Dependencies and
other entities|

* Åland
* Faroe Islands
* Gibraltar
* Guernsey
* Isle of Man
* Jersey
* Svalbard

Other entities|

* European Union

See also: High-speed rail · Metro systems · Train categories

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States

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