May 14, 2023 - Tragedy in the town of Kostanjevac Riječki, near Križevci, where a 16-year-old died at a party in the early hours. His 17-year-old friend has been arrested, reports Index.hr.

The Koprivnica-Križevci police reported this morning that they arrested one person after the death of a 16-year-old in a restaurant in Kostanjevac Rijeka.

On Sunday around 1:23 a.m., the police acted on a report from the Križevci Emergency Medical Service that they were providing medical assistance to a 16-year-old in a restaurant in Kostanjevac Rijeka. The young man later died after receiving medical help. The police reported that one person was arrested and a criminal investigation is being conducted into the circumstances of the event.

As ePodravina has learned, the 18-year-old girl's birthday was celebrated in the wine cellar, a space that is rented as part of the Joker cafe.

At one point, they had an argument in front of the cafe and got into a fight
There were dozens of young people at the celebration, among them two friends who at one point had an argument and in front of the space, on the children's playground near the slide, they were pushed. One young man, one year older, hit another and the latter collapsed after 10, 15 seconds and never woke up. Everything happened after midnight, around 1 o'clock.

"At one point, the 16-year-old fell and ran out of air. He started to suffocate and everyone was shocked when they saw that they could not help him at all. In about half an hour, the ambulance from Križevci arrived, but the young man could not be saved.

"All of this is terrible, especially for the parents and family of the young man who unfortunately passed away. It was clearly the finger of fate that the festival turned into a tragedy the likes of which our region does not remember," say the shocked residents of Kostanjevac Rijeka.

Emergency workers resuscitated the young man for half an hour, but he could not be saved and he died in the ambulance. Unofficially, it is known that the young man (17) who hit his friend ran away from the scene out of shock, but soon returned. The arrested young man is from Pofuk.

"The two of them came to the celebration together, they were good friends, they drank coffee in a cafe and went to celebrate. This is a great tragedy, we can't believe it, we are all in shock," says the local. The young man who died was from Sudovac, a small town next to Kostanjevac Rijeka.

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September the 10th, 2022 - Krizevci in the continental part of Croatia is doing excellently when it comes to relying on solar power and becoming more and more green in the energy sense, with the number of Krizevci households using solar power doubling.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, following a recently announced public call/invitation, the mayor of Krizevci, Mario Rajn, signed contracts with an impressive 39 Krizevci residents on the co-financing of the construction of solar power plants on the roofs of their houses.

This is the third year in a row that the co-financing programme for the construction of solar power panels has been implemented, and the number of users compared to 2021 has tripled.

"The people themselves are the backbone of the energy transition. We were the first to introduce this equipment co-financing programme, we were the first to co-finance a public photovoltaic power plant, and we were the first to open the Energy and Climate Office. I'd like to invite the others to use the funds from the call for the creation of project-technical documentation and to be ready next year when the tender opens," said Rajn.

Satisfaction with the increased number of users in Krizevci and beyond was expressed by expert associate Ivana Dubravec on behalf of the energy cooperative KLIK and the Energy and Climate Office, and she had to say the following:

"This year, we prepared as many as 48 applications for project documentation and 35 applications for the construction of solar power panels. It can be seen that our work is recognised within the city of Krizevci and beyond. I'd like to invite you to spread the positive word so that even more people will be able to receive help and that in 2023 we will build even more projects and power plants.''

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, 26 Feb 2022 - The head of the Greek Catholic Eparchy of Križevci, a diocese of the Catholic Church for Eastern Catholics of Byzantine Rite in the northern Croatia, on Friday expressed solidarity with all in Ukraine affected by the war.

Bishop Milan Stipić issued a letter in which he expressed "Christian and brotherly solidarity" with the Ukrainians.

Last October, the Greek Catholic Eparchy of Križevci, marked the 120th anniversary of the arrival of ethnic Ukrainians in Croatia, and in attendance at the ceremony was Ambassador Vasyl Kyrylych. Ukrainians started settling in Croatia at the beginning of the 20th century, most of them had come from western Ukraine in Craotian areas that used to be parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the time.

The reverend recalls that his eparchy included believers of the Ukrainian ethnicity and that they are very concerned about the destiny of their family members and relatives in Ukraine.

"We, together with the whole Christian world, appeal to world leaders for finding a peaceful solution to the current conflict and for the end of the hostilities in Ukraine as well as for making efforts to prevent the spillover of this conflict to other parts of the world," Stipić says in his letter.

The Caritas charity of this eparchy is also collecting funds for the assistance to Ukraine.

The Greek Catholic Church is a Byzantine Rite Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See.

January the 1st, 2022 - Krizevci students have showcased their ability to come up with innovative product ideas and enter into often challenging entrepreneurial waters.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Ivan Tominac writes, with the cooperation of the Krizevci Secondary School of Economics and the Krizevci Entrepreneurship Centre, young people are also showcasing how they too can become entrepreneurs.

Investing in the applicable knowledge of young people is necessary for their growth, and this is exactly the approach taken when it comes to these talented Krizevci students.

They educate young people there for professions in the field of agriculture, and with the initiative of Professor Gorana Pavicic, the cooperation of the Krizevci Secondary School of Economics and the Krizevci Entrepreneurship Centre (KPC), young professionals are upping their chances of success in entrepreneurship.

Thanks to this initiative, fourth grade Krizevci students managed to combine their theoretical and practical knowledge, as well as improve their competencies and skills in terms of establishing and organising business and designing innovative types of agricultural products and services. The fact that these Krizevci students of this school really have entrepreneurial potential is also shown by their ideas, which are both varied and innovative.

In the second half of the year, they will continue their cooperation within the subject "Independent Management", where third grade students will independently develop business plans for the economy and the subject "The Organisation of Agricultural Production" through which they will learn the importance of different measures, incentives and tenders.

This approach, in addition to awakening entrepreneurial potential in young people, solves the big problem of financial literacy among them, too. In this way, young people gain knowledge about proper financial management, which could be a valuable input for them from the moment when they finish their high school education and get acquainted with the demanding labour market.

"If you don't have financial resources and some form of financial background, you don't have the opportunity to realise your business ideas and projects. As part of one of the courses, Krizevci students researched how to finance their business ideas, studied which banks offer which financing opportunities, whether there is any financial support or any measures that would be in line with their chosen economic activities, and there were also ideas floated about financial partnerships,'' Pavicic pointed out.

"This plan and programme exists and it should definitely be adhered to, but it's up to us professors to choose the way in which we'll implement that plan and programme. We want to bring knowledge as close as possible to the students themselves, and I think that the best way to do that is with practical classes, practical exercises and tasks, which is actually a characteristic of our school. Since we have a farming, gardening, fruit growing, cattle breeding, dairy and mechanical practicum in the school, we try to connect theory and practice as much as possible. The great thing in all this is the support of the director Toni Svoboda,'' said Pavicic.

"Expectations at the end of the high school year are certainly the ability and independence of students to start their own businesses, and judging by their dedicated, I believe that when it comes to these Krizevci students, if they decide to take on an entrepreneurial venture one day, they will certainly succeed,'' she concluded.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

December 16, 2021 – Just one hour from Zagreb, Križevci is surrounded by vineyards, cute villages, rolling hills of agriculture and the Kalnik mountains. With activities like hiking, cycling and horse riding and sights like the Greek Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, it's one of the best day trips from the Croatian capital

Every year, more and more people fly into Zagreb. Maybe they'll stay a few days before heading to the seaside? No surprise if they do - there's a lot to see in this modern European city.

Some don't even travel on to the coast. With famous Christmas markets, cultural events and opportunities for digital nomads, Croatia's capital has become a year-round destination with its own inexhaustible appeal. And, one of Zagreb's best aspects is the endless number of amazing day trips you can make from the city.

© Mato Zeman

The historic town of Križevci is one such day trip. First mentioned in 1193, it is one of the oldest medieval towns in the region. Certainly, you won't be the first to drop by.

© Miroslav Stručić

Križevci famously stands at the intersection of roads connecting Zagreb, Koprivnica, Bjelovar and Varaždin. For centuries it has welcomed visitors travelling along those routes.

© Miroslav Stručić

In the modern era, even more people passed through the town after it was included on the important Budapest to Rijeka rail line. Nowadays, it's one of the fastest train routes in Croatia. Indeed, your day trip from Zagreb to Križevci will only take around an hour by train or car. And there are plenty of great reasons why you should make the journey.

Križevci train station © Miroslav Stručić

Discover 8 churches and 20 wells

© Miroslav Stručić

Križevci is a nice small town to walk around. The town is named after the roads that cross here. To the south of the crossroads, the D22 in Križevci is more or less a tree-lined residential avenue. Today's town centre only really begins to the north of the crossroads. You'll notice the change immediately.

© Miroslav Stručić

The architecture here is older and more ornate. Welcoming you on one side of town is Strossmayer Square. On the opposite side, the small cute park on Antun Nemčić Square, then the church of Saint Anne (Sveti Ana). Remarkably, this pretty building is just one of 8 churches here, some of them dating back to the Middle Ages.

© Mato Zeman

In the oldest, the Gothic Church of Saint Cross, be sure to see the Baroque paintings and 18th-century marble altar. It's easy to catch sight of all 8 churches during a short walk around Križevci.

© Miroslav Stručić

Also worth looking out for are the 20 old wells dotted around the town. You'll have to come off the main road if you're going to find them all. If you've got a knowledge of Croatian language you'll have spotted that Križevci is actually plural. Originally, these were two different places. Can you see where the old upper town ends and lower town begins?

© Željko Car

Meet the horses at Imanje Plavec (Plavec Farm Estate and Stables)

© Imanje Plavec

On their family farm estate just outside Križevci, the Plavec family of Sveti Petar Orehovac has been breeding horses for decades. It's a friendly place and famous in the local community. Hundreds of children from the area have visited here to learn about horses. Some volunteer on a regular basis – they help to feed and look after the horses. Also, they are taught how to saddle them and how to ride.

© Marc Rowlands

It's obvious the horses love it here. Used to visitors, they approach anyone who comes close. They are curious and eager to make new friends. If you've never before been around horses, this is the perfect place to be introduced. Beginners can ride around the training enclosure on the farm, guided by one of the Plavec family.

© Marc Rowlands

Alternatively, there are trail routes through the pretty surrounding countryside of Sveti Petar Orehovac. You don't have to ride to come and meet the horses here. You can just come to say hello. Also, there's the option of a carriage ride.

Try the great local food and drink: Križevačko pivo, wine of Križevci, Gornjevinska klet

© Križevačko pivovara

At Restoran Tomislav (here) in the centre of Križevci, you can sample the local beer. Križevačko (here) is the town's craft brewer and although they're not so old, their beer is already known all across Croatia. Their lager and dark beers only come as draft, so don't pass up the opportunity to try.

© Mato Zeman

While Križevačko has a good reputation with craft beer connoisseurs, the town of Križevci is actually much more famous for its wine.

© Željko Car

The Podolski family (here) grow their grapes on a hill above Carevdar, just outside of town. They have ninety thousand vines planted across 13 hectares of pristine, rolling hills. But, they make the wine in the centre of Križevci and you can visit. All of their wines are white – Graševina, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Yellow Muscat, except the Pinot Gris, which is more copper in colour. If you're lucky and it's been the right kind of weather, you might visit in a year when they've managed to make some of the extremely rare 'ledena berba' (frost harvest) wine.

© Miroslav Stručić

At the Korenko winery (here), they recommend you try their Graševina, Sauvignon Blanc and their special blended wine - Cuvée Elizabeta. They've won numerous awards at domestic and international competitions, including a gold medal for their Sauvignon at the Alpe Adria 2017. You'll find their winery, tasting area and the tiny chapel of St. Elizabeta in Brckovčina, not far from Križevci, in the wine-growing area of Mladina. With prior notice, you can visit for wine tasting and traditional food.

© Mato Zeman

OPG Dragutin Kamenjak (here) not only grows grapes for wine but also apples, some of which go to make an excellent apple cider vinegar. They have 4,500 vines in the areas of Greberanec and Cerovec which produce annually between 3,000-5,000 litres of wine. Several interesting varieties are grown here, including the rare Kleščec which is an indigenous variety of local Kalnik vineyards. Kamenjak also have Chardonnay, Pinot gris and Bouvier. The family farm is a member of the Križevci-Kalnik-Orehovec Wine Road and is available to visit by prior arrangement.

© Miroslav Stručić

Just across the road from Kamenjak's vines in Greberanec, you'll find one of the very best places to eat in Križevci. Gornjevinska klet (here) serve delicious food of this specific region. All of their ingredients are sourced locally, the food is freshly prepared and all of it is homemade.

© Gornjevinska klet

The tavern is tucked away, back from the main road and surrounded by peaceful nature. At the end of the garden, a play area to keep children occupied until the food arrives. In warmer months, dishes are served to sun-shaded wooden tables outside or in the homely, rustic interior when it's cold.

© Gornjevinska klet

See spectacular views from Kalnik

© Marc Rowlands

To the immediate north of Križevci, not 10 km out of town, you'll find the remarkable mountains of Kalnik. These ancient peaks form a natural border between the historic Croatian regions of Zagorje, Prigorje and Podravina. To their west is Zagreb County, to the south and east is Koprivnica- Križevci County and to their north is Varaždin County.

Kalnik © Koprivnica-Križevci County Tourist Board

Take your car to the mountain lodge not far from the peak of Mount Kalnik itself. It's just a short walk up to the ruins of the castle fortress on top. From there, you get spectacular views of the verdant valley that sits below. The vineyards, orchards and fields of agriculture you see from here produce the amazing wine and food you'll try in Križevci.

© Željko Car

Kalnik fortress was first mentioned in the 13th century and consists of three parts. The first part was built during the period of the Tatar invasion, and it's believed that King Bela IV hid here at that time. Of course, the fortress and its brilliant views are not the only thing to see.

© Željko Car

The mountain range is actually 16 kilometres long. On average, the peaks sit between 400 to 500 metres. Kalnik has two ridges that run parallel to one another. The one to the north is covered in forest. The southern one has protruding rocks.

© Marc Rowlands

Hikers love to come and tackle the peaks of Vranilac and Mali Kalnik and see the rocks known as the Seven Teeth. A large section of Kalnička gora is protected, and one area near Mali Kalnik is designated as a special botanical reserve.

© Koprivnica-Križevci County Tourist Board

You can also explore the Kalnik mountains on an educational trail or on the picturesque strait of Vratno. On the latter, you encounter a playground, the Škrinja viewpoint and three caves.

Visit the architectural masterpiece of the Greek Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Trinity (Grkokatolička katedrala Svetog Trojstva Križevci)

© Željko Car

The most highly-prized buildings in Križevci are the Greek Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Trinity and its Episcopal Palace. They are architectural masterpieces not only of national significance but also for the wider region.

© Mato Zeman

This is the cathedral of Greek Catholics in Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Until 2001, this was also the cathedral of Greek Catholics in Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia.

© Mato Zeman

The building's origins go all the way back to an Augustinian monastery that was built here in the 14th century. Ottoman armies destroyed it, but the Franciscans rebuilt it in 1627. They inhabited the church until 1786, at which point Emperor Joseph II decided it would be put to better use by the military.

© Mato Zeman

By 1791, the military had left and the church returned to its original use. Reconstruction of the church was carried out by bishop Silvije Bubanović, who dedicated it in the year 1798. The cathedral's Baroque architecture was added during these reconstructions.

© Marc Rowlands

The most significant remodelling of the cathedral's interior and exterior took place between 1895 and 1897, during the reign of Bishop Julije Drohobecki. Plans for this reconstruction were made by architect Hermann Bollé, famous for his work at Đakovo cathedral and in Zagreb - its cathedral, Mirogoj cemetery and the Museum of Arts and Crafts.

© Mato Zeman

The Neo-Gothic features of the Greek Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Trinity date from this renovation. So too do most of the incredible paintings and works of art found inside. Bishop Julije Drohobecki was a significant enthusiast of art. He commissioned the leading Croatian painters of the day to decorate the cathedral's interior - Bela Čikoš Sesija, Ivan Tišov, Ferdo Kovačević, Celestin Mato Medović and others.

© Mato Zeman

Located on the first floor of the eastern block of the bishop's residence is the Library of the Bishops of Greek Catholicism. It contains around five thousand books dating from the 15th century, including 42 editions from the 16th century, around 180 editions from the 17th century, around 70 manuscripts and a particularly rich collection of dictionaries. Some of the books are extremely rare. Among them, the Missalum Zagrebiensis from 1506, printed in Venice and the first Bible printed in the Croatian language by Petar Katančić in 1831 in Buda.

© Marc Rowlands

Another fascinating aspect of the cathedral is the absence of musical instruments. In services, songs are sung unaccompanied in the Old Church Slavonic language – the first Slavic literary language. Documents used within the liturgy are written in the Cyrillic alphabet. The cathedral is home to several monks, who have strict daily rituals regarding prayer, silence and solitude. But, by prior arrangement, they are very happy to welcome you inside and show you around.

This article was produced with the kind co-operation of Koprivnica-Križevci County Tourist Board (here). Both the author and Total Croatia News would like to extend their sincere thanks to the following photographers who generously lent their images to this work - Mato Zeman, Miroslav Stručić and Željko Car. Thanks also to Ivan Nemet and Sonja Badalić.

September the 13th, 2021 - An 87 million kuna renovation for the Podravka office building is set to take place, with a company from the continental Croatian town of Krizevci being ''the chosen ones'' for the job.

As Novac/Vedran Marjanovic writes, Podravka's Supervisory Board approved the Management Board's decision to invest a massive 87.7 million kuna in the renovation of the company's office building, and to conclude a contract with the construction company Radnik (Worker) from Krizevci for the job, the much loved Koprivnica-based company announced yesterday.

The renovation of the Podravka office building includes IT and energy reconstruction, as well as its modernisation. The current Podravka office building was built back in 1979 and hasn't been renovated for practically 42 years.

With this, the reconstruction project, which has been being planned for many years now, has entered the implementation phase, and includes a seven-storey office building, a restaurant, a car park and the surrounding area, Podravka announced, adding that the works will begin on October the 1st this year and will be completed in July 2022.

During this time, according to the announcement of the Koprivnica company, employees whose workplace is in the Podravka office building will be relocated to other locations in the company.

Podravka pointed out that the renovation of the company's office building will be financed from its own sources, without any borrowing involved. They added that the renovation of the Podravka office building is being done in its existing dimensions and that the investment framework is appropriate for a challenging business year with careful cost management.

When it comes to the selection of Radnik d.d. from Krizevci as the contractor, Podravka revealed that three rounds of collecting bids from contractors were conducted and that the selection was based on the project of renovation of the office building prepared by the company Forma-Biro, also from Koprivnica.

The amount of the investment in the renovation of the Podravka office building refers to construction works, the mechanical installations, works on the facade and those on the electrical installations, according to the Koprivnica company, noting that the renovation project incorporates elements of material artistic value of the building.

The reconstruction of the office building, Podravka noted, will improve the company's energy efficiency, corporate and information security and ensure that the new requirements of the prescribed standards are met in the time after the coronavirus pandemic.

For more, follow our business section.

July 16, 2021 - Continuing to improve education, a new and improved FOI course is open for the academic year 2021/2022. Meet the program of Business Applied Information Technologies.

With a fantastic display of informatical knowledge and growing interest in the field observable among Croatian pupils, it is only logical that the education system follows the demand.

Faculty of Organization and Informatics (FOI), based in Varaždin but part of the University of Zagreb, is already one of the more known high-education institutions for computer-sciences-inclined. But, as Srednja.hr reported, starting next academic year this autumn, an improved bachelor's study program will take its first students.

„By process of revision, and by following trends and modern markets, FOI successfully innovated a professional bachelor's program called Business Applied Information Technologies (PITUP), says Srednja.hr.

The article adds that the program has a multidisciplinary approach in combining information technologies and digital business. The program also develops in two directions: app development and informatics support aimed to allow students to progress in their preferred area. The education for the new and improved PITUP apart from Varaždin will also be available in cities and towns such as Varaždin, Sisak, Križevci, and Zabok.

As stated by Faculty's official website, FOI is active for more than 50 years and spent that time well in educating the most qualified experts in information technology, economy, organization, communicology, and other fields of similar direction.

„To educate our students, all the needed infrastructure is secured: equipped laboratories, videoconference halls, electronic learning system, wireless network for Faculty buildings and modern equipped library and reading room“, says FOI.

In addition, FOI has two buildings, with building two being within a five-minute walk from the center of Varaždin, and from building one directed towards Varaždin Student Dorms and the newly built Student Restaurant.

„Employers recognized the knowledge and skill of our students. From this year, ecx.io digital agency, that does business as part of IBM iX Group, collabs with FOI to give scholarships to three freshmen year students that will take the PITUPeducational program in Sisak Educational Centre“, added Srednja.hr

The city of Križevci also offers scholarships for three students from Križevci that stay in their town to study the new program.

Learn more about Varaždin on our TC page.

For more about education in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

March the 6th, 2021 - A new Krizevci settlement is springing up which will house those working for a Turkish company which is constructing the railway line to the Hungarian border.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, just in front of Krizevci, a workers' settlement being built by the competent Turkish company is being erected. This will be the home of those working on the construction of the brand new railway, which Croatia desperately needs, stretching all the way to the Hungarian border. The project is otherwise worth a total of 2.5 billion kuna.

This new Krizevci settlement consists of about twenty smaller houses. There are dormitories for the railway line´s workers, a dining room and a kitchen. There will also be a lab, workshops, and even a gym. At the peak of the construction work, between 700 and 800 workers from Turkey will be housed there, according to a report from Dnevnik.hr.

"According to the contract, the duration of our project is 42 months. I can say both on behalf of my colleagues and on my own behalf that we have been very well received here. We feel good here and we haven´t been having any problems at all,¨ said the project manager Mehmet Yilmaz.

"The town is beautiful, and I hope that in the future I will have the opportunity to explore Krizevci and the surrounding settlements even more, meet more local people and that we will adapt and accept the local culture," said railway line worker Cemil Şentürk.

Hairdresser Valentina said that they managed to communicate with the local Croatian population "with their hands and feet" and added that when it comes to hairstyles, they let the hair stylists do what they think would be best.

In addition to the local hairdressers, Krizevci itself will also benefit, with taxes and surcharges on the salaries of the Turkish workers, and they have already hired some local Croatian workers.

"Some Croats are employed in cleaning services and all the additional services that such a settlement needs," said Mario Rajn, the mayor of Krizevci. For the next four years, this will be the 60th settlement within Krizevci, and also the most populous of them all.

For more, follow our business section.

November 2, 2020 – From southern Spain to Budapest through Rijeka and Zagreb and from Salzburg through Zagreb, Belgrade and Skopje to Greece, Croatia pan Europe trains will run 160 kilometres per hour by 2030

In the biggest investment ever made in the infrastructure of the country's rail network, Croatia pan Europe trains will run 160 kilometres Per Hour By 2030. In an investment costing 4.5 billion Euros, 750 kilometres of railways will be modernised.

© HZPP

The lines that will receive the upgrade will connect Rijeka to Budapest in Hungary via Zagreb (RH2) and Zagreb to Belgrade via Vinkovci (RH1). Though these lines already exist, they have never undergone an overhaul of the scale proposed. The modernisation with ensure double lanes across the whole of both routes and facilitate passenger train speeds of 160 kilometres per hour.

The level of investment means that during the next ten years, HŽ Infrastruktura's (Croatian Railway Infrastructure Company) rebuild of the Croatia pan Europe trains network will be the largest infrastructure project in the Republic of Croatia and the largest beneficiary of EU grants in the transport sector. Most of the money for the modernisation is coming from European Union grants.

Almeria on the Mediterranean, in Andalusia, southern Spain, where the Mediterranean Corridor begins © ddz photo

The RH2 line is part of the Mediterranean Corridor which connects the south of the Iberian peninsula with eastern Hungary via six countries. The line runs from Almeria on the Mediterranean coast in the south-east of Spain, through Madrid and Barcelona. It passes through Marseille in France, then northern Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, the Hungarian capital of Budapest, before finishing in Záhony in the east of Hungary, not far from the border with Ukraine. The route covers more than 6000 kilometres. The Croatian section will pass through Jurdani (six kilometres north of Opatija), Rijeka, Karlovac, Zagreb, Dugo Selo, Križevci and Koprivnica.

To Croatian rail passengers, the Spanish city of Barcelona will be just a few hours away by 2030 © Patrice Audet

The RH1 line is part of the Pan-European Corridor X. The Croatia pan Europe trains section of this transport route was once one of the three lines taken by the Orient Express. The modernised rail line will start in Salzburg, Austria and pass through Ljubljana before reaching Zagreb. The line will pass through Slavonski Brod and Vinkovci before making its way to Belgrade, then Niš in southern Serbia. The old Oriental Express line then headed east, to Istanbul via Sofia, Bulgaria. The EU-funded train section of the Pan-European Corridor X instead heads south, to Thessaloniki in Greece via Skopje in Macedonia.

The rail journey time between Zagreb and Belgrade (pictured) will be shortened considerably by the improvements © Djordje Jovanovic

Trains are currently the greenest transport option for long-distance travel. As the world heads in the direction of seeking energy sources that do not rely on finite fossil fuels, rail also currently looks to be the long-distance travel option best-equipped to meet this challenge. In the future, visitors from all across Europe may increasingly rely on the Croatia pan European trains network in order to access the country. The improvements also increase business and leisure opportunities for Croatians in Europe.

Thessaloniki in Greece is one of the most popular cities in Europe for visitors. The renewed rail section of the Pan European Corridor X will end here © Dimitris Vetsikas

Around 935 million Euros was invested in the Croatian railway infrastructure between 2010 and 2019. The new investment dwarfs those figures. The initial investment, occurring between 2020 and 2024 amounts to as much as 1.8 billion Euros, of which almost 78.7 per cent is co-financed by the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI) and the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). From 2025 to 2030, EU funds totalling more than 2.7 billion Euros are expected to be invested in the Croatia pan European trains network.

Freight train passage along the lines will also be increased, reaching a new speed of 120 kilometres per hour. The Croatia pan European trains network also offers great potential to open up continental Croatia regions to international visitors. The Croatian railway network currently has 2,617 kilometres of track, of which 274 kilometres are double-track and 980 are electrified.

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ZAGREB, March 12, 2020 - The Croatian state-run HŽ Infrastruktura company and the Turkish Cengiz Insaat Sanayi ve Ticaret on Thursday signed a HRK 2.42 billion contract on the reconstruction and upgrade of a 42.6-kilometre-long railway from Križevci via Koprivnica to the Croatian border with Hungary.

The project, which is co-financed with funds from the European Union's Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), is expected to last 42 months. The works are due to start in April and end in October 2023.

The project envisages upgrading the route to a double-track railway, with nine modernised rail stations, two viaducts, 21 railway overpasses and underpasses and other improvements that will enable trains to drive at a speed of up to 160 kilometres per hour.

This route is part of the Croatian segment of the Mediterranean corridor passing from Hungary via Zagreb to Rijeka.

Speaking at the contract-signing ceremony in Government House, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said that this was a strategic project and pointed out the fact that EU grants for the investment totalled HRK 1.8 billion.

More economy news can be found in the Business section.