December 2, 2020 - Bulgarian cargo drone developer and operator, Dronamics, unveiled the world’s first cargo droneport network in Belgium, Croatia, Finland, Italy, and Sweden

Net.hr reports that Dronamics is an international company based in London and Sofia that runs the logistics and transport of cargo by drones. On Monday, they presented partnerships with the first five airports, one of which is Osijek. The other airports included are Belgian Liège, Italian Brescia, Swedish Skövde and Finnish Seinäjoki. When the network of their bases is completed, it will include 35 airports in 11 European countries and connect 300 million people with low-cost freight service.

"The talks began in secret in March this year. We wanted a niche where we would be the first and where we would take advantage of new technologies that open up great opportunities. This is an opportunity for Osijek in which we see the future of our airport in the environment of the big ones," said the director of Osijek Airport, Davor Forgić.

Dronamics will base its equipment for unmanned aerial vehicles in Osijek and provide cargo transport services in domestic and international air traffic. Their Black Swan drone can carry 350 kilograms of cargo over a distance of up to 2,500 kilometers at 80 percent less cost than conventional cargo aircraft. Operations are performed autonomously, monitored, and controlled via satellite, and the entire system costs less than the price of, say, one sports car. The good news is that it will train the local population to work and manage flights.

The entire project was supposed to come to life at the beginning of next year, but the coronavirus epidemic postponed certification at the European Aviation Safety Agency, so the first drones from Osijek will take off only at the beginning of 2022. However, transport prices are already known. Thus, flights lasting up to four hours will cost 2.89 euros per kilogram of cargo. These flights can include destinations such as Berlin, Basel, Milan, Catania, Athens, Bucharest or Warsaw. Slightly more expensive will be eight-hour flights, which include cities such as Barcelona, Oslo, Helsinki, Stockholm or London. They will cost 3.79 euros per kilogram of cargo.

Dronamics flights from Osijek will cover almost all European destinations at prices of 2.89 and 3.79 euros per kilogram, depending on the duration of the flight.

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October 3, 2020 - With charter airlines in a state of flux and Croatia Railways beginning a renewal of their fleet in Slavonia, are continental Croatia trains the eco-friendly and best way to unlock the inland's amazing potential?

Everything changes. Nothing stays the same. Even before 2020 arrived, lifestyles and trends were headed in new directions. Eco-tourism and agro-tourism were two of the fastest-growing areas within the travel sector, this behaviour change a response to concerns about the environment. And nowhere in the country stands better poised to take advantage of this interest than continental Croatia.

Impossibly pretty Zagorje - the region lies just north of Zagreb and is accessible by continental Croatia trains © Ivo Biocina / Croatia National Tourist Board

From the impossibly pretty hills of Zagorje, the peaceful rivers of Karlovac county and the hidden vineyards that surround the capital Zagreb to the vast Pannonian flatlands that stretch to Slavonia, Baranya, Vukovar-Srijem and beyond, the varied topography of continental Croatia is wild, exciting and - by many - wholly undiscovered.

This is land where agriculture and nature thrive side by side, where the stresses of modern-day existence ebb away as you readjust to a way of life that would look mostly familiar to the people who lived here centuries ago. These are places where you can truly be at one with yourself and with your surroundings. In continental Croatia, you often find yourself in an environment that is both timeless and traditional, yet wholly contemporary in regards to its ecological aspirations. And you're never far away from an exciting city environment that you can dip into on a whim – not just Zagreb, but Osijek, Slavonski Brod, Karlovac, Sisak and Varaždin too.

To those who really know and love Croatia, Osijek is simply unmissable. It is both the capital of and the doorway to Slavonia and Baranya and should be more accessible by continental Croatia trains. Sadly, international transportation links to the city by air are also quite poor. Improvements in accessibility to Slavonia and Baranya by rail and road are imminent © Romulić & Stojčić

Unlocking the incredible potential of continental Croatia relies on getting the message out there and facilitating travel to these regions

In recent TCN features we have detailed that motorways within Croatia are among the best in Europe - once you're inside Croatia, travelling by car (or bus) between the regions couldn't be easier. We have also seen evidence of the huge interest in travelling here by rail and using continental Croatia trains.

Of all the modern methods of long-distance travel, rail is by far the most eco-friendly. What better way to begin an environmentally friendly holiday than by arriving on continental Croatia trains? When the country wisely decided to prioritise its internal motorway system, a modern and fast inter-regional rail network was put on the back burner. Nowhere suffers greater from this decision than continental Croatia.

The Croatian rail network © Croatian Official Document uploaded to Wikipedia by Epepe

The only high-speed line that currently exists in Croatia links Rijeka to Budapest, via Zagreb and Koprivnica. Planned improvements hope to cut journey times between Zagreb and its nearest coastal city to an hour. Same as it ever was - Rijeka was the first Croatian city to be connected internationally by rail. That line also ran into the heart of Austro-Hungary and facilitated upper-class travel to places like Opatija. But does it best benefit the country to invest in more links to the coast or in continental Croatia trains? Well, the inland is not being ignored. Upgrades are being made to continental Croatia trains.

This impressive beast actually services the country's coast. But would more investment in the continental Croatia trains network better service more people and help unlock the inland to tourists? Around 70% of the country's inhabitants live in continental Croatia © HŽPP

The rail link between Zagreb and Slavonski Brod is so historic that it was once part of the four routes of the Orient Express. It has been maintained to a standard where you can make a relatively quick journey from the capital to Vinkovci via Slavonski Brod. The same cannot be said for rail travel to Osijek, the access point to Baranya and much more. So slow is the connection between Osijek and Zagreb that it has been possible over recent times to reach the Slavonian capital quicker by taking the train to Vinkovci, then the bus to Osijek, rather than travelling direct by rail.

Osijek train station. A renovation to the building is planned for the near future © Romulić & Stojčić

However, in February this year, Croatian Railways introduced four direct daily lines between Slavonski Brod and Osijek. And there will be a new tilting train line that will run between Zagreb to Osijek on Friday afternoon and from Osijek to Zagreb on Sunday afternoon, facilitating student travel. On October 15, the first low-floor train will run between Osijek and Vinkovci as an additional part of the renewal of their continental Croatia trains fleet in Slavonia. The welcome return of Croatia's second-oldest international rail line - linking Osijek to Pécs in Hungary, via Beli Manastir and Baranya - was introduced in late 2018.

A motorway stretch between Metković and Dubrovnik, integrating the Pelješac bridge and the Croatian segment of the European corridor are the final big remaining projects in a three-decade-long undertaking to give Croatia one of the best motorway networks in Europe. Should Croatia's rail network be next? © Hrvatske Autoceste

Access to Slavonia and Baranya will also be massively facilitated upon completion of the European corridor, which will connect North Europe to the Adriatic. Starting in Budapest, it necessitates the building of a bridge near Beli Manastir. Thereafter the motorway will pass by Osijek, connect to the Zagreb-Slavonia motorway near Lipovac, then pass through Bosnia and its capital Sarajevo and on to Ploče.

The removal of budget airline flights to the airport in Osijek remains a hindrance to attracting many international visitors to Slavonia and Baranya. However, with charter airlines facing the greatest uncertainty of all modes of transport at the current time, though their return is a must, it is perhaps now an ambition that should remain more long term. For the immediate future, improvements to rail travel look to be a brilliant way of opening up not only Slavonia, Baranya and Vukovar-Srijem, but also an eco-friendly access point capable of serving the whole of untapped continental Croatia.

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ZAGREB, June 11, 2019 - Chinese entrepreneurs are interested in constructing a cargo and logistics centre at Osijek Airport and the government is expecting to receive a letter of intent in that regard as well as negotiations with the relevant ministries, it was said during a visit by a Chinese delegation to the biggest eastern Croatian city on Monday.

President of the Chinese Southeast European Business Association (CSEBA), Mario Rendulić, said that the promotion of Osijek Airport has to date stirred great interest among Chinese partners.

In addition to plans to build a cargo centre at the airport, Chinese entrepreneurs are expected to establish a logistics centre too.

Things are moving along and we are pleased about that. They are developing slowly but they are moving forward. We expect a letter of intent to be sent to the government so that we can move on even further, Rendulić said.

Chinese businesswoman Jiang Yu said that she is very interested in this location particularly since it can be combined with the possibilities provided by the Osijek river port and that negotiations are expected now on further details of possible cooperation.

Osijek-Baranja County Prefect Ivan Anušić assesses that the latest visit by a larger Chinese delegation than on 18 April means they are truly interested, adding that further steps are being discussed and advertising a call for bids is within the remit of state government bodies and not at the county level.

I think that we're entering the final phase when talks need to be conducted between interested investors and the relevant ministries. They are interested in the airport, both for passenger and cargo transport which entails the construction of a logistics centre and we have more than 250 hectares of land available, Anušić said.

He believes that due to the airport's close vicinity to the river port, the pan-European Vc motorway and railway corridor as well as the closeness of the border with Hungary and with Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Osijek is an ideal location which has been recognised by the Chinese entrepreneurs, he added.

The Osijek Airport director, Davor Forgić, informed that last year was a record year as far as passenger transport was concerned with 67,235 passengers catered for, up 55% on the year.

More Osijek Airport news can be found in the Travel section.

February 26, 2019 - TCN continues looking at the plans and expectations for Croatian airports in 2019, with updates from Pula, Rijeka, and Osijek, thanks to AvioRadar. 

In a short statement, Eurowings said the flights will be discontinued on October 27.

ZAGREB, August 24, 2018 - The local authorities in the Town of Osijek and Osijek-Baranja County on Friday discussed possible opportunities for potential investments by the China State Construction Engineering Corporation and the Maribor-based SHS Aviation company in the airport in the eastern Croatian city.

The new connection will bring Osijek closer to 23 destinations in eight EU countries. 

Representatives from Osijek Airport and airline Eurowings signed an agreement on Wednesday to officially begin the direct passenger line from Osijek to Stuttgart, which will from May next year connect these cities twice a week and throughout the year. TCN first announced the new Eurowings line over the weekend.