A serious freight train derailment has once again disrupted railway access to the Port of Rijeka, in Croatia. HŽ Infrastruktura warned that clearing the site and repairing the track could take up to a week, leaving operators without valid alternative routes.
The train involved in the derailment was hauled by ENNA, Croatia’s main private operator, on behalf of Transagent. Loaded with grain, the convoy derailed near Meja, a few kilometres south of the port of Rijeka. The country’s infrastructure manager said that the driver had reported brake failure, with the train travelling at over 100km/h before derailing.
Eleven wagons plunged into a ravine, while the locomotive and two derailed wagons remained at the station. No injuries were reported. The accident also caused substantial damage to the embankment and a wind barrier wall. Following the accident, traffic was suspended on the Zagreb–Rijeka line. The section between Moravice and Rijeka includes steep gradients of up to 27‰, placing significant demands on train braking systems.
Pivka – Rijeka corridor
The disruption is particularly significant because the line is the only one providing access to the Port of Rijeka with a 22.5-tonne axle-load capability. The alternative western route via Pivka in Slovenia, is restricted to ‘only’ 18 tonnes per axle between Pivka and Šapjane.
The derailment at Meja has renewed calls to upgrade the Slovenian section of the Pivka – Rijeka line, which could provide an alternative route for freight to and from the Port of Rijeka. Marko Škraljsky, president of the Croatian Association of Shipping Agents, told local media that the issue had been raised with Croatian and Slovenian authorities for years, without a resolution.
Rijeka’s freight volumes have been growing, supported by the new Rijeka Gateway container terminal and increased rail transport of vehicles and Ukrainian grain for export by sea. Duško Grabovac, president of the port, said the disruption would also affect bulk cargo, including shipments that can only be dispatched by rail.
New lowland Zagreb – Rijeka line
Croatia’s plans to improve rail access to its main port remain at the preparation stage, with the new lowland line from Karlovac and the doubling of the coastal section still lacking confirmed construction schedules. The proposed 111 km lowland line to Tijani would provide a faster, double-track route through the mountainous hinterland, allowing freight trains to travel at 120 km/h.
Environmental approvals have been obtained for the Karlovac–Skradnik and Skradnik–Krasica–Tijani sections, but preliminary designs, permits, funding arrangements and construction procurement remain outstanding. A very optimistic programme envisages construction starting in 2028 and opening in 2033, although this is not a confirmed commitment.
Meanwhile, HŽ Infrastruktura is preparing a separate project to modernise and double the 27.5 km Škrljevo–Rijeka–Jurdani section, which serves the port and connects with the line to Slovenia. Preliminary design work and a location permit were reportedly completed by 2020, but no construction starting date, approved budget or opening date has been confirmed. An earlier estimate put construction costs at around €270 million.
Repeated disruptions on the Zagreb–Rijeka route
The latest accident follows several major derailments that have interrupted traffic on M202 for days in recent years:
- December 11, 2023: A Rail Cargo Carrier train derailed heavily between Meja and Škrljevo, blocking the line for 12 days and six hours.
- October 9, 2024: An ENNA freight train derailed in Karlovac, interrupting traffic for six days and one hour.
- September 2, 2026: An HŽ Cargo freight train derailed at Sušak-Pećine station, closing the line for two days and six hours.