The loan agreement between Albania and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on the rehabilitation and electrification of the Vore-Hani i Hotit railway line was presented at the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs by Enkelejda Muçaj, the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Energy.

According to her, the railway project is scheduled to complete within 2030 and its design includes construction of bridges and tunnels and an environment-friendly electrification line.

“The traffic speed of the electrified railway line is projected up to 120 km/h. The environment-friendly line meets high European standards. The project includes construction of 12 train stations, a 320-m long tunnel, 12 bridges etc. Once construction completes, we expect the new railway line to transport 2 300 000 passenger trips and a volume of goods of over 900 000 tons annually. The travel time between Vora in Tirana and Hani i Hotit on the border with Montenegro is estimated at two hours,” Muçaj said.

Project’s total estimated cost is 373 million euros and it will be co-funded by Albania’s state budget, EBRD, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Union (EU) through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF).

The Vore-Hani i Hotit railway investment project involves a complete overhaul of the entire railway line (120.2 km and 13 railway stations) for traffic speed of up to 120 km/h, including the installation of a new signaling system and safety improvements.

This railway line is over 120 km long and connects Vore in central Albania to Hani i Hotit on the border with Montenegro, boosting regional connectivity in the Western Balkans and integration with EU markets. Part of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) extension in the region, this line is Albania’s only railway connection with its neighbouring countries.

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