Velika Gorica and Zagreb are finally a step closer to a long-awaited rail connection to Franjo Tuđman Airport. After years of disagreements over the route, HŽ Infrastruktura and the relevant institutions have agreed on a solution under which Pleso will gain a new railway station, while trains will reach the passenger terminal through a tunnel. According to vg danas, this is a key infrastructure project that could significantly change the transport landscape of southern Zagreb and Velika Gorica in the coming decade.
The agreed route forms part of the Zagreb Railway Node Development Study, a comprehensive document of around 500 pages whose first phase is nearing completion. As reported by vg danas, the airport connection proved to be one of the most sensitive issues, given that different route variants and stakeholder interests had remained irreconcilable for years. The final solution, known as “Variant 4”, is the result of cooperation between the City of Velika Gorica, the Ministry of Defence, Croatian Waters, and the concessionaire Zagreb Airport Ltd.
The planned rail link would start at Zagreb Main Station, run via the Zagreb Klara statio,n and continue towards Franjo Tuđman International Airport, providing a direct and fast connection between the city centre and the airport. The project includes construction of a new railway line from the Odra stop to the passenger terminal, the addition of a second track, grade separation of level crossings in Buzin and Horvatova-Mrkšina, as well as reconstruction of the Zagreb Klara and Velika Gorica stations.
A particularly important segment of the project is the new 6.2-kilometre section of line from the Odra junction to the airport, intended exclusively for passenger traffic. Two stations are planned on this section—at the former and the new passenger terminals—which will be connected by a tunnel. After an overpass near Velika Mlaka, the line descends below ground level and, from the area of Pope John Paul II Avenue to the new terminal, runs entirely through a tunnel approximately 2.8 kilometres long, representing the most demanding part of the new construction.
Although this is only the first, albeit crucial, step, it is clear that implementation will not be swift. Following the definition of the route, years of detailed design and financing lie ahead, meaning construction is unlikely to begin before the next decade. Once completed, however, train travel from Pleso to central Zagreb will take just a few minutes. As reported by vg danas, after years of debate, the project has finally received its definitive route.
