ZAGREB, 13 May (Hina) – The first battery-powered electric train in Croatia, produced by Croatia’s Končar company, on Tuesday started operating between Zagreb and Bjelovar.

“This is a historic day for Croatian railways and the economy. For the first time, we see a new battery-powered electric train manufactured by Končar with European funding,” Transport Minister Oleg Butković  said in Bjelovar upon arrival.

The train was built as part of the project “Application of Green Technologies in Railway Passenger Transport”, with a total value of €17.1 million. Of this amount, €13.3 million was secured under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), with the remainder financed from the state budget.

“At present, we are investing nearly €1.5 billion in the modernisation and reconstruction of railway infrastructure across Croatia, with the help of European funds and loans from the European Investment Bank,” Butković  said.

The battery-electric train has 157 seats and 158 standing places. It is equipped with three pairs of double doors, wheelchair ramps, space for bicycles, an audio-visual passenger information system and video surveillance, and passengers on the train are provided with free internet access. On the electrified part of the network, it reaches a maximum speed of 160 kilometres per hour, and on the non-electrified part of the network, 120 kilometres per hour.

The train significantly reduces CO2В emissions and is therefore a response to our green transition goals, Končar CEO Gordan Kolak said at the ceremony in Bjelovar.

Minister Butković  also announced that following the hybrid battery-electric train, another fully battery-powered train will be introduced into service in a few months’ time.