Studies for Slovenian rail track upgrade get a boost from EU grant

The European Union will co-finance with €1.7 million from the TEN-T Programme a series of dedicated studies aimed at completing the execution design for upgrading a section of double track rail in Slovenia which, when built, will contribute to the realisation of the “Railway axis Lyon-Trieste-Divača/Koper-Divača-Ljubljana-Budapest-Ukrainian border” (TEN-T Priority Project 6).

The studies, selected for funding under the 2012 TEN-T Multi-Annual Programme, concern the upgrade of the existing 25 km long double-track electrified line between Zidani Most and Celje. They will be used as input to further decision-making and are a precondition to start the line upgrade according to the applicable Slovenian law.

The capacity PP6, after the completion of the works on the section, will be above 40 million tonnes of rail freight per year. The project therefore plays a significant role in reducing the number of trucks crossing the Alps. This is particularly relevant for the environmentally sensitive Alpine region where road traffic is at the origin of important effects on the environment.

The studies will be monitored by the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) and are set to be completed by August 2015.