Albania is preparing the Public Service Contract for passenger rail transport on the Tirana-Durrës-Tirana International Airport corridor. This was announced by Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Enea Karakaçi, who said the contract aims to establish the framework for the provision of rail services, including service standards, the operator’s responsibilities and the compensation mechanism.
During a meeting with representatives of major international companies, Karakaçi described the contract as an important step in the development of rail transport in the country and stressed that the market consultation aims to identify the most suitable solutions for operating the service.
The Tirana-Durrës-Tirana International Airport project is part of the programme to revitalise and modernise Albania’s railway sector. According to the minister, it includes the rehabilitation of the existing railway line, a new connection to the airport, the construction of stations and electrification.
Rehabilitation works and construction of the stations are nearing completion, while electrification is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
“Investment in infrastructure, however important it may be, is not the final objective. In fact, the ultimate goal is for citizens to genuinely feel the difference, and for this we must also ensure a modern, regular, reliable and passenger-oriented rail service,” Karakaçi said.
According to him, the Public Service Contract for the Tirana-Airport-Durrës corridor will define elements including the volume of service and train-kilometres, timetables, rolling stock, the ownership or leasing model, financing, maintenance, use of the depot in Shkozet, the mobilisation period, contract duration, the compensation and indexation mechanism, ticket revenues and performance indicators.
The minister said the aim is not merely to provide a certain number of kilometres of rail service, but to establish a service that is measurable and accountable to citizens.
“We want a service that is measurable and accountable to citizens — punctual, safe, reliable, well-maintained and with clearly defined quality standards,” he said.
Karakaçi also stressed that the procedure being prepared must guarantee competition, transparency and flexibility, while consultations with companies are intended to identify market solutions for rolling stock, financing, maintenance and the mobilisation of the service.
Other railway projects
The minister announced that, alongside the Tirana-Durrës-Airport line, other projects aimed at developing Albania’s railway network are also moving forward.
In the north, the approximately 120-kilometre Vorë-Hani i Hotit railway line is being rehabilitated as part of Albania’s connection with Montenegro and the European rail network. The project is co-financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Union. According to Karakaçi, the evaluation of bids is in its final stage, and the winning bidder is expected to be announced by the end of this year.
Meanwhile, the Durrës-Rrogozhinë project represents another important link in the network. The line is part of the core Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) in the Western Balkans and Corridor VIII. The rehabilitation project envisages modern infrastructure with a design speed of up to 120 kilometres per hour, upgraded stations, as well as new signalling and telecommunications systems.
According to the minister, the evaluation of bids for this project is also in its final stage, with the winner expected to be announced and the contract signed by the end of this year.
Preparations are also under way for the Rrogozhinë-Pogradec project, as a continuation of the Corridor VIII railway line. In parallel, a project is being developed for the rehabilitation of the Rrogozhinë-Fier-Vlorë railway line, together with a rail connection to Vlora Airport.
Another focus is the Durrës-Pristina railway connection. In cooperation with the French Development Agency, work is under way on the preparation of a detailed technical design for the project.
Alongside passenger transport, the minister said that the necessary connections for freight transport are also being developed. One of these is the Sukth-Porto Romano connection, which aims to establish a direct railway link with the new port at Porto Romano and strengthen the intermodal connection between rail and maritime transport.
“So, what we are trying to build is a network that connects cities, airports, ports, tourist areas and international corridors,” Karakaçi said.
The minister described this as the vision for the revitalisation of Albanian Railways, stressing that the involvement of international and private operators is intended to bring expertise and experience into the railway system, while also contributing to the development of domestic capacities and the transfer of knowledge to Albanian Railways personnel, particularly in the field of maintenance.
Karakaçi also thanked Albania’s European and financial partners, including the EBRD, the EIB and European Union consultants, for the assistance provided throughout this process.
The post Karakaçi: We are preparing the service contract for the Tirana-Durrës-Airport railway line, setting out timetables and financing appeared first on Euronews Albania.
