Railway Modernization: The Croatian Station Called Longing Still Awaits Its People and Is Declining

If judging by the statements of politicians, railway transport is an absolute priority of this Government. Just yesterday, Prime Minister Plenković announced significant cooperation with the Chinese regarding the renewal of our tracks because, as he said, ‘now is the time for a significant step forward in the modernization of railway transport’. This reminded us of the new railway station Haganj, an investment in modernization that is not just a mere announcement, and of which we were lonely guests a few months ago.

The view of the completely new, polished, yet unused railway station was marred only by the fact that the place was deserted, a ghost town. However, the response we received from HŽ Infrastruktura in April promised that such desolation would not last.

>>> The track we waited 40 years for is completed, but has been without passenger traffic for months

“In June, the start of trial operation of the new track is expected. Also, according to the planned schedule, in June the process of obtaining a usage permit from the Ministry of Construction and Physical Planning will begin. By the end of September, a decision from the Railway Safety Agency is expected for the commissioning of this track,” HŽ Infrastruktura responded to our inquiry about the section connecting Gradec with Sveti Ivan Žabno in the Bjelovar-Bilogora County. This is part of the track that will enable travel from Zagreb to Bjelovar in one hour.

However, the current appearance of the station and the track indicates only that a lot of time has passed there, but not people and trains. The abandoned and neglected track waits in silence, while grass covers the pavement. We only hope that while there is much talk about modernization, such unused places will not be covered by ‘snow, rosemary, and sedge’.