The new Durrës-Prishtina railway project is entering a new phase, with a concrete request for financing in the 2026 budget.

According to the 2026-2028 medium-term budget, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy mentioned in the additional requests for capital expenditures the construction of the Durrës-Prishtina railway line, where the full value of the project amounts to Lek 187 billion or about Euro 1.9 billion.

Of this amount, a financing of Lek 37 billion, or about Euro 370 million, is requested for 2026.

The value requested by the Ministry of Infrastructure will pass the review stages by the Ministry of Finance about budgetary capacities, and the real amounts to be allocated for this project will be set in the 2026 budget.

The railway is conceived as a strategic connection between Albania and Kosovo, aiming not only to facilitate the movement of goods and passengers but also to strengthen economic and political integration between the two countries.

The line is expected to transform the port of Durrës into a regional logistics hub, serving as a direct entry to the markets of the Western Balkans and beyond.

It results from the most expensive infrastructure projects undertaken by our country. The project is also part of the National Investment Plan and has been supported at the intergovernmental level by Tirana and Prishtina.

With the completion of the feasibility study and the transition to the implementation phase, the inclusion in the budget requests for 2026 with such a high amount shows that the Albanian government considers this project one of the main infrastructure priorities for the next decade.

Currently, the government is looking for additional financing for the rest of the project and support from international financial institutions.

The new railway line will pass from Durres through Shkodra, Gjakova, and end in Prishtina. The infrastructure includes tunnels, bridges, underpasses, and stations.

Ministry of Infrastructure officials have previously clarified that part of this segment is partially built, from Vora to Shkodra, while the part from Shkodra to Gjakova remains to be completely new.

Meanwhile, the Durres-Prishtina railway is seen as part of the infrastructure that serves the fighting forces and NATO.