The rehabilitation and electrification of the Durres-Rrogozhina railway line is expected to be completed in 2028.

The news was announced by the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Enkelejda Muçaj, during her speech at the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs and Public Administration during the discussion of the EU grant agreement of Euro 60.5 million for the Durres-Rrogozhina railway line, an important node of Corridor VIII connecting Albania, Italy, Bulgaria, and North Macedonia.

The investment is worth Euro 120.5 million and will be covered by a grant from the EU and a loan of Euro 30 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, as well as Euro 30 million from the European Investment Bank.

Muçaj stressed that the investment in the 34 km long Durres-Rrogozhina railway segment constitutes an important step towards the modernization of the railway infrastructure in Albania and the consolidation of Corridor VIII.

“This grant is support for Corridor VIII, which connects Italy with the eastern coast of Bulgaria and the Black Sea,” she said.

It is also part of the plan for the development of multimodal infrastructure in the country. This project, according to her, establishes a direct connection between Rrogozhina, Lekaj, Kavaja, Golem, Tirana, and Durres, as well as integration with the Tirana-Durres railway line and the airport.

It also connects with the Vora-Hani i Hotit project, which is in the implementation phase, and the segment connecting Rrogozhina with Pogradec, including the part connecting with North Macedonia and then with Bulgaria. “This will enable a stronger connection between the European Union and Eastern Europe,” Muçaj declared.

In addition to the grant, the project is also accompanied by a loan of Euro 30 million from the European Investment Bank, which will help modernize the 34-kilometer railway line.

In addition, for the full implementation of the project, a loan of Euro 30 million will be granted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, as an integral part of the financing package of Euro 120.5 million.

The railway line will be electrified and will be aligned with European Union standards, enabling train travel at speeds of up to 120 km/h.