The search for an operator to provide passenger rail transport services on the Tirana–Durres–Airport line has officially begun, taking another step towards the return of trains for passengers after decades of absence.

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy has published a call for expressions of interest addressed to international companies and consortia with experience in operating rail transport, in the framework of preparing the first public passenger rail service contract in the country. The call for expressions of interest has also been published on the European Union’s public procurement website.

According to the published documents, the initial service package will cover the Durres–Tirana–Tirana International Airport corridor, while in the future the contract may be extended to Hani i Hotit and Pogradec, depending on the completion of infrastructure investments in these segments. The electrified Tirana – Durres – Airport line is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2027 and will be the first line where the new passenger rail transport service will be offered.

The public service contract is expected to have a duration of 10 - 15 years, while the winning operator will be responsible for providing the trains, putting them into service, and maintaining them throughout the contract period.

In the initial phase, it is expected to realize around 1.1 million train kilometers per year, with 44 daily services on the Tirana–Durres line and 74 services on the Tirana–Airport line. With the expansion of the network towards Hani i Hotit and Pogradec, the operating volume could reach around 4 million train kilometers per year by 2036.

Interested companies have until July 26, 2026, to submit expressions of interest, while the tender for the selection of the operator is expected to open in the fourth quarter of this year. The launch of the first passenger rail service is expected at the end of 2027.

The European Commission has already allocated Euro 171 million to support the private sector and infrastructure investments in the Western Balkans, with the only railway project supported being the electrification of the Durres–Tirana line in Albania.

The funding is provided through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) with a value of Euro 13.2 million, out of a total eligible amount of Euro 25.1 million.

The line is 42 km long and, with its electrification, Albania will switch to a zero-emission electric system with a speed of 120 km/h, in order to modernize transport, reduce pollution, and meet EU interoperability standards.

The electrification of the Durrës–Tirana line is part of a larger project involving the rehabilitation of the railway sections between the capital Tirana and the main port of Durrës, with a total length of 34.5 km, as well as the construction of 7.4 km of new railway between Tirana and Rinas International Airport. Approximately 1.5 million people, representing one-third of the country’s population, live in the area served by this section, and the two cities are the largest in Albania.