The tender for the study and design of the project for the rehabilitation of the Rrogozhina-Vlora railway line, as well as the design of the new railway line that will connect the Vlora airport with the city of Vlora has been closed without complaints, paving the way for the announcement of the winner and the conclusion of the contract.

The procurement procedure was opened in December by the Albanian Railways, while the companies had until February 10 to submit their offers.

The company that will win the tender will have to draft an implementation project for an electric railway line with a speed of up to 120 km/h. Also, the railway must be according to UIC D4 category standards with a load of 22.5 tons per axle and a longitudinal load of 8 t/m. The project will also take into account the possibility of running trains with a length of 740 m and the possibility of exchanging trains.

With the opening of the tender procedure, it was announced that the existing Rrogozhina-Vlora line with a length of 84.27 km, operates below optimal capacity due to outdated infrastructure and the need for deep improvements. Meanwhile, the construction of the Vlora airport creates a great opportunity for the economic and tourist development of the region and for this reason, it is necessary to build a new railway line to connect the city of Vlora with this airport. “This connection will guarantee efficient transport for passengers and will increase the attractiveness of the region for investments and tourism”, it was stated, among other things, in the tender documents.

According to the deadlines set during the tender opening, the final project idea will have to be ready within 12 months from the signing of the contract. This means that taking into account the other steps up to the moment of signing the contract with the winning company, the project that will pave the way for the tender for the implementation of the works will have to be ready in the spring of 2026.