R201 railway (Croatia)

Summary

The Zaprešić–Čakovec railway, officially designated as the R201 railway, is a 100.6-kilometre (62.5 mi) railway line in northwest Croatia that connects the towns of Zaprešić and Čakovec, opened in 1886[1] in former Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia.[2][maps 1][3] It is partially electrified single-tracked railway. The section between Zaprešić and Zabok is also a branch part of Pan-European Corridor X. Most of the corridor passes through Hrvatsko Zagorje region, connecting the largest part of Međimurje and Hrvatsko Zagorje with Zagreb, spanning through four counties. The line separates at the Zaprešić station from the M101 railway. The line is used for passenger (regional) and freight traffic.

Zaprešić–Čakovec railway
Čakovec railway station
Overview
StatusActive
OwnerHŽ Infrastruktura d.o.o.
Line numberR201 (HŽ)
LocaleZagreb County; Krapina-Zagorje County; Varaždin County; Međimurje County
Stations26
Service
TypeRegional rail
History
OpenedSeptember 4, 1886 (Zaprešić-Varaždin); December 13, 1886 (Varaždin-Čakovec)
Technical
Line length100.6 kilometre (62.5 mi)
Number of tracks1
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
ElectrificationZaprešić-Zabok: 25 kV 50 Hz AC; Zabok-Čakovec: non-electrified
Operating speedUp to 120 km/h (74.6 mph)
Route map

Legend
0.0
Zaprešić
M101 to Ljubljana
4.2
Novi Dvori
7.5
Pojatno
10.4
Kupljenovo
12.9
Luka
16.2
Žeinci
18.4
Veliko Trgovišće
Horvatska
23.8
Zabok
L103 to Đurmanec
Krapinica
25.9
Hum-Lug
28.3
Dubrava Zabočka
30.2
Špičkovina
32.6
Bedekovčina
35,2
Poznanovec
39,4
Zlatar Bistrica
43,7
Donji Lipovec
47,1
Konjščina
D540 state road
53,9
Hrašćina–Trgovišće
56.8
Budinščina
D24 state road
D24 state road
62.8
Podrute
D24 state road
D24 state road
68.3
Madžarevo
71.3
Novi Marof
77.4
Krušljevec
80.4
Sveti Ilija
82.7
Turčin
88.8
Varaždin
D3 state road
99.6
Čakovec

The R201 railway also connects to the R106 line (towards Krapina, Đurmanec and Croatia-Slovenia state border) in Zabok, to the L202 line at Hum Lug, the L201 and R202 lines in Varaždin and the M501 and L101 lines in Čakovec.[4]

Reconstruction of the Zaprešić - Zabok section (2018 - 2021) edit

From 2018 to 2021, the complete section between stations Zaprešić (excluded) and Zabok was modernized/reconstructed, which resulted in splitting of almost all direct passenger lines Zagreb - Zabok - Varaždin - (Čakovec - Kotoriba) in two, as the EMU trains started to cover mostly all lines between Zagreb and Zabok, while DMU trains continued to cover lines on the rest of the track.[5] Reconstruction included following:

  • electrification
  • improvement of the construction parameters of the railway to designed construction speed of a maximum of 120 km/h
  • diversion of the original route to a total of 6 km of track, which reduced the running times of passenger trains by 30 to 50 percent
  • reconstruction of the stations Novi Dvori, Luka, Veliko Trgovišće and Zabok, including the construction of new 55-cm high platforms, underpasses, canopies, parking lots, outdoor lighting system, system for audio and video information for the passengers, reconstruction of station buildings
  • separation of Zabok station into passenger and freight terminal and construction of a new building for accommodation of signaling, security and telecommunication devices and the office for executive staff
  • installation of the new 55-cm high platforms, canopies, outdoor lighting system, access parking lots and a system for audio and video information for the passengers at stop locations
  • installation of a new signal-safety and telecommunication devices and devices for remote traffic control on the section
  • modernization of the 15 level crossing using modern automatic security and synthetic lifting; redirection of the four crossings with connecting roads to adjacent crossings and abolition of one (in Zabok area)
  • arrangement and complete reconstruction of the railway structures such as four new reinforced concrete bridges and the road bridge Horvacka; arrangement of the 35 culverts and canals for drainage works; raising of the retaining / supporting walls in places where it is necessary,

Completion of the section's modernization also marked the end of regular operation of classically compounded passenger trains (railroad cars hauled by separate locomotive) on the corridor, which were, together with DMU trains, an indispensable part of the railway in this area for many years.

Images of stations edit

Maps edit

  1. ^ Overview map of the Čakovec-Zaprešić railway (Map). OpenStreetMap. Retrieved October 2, 2013.

References edit

  1. ^ Klečina, Ante (2008). "Stanje i perspektive pruga Zaprešić–Čakovec i Zabok–Đurmanec–državna granica" (PDF). Željeznice 21 (in Croatian). 13: 13–23. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  2. ^ "Odluka o razvrstavanju željezničkih pruga" [Decision on Classification of Railways]. Narodne novine (in Croatian). Government of Croatia. 2014. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  3. ^ "Network Statement 2021" (PDF). HŽ Infrastruktura. 2019. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  4. ^ "Karta pruga" [Railway map] (in Croatian). Croatian Railways. Archived from the original on 2013-10-17.
  5. ^ "Rekonstrukcija pruge Zaprešić - Zabok u punom jeku" (in Croatian). Croatian Radiotelevision. 2019-12-03.

External links edit

  Media related to Zaprešić–Čakovec railway line at Wikimedia Commons