December 1960, Republic of Macedonia

A powerful infrastructure boom for Western Macedonia

The railway line connecting Gostivar and Kičevo, with a length of about 102 km, is one of the most important railway connections in the country – built in the late 1960s and recognizable for technical achievements such as the “Buković” tunnel (with over 7 km – the longest in the Balkans) and the “Srbinovski” viaduct.

Today, this railway connection is part of the pan-European Corridor VIII – an important transport line connecting the Adriatic with the Black Sea. With the support of European funds and the Western Balkans Investment Framework, a thorough reconstruction is planned: electrification, installation of modern signaling systems and improvement of safety standards.

A pre-feasibility study is underway that covers all parts of the railway – bridges, tunnels, control systems, technical condition and possibilities for increasing efficiency. This analysis will enable the preparation of a detailed project, together with an environmental study and full technical documentation.