- News
- Milestones
A historic moment for Slovenia: the Second Track is operational
A historic moment for Slovenia: the Second Track is operational
Slovenia has reached an important infrastructure milestone—the first test train has run along the Second Track route, confirming the operability of the new Divača–Koper railway line.
The new 27-kilometre railway line runs along an entirely new corridor and represents the first railway connection of its kind built in independent Slovenia. On the demanding karst alignment, seven tunnels and three viaducts were constructed, placing the project among the most challenging engineering achievements not only in the country but also in Europe. The main contractors for the civil and railway works were the Slovenian companies Kolektor CPG and Železniško gradbeno podjetje Ljubljana, which, together with numerous domestic and international partners, made a significant contribution to the successful implementation of the project.
The Second Track is a project of superlatives: it includes the longest tunnel in Slovenia, and in the entire project, more tunnel kilometres were built in just five years than across the entire motorway network since Slovenia’s independence. At the event marking this historic milestone, the Prime Minister emphasised: “Today is a fantastic day, when we can proudly and with great satisfaction tell a story that begins with a Littoral vision, with a window to the world that we have and that must be equipped with regular connections. A story about Slovenian professional strength and the power of our knowledge, which enabled us to design this demanding railway ourselves. Our experts took responsibility so that today we could travel on this line.”
The Minister of Infrastructure, Mag. Alenka Bratušek, highlighted an achievement that is also exceptional in the European context—the Second Track project remained within the financial framework set in 2019, when the first investment programme was prepared, despite numerous challenges encountered during this period, and also within the planned time frame. She stated: “Today we celebrate a great success of our country, a historic event not only for Koper and Slovenian Istria, but for the whole of Slovenia. The Second Track is much more than an infrastructure achievement. It means better accessibility, faster journeys, and greater transport safety. It represents an important development and connectivity potential for Slovenia, for the Port of Koper, and for the hinterland countries that cooperate with it. In this way, we strengthen the economy of the European Union.”
Matej Oset, CEO of 2TDK, said that the first train ride was an exceptional experience and fully justified all the effort invested. He also addressed local residents who have felt the impact of construction works over recent years: “The residents of this area have been extremely patient and understanding. We greatly appreciate their cooperation and understanding, which is why we strive for solutions that take their needs and quality of life into account as much as possible.”
Marko Brezigar, also CEO of 2TDK, emphasised the importance of the event, noting that such projects do not happen often, neither in Slovenia nor in Europe. “In Europe, we are recognised as a best practice example. European institutions present us as a model for other countries and companies undertaking similar projects, encouraging them to follow our example of how even very demanding infrastructure projects can be managed transparently, responsibly, and efficiently.”
The Divača–Koper Second Track is a completely new railway line, designed with state-of-the-art technical and engineering solutions. In most of the alignment, slab track has been constructed, representing an advanced form of railway infrastructure that ensures greater stability, lower maintenance requirements, and a longer service life. After six years of construction—access roads began in 2019, and major works in 2021—the first train symbolically ran today, marking an important milestone in the development of Slovenia’s railway infrastructure.
