The European Union is providing a financial package of EUR 175.6 million for the reconstruction of 39 km of the Bar–Golubovci railway line, a key section of Rail Route 4 on the extended TEN-T Core Network.
The financial package includes a EUR 63 million loan from the European Investment Bank and a EUR 112.6 million European Union grant awarded by the European Commission through the Western Balkans Investment Framework, representing a landmark investment that underlines the EU’s strong commitment to Montenegro.
“With the conclusion of the EUR 63 million loan agreement with the European Investment Bank, a stable and favourable source of financing has been secured for one of the key infrastructure projects in the railway sector,” said Montenegro’s Minister of Finance, Novica Vuković.
The European Commission and the EIB’s JASPERS technical assistance programme provided technical support to ensure that the project was prepared in line with European environmental, social and technical standards.
The total cost of the project, estimated at EUR 230.8 million, will also be supported by a EUR 50 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, as well as a EUR 5.2 million contribution from the Government of Montenegro.
Upon completion of the reconstruction of the Bar–Golubovci railway, train speeds will increase and the reliability, safety and capacity of rail transport will be improved. The project will enhance the quality of rail services, enabling the annual transport of 1.3 million passengers and 1.85 million tonnes of freight. It will also promote multimodal transport, strengthen resilience to climate change and support Montenegro’s green transition by shifting traffic from road to rail.
“By modernising the Bar–Golubovci railway, we are not only improving safety, efficiency and service quality, but also strengthening Montenegro’s role as a key transport hub between the Western Balkans and the European Union. This investment directly supports the green transition, economic development and EU accession objectives,” said Montenegro’s Minister of Transport, Maja Vukićević.
The line forms part of Rail Route 4, which connects Belgrade with the Port of Bar, linking Montenegro and the Western Balkans with Central Europe.
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