Private company for Tirana-Durrës-Rinas trains/ International call opens, service expected to start at the end of 2027
The search for an operator to provide passenger rail transport service on the Tirana-Durrës-Rinas line officially begins, taking another step towards the return of trains for passengers after decades of absence.
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy has published a call for expressions of interest addressed to international companies and consortia with experience in operating railway transport, in the framework of preparing the first public railway passenger service contract in the country. The call for expressions of interest has also been published on the European Union's public procurement website.
According to the published documents, the initial service package will cover the Durrës–Tirana–Tirana International Airport corridor, while in the future the contract may be extended to Hani i Hotit and Pogradec, depending on the completion of infrastructure investments in these segments. The electrified Tirana – Durrës – Rinas line is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2027 and will be the first line where the new passenger rail service will be offered.
The public service contract is expected to have a duration of 10 - 15 years, while the winning operator will be responsible for providing the trains, putting them into service and maintaining them throughout the contract period.
In the initial phase, it is expected to operate around 1.1 million train kilometers per year, with 44 daily services on the Tirana-Durres line and 74 services on the Tirana-Airport line. With the expansion of the network towards Hani i Hotit and Pogradec, the operation volume could reach around 4 million train kilometers per year by 2036.
Interested companies have until July 26, 2026 to submit expressions of interest, while the tender for the selection of the operator is expected to open in the fourth quarter of this year. The launch of the first passenger rail service is expected at the end of 2027.
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