Croatian passenger rail operator HŽ Putnički Prijevoz (HŽPP) has launched a tender for the procurement of six BEMUs and the commissioning of a hybrid charging station for traction batteries on the country’s rail network.
The deadline for submitting bids is 2 June 2026, the same day on which tenders will be opened, followed by the evaluation procedure.
The contract is valued at an estimated EUR 53.6 million (excluding VAT), with an implementation period of 30 months starting from 1 October 2026. The trains will be delivered to Zagreb Central Station, while the charging station will be installed at Kotoriba station.
The project is partially financed through the European Union Modernisation Fund and aims to reduce environmental impact through the use of green technologies in passenger rail transport.
The procurement documentation stipulates that both the trains and the charging station must comply with all applicable technical and interoperability standards in Croatia and the European Union.
The most economically advantageous tender will be assessed based on price (65 points), warranty period (15 points), functional coupling capability with HŽPP’s existing new-generation rolling stock (15 points), and the use of a steel carbody structure for the trains (5 points).
The Croatian operator places particular importance on the compatibility of the new trains with its existing rolling stock fleet, enabling multiple-unit operation and reducing operational costs over the entire lifecycle of the vehicles.
New BEMUs to operate across six regions
The six BEMUs will be deployed on urban, suburban, and regional non-electrified lines in the Krapina-Zagorje, Varaždin, Koprivnica-Križevci, and Međimurje regions. They will primarily operate within the Varaždin regional unit and will provide connections to other stations across Croatia’s railway network.
The hybrid charging station in Kotoriba will operate using electricity from the grid, as well as through a dedicated photovoltaic system and a stationary battery energy storage system. Renewable energy generated on site will primarily be used to charge the stationary storage system and subsequently to charge train batteries.
By introducing battery trains, HŽPP aims to reduce CO₂ emissions and improve energy efficiency. The trains will use energy stored in batteries, charged either from the electrified overhead network sections or from the charging station, as well as energy recovered during braking.
The Croatian operator and Končar Electric Vehicles signed a EUR 118 million contract in July 2025 for the delivery of 13 hybrid trains (battery-electric and diesel-electric), which are set to enter service from 2027. In March, HŽPP also presented the design of a diesel-electric train that will be delivered in July and will operate on the Zagreb–Split route.
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