Montenegro’s Railway Infrastructure Company (ŽICG) has received approval for the reconstruction of the railway line from Golubovci to Bar, covering approximately 39 kilometers.
The Environmental Protection Agency confirmed that the Environmental Impact Assessment Report for the project complies with national environmental laws and includes measures to prevent, reduce, or eliminate negative environmental impacts during construction, operation, and in case of accidents, along with a monitoring program.
The project area spans municipalities of Zeta and Bar, including settlements such as Mojanovići, Goričani, Vukovci, Grbavci, Ponari, Žabljak Crnojevića, Beglaci, Bijelo Polje, Bistrice, Vranjina, Virpazar, Sutomore, Brca, Madžari, Žukotrlica, Šušanj, Bjeliši, and Polje Barsko.
The reconstruction focuses on the upper track structure, excluding bridge and tunnel repairs except for track work in Sozina Tunnel where sleeper replacement has already been completed.
This work is part of the Modernization of Railway Route 4 (Golubovci – Bar) on the East Mediterranean Corridor, funded by the European Union through the Western Balkans Investment Framework.
Montenegro will receive €224 million for this and other railway reconstruction projects, with half as grants from the European Commission and the rest as loans from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
The project aligns with plans to extend the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) corridor between Montenegro and Serbia, enhancing connectivity of the Port of Bar with TEN-T corridors VII and X, and SEETO Route 4.
Currently, the Golubovci – Bar section does not meet mainline railway standards regarding installation of ERTMS (ETCS and GSM-R), permitted speeds of 100 km/h or more, and train length capacity of 750 meters for freight trains.
Upon completion, the total land area occupied by railway infrastructure along this section will increase by approximately 5,938 m² in four locations between Golubovci station and Sozina Tunnel, reaching a total of about 68.5 hectares.
