Repair of a key stretch of railway in Albania is being supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) with a €36.9 million loan which combines with an investment grant of up to €35.5 million from the European Union (EU) under its Connectivity Agenda for the Western Balkans, and an additional €2.75 million in grants from bilateral donors through the Western Balkans Investment Framework. More than 34 km of the existing railway track between Albania’s capital, Tirana, and the port of Durrës will be restored as part of this project. Durrës is the country’s largest port and an important regional hub for international trade, and the project will thus bring improvements not only to connectivity within the country but also to regional integration.

Additionally, a new five km-long rail track will be constructed connecting Tirana city to the Tirana International Airport. On a track with a current average of less than 60 km per hour, the repairs will allow for travel which is both faster and safer.

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