R201 railway (Croatia)

Zaprešić–Čakovec railway
Zaprešić–Čakovec railway
	Čakovec railway station
Overview
Status	Active
Owner	HŽ Infrastruktura d.o.o.
Line number	R201 (HŽ)
Locale	Zagreb County; Krapina-Zagorje County; Varaždin County; Međimurje County
Stations	26
Service
Type	Regional rail
History
Opened	September 4, 1886 (Zaprešić-Varaždin); December 13, 1886 (Varaždin-Čakovec)
Technical
Line length	100.6 kilometre (62.5 mi)
Number of tracks	1
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	Zaprešić-Zabok: 25 kV 50 Hz AC; Zabok-Čakovec: non-electrified
Operating speed	Up to 120 km/h (74.6 mph)
Route map
	Legend

The Zaprešić–Čakovec railway, officially designated as the R201 railway, is a 100.6-kilometre (62.5 mi) railway line in northwest Croatia that connects the towns of Zaprešić and Čakovec, opened in 1886^[1] in former Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia.^[2]^{[maps 1]}^[3] It is partially electrified single-tracked railway. The section between Zaprešić and Zabok is also a branch part of Pan-European Corridor X. Most of the corridor passes through Hrvatsko Zagorje region, directly connecting the largest part of Međimurje and Hrvatsko Zagorje with Zagreb, spanning through four counties. The line separates at the Zaprešić station from the M101 railway. Before 2021, the line was non-electrified and maximum operating speed was 100 km/h (62.13 mph) on the section between Varaždin and Čakovec.

The R201 railway also connects to the line (towards Krapina, Đurmanec and Croatia-Slovenia state border) in Zabok, to the L202 line at Hum Lug, the L201 and R202 lines in Varaždin and the M501 and L101 lines in Čakovec.^[4]

Reconstruction of the Zaprešić - Zabok section[]

From 2018 to 2021, the section between stations Zaprešić (excluded) and Zabok was modernized with co-financing by 85% of EU grants.^[5] Modernization included following:

-electrification

-improvement of the construction parameters of the railway to designed construction speed of a maximum of 120 kph (74.6 mph)

-diversion of the original route to a total of 6 km of track, which reduced the running times of passenger trains by about 30 percent

-reconstruction of the stations Novi Dvori, Luka, Veliko Trgovišće and Zabok, including the construction of new platforms (useful length at least 160 m), underpasses, canopies, parking lots, reconstruction of station buildings (excluding Zabok), separation of Zabok station into passenger and freight terminal, construction of a new building for accommodation of signaling, security and telecommunication devices and the office for executive staff at Zabok station

-installation of the new platforms, canopies and parking lots at the Pojatno, Kupljenovo and Žeinci stops

-installation of a system of video surveillance and visual and audio notification for passengers at stations and stops

-installation of a new signal-safety and telecommunication devices and devices for remote traffic control on the section in order to ensure conditions for faster, but also safer train traffic

-modernization of the 15 level crossing using modern automatic security and synthetic lifting; redirection of the four crossings with connecting roads to adjacent crossings and abolition of one - all in order to increase the permitted speed of trains and the level of safety at intersections of railways and roads

-arrangement and complete reconstruction of the railway structures such as four new reinforced concrete bridges Vučerna, Lužki Potok, Črnec and Horvacka and the road bridge Horvacka; arrangement of the 35 culverts and canals for drainage works; raising of the retaining / supporting walls in places where it is necessary,