Makedonski Železnici

Map of the Macedonian railway network

MŽ (Македонски Железници, Macedonian Railways) is the public enterprise for railway infrastructure in the Republic of Macedonia.

The Republic of Macedonia is a member of the International Union of Railways (UIC). The UIC Country Code for the Republic of Macedonia is 65.

Macedonian Railways operates 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) gauge (standard gauge) rail tracks in Macedonia and maintains 925 km (575 mi) of lines, 315 km (196 mi) of which are electrified with a 25 kV 50 Hz AC system.

Overview

The first standard gauge line in the area, from Skopje to Thessaloniki was built in 1873.

Macedonia has a well-developed railroad system. It is connected to Kosovo via Volkovo in the northwest, to Serbia via Tabanovci in the north and to Greece via Gevgelija in the southeast and via Kremenica in the southwest. Macedonia's main rail line between the Serbian and Greek borders, from Tabanovci to Gevgelija, is entirely electrified.

The main train station in Macedonia is Skopje.

All domestic lines are operated by Macedonian Railways, with links from Skopje to Tetovo, Gostivar and Kicevo in the west, to Volkovo in the northwest, to Kumanovo and Tabanovci in the north, to Sveti Nikole, Štip, and Kocani in the east, to Veles, Negotino and Gevgelija in the south - southeast and to Bogomila, Prilep and Bitola in the southwest.

International connections and services

The main north - south line from Niš in Serbia to the port of Thessaloniki in Greece on the Aegean Sea (Corridor X), passes through Kumanovo, Skopje, Zelenikovo, Veles, Negotino, Demir Kapija, Miravci and Gevgelija.

Intercity trains link Kumanovo, Skopje, Zelenikovo, Veles, Negotino (Kavadarci), Demir Kapija, Miravci (Valandovo) and Gevgelija (Bogdanci) with Serbia and Greece.

Travel to Bulgaria is via Niš in Serbia and via Thessaloniki in Greece.

Intercity trains link Skopje with Kosovo.

In 2010, Makedonski Železnici joined Cargo 10, a joint venture with other railways in the region.^[1]

Future plans

Corridor VIII

In the planning stage^[when?] is a project to construct new rail links connecting to the existing east - west line (Beljakovci, Kumanovo, Skopje, Tetovo, Gostivar and Kicevo):

• A 89 km link in the East, from Kumanovo to the bulgarian border, which would connect Macedonia to Varna (Bulgaria) and to the Black Sea.
• A 66 km link in the West, from Kicevo to the albanian border, which would connect Macedonia to Durrës (Albania) and to the Adriatic Sea.

Corridor X

The Ministry of Transport and Communication has began studies for the renewal and reconstruction of several section of the corridor X:

• Renewal and reconstruction of railway track on the 16 km section between Bitola and Kremenica as a part of the Xd branch of Corridor X
• Reconstruction of the 14 km railway section between Kumanovo and Deljadrovci
• Reconstruction of the 35 km railway section between Dracevo and Veles

References

1. ^ "Macedonian railways to join Cargo 10". http://www.ictmag.info/politics/macedonian-railways-to-join-cargo-10/. Retrieved 2010-09-26. 

External links

• Macedonian Railways
• More information about the Macedonian Railways