The 3 railway projects financed by the 2026 budget - Most are foreign funds, 1.3 billion lek from domestic financing
The budget for the railway sector is expected to increase during 2026, while the vast majority of funds remain foreign financing, including grants and loans from international institutions such as the EBRD, EIB and the Western Balkans Investment Framework. According to the draft budget, for the next year, foreign investments in this sector amount to 4.6 billion lek from foreign financing, of which 1.5 billion lek are grants, while 3.1 billion lek are loans. Meanwhile, domestic financing amounts to about 1.3 billion lek. This figure includes budgetary support of 400 million lek for the restoration of the train station in Tirana, as well as 350 million lek for the purchase of electric trains for the Tirana - Durrës - Rinas railway. Meanwhile, the rest goes mainly to cover VAT for existing contracts.
For 2026, the investment portfolio focuses on three strategic projects, which are divided into several budget items, but which together constitute the most important interventions in the railway network. The largest project remains the rehabilitation of the Tirana-Durres line and the construction of the new Tirana-Rinas line, which also includes the construction of station buildings and the electrification of the line. The second project is the Vorë-Hani i Hotit line, which is considered one of the most important segments for the railway connection with Montenegro and further with the European network., while the third to receive financing is the rehabilitation of the Durres-Rrogozhinë line.
According to the draft budget report, the main goal for the railway sector is the completion of works on the Tirana-Durrës-Rinas axis, the start of high-speed works on the Vorë-Hani i Hotit line and the advancement of the Durrës-Rrogozhinë line project. In this context, the government also foresees an increase in the volume of freight transport by rail, aiming to increase the volume of export-import goods transport, compared to the volume achieved in 2014, to 45% in 2028.
In addition to the three main projects, the 2026 budget also supports several important auxiliary interventions, related to technical assistance for railway corridor VIII, supervision of works on the Vorë-Hani i Hotit line, drafting executive projects, and maintenance of existing equipment and infrastructure.
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