The project for the railway in Slovenia connecting Divača to the country’s largest port in Koper is facing a few challenges which will lead to higher costs and a delayed commissioning. “After difficult negotiations, (…) the deadline for completing the work is (…) now 31 March 2026”, 2TDK, the company owning the future line, said.
The first line was initially supposed to be ready in 2024. Initial delays brought the alleged completion of works to 2025. However, the deadline for the completion of section 1, between Divača and Črni Kal, has now been shifted again to the end of March 2026. The most recent hold up was “due to the later start of work in the Glinščica Valley and due to bridging major karst phenomena”, 2TDK pointed out.
The increase in cost, on the other hand, regards section 2, between Črni Kal and Koper. The new contract for this stretch was upped to almost 251 million euros, roughly 23,3 million more than previously agreed upon. Slovenian law, in fact, allows contractors to request a price change of over 10 per cent. Contractors can request payment increases due to higher costs including, for example, labour and material. “2TDK has no influence on the amount of these price increases”, the company specified, as these prices are calculated by the competent authorities.
Turkish contractor is not going anywhere
In addition, 2TDK has denied that one of the parties involved in the construction of the railway, the Turkish company Yapi Merkezi, is leaving the project. Rumours surfaced last week about Yapi Merkezi’s financial troubles and them possibly notifying 2TDK on not being able to finish the project. “2TDK rejects allegations that one of the partners is leaving the (…) project”, the company concluded.
A two-track initiative
The delays and increased costs concern the first of the two tracks which will be built. This is because the project initially entailed only a single track, for which construction started in 2021. At the end of last year, however, the Slovenian government decided to make the Divača-Koper a double track railway. The second track will always be managed by 2TDK, but construction should only start next year, with 2030 set as a deadline for completion.