Private railway management

The government is "entering" the international market for trains and the private company that will operate the lines. Albania plans to open an international competition this year to secure the first pairs of trains that will be put into operation on the railway lines that are under construction, but before that it has launched what is called a "market teaser".

It seems that in addition to trains, what is being sought is an experienced company that will operate these lines which will provide service to passengers.

Albanian Railways initiated this process by inviting interested investors through a document that clarifies the specific requirements that the trains in question must have, the potential lines of the railway network according to the projects already presented.

But, the only one that has made greater progress is Tirana-Durres and the extension to Rinas, as well as the way the maintenance park that will be located in Shkozet has been designed.

“The Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy (MIE) is conducting a preliminary market consultation to assess interest and gather comments from potential operators and other industry stakeholders regarding a future public railway service contract (PSC) for the provision of passenger rail transport services in Albania.

"This preliminary consultation document aims to help shape the structure and possible content of a future public service contract for railways, by gathering input from market participants and interested stakeholders. The objective is to increase transparency and competition in the preparation of a tender procedure," the document states.

The Ministry of Railways states that Albania has 677 kilometers of railway network, most of which is in a state that requires modernization and serious intervention. There are three main lines. The first is Tirana-Durrës, which according to the document is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2026.

The second, Vorë – Hani i Hotit, is expected to be fully modernized by the end of 2030. The third line is Durrës – Rrogozhinë – Pogradec, which will be implemented during 2028-2031. The train stations are currently being modernized and the maintenance center is also expected to be procured.

How many trains will the lines have?

In the document, the Ministry of Transport explains how many pairs of trains are intended to be in use for each of the lines, where 3 sets are intended for Tirana-Durrës and a frequency of 44 trains per working day in both directions.

Travel time 36 minutes. For Tirana-Airport, 52 trains per weekday, via 3 train sets and travel time 19 minutes and 49 seconds. Durrës-Airport will also have 2 train sets and 21 trains per weekday with a travel time of 28 minutes.

Tirana - Hani i Hotit is intended for four sets and the daily frequency will be offered for two trains every two hours, i.e. on departure and arrival, while the travel time is intended to be 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Durrës-Pogradec, four sets every two hours and travel time 3 hours and 15 minutes. Currently, the requested service includes the Tirana-Durres lines and the connection to the Airport with the potential to expand in the future.

“Ideally, passenger services will be operated using Electric Multiple Units (EMUs), however other rolling stock will also be considered. Both new and used vehicles will be considered, as long as they meet the required technical and operational standards.

Electric rolling stock must be compatible with the 25 kV 50 Hz AC electrical system. Train sets must have a maximum length of 100 meters and provide a capacity of 200–250 seated and 200 standing passengers, with a platform height of 550 mm.

"The rolling stock must be capable of operating without the need to physically return to the Tirana Airport and Terminal stations. This means that the train sets must be designed for bidirectional operation, allowing them to move forward and backward efficiently," the document states.

The trains will be operated by private companies.

In a separate section dealing with personnel, it is acknowledged that no obligation is expected to transfer existing HSH staff at this stage.

"The winning train operating company will be responsible for providing personnel (drivers, on-board staff and potentially maintenance staff), ensuring full compliance with administrative and safety requirements under Albanian legislation.

"Other adjustments may be identified during consultation with the market," the document assesses.

According to the government's intention, the rolling stock maintenance park in Shkozet is planned to serve primarily for passenger services under this public service contract (PSC), but may also be made available to other operators, if capacity allows.

The following options for providing rolling stock maintenance services are being considered:

The document specifies that this teaser market has several purposes such as:

Main characteristics of the envisaged contract / Obligations

The winning railway company (TOC) or consortium will have the following responsibilities:

Providing vehicles (new, used or rented) in good condition for the entire duration of the contract.

It is anticipated that the contract with the TOC or winning consortium will also include full maintenance of the rolling stock, with specific details to be determined later (taking into account feedback from the market consultation).

Responsibility for collecting ticket revenue may be included as an additional requirement.

Contract duration

The duration of the contract will be determined based on the results of the market consultation, taking into account factors such as:

in order to ensure a balanced and competitive tender.

Gross contract (the risk of the claim will be assumed by the Contracting Authority)

Payment will be calculated based on the number of kilometers traveled by train (based on availability)

Bonuses/penalties will be applied depending on:

There is a possibility that the contracts can be expanded with additional service packages, in line with the modernization of the railway network.

Who can participate in the market consultation?

It is expected that the tender will allow the participation of consortia, where each consortium must include at least one railway undertaking with experience in providing passenger services and in maintaining rolling stock.

The final qualification and selection criteria will be further elaborated based on feedback from the market consultation.

The consultation is primarily aimed at passenger rail service operators, but other interested parties are also welcome, such as:

This process will also serve as a platform to bring together potential members of various consortia./ Monitor