The long-awaited restoration of the railway link between Ploče and Sarajevo is set to resume by the end of next week, ending a months-long hiatus that has severely impacted trade and transport in the region.
A landslide in October, triggered by heavy rainfall, had left 200 metres of track hanging precariously in the air near Jablanica, causing the disruption of the Sarajevo – Mostar route.
Following repairs carried out by the Turkish construction giant Cengiz Insaat, the track was successfully tested last Sunday.
Minister of Transport and Communications Edin Forto announced that while freight services would be the first to resume, passenger trains would follow shortly after.
This crucial stretch of track, part of the European Corridor Vc, connects the Bosnian capital with Croatia’s port city of Ploče.
Prior to the interruption, the route handled up to 7,000 tonnes of freight daily. At the height of the disruption, approximately 400,000 tonnes of goods destined for the Bosnian market were left stranded at Ploče.
