Albania - General Information: Difference between revisions

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==National railway system==
==National railway system==


'''Train services in Albania are subject to alteration and cancellation at short notice'''.  As at October 2017 passenger trains were reported to be running from Durrës to Kashar, Elbasan and Shkoder.
'''Train services in Albania are subject to alteration and cancellation at short notice. See [[#ALRFC|Recent and Future Changes]] for more details of the current situation.'''


The compilers particularly welcome [http://egtre.info/wiki/Contacts reports] of railway operations from travellers to Albania.
The compilers particularly welcome [http://egtre.info/wiki/Contacts reports] of railway operations from travellers to Albania.


===National Railway Operator===
===National Railway Operator===
[http://www.hsh.com.al Hekurudha Shqipëtare (HSH)].
Hekurudha Shqipëtare (HSH). Their website at http://www.hsh.com.al has not been updated since January 2019 but their [https://www.facebook.com/HSHALBANIA/ Facebook page] has regular updates.


===Infrastructure Authority===
===Infrastructure Authority===
Unknown, but probably HSH.
The Rail Infrastructure Administrator of HSH. Their 2019 Network Statement is in English [http://hsh.com.al/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Network-Statement-1.pdf here].


== Language ==
== Language ==
Line 27: Line 27:
None.
None.
===Downloadable Timetable===
===Downloadable Timetable===
A part complete timetable is available on the [http://www.hsh.com.al HSH website].


A good unofficial timetable in German [http://www.ec-tobias.de/service/kb_al.pdf ''Kursbuch der Albanischen Eisenbahn''] was available for 2015, but has not been updated since - not least because there are hardly any trains to show in it.
The [https://www.facebook.com/HSHALBANIA/ HSH Facebook page] has up-to-date timetable information as at July 2020.


===Printed Timetable===
===Printed Timetable===
No timetable is published by HSH. In October 2017 the services running were not as suggested by "The Man at Seat61" or "Fahrplancenter" websites.
No printed timetable is published by HSH.  


For details of trains currently running (as far as is known) see the [[Albania_-_Lines_with_Obscure_or_Sparse_passenger_services#Other Sparse services|Other Sparse services section]]. All services in Albania could be considered sparse by European standards
The [https://www.europeanrailtimetable.eu/ European Rail Timetable] has timings for Albania but given the fluid situation these may be out of date.


===Engineering Information===
===Engineering Information===
Line 40: Line 39:


== Maps ==
== Maps ==
There is no official HSH railway map. Quail Map Company publishes the Albanian Railway Guide, which includes track diagrams, motive power details and other information. General maps can be misleading, because they may be based on deliberately inaccurate information provided by the former communist government.
There is no official HSH railway map. Quail Map Company published the Albanian Railway Guide in 1997, which includes track diagrams, motive power details and other information, but this is now out of print, although available on the second-hand market. Modern general maps are available from respected publishing houses such as Freytag & Berndt which should be accurate - earlier maps may have been based on inaccurate information provided by the former communist government.


==Ticketing==
==Ticketing==
Line 67: Line 66:


==<div id="ALRFC"></div>Recent and future changes==
==<div id="ALRFC"></div>Recent and future changes==
HSH is to fund a project to rehabilitate Durrës – Tiranë and construct a 7.4 km branch from a triangular junction at the 27 km point to serve Tiranë Airport, using a €36·9m  loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development and up to €35·5m in grants from the European Commission and other institutions. Companies were invited in April 2018 to prequalify for the contract, which is expected to take 30 months.


All train services in Albania were suspended in November 2016, because unpaid fuel bills caused the railway company's bank accounts to be frozen.  By February 2017 passenger services had resumed between Durrës and Kashar, about 8 km from Tiranë. A bus link supposedly operates between Kashar and Tiranë city centre, but travellers have reported no service being provided. Trains on all other lines had been cancelled from 9 July 2016, but were reinstated to Librazhd and Shkodër later that month. Some other trains had resumed by July 2017, following the November 2016 closure, between Durrës, Shkoder and Elbasan. It is not known which lines remain open for freight, but the cross-border line from Montenegro was observed to be in use in June 2017.  
===Recent changes===
 
'''The situation remains fluid and travellers should be aware that further changes may be made at short notice.'''
 
The [https://www.facebook.com/HSHALBANIA/ HSH Facebook page] indicates that the only lines with service from July 2020 are those from Durrës to Kashar and Elbasan. The Shkodër and Vlorë lines remain without service.
 
Train services were suspended in November 2019 because HSH had run out of fuel and did not have funds to purchase further supplies. They resumed on 6 February 2020, but initially only between Durrës and Tirana (Kashar). The Elbasan line regained service on 10 July 2020.
 
The April 2019 timetable showed two train pairs from Durrës to Elbasan, two to Shkodër and one to Kashar. The changes since the September 2018 timetable involved an extra train pair on the Shkodër line at the expense of the service to Fier, on the Vlorë line, which once again lost its service.
 
According to the HSH website, on 4 December 2018 they passed out 25 Driver Assistants, the first such qualifications to be achieved for 30 years. This has not led to the hoped-for resumption of services on all lines.
 
The only freight-only line currently in use is the cross-border line to Montenegro. It was observed to be in use in August 2018.
 
According to HSH's [http://hsh.com.al/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Network-Statement-1.pdf 2019 Network Statement] (paragraph 3.4.1), the following lines are 'permanently locked' out of use owing to poor infrastructure:
 
* [Librazhd -] Xhyrë - Pogradec
* Budull - Fushë-Krujë (F)
* Elbasan - Fabrik Cement (F)
* Gjonem - Kombinat Kimiko Metallurgical Laç (F). The network statement has 'Gjorm' instead of Gjonem, but that is a village in a valley south of Vlorë, far removed from any railway line, active or disused.
* Fier - Vlorë
* Fier - Ballsh (F)
(F): Freight only
 
The following lines have a 'temporary blockage':
 
* Kashar - Tiranë [presumably the new station]
* Librazhd - Xhyrë
 
All train services in Albania were suspended in November 2016, because unpaid fuel bills caused the railway company's bank accounts to be frozen.  By February 2017 passenger services had resumed between Durrës and Kashar. By July 2017 trains had also resumed between Durrës, Shkodër and Elbasan.  
 
Trains on all lines other than Durrës to Kashar were cancelled from 9 July 2016, but were reinstated to Librazhd and Shkodër later that month.
 
Tiranë to Vorë was closed in September 2013 for redevelopment of the Tiranë station site. A rail service between Vorë and Kashar, about 8 km from Tiranë, was reinstated on 26 May 2015. No rail replacement bus to and from central Tiranë is provided but service buses are reportedly available.
 
The once daily train from Rrogozhinë to Pogradec was 'temporarily' withdrawn beyond Librazhd (a short distance east of Elbasan) in summer 2012, apparently after damage from road construction work. The line however has never reopened beyond Librazhd and since the service reinstatement after the November 2016 network closure, passenger trains have only run to Elbasan.
 
The Durrës avoiding line linking the Tiranë and Elbasan/Vlorë lines, formerly used by passenger trains in summer, was out of use by 2006 and lifted by October 2012.
 
The line between Fier and Ballsh closed to passenger traffic in 2001.
 
The branch from Milot to Rreshen closed to all traffic in November 1996 and the track was used to repair damage to the Shkodër line. A road has now been built on the trackbed.
 
===Planned changes===


The [http://hsh.com.al/index.php/cmimi-i-biletave/ HSH website] has a Word document dated 28 August 2018 (click on 'Orari Trenavi Durres') which shows two train pairs from Durrës to Elbasan, one pair to Fier on the Vlorë line, one to Shkoder and one to Kashar.
HSH is to fund a project to rehabilitate Durrës – Tiranë and construct a 7.4 km branch from a triangular junction at the 27 km point to serve Tiranë Airport, using a €36·9m  loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development and up to €35·5m in grants from the European Commission and other institutions. Companies were invited in April 2018 to prequalify for the contract, which is expected to take 30 months.


'''The situation remains very fluid and travellers should be aware that further changes may be made at short notice.''' The entire network is in danger of collapse.
It is understood that the new Tiranë station will be in the Laprake area, around 2km short of the site of the old one.
The branch to Rreshen closed to all traffic in November 1996 and the track was used to repair damage to the Shkodër line. The line between Fier and Ballsh closed to passenger traffic in 2001. The Durrës avoiding line linking the Tiranë and Elbasan lines, formerly used by passenger trains in summer, and which appeared to have been out of use since 2006, was observed as being lifted in October 2012. The once daily train from Rrogozhinë to Pogradec was 'temporarily' withdrawn beyond Librazhd (a short distance east of Elbasan) in summer 2012, apparently after damage from road construction work. Reopening was understood to be scheduled for early in 2013 but the line remained closed as at December 2017. Tiranë to Vorë was closed in September 2013 for redevelopment of Tiranë station. A rail service between Vorë and Kashar, in the suburbs of Tiranë was reinstated on 26 May 2015, but later withdrawn between Vorë and Durrës.


It is understood that the new Tiranê station will be in the Laprake area, some distance short of the site of the old one.
An October 2018 statement on the HSH website announced a European Union-financed feasibility study for the rehabilitation of the Durrës-Elbasan-Pogradec railway line and the construction of a new line from Lini to the border of North Macedonia.


== Special notes ==
== Special notes ==
By comparison with other European systems, HSH is a very primitive railway, using elderly rolling stock acquired second hand and now in very poor condition.  It is common to find carriages in service with broken glass in the windows.
By comparison with other European systems, HSH is a very primitive railway, using elderly rolling stock acquired second hand and now in very poor condition.  It is common to find carriages in service with broken glass in the windows.


There are no international passenger trains to Albania, the one railway into Montenegro being used only for freight traffic. Routes from Western Europe are by air, road or ferry from Brindisi (Italy).  Coaches operate between Tiranë and various German and Eastern European cities.
There are no international passenger trains to Albania, the one cross-border railway, that to Montenegro, being used only for freight traffic. Routes from Western Europe are by air or road, or by ferry from Bari (Italy).  Coaches operate between Tiranë and various German and Eastern European cities.


Further information about Albanian Railways can be found at [http://www.angelfire.com/ak/hekurudha/index.html www.angelfire.com/ak/hekurudha/index.html]
Further information about Albanian Railways can be found at [http://www.angelfire.com/ak/hekurudha/index.html www.angelfire.com/ak/hekurudha/index.html] although this website has not been updated for several years.


==See also==
==See also==
{{Navbox Albania}}
{{Navbox Albania}}

Revision as of 12:52, 29 July 2020

Country Name

Albania (Shqipëtare)

National railway system

Train services in Albania are subject to alteration and cancellation at short notice. See Recent and Future Changes for more details of the current situation.

The compilers particularly welcome reports of railway operations from travellers to Albania.

National Railway Operator

Hekurudha Shqipëtare (HSH). Their website at http://www.hsh.com.al has not been updated since January 2019 but their Facebook page has regular updates.

Infrastructure Authority

The Rail Infrastructure Administrator of HSH. Their 2019 Network Statement is in English here.

Language

Albanian

Currency

Lek

UIC code

numeric 41; alpha AL.

Timetable

Journey Planner

None.

Downloadable Timetable

The HSH Facebook page has up-to-date timetable information as at July 2020.

Printed Timetable

No printed timetable is published by HSH.

The European Rail Timetable has timings for Albania but given the fluid situation these may be out of date.

Engineering Information

None.

Maps

There is no official HSH railway map. Quail Map Company published the Albanian Railway Guide in 1997, which includes track diagrams, motive power details and other information, but this is now out of print, although available on the second-hand market. Modern general maps are available from respected publishing houses such as Freytag & Berndt which should be accurate - earlier maps may have been based on inaccurate information provided by the former communist government.

Ticketing

There is no railrover ticket covering Albania, but fares are extremely cheap and based on a zonal system. Tickets are not sold in advance, and are valid only on the first train following issue.

Gauge

Standard

Electrification

None

Rule of the road

There are no double track lines, except in the immediate vicinity of principal stations, and the track used depends on operating convenience.

Other Railways

None

Tourist line

None

Metro

None

Trams

None

Recent and future changes

Recent changes

The situation remains fluid and travellers should be aware that further changes may be made at short notice.

The HSH Facebook page indicates that the only lines with service from July 2020 are those from Durrës to Kashar and Elbasan. The Shkodër and Vlorë lines remain without service.

Train services were suspended in November 2019 because HSH had run out of fuel and did not have funds to purchase further supplies. They resumed on 6 February 2020, but initially only between Durrës and Tirana (Kashar). The Elbasan line regained service on 10 July 2020.

The April 2019 timetable showed two train pairs from Durrës to Elbasan, two to Shkodër and one to Kashar. The changes since the September 2018 timetable involved an extra train pair on the Shkodër line at the expense of the service to Fier, on the Vlorë line, which once again lost its service.

According to the HSH website, on 4 December 2018 they passed out 25 Driver Assistants, the first such qualifications to be achieved for 30 years. This has not led to the hoped-for resumption of services on all lines.

The only freight-only line currently in use is the cross-border line to Montenegro. It was observed to be in use in August 2018.

According to HSH's 2019 Network Statement (paragraph 3.4.1), the following lines are 'permanently locked' out of use owing to poor infrastructure:

  • [Librazhd -] Xhyrë - Pogradec
  • Budull - Fushë-Krujë (F)
  • Elbasan - Fabrik Cement (F)
  • Gjonem - Kombinat Kimiko Metallurgical Laç (F). The network statement has 'Gjorm' instead of Gjonem, but that is a village in a valley south of Vlorë, far removed from any railway line, active or disused.
  • Fier - Vlorë
  • Fier - Ballsh (F)

(F): Freight only

The following lines have a 'temporary blockage':

  • Kashar - Tiranë [presumably the new station]
  • Librazhd - Xhyrë

All train services in Albania were suspended in November 2016, because unpaid fuel bills caused the railway company's bank accounts to be frozen. By February 2017 passenger services had resumed between Durrës and Kashar. By July 2017 trains had also resumed between Durrës, Shkodër and Elbasan.

Trains on all lines other than Durrës to Kashar were cancelled from 9 July 2016, but were reinstated to Librazhd and Shkodër later that month.

Tiranë to Vorë was closed in September 2013 for redevelopment of the Tiranë station site. A rail service between Vorë and Kashar, about 8 km from Tiranë, was reinstated on 26 May 2015. No rail replacement bus to and from central Tiranë is provided but service buses are reportedly available.

The once daily train from Rrogozhinë to Pogradec was 'temporarily' withdrawn beyond Librazhd (a short distance east of Elbasan) in summer 2012, apparently after damage from road construction work. The line however has never reopened beyond Librazhd and since the service reinstatement after the November 2016 network closure, passenger trains have only run to Elbasan.

The Durrës avoiding line linking the Tiranë and Elbasan/Vlorë lines, formerly used by passenger trains in summer, was out of use by 2006 and lifted by October 2012.

The line between Fier and Ballsh closed to passenger traffic in 2001.

The branch from Milot to Rreshen closed to all traffic in November 1996 and the track was used to repair damage to the Shkodër line. A road has now been built on the trackbed.

Planned changes

HSH is to fund a project to rehabilitate Durrës – Tiranë and construct a 7.4 km branch from a triangular junction at the 27 km point to serve Tiranë Airport, using a €36·9m loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development and up to €35·5m in grants from the European Commission and other institutions. Companies were invited in April 2018 to prequalify for the contract, which is expected to take 30 months.

It is understood that the new Tiranë station will be in the Laprake area, around 2km short of the site of the old one.

An October 2018 statement on the HSH website announced a European Union-financed feasibility study for the rehabilitation of the Durrës-Elbasan-Pogradec railway line and the construction of a new line from Lini to the border of North Macedonia.

Special notes

By comparison with other European systems, HSH is a very primitive railway, using elderly rolling stock acquired second hand and now in very poor condition. It is common to find carriages in service with broken glass in the windows.

There are no international passenger trains to Albania, the one cross-border railway, that to Montenegro, being used only for freight traffic. Routes from Western Europe are by air or road, or by ferry from Bari (Italy). Coaches operate between Tiranë and various German and Eastern European cities.

Further information about Albanian Railways can be found at www.angelfire.com/ak/hekurudha/index.html although this website has not been updated for several years.

See also