Border Crossings: Croatia - Slovenia
Note: The Croatian and Slovenian railways were once part of the JŽ Yugoslav railways and have largely common operating systems. The two different electrification systems originate from Slovenia and part of Croatia having been Italian territory until 1945. Accordingly, FS 3kV dc electrification had reached Postojna and Rijeka by 1939. This system was used for further schemes in the area, despite 25kV being adopted as the Yugoslav standard.
(Lupoglav -) Buzet HŽ - Rakitovec SŽ (- Prešnica)
[D] SŽ normally works to Buzet. In the summer a cross border working runs through to Pula - some of the time from/to Ljubljana and at other times as a connection at Hrpelje-Kozina. See Slovenia route Rakitovec - Buzet (Croatia).
(Rijeka -) Šapjane HŽ - Ilirska Bistrica SŽ (- Pivka)
[E] SŽ works to Šapjane. There are no longer any trains starting or terminating at Ilirska Bistrica, which were worked by HŽ throughout. Usually two train pairs daily.
(Karlovac -) Kamanje - Bubnjarci HŽ - Rosalnice SŽ (- Metlika)
[D] HŽ works to Metlika. HŽ suspended the cross border service between 16 March and 22 June 2020 due to Covid travel restrictions but then these were withdrawn permanently from 05 April 2021, leaving Bubnjarci HŽ and Rosalnice SŽ served only by terminating internal services. [See Croatia pages for later information on the internal service]. Cross Border services were previously withdrawn on 9 December 2012 but reinstated on 15 December 2013. Although Kamanje was shown in the HŽ timetable as the border station, Croatian immigration formalities took place at Bubnjarci with Slovenian at Metlika.
(Zagreb -) Savski Marof HŽ - Dobova SŽ (- Zidani Most)
[E*] HŽ works to Dobova. The change in electrification system here pre-dates the break-up of the former Yugoslavia.
(Savski Marof -) Harmica HŽ - Kumrovec HŽ - Imeno SŽ (- Stranje)
[D] Historically there was a passenger service between Zagreb and Celje via this line, in most cases with a change of train at Kumrovec. The break up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s resulted in the new border between Croatia and Slovenia crossing this line 27 times between Harmica and Imeno, and Kumrovec was established as the new border station. Due to lingering disputes in the area the infrastructure deteriorated and the section between Kumrovec and Imeno closed in 1998, with Kumrovec and Savski Marof closing in June 2001, Savski Marof to Harmica (wholly within Croatia) re-opened in June 2008 and despite the railway authorities and local politicians expressing strong interest in reopening the line through to Imeno, the national governments have so far declined to pursue this.
(Zabok -) Đurmanec HŽ - Sveti Rok ob Sotli SŽ (- Rogatec - Stranje)
[D] SŽ works to Đurmanec. A passenger service resumed on 14 December 2014, after the cross-border section closed in 1994 owing to the poor condition of the infrastructure and the problems of managing the border crossing following independence. It is believed at least part was probably lifted.
Note that a separate short industrial branch from Rogatec station in Slovenia crosses the river border to a factory in Croatia.
(Čakovec -) Macinec HŽ - Središče SŽ (- Ormož)
[D] SŽ works to Čakovec. The cross-border Macinec to Središče section closed to passenger services from 11 December 2010 but reopened on 14 December 2014. The border station on the Croatian side is Čakovec and passenger services crossing the border run non-stop between there and Središče.
(Čakovec -) Mursko Središće HŽ - Lendava SŽ
[D] Lendava is an isolated Slovenian station at the end of a Croatian branch from Čakovec so only sees HŽ services. Beyond Mursko Središće into Slovenia was withdrawn after the break up of Yugoslavia but reinstated from 14 December 2014. HŽ suspended the cross border service from 16 March 2020 due to Covid travel restrictions, but it was reinstated in December 2023 with two pairs of trains running Mondays to Fridays and one pair on Saturdays.