HŽ Passenger Transport

HŽ Passenger Transport, also known by its Croatian name HŽ Putnički prijevoz and the abbreviation HŽPP, is Croatia’s state-owned railway passenger transport company. It was established on 20 July 2006 through the separation of passenger operations from the former integrated Croatian Railways structure. The reorganization was undertaken in the context of the European Union’s railway liberalization framework and Croatia’s preparations for accession, including the organizational separation of infrastructure, passenger services, and freight activities. HŽPP’s core business is the operation of passenger trains in Croatia. Its activities cover domestic rail passenger transport, selected international passenger services, train and passenger-service operations, and related railway-vehicle activities. The company also undertakes the maintenance of its trains and rents railway vehicles or associated rolling stock where applicable. Its operating role is therefore broader than that of a ticket-selling brand: it is an integrated passenger railway operator responsible for delivering services and maintaining the fleet used to provide them. The company operates across Croatia’s national rail network, linking Zagreb with other major Croatian cities and regional destinations. Its fleet includes locomotives, diesel multiple-unit trains, and electric multiple-unit trains. According to the referenced 2023 fleet information, HŽPP owned 57 locomotives, 72 diesel trains, and 64 electric trains. This mixed fleet reflects the differing electrification conditions and service patterns of the Croatian railway network. Conventional locomotive-hauled services coexist with self-propelled diesel and electric trains, allowing the operator to serve both electrified intercity corridors and non-electrified regional routes. HŽPP also owns Tehnički servisi željezničkih vozila d.o.o., whose name translates as Technical Services of Railway Vehicles. The subsidiary provides railway-vehicle maintenance, supporting the parent company’s operational and engineering requirements. HŽPP’s governance is divided among a management board, a supervisory board, and a revision board, reflecting its status as a state-owned corporate railway undertaking. Passenger rail demand remains a significant part of Croatia’s transport system. The Croatian rail network carried 24.597 million passengers in 2024, although the cited figure is presented for the network as a whole and is not necessarily identical to HŽPP’s own passenger total. HŽPP’s public role includes providing domestic mobility, supporting connections between Croatian regions, and participating in the country’s wider railway modernization and European transport integration. Detailed information on current executives, fares, commercial campaigns, financial performance, and individual service brands is not established in the supplied reference material.

HŽ Passenger Transport was created on 20 July 2006 when passenger railway activities were separated from the former Croatian Railways organization. The separation formed part of a broader restructuring of Croatia’s railway sector. European railway policy, particularly the framework associated with EU Directive 91/440, encouraged the organizational separation of railway infrastructure management from train operations and the accounting or corporate separation of passenger and freight activities. Croatia’s restructuring was also connected with its process of accession to the European Union. Following the reorganization, HŽ Passenger Transport became the railway company responsible for passenger services, while other entities within the Croatian Railways system assumed infrastructure and freight functions. The resulting structure included separate organizations commonly identified with HŽ Infrastruktura and HŽ Cargo, alongside HŽ Passenger Transport. This division established a more specialized corporate model in which passenger operations could be managed independently from infrastructure ownership and freight logistics. HŽPP’s responsibilities extend beyond the movement of passengers. The company operates passenger trains, maintains its railway vehicles, and rents rolling stock. It owns Tehnički servisi željezničkih vozila d.o.o., a subsidiary focused on technical railway-vehicle services and maintenance. The maintenance relationship is strategically important because railway reliability depends on the inspection, repair, overhaul, and availability of locomotives and trainsets. The company’s fleet has historically combined several forms of traction. The reference material reports that in 2023 HŽPP owned 57 locomotives, 72 diesel trains, and 64 electric trains. The combination reflects the technical characteristics of Croatia’s rail network, where electrified and non-electrified lines require different types of rolling stock. Locomotive-hauled trains provide flexibility for longer or variable formations, while diesel and electric multiple units are suited to regional and commuter-style services on compatible routes. HŽPP operates within Croatia and provides at least some international passenger services. Its domestic role is to connect Croatian communities and cities through the national rail network, while international operations place the company within the wider Central and Southeast European rail system. The company’s public-service function is particularly relevant because rail transport is a national infrastructure service as well as a commercial activity. The supplied reference states that the Croatian rail network carried 24.597 million passengers in 2024. This is a network-wide figure and should not automatically be interpreted as HŽPP’s individual passenger count. It nevertheless indicates the scale of passenger railway use in Croatia. The available source material does not provide a complete chronology of later fleet acquisitions, route launches, fare initiatives, executive appointments, financial results, or promotional campaigns. Those areas therefore remain open for further research rather than being filled with unsupported claims.

1. 2024Croatian rail passenger volume reported

   The Croatian rail network was reported to have carried 24.597 million passengers during 2024. The figure is network-wide and is not identified in the source as an HŽPP-only total.

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2. 2023Reported passenger fleet composition

   The company was reported as owning 57 locomotives, 72 diesel trains, and 64 electric trains.

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3. 2006HŽ Passenger Transport established

   HŽ Passenger Transport was established on 20 July 2006 after the passenger railway business was separated from the former Croatian Railways structure.

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A publicly owned national railway passenger operator providing domestic and selected international rail services, supported by an in-house railway-vehicle maintenance subsidiary.

• Domestic passenger rail servicesPassenger rail transport2006

  HŽPP’s principal offering is passenger train transportation within Croatia. The service portfolio uses a mixed fleet to serve different routes and operating conditions across the national railway network, including corridors requiring electric traction and routes operated with diesel equipment. The supplied references do not provide a complete route list or service timetable.

• International passenger rail servicesInternational passenger rail transport

  HŽ Passenger Transport also operates selected international passenger services, connecting Croatia with the broader European railway system. The available reference identifies this activity but does not specify the current destinations, frequency, or individual branded services.

• Railway-vehicle maintenanceRailway technical services

  Train maintenance is part of HŽPP’s operating scope and is supported by its wholly owned subsidiary Tehnički servisi željezničkih vozila d.o.o. The subsidiary’s role is to provide technical services for railway vehicles, helping maintain the availability and safety of the passenger fleet.

• Railway rolling-stock rentalRailway equipment services

  In addition to operating passenger trains, HŽPP is described as engaging in the rental of trains or railway vehicles. The supplied source does not identify the customers, commercial terms, or specific rolling-stock categories involved.

1. HŽ Passenger Transport