Hekurudha Shqiptare
| Company type | State-owned enterprise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway transport |
| Headquarters | Durrës , Albania |
Area served | Albania |
| Products | Rail transport services |
| Owner | Government of Albania |
Hekurudha Shqiptare (abbreviated as HSH) serves as Albania’s state-owned railway operator, having undergone privatization in 2005. Its principal passenger hub was situated at Durrës station, located within the strategically important port city of Durrës.
The HSH rail network reached eastward toward Pogradec (extending to Librazhd as of 2012), southward to Vlorë, and northward to Shkodër, with an additional spur line connecting to the capital city Tirana (reaching up to Kashar, approximately 10 km distant as of 2015). During the 1980s, the system expanded beyond Shkodër into what is now Montenegro through Hani i Hotit, primarily serving freight operations. There were no established rail connections linking Albania with neighboring countries such as Kosovo, North Macedonia, or Greece.
The entirety of HSH’s infrastructure operated without electrification, utilizing Czechoslovakian-made diesel-electric locomotives, specifically the T-669 model. The network consisted mainly of single-track lines equipped with passing loops. Passenger train carriages were procured secondhand from various European operators including Germany’s DB, former East Germany’s DR, Italy’s FS, Austria’s ÖBB, and Poland’s PKP. The railway system faced numerous operational difficulties such as vandalism, landslide disruptions, and theft of rails for scrap metal purposes.
At present, limited train services continue on the Elbasan–Durrës and Shkodër–Laç routes. Efforts to restore and modernize the Durrës–Tiranë railway are ongoing, with additional infrastructure projects currently in planning phases.
The Minister of Infrastructure and Energy has identified key priorities including the Vora-Hani i Hotit line and the Durrës-Rrogozhinë line, both critical components of the broader VIII Corridor. These initiatives benefit from financial and technical backing by the European Union.
Tirana–Rinas–Durres line
Starting in 2021, modernization works commenced on the Durrës–Tiranë corridor along with a new connection to Rinas Airport utilizing electric trains, funded through a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The project aims for completion by 2025. Upon conclusion, travel time between Tirana station and Tirana International Airport will be shortened to 12 minutes across three stops, while the journey from Tirana to Durrës will take approximately 22 minutes with eight intermediate stops.
Proposed Pristina–Durrës line
In 2021, authorities from Albania and Kosovo jointly approved a feasibility assessment for establishing a rail connection between Pristina and Durrës. Following initial evaluations, detailed planning efforts are currently underway.
Durrës–Rrogozhina line modernization
The reconstruction of the Durrës–Rrogozhina railway is supported by a EUR 90.5 million funding package secured by the Albanian government in partnership with the European Investment Bank. This agreement was formalized on April 8, 2025, coinciding with a visit by European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas to Albania.
Passenger services
In 2015, refurbishment of stations and rolling stock along the Durres-Tirane route introduced a red and white color scheme. Passenger operations on the Librazhd-Pogradec section ceased in 2012; rolling stock from this segment is being transferred to Elbasan, with potential dismantling considered due to its disconnection from major urban centers.
Several freight-only branch lines remain operational. Freight trains run intermittently between Podgorica and Shkodër, as well as between Durrës and the oil refinery located at Ballsh. The Tirana-Shkodër line is largely inactive except for services on the Durrës-Elbasan stretch and a portion between Shkodër and Lac.
Locomotives
| Class | Image | Type | Quantity | Notes | Year built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BB II 98.713 | B'B n4vt | 1 | Originally 98.713 constructed by Maffei, acquired in 1943 after serving at Messerschmitt in Regensburg. Transported to Albania with the Wehrmacht. Withdrawn from service since 1950. Maximum speed 45 km/h, length 10,010 mm. Status: scrapped | 1901 | |
| Class 56.3400 | 1'D h2 Steam locomotive | 5 | Received as a gift from the Soviet Union; these were former Austrian locomotives captured during WWII, arriving from Hungary in 1946. Manufactured by WLF Floridsdorf. The fifth unit was delivered in 1952. Status: scrapped | 1921 | |
| Class 20 | Steam locomotive | 2 | Donated by the Soviet Union, these were ex-Yugoslavian/Serbian locomotives from Skopje, brought to Albania in 1946. Built by Hanomag. Status: scrapped | 1932 | |
| Class 31 | Steam locomotive | 1 (31) | A steamless shunting engine, dismantled after arrival in 1956. | 1940, arrived in Albania in 1956 | |
| 324.504 | Steam locomotive | 1 | Produced by MÁVAG in 1915 for Hungarian State Railways. Following WWI, transferred to Romania and later exported to Albania in 1951. Remained operational until at least 1960. Status: scrapped | 1915, arrived in Albania in 1951 | |
| Class 72 | Steam locomotive | 1 (2/3) | An industrial locomotive manufactured by Maschinenfabrik Esslingen in 1941 for Dynamit Nobel. Routed through Poland before reaching Albania, it was employed for construction and shunting tasks until its withdrawal in 1989. Status: scrapped | 1941, arrived in Albania in 1951 | |
| Class 48 | 1'D1 ' 2-8-2 Steam locomotive | 6 | Constructed new in Poland with a top speed of 80 km/h; belongs to the same series as the TKt48 class. Remained active until 1991; one unit preserved as a monument in Tirana. Status: scrapped except one | 1951, 1952 | |
| 106-002 106-003 |
Steam locomotive | 2 | Previously Austrian kkStB class 429 locomotives built by StEG Vienna and WLF Floridsdorf between 1912 and 1915. After WWII, transferred via Yugoslav Railways as gifts from the Soviet Union. Status: scrapped | 1932 | |
| Krauss-Maffei 2000 | Diesel-electric locomotive | 5 (2001-2005) | Secondhand German DB Class 221 units acquired in the late '80s; delivered between 1989 and 1990. Withdrawn by early '90s due to technical difficulties; a second order was canceled. Most were scrapped following the unrest of 1997; one remained inactive as of 2018. | 1956 | |
| V36 453 | Diesel-electric locomotive | 1 | German shunting locomotive built by BMAG around 1940 for the Wehrmacht; retired after sustaining irreparable damage in 1956. Status: scrapped | 1941 | |
| T435 0500 | Diesel-electric locomotive | 10 | Equivalent to Czech class 720; several units were located at Prrenjas as of 2009. Most are no longer operational. | 1958 | |
| T211 0450 | Diesel-electric locomotive | 4 | Same model as the Czech T211 class. | 1959 | |
| T458/459 1500 | Diesel-electric locomotive | 8 | Comparable to Czech T458 class; multiple units found at Prrenjas in 2009. | 1963 | |
| T-669 1000 | Diesel-electric locomotive | 61 (series 1001-1061) | Modern diesel-electric locomotives introduced from the late '70s; some remain partially operational. | 1978 |
Carriages
| Class | Image | Type | Quantity | Notes | Year Built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 - 10, 21-69 | 59 | Secondhand two-axle cars sourced from East Germany, Hungary, Yugoslavia, and war reparations; phased out rapidly following arrival of newer rolling stock. Status: scrapped | From 1947 | ||
| 11-20 | 10 | Previously Polish Schnellzugwagen Type PKP 8A or newly manufactured for Albania; present at the railway inauguration in 1949. Some units converted into vans. Status: unknown | |||
| D | Baggage Van | 10 (01-10) | Produced in China, initially painted green then brown; some units observed out of use by 2011. Status: scrapped | 1966-1972 | |
| B | YZ22 Passenger Car | 40 (71-110) | Second class coaches built by Changchun Car Company in China (1966–1972). Measuring 24.7 meters, these were mass-produced for Chinese railways but are uncommon in Europe. Initially blue, later repainted green or brown. Withdrawn around 2000. Status: scrapped | 1966-1972 | |
| 4 (series 151-154) | Second class coaches manufactured by Shkodër Wagon Works. Status: scrapped | 1980s | |||
| B10t (type Bruhat) | 43 (series 201-243) | French secondhand coaches acquired in the 1980s, originally PLM stock from early 20th century (1900–1920), refurbished mid-century. Known as 'modernisées Sud Est' or 'Bruhat'. Status: scrapped | 1981-1982 | ||
| AB 39-78 | 11 (series 401-411) | Italian origin coaches. Status: partially active | Post-1959 | ||
| B4ipü | 45 | Former Austrian vehicles built by Simmering-Graz-Pauker; most units dismantled, current status unclear. | Circa 1999 arrival | ||
| Pafawag | 8 (series 52-59) | Polish Osshd Y type coaches; origin as new or used uncertain. Status: uncertain | 1981 | ||
| Pafawag Bwixd | 10 (series 61-70) | Polish Halberstadt/120A type coaches; whether new or secondhand is unclear; series 67 operational in 2009. | 1981 | ||
| By, Byuu, ABy | 12 (series 51 41 21-43 013 -24) | Halberstadt Mitteleinstiegswagen acquired secondhand from Germany for GDR railways; majority remain operational. | |||
| UIC-X | 63 (series 301-?) | Italian coaches of series B29; partially in service. | 1992-1993 | ||
| A 19-40 | 5 (series 501-505) | Italian coaches formerly used; partially active. |
See also
- History of rail transport in Albania
- Rail transport in Albania
- Transport in Albania
- List of European railways