Hekurudha e Shqipërisë
Encyclopedia
Hekurudha Shqiptare or HSH (Albanian Railways) is Albania
's national company that governs the Albanian Railway. The network's main terminal is in the port city Durrës
.
HSH's infrastructure runs east to Pogradec
, south to Vlorë
and north to Shkodër
. There is also a branch line to capital city Tirana
. The network was extended beyond Shkodër in the 1980s into what is now Montenegro
, via the Albanian border town of Han i Hotit. But that section of the system is for freight only. There is also no physical rail connection between Albania and neighbouring Macedonia
as well as Greece
.
HSH is totally non-electrified, and trains are pulled by Czechoslovak T-669 diesel electric locomotives. The entire system is normally single-track, with bypasses
at various points throughout the system. Second-hand passenger rolling stock from Germany
's DB
, Italy
's FS
, Austria
's ÖBB
, or Polish State Railways
(PKP
) is used on the system. Trains have suffered from vandalism such as the throwing of rocks from the outside or damages to the interior. There exist plans to upgrade the Durres-Tirana line starting in 2013 although a similar previous plan was rejected by the Albanian government.
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
's national company that governs the Albanian Railway. The network's main terminal is in the port city Durrës
Durrës
Durrës is the second largest city of Albania located on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durres is situated at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea, opposite the Italian ports of Bari...
.
HSH's infrastructure runs east to Pogradec
Pogradec
Pogradec is a city in southeastern Albania, situated on the shores of Ohrid lake. It is the capital of the District of Pogradec, in the County of Korçë, located at 40.87°N and 20.70°E with a population of around 30,000 . The total area of the district is 725 km². Pogradec alone occupies about...
, south to Vlorë
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
and north to Shkodër
Shkodër
Shkodër , is a city located on Lake of Shkoder in northwestern Albania in the District of Shkodër, of which it is the capital. It is one of the oldest and most historic towns in Albania, as well as an important cultural and economic centre. Shkodër's estimated population is 90,000; if the...
. There is also a branch line to capital city Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
. The network was extended beyond Shkodër in the 1980s into what is now Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, via the Albanian border town of Han i Hotit. But that section of the system is for freight only. There is also no physical rail connection between Albania and neighbouring Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
as well as Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
HSH is totally non-electrified, and trains are pulled by Czechoslovak T-669 diesel electric locomotives. The entire system is normally single-track, with bypasses
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
at various points throughout the system. Second-hand passenger rolling stock from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's DB
Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
's FS
Ferrovie dello Stato
Ferrovie dello Stato is a government-owned holding which manage infrastructure and service on the Italian rail network. The subsidiary Trenitalia is the main rail operator in Italy.-Organization:Ferrovie dello Stato subsidiaries are:...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
's ÖBB
ÖBB
The Austrian Federal Railways is the national railway system of Austria, and the administrators of Liechtenstein's railways...
, or Polish State Railways
Polish State Railways
is the dominant railway operator in Poland.The company was founded when the former state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union...
(PKP
Polskie Koleje Panstwowe
is the dominant railway operator in Poland.The company was founded when the former state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union...
) is used on the system. Trains have suffered from vandalism such as the throwing of rocks from the outside or damages to the interior. There exist plans to upgrade the Durres-Tirana line starting in 2013 although a similar previous plan was rejected by the Albanian government.
Rail links to adjacent countries
- Same gauge:
-
Montenegro - freight only -
Greece - no connection -
R. of Macedonia - no connection
-
See also
- History of rail transport in AlbaniaHistory of rail transport in AlbaniaThe history of rail transport in Albania may have begun as early as 1890. Until the end of World War II, Albania's railways were all narrow gauge lines, built to serve either minesites or military purposes...
- Rail transport in AlbaniaRail transport in AlbaniaThe railways in Albania are administered by the national railway company Hekurudha Shqiptare . It operates a gauge rail system in Albania. All trains are hauled by Czech-built ČKD diesel-electric locomotives...