The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said on Tuesday it will provide a €30 million loan to Albania to help finance the reconstruction and electrification of the Durrës–Rrogozhinë railway, a key segment of the Pan-European Corridor VIII.
The financing package is part of a broader €120 million investment in the project, co-funded by the European Investment Bank (EIB), which has matched the EBRD’s €30 million sovereign loan, and the European Union, which is contributing €60 million in investment and technical assistance grants through the Western Balkans Investment Framework.
The 34-kilometre stretch will link Albania’s main port of Durrës with Rrogozhinë, improving regional connectivity and helping shift freight and passenger traffic from road to rail. The project includes the full electrification of the line and the reconstruction of key station infrastructure.
“This investment reflects our continued support for Albania’s rail transformation,” said Donald Mishaxhiu, EBRD Regional Head of Infrastructure for the Western Balkans, Romania and Bulgaria. “Together with our partners, we are helping to build a modern, sustainable and connected transport network that will benefit generations to come.”
Finance Minister Petrit Malaj called the project a “transformative milestone” that would strengthen Albania’s regional ties and support long-term integration with the wider European transport network.
The line is part of Corridor VIII, a strategic 1,500 km east-west route connecting southern Italy with Bulgaria via Albania and North Macedonia. Once completed, the project will establish Albania’s first direct rail link to North Macedonia, facilitating cross-border trade and mobility.
The Durrës–Rrogozhinë line is the third major railway project supported by the EBRD in Albania, following investments in the Tirana–Durrës and Vore–Hani i Hotit lines. The EBRD said the new project aligns with its Green Economy Transition strategy and will help reduce carbon emissions by promoting a modal shift from road to rail.
The EBRD is one of Albania’s largest institutional investors, with nearly €2.3 billion committed across 166 projects to date.