After 23 years, the region of Slavonia and the town of Sisak will again be connected with the coastal region of Dalmatia by rail, with a train to operate during the summer season having been symbolically seen off in Sisak on Saturday.

The fast night train service will operate until 3 September along the line Vukovar/Vinkovci – Sisak – Zagreb – Šibenik/Split.

HŽ Passenger Transport operator CEO Željko Ukić, one of those attending the ceremony, said that the train service would connect a large part of continental Croatia, notably Sisak-Moslavina County, with Split.

The government, in cooperation with HŽ Passenger Transport, has made it possible for residents of the earthquake-affected Sisak-Moslavina County to travel free of charge, he said.

Alen Gospočić of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Ministry sad that the government wanted to increase the number of railway passengers as well as enhance security on railroads by procuring new trains.

Connecting Dalmatia and Slavonia by rail is a major step forward not only for Croatia but for the EU as well, he said.

Sisak-Moslavina County head Ivan Celjak said that Sisak and Zagreb would be connected with two additional fast train services, one starting in the morning from Sisak and the other bringing passengers from Zagreb to Sisak in the afternoon.

Before the 1990s war Sisak was connected with Split with two fast trains operating along a railroad running along the Una River valley in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the war, those services were terminated.