Test trains are rattling along the new Slovenian railway viaduct

Testing of the railway infrastructure on the new rail link between Divača and Koper in Slovenia is continuing with load tests on the larger structures. According to a statement published on 8 October by the project owner, 2TDK d.o.o. published on 8 October, load tests were carried out last week on the Vinjan Viaduct and then on the Gabrovica Viaduct. On the latter, a locomotive crossed the bridge at a speed of 100 km/h.

The main construction works are expected to be completed by the end of this year, after which testing, final procedures and further activities required to obtain the operating licence will take place.

Seven tunnels and three viaducts have been built in the karst region

The section of the Divača–Koper railway line forms an integral part of the Pan-European Transport Network (TEN-T network); as such, the new 27.1-kilometre-long line is intended to relieve pressure on the existing railway line, which is struggling with capacity constraints. The maximum permitted speed on the new line can reach 160 km/h.

The design of the route was made considerably more difficult by the karst topography of the region and the elevation difference of more than 400 metres between Divača and Koper. As part of the project, seven tunnels were constructed, totalling 20.5 kilometres. This accounts for around three-quarters of the entire railway line.

The project’s technical data sheet lists three viaducts:

• Glinščica Viaduct: 215 metres long;
• Gabrovica Viaduct: 416 metres long;
• Vinjan Viaduct: It is 620 metres long.

Large-scale bridge construction is also taking place in Austria

Although it serves a different transport purpose, alongside the development of the Slovenian railway network, the reconstruction of the Austrian Luegbrücke also serves as a good example of the complex engineering challenges posed by transport infrastructure in mountainous regions. As we previously reported, the approximately 1.8-kilometre-long bridge on the A13 Brenner motorway in Tyrol is being replaced by two separate new bridge structures after more than 55 years.

The €217 million project has been carried out since March 2025 by a consortium comprising PORR and STRABAG, on behalf of ASFINAG.