Rail transport in Montenegro

Rail transport in Montenegro
EMU CAF train at the Bar Rail Station
Operation
Infrastructure company	ŽICG
Major operators	ŽPCG, Montecargo
System length
Total	250 km (155 mi)
Electrified	225 km (140 mi)
Track gauge
Main	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) (standard gauge)
Electrification
Main	25 kV, 50 Hz AC
Features
No. tunnels	121
Tunnel length	58 km (36 mi)
Longest tunnel	Sozina (6,170 m)
No. bridges	120
No. stations	7 stations, 41 stops
Highest elevation	1,032 m AMSL (at Kolašin)
Lowest elevation	3 m AMSL (at Bar)
Map

Map

Railway transport of Montenegro
Željeznički prevoz Crne Gore
Жељезнички превоз Црне Горе

Type	Government-owned
Industry	Rail Transport
Founded	2008
Headquarters	Podgorica, Montenegro
Services	Rail Transport, Services
Website	http://www.zcg-prevoz.me/

Rail transport in Montenegro is operated by four separate companies, which independently handle railway infrastructure, passenger transport, cargo transport and maintenance of the rolling stock. The four companies were a part of public company Railways of Montenegro (Montenegrin: Željeznica Crne Gore / Жељезница Црне Горе (ŽCG)) until it was split up in 2008.

Montenegro is a member of the International Union of Railways (UIC). The UIC Country Code for Montenegro is 62.

Railway Infrastructure of Montenegro (Montenegrin: Жељезничка Инфраструктура Црне Горе / Željeznička Infrastruktura Crne Gore (ŽICG)) is a that handles operation and maintenance of the railway infrastructure in Montenegro.

First railway in the territory that today belongs to Montenegro was narrow gauge (760 mm (2 ft 5 ¹⁵⁄₁₆ in)) Gabela - Zelenika line in 1901. This railway was built by Austria-Hungary, as it governed the territory of Boka Kotorska at the time.

However, the works on first Montenegrin railway, the Bar - Virpazar line, begun in 1905. This 750mm gauge, 43,3 km long railway was opened in 1908. The extension of this line from Virpazar to Cetinje was planned, but never came through, due to the lack of funding, and the beginning of the First World War. This historic mountain railway line overcame a rise of 550m over a 22 km run on the Sutorman mountain, with a maximum grade of 40‰. Despite the steep gradient, the railway was not using rack technology, due to the innovative route design by Italian engineers. The operating speeds on the line were 18 km/h for passenger transport, and 12 km/h for freight movement. In 2008, on the 100th anniversary of the line opening, and at the same time the anniversary of Montenegrin railways as a whole, it was planned to transfer the steam locomotive Lovćen from Podgorica Rail Station to Virpazar. This locomotive, which operated on the line, should become a part of a Montenegrin railway museum in Virpazar, which, due to lack of funds, never came through.