The Split Metro () is a suburban railway service in Split, Croatia. The service has been operating on the refurbished existing M604 line since December 10, 2006. It serves seven stations, running from Split centre to Kaštel Stari. Between June 2019 and November 2019 additional services operated between Split and Split-Kopilica.
As of 2019, it is planned that new stations will be added along the tracks and the existing stops renovated. The line runs through two tunnels within the city centre of Split; within the longer of the two tunnels a metro-like station (Split-H.B.Z.) will be opened in 2021 to serve the city centre. The line is long while an average train ride lasts for 25 minutes. A link with Split Airport (in 2025) and further extension to Trogir is considered, with possible electrification in the long-term.
History Most of the railway lines were completed in October 1877, as Split was connected to Siverić via Perković. When Split hosted the 1979 Mediterranean Games, an extensive suburban railway system was planned. The existing tracks from the suburbs to the main terminus train station in the harbor were laid underground. As a double-track electrified railway was planned, an underground station Split-H.B.Z. (with a 1,893 m tunnel) was built. A further section of the railway was covered in 1983.
In 1991, the Croatian war of independence broke out. The occupied territory severed the railway links between Split (and Dalmatia) and the rest of Croatia. Between February 1993 and October 1994, Croatian Railways, facing many idle trains and railway workers in Dalmatia, organized a short-lived and ill-fated Split suburban railway from Split to Kaštela.Klarić, Nenad (2009). "PRIGRADSKI ŽELJEZNIČKI PROMET NA PODRUČJU SPLITSKE KONURBACIJE" Local authorities did not support the project while the long-distance rolling stock proved to be unsuitable for suburban traffic. After the war's end in 1995 this project was abandoned.
In December 2006, Croatian Railways reopened the line for suburban traffic, announcing plans to electrify the line and lay a second set of tracks, which still has not happened. Since 2007, CR has intended to refurbish and re-equip the Split railway tunnel and open the underground station Split-H.B.Z., and a contract was signed between CR and Split authorities, but in late 2015 the City of Split definitely withdrew from the project citing the lack of funds as the main reason. In 2011, HŽ Putnički prijevoz, the successor of the Croatian Railways' passenger transport division, struck off one third or 7 daily departures from its timetable, amidst heavy protests and criticism.
Current state
The major issues plaguing the line include the distance of the railway tracks (built for long-distance traffic towards Knin and Zagreb) from the population centers along Bay of Kaštela. Despite the fact that around 35% of Split, 40% of Solin, and 50% of Kastela population lives along the suburban railway, due to the urban sprawl and the lack of spatial planning the surrounding area mostly consists of single-family detached homes with low urban density and poor access to public transport. Together with the lack of railway commuting tradition among the population, this maintains the reliance on personal vehicles for transport. In 2007, the suburban railway served just 57,078 passengers and collected 441,690 HRK in fares.Klaric (2009), p. 6 In 2010, railway served 111,000 passengers. Town of Kaštela 2016-20 traffic strategy called for a better integration of the suburban railway with the public transport, citing poor state of railway infrastructure, its outdatedness, and low quality and safety of suburban rail traffic.STRATEGIJA RAZVOJA GRADA KAŠTELA 2016. – 2020., Meta consulting, 2016., pp. 94-5
Split Predgrađe – Split line sold just 635 tickets from its operation start in early June till June 30, 2019.
Safety Since the tracks pass very closely through the suburban area without fences, and the car crossings are frequent, there have been a number of accidents. In 2001, a train killed a 19-year-old who was crossing the railway on two-wheel tractor; in 2006 a passenger train killed a man crossing the tracks in his car in Kaštel Sućurac, In December 2008, train collided with a car, injuring 5 in Kaštel Sućurac; while in a separate incident cargo train collided with a car, killing one and injuring another in Kaštel Lukšić; in February 2009 a man was killed in a collision with a train in Kaštel Gomilica; in April 2010, local train killed a man in Dujmovača tunnel, while in November 2012 a 6-year-old girl was killed by a cargo train in Kaštel Gomilica; in May 2013 in Kaštel Štafilić a man was hit by train and both of his legs were amputated; in January 2015 a long-distance train killed a woman in Kaštel Gomilica, in February 2016 passenger train hit a wild boar near Sadine, in December 2016 man died in hospital from injuries sustained on a railway in Kaštel Sućurac, in March 2017 in Kaštel Lukšić train collided with a car, which happened twice in April 2017, in Sadine and in Kaštel Gomilica, respectively; in July 2017 a man was hit and killed by a passenger train in Kaštel Kambelovac. In October 2018 a train collided with a horse in Kaštel Lukšić. In December 2019, Kastela-Split line train derailed, in January 2020 a man was injured when train collided with his car in Sućurac, while in February 2020 a cargo train collided with a car, injuring 2 in Kastel Luksic. In November 2020 a motorcycle driver was severely injured by a train in Kastel Luksic. On February 28th, 2026, a 17-year-old boy died from injuries sustained when he was hit by a train in a tunnel at the main railway station.
Operations
Kastel Stari – Split The Kaštel Stari–Split route is served by 17 trains daily in each direction on the weekdays and 8 trains during the weekend. HŽ Putnički prijevoz operate refurbished Y1 diesel multiple units and new HŽ 7023 diesel multiple units on the track. Several times a day bus connection runs between Split airport/Trogir and Kastel Stari railway station, aligned with the train schedule.
Kopilica – Split
Split-Predgrađe (Kopilica) – Split line was served by 27 trains daily in each direction on the weekdays. Just one HŽ 7023 diesel multiple unit ran on the line. Its use caused disruption on lines towards Kastela and Perkovic. In early November 2019, Split (Kopilica) – Split (Harbor) services were discontinued in favor of better integrating Kastel Stari–Split line.
Planned development Due to the frequent traffic bottlenecks, jams, and the rapid increase in passenger traffic at the nearby Split Airport (doubling between 2013 and 2017 to 3 million passengers, increasing further at a 23% annual rate), the Split Suburban railway is planned to be extended for roughly further, beyond Kaštel Stari to Split Airport and running to Trogir as an end station. Some older studies from 2000Grančić, Jozo. (2000) "Osnovne pretpostavke za funkcioniranje prigradske željeznice na Splitsko-kaštelanskom području". ITHZ, 7(11) and 2003 also envisaged extending the line eastward, but this has since been dropped.
In 2006, Marijan Klarić, deputy CEO of HŽ Putnički prijevoz, announced the plans to overhaul the Split suburban railway, electrify the lines, add another set of tracks and extend the line to Trogir, but nothing happened. HŽ Putnički prijevoz invited the town of Split to work together on defining the new Trogir-Airport-Split railway in 2014. In 2017, a conceptual design study for the line was published. It probed into two different paths (north and south from D8 road), estimating that two viaducts and one tunnel should be built for the line. Kaštel Kambelovac, Split Airport and Trogir train stations would also be built from scratch. Split-Trogir line would have an annual capacity of 5.6 million passengers. The calculations estimated the cost at 500 million kuna.
2017
In August 2017, commemorating the anniversary of the re-establishment of the railway traffic between Split and the continental Croatia after the war in 1995, Split mayor Krstulović Opara announced the construction of the railway to Split Airport as "everyone's dream", vowing "not to stop" until the line is completed. In October 2017, after expressing the importance of this project, Split mayor met with local counterparts in Kaštela to discuss the development. Kaštela mayor Denis Ivanović stated that this line would be the most profitable railway line in Croatia.
2018 After a series of traffic jams on the route between Kastela and Split in March 2018, mayor Krstulović Opara cited them as a further proof that the road traffic is overwhelmed and that a new railway was necessary. Mayor's opposition, Split social democrats, also supported the new railway. On April 17, 2018, Split's mayor met with mayors of Kaštela, Solin and Trogir, HŽ Putnički prijevoz chair, HŽ Infrastruktura board member, as well as Split Airport director, Port authority, and the national Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure representatives to discuss the project. The railway was deemed especially important in order to link the Split Airport to the Port of Split (next to the current Split main station) due to many of the 3 million airport passengers travelling to the Dalmatian islands. The integration and intermodality of the public transport of the Split region with a population of 300,000 was another important goal. Split-Kopilica was mentioned as an intermodal transport hub in order to alleviate the burden on the current Central Train Station in Split harbor, something advocated as early as 1939. HŽ Putnički prijevoz strongly supported the project, while the Ministry of Transport would finance the feasibility study. Kaštela and Trogir mayors stated that the general urban plan changes with respect to the new rail line have been ongoing in their jurisdictions. Split Airport and Port of Split directors expressed their intention to co-finance the project.
Under the auspices of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and its vice president Mirjana Čagalj, on April 30, 2018, a memorandum establishing the multiyear partnership on Split area rail passenger traffic development was signed between the CR, local authorities, national ministry, and other stakeholders in the project. Two possible routes for the new line to Trogir were mentioned. The first one would branch off from the existing tracks from Kastel Stari to Divulje and further to Trogir. This would mean of new tracks of which would be underground. The section between Kaštel Stari and Divulje would cost €70 million, while the section between Divulje and Trogir would cost between €30 and 80 million. The second route would branch off from Kaštel Sućurac, requiring of tracks ( underground). The latter would cost €200 million just to reach Divulje. The case and development study planning would take 3–5 years, while the construction of the railway itself another 3–6 years. 8 train compositions would be bought for this line; Končar representatives presented the diesel multiple unit HZP 7-023 series to the stakeholders. Rail-workers' trade union representatives supported investing in the Split suburban rail network as a way to improve HŽ Putnički prijevoz's sustainability, profits, and mission fulfillment.