The railway infrastructure in BiH is dangerous and outdated, warns the European Commission, while entity authorities in BiH are not investing enough in this area.
As emphasized in the latest EU report on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, half of the railway infrastructure is unsafe, outdated and unreliable and cannot provide adequate international transit.
They also warn that Bosnia and Herzegovina has not yet adopted a multi-year maintenance plan for the entire railway network.
“BiH needs to fully harmonize the Law on Railways with the fourth package of EU railway legislation, especially in terms of opening the railway traffic market, separating infrastructure management and transport operations, and strengthening the independence and administrative capacity of the regulatory body”, they emphasized.
Translated into plain language, in addition to not investing in modern infrastructure, BiH does not take steps to harmonize the legislation on railways with the European one, according to which the infrastructure should be separated from the operator and opened to competition. With the introduction of new operators, there would be stronger competition, which would lead to better service, but, as warned, half of the infrastructure is unsafe, that is, European operators would not even be allowed to use it.
It was further emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina “should use modern systems in accordance with EU standards on railway interoperability and safety during the construction or renovation of railway sections”.
If this is translated from “Brussels” to “ordinary” language, the European Commission says that systems that are not aligned with European standards are bought in BiH. So, even when some investments are implemented, they, as this report shows, do not meet European standards.
According to the business reports of “Željeznica RS”, only 12 million marks were invested in 2023 and 2024, of which very little was invested in removing European objections. According to their data, in 2024, investments were made in the sewage network at the Vrbanja Railway Station, the purchase of servers and server equipment, the purchase of forklifts, 4×4 combination machines, and the purchase of an Opel Zafira 8+1 passenger vehicle.
“Railways of the FBiH” warn that the traffic is taking place with the introduction of light rides as a preventive measure, “in order to harmonize with the level of maintenance of the railway infrastructure”.
“The current level of maintenance is a consequence of the lack of adequate allocation for ongoing maintenance and support for investments, which leads to further degradation of the railway infrastructure”, they state.
In the announcement they made after the adoption of the FBiH budget, they pointed out that they sent a budget request back in November with an explanation as to why the necessary funds are needed to preserve traffic safety and the basic functionality of the railway system.
“After the adopted Draft Budget of the FBiH for 2026 did not take into account these needs, on January 6, 2026, the Administration sent an official letter to the Government of the FBiH and the relevant ministries, warning that the continuation of inadequate funding and budget restrictions will endanger the entire railway system in the Federation of BiH. The letter specifically emphasized that the railway infrastructure is the property of the FBiH and that the founder, in accordance with the applicable laws and strategic documents, is obliged to provide funds for its regular operation maintenance, reconstruction and development”, they emphasized, with a warning that decades of insufficient investment in the railway infrastructure is the main reason for the poor conditions in which the operations and work organization of the “FBiH Railway” take place.
The Administration appeals to the Government of FBiH and the Parliament of FBiH to, when considering and adopting the Proposal for the Budget of FBiH for 2026, fully consider the submitted budget request “Railway FBiH” and provide the necessary funds for the railway sector, Nezavisne Novine writes.
