Skopje, 5 April 2026 (MIA) — A new commuter train line connecting Zelenikovo to Skopje's central railway station is set to open this September, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski announced Sunday.

As the first of three City Train lines, the 25-kilometer route is 65% complete. Construction is expected to finish in June, with testing taking place over the summer.

Nikoloski said the project was proof that the government can meet its deadlines.

"I want the public to get used to projects being finished on time," the transport minister said. He added that the speed of the work was due to serious planning done before construction even began.

The City Train project is going so well that the government plans to finish the entire three-line network by the end of 2027, a year earlier than expected. 

Macedonian Railways Infrastructure director Sinisha Ivanovski said the old tracks were being upgraded. Workers are currently replacing wooden railroad ties, some of which have been in the ground since 1959, with modern concrete ones.

"By using these new materials, we will reach speeds of up to 90 km/h," Ivanovski said, adding that right now trains were running at 20-30 km/h because of the poor track conditions.

The government hopes the City Train will reduce car traffic and help lower air pollution during the winter. They also hope to combine it with a new Bus Rapid Transit project by 2029 to overhaul Skopje's public transport.

The new commuter trains are expected to run once every hour, with the train schedule timed to match the JSP city bus schedules. The transport minister said train tickets would be affordable.

Skopje Mayor Orce Gjorgjievski praised the project's progress, calling the pace of construction "impressive."

"This will mean a new alternative for the city of Skopje and an alternative way for citizens from this part of the city to reach the Transport Center faster," he said.

Gjorgjievski added that the city was also buying 100 new buses to make sure the entire transit system works together. mr/