EuroDual authorised for Slovenia and Croatia operations
CROSS-BORDER: European Loc Pool has received ERA authorisation to operate Stadler’s EuroDual hybrid locomotive in Slovenia and Croatia, extending its authorised operating zone to the Adriatic corridor.
European Loc Pool has received ERA type authorisation for the Stadler Rail Valencia EuroDual E25/15 D28 variant, covering Austria, Slovenia and Croatia. Austria was included in the same authorisation package.
The approvals allow a single locomotive to operate across borders that have historically required traction changes, reducing handover delays on southeast European freight routes.
Diesel-first in Slovenia, pantograph required in Croatia
Under the terms of the authorisation, EuroDual locomotives can operate immediately in diesel mode in Slovenia. Croatian operations require pantograph installation before electric traction becomes available.
The distinction reflects differences in the two countries’ electrification infrastructure and the conditions attached to ERA’s multi-state authorisation process.
Serbia authorised since 2023
ELP secured a separate national authorisation for Serbia in 2023. The Slovenia and Croatia approvals now extend the authorised zone westward and northward to Ljubljana, Maribor and Zagreb, and onward to the Adriatic port hubs at Koper and Rijeka.
For freight operators and lessees on these routes, the authorisation removes a logistical barrier: a single EuroDual locomotive can now handle traction across the corridor without the handover delays that multi-traction arrangements typically require.