March 12 (SeeNews) - Croatian state-owned railway infrastructure operator HZ Infrastruktura said on Tuesday it has launched a public procurement procedure aimed at enhancing the communication systems across the country's railway network, with an estimated budget of 450 million euro ($492 million).
The endeavour marks the largest procurement effort in the company's history, HZ Infrastruktura said in a press release.
The project involves transitioning from the Global System for Mobile Communications for Railways (GSM-R) to the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS). FRMCS offers advanced functionalities and is set to enhance communication efficiency and safety throughout Croatia's railways, the company said.
The initiative will involve the installation of state-of-the-art communication infrastructure, including primary and backup dispatch and control centres, across more than 2600 kilometres of railway tracks.
The project is expected to take seven years to complete.
It will be financed from European Union funds and a loan from the European Investment bank.
($ = 0.915 euro)