The railway connection between Skopje and Pristina could be realized by the end of next year, once Kosovo completes work on its railway infrastructure, announced Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski.

We already have a railway connection for the Skopje–Pristina route; Kosovo is currently working on modernization, and there is one more tunnel that needs to be completed. I have held two meetings with their Minister of Transport over the past month, so once they finish their section, the train service will be able to operate, Nikoloski said while being a guest on a financial podcast.

He noted that the majority of the route within Macedonian territory will be part of the future expansion of Skopje’s urban rail network. “We have already launched the first route from Zelenikovo to the New Railway Station; the second route is planned to run from the New Railway Station to Volkovo and Gjorche Petrov, and the third from the New Railway Station to Ilinden and Agino Selo,” the minister said.

According to Nikoloski, the railway connection with Pristina could have a significant impact on traffic and help reduce air pollution in Skopje. “Currently, 30% of vehicles in Skopje arrive from the west, 30% from the east, and the remaining 40% or so from the north. There is significant daily traffic; over 10,000 vehicles travel to and from Kosovo each day. If we can get people to take the train—traveling from the center of Pristina to the center of Skopje in exactly 50 minutes—I am convinced it will help reduce pollution in Skopje,” noted Nikoloski.