The introduction of a direct railway line from the Transportation center to the International airport Skopje could shorten the traveling time and the expenses for the passengers and it will increase the comfort of travel to the airport. Despite these advantages, for now, there is no interest among the local authorities to introduce such a railway line.
We asked the City of Skopje whether there is any interest to participate in the planning and the building of such a project and we still haven’t received any replies.
Despite this lack of interest, the facts show that there are numerous advantages of introducing a direct railway line to the Skopje airport. Тhe National Transportation Strategy 2018-2030 estimates that the project would cost 30 million euros that would also include new railway track in the length of 3 to 5 km, between the airport and the railway stations Ilinden or Miladinovci.
The usual time to travel by bus from the Transportation Center to the airport is 30-35 minutes, while a passenger train from the Transportation Center would take 13-19 minutes to get to the Ilinden railway station. Apart from saving time, the ticket prize to the Skopje airport will also be lower.
The future airport train would offer greater comfort for the passengers. Instead of the current 51 -59 bus seats, the trains could take 5 times more passengers. The current trains have 146-302 seats.
Also, a direct railway line between the airport and the Transportation Center will allow the citizens that are traveling by plane the fastest and the easiest way to catch a city bus in Skopje or intercity transportation either by a bus or train to other cities.
Similar projects were already realized in many European cities, and the capital of Albania, Tirana is one of the cities that at the moment are preparing to introduce a direct railway line to the airport.
