Zagreb Main Railway Station and Croatia’s Deadliest Rail Disaster

This magnificent Neo-Renaissance palace was built to address the lack of rail capacity in Zagreb, particularly after the opening of the Budapest–Rijeka line in 1873 and the subsequent expansion of the railway network converging on the Zagreb hub. This stunning, single-story building, an impressive 186.5 meters long, was officially opened on August 18, 1892, under the name “State Station.”

The land designated for the station—a completely undeveloped and uninhabited area south of the city, between the extensions of Preradovićeva and Petrinjska streets—was granted free of charge by the City of Zagreb, with the Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) financing the construction.

Immediately next to the Main Station, the opulent Esplanade Hotel was built in 1925 to provide luxurious accommodation for passengers on the legendary Orient Express, the train route that connected Paris to Istanbul via Zagreb.

Upon exiting the Main Station, travelers are greeted by one of Zagreb’s most beautiful vistas: the 14-meter statue of King Tomislav, with the Art Pavilion in the background and the spires of the Zagreb Cathedral in the distance.

A Masterpiece of Railway Architecture

The station’s design is credited to Ferenc Pfaff (1851–1913), a Hungarian civil engineer and architect known for designing numerous railway stations and buildings across the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Pfaff worked for the Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) from 1887 and built or redesigned a total of 38 stations during his career.

The Zagreb Main Station, alongside stations in Rijeka, Osijek, and Karlovac, is considered one of his most significant works. Built in the Neo-Renaissance style (though sometimes referred to as Neoclassical), Pfaff’s design typically featured a high central section and two smaller wings. The building also includes allegorical sculptures crafted in the workshop of Vilim Maršenko in Budapest.

The building has undergone significant reconstruction over the years, notably for the Universiade games (1986/87) and more recent renovations in 2005 and 2006. It is protected as a cultural heritage site of the Republic of Croatia.

The Station Chapel

Within this busy transit hub, on the first platform, lies the Chapel of the Mother of God. This Catholic chapel was opened in 1994 to commemorate the first visit of Pope John Paul II to the Republic of Croatia. The chapel was renovated in November 2022.

The 1974 Rail Disaster

Tragically, the rich history of the Main Station also includes one of Croatia’s greatest tragedies. The Zagreb rail disaster occurred on August 30, 1974, at 10:32 PM at the eastern entrance to the station.

The express passenger train traveling from Athens–Belgrade–Zagreb–Dortmund entered the station at a speed exceeding $90\text{ km/h}$ instead of the permitted $50\text{ km/h}$. All nine carriages derailed, while the locomotive entered the platform track alone at 10:33 PM. There were approximately 400 passengers on board, many of whom were gastarbeiter (guest workers) returning to jobs in Germany after their summer holidays. 167 passengers died. Subsequent investigation determined that the engineer and his assistant were responsible, with exhaustion being the most probable cause, as they had been working non-stop for 51 hours prior to the accident.

The locomotive involved in the accident (marked 661-216) is today preserved in the Croatian Railway Museum.

The Railway Station Today

Today, the Main Station, managed by Croatian Railways, is a crucial transportation center. It provides direct domestic links to major cities such as Split, Rijeka, Osijek, and Vinkovci. It is also a vital point for international routes, connecting Zagreb with Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, and Zürich.

Beyond passenger services like luggage storage, information, and currency exchange, the station is excellently integrated into city life. Immediately outside the building is a stop for several Zagreb tram lines (2, 4, 6, 9, and 13), with lines 2 and 6 also connecting it to the main bus terminal.