Bitola by 2040: rail link to Skopje and Ohrid airports
Draft spatial plan foresees a high‑speed Skopje–Bitola line via Gradsko, a tunnel under Pletvar and Prilep–Bitola upgrades to cut travel times.
A draft national spatial plan that extends to 2040 proposes a new railway connection linking Bitola with both of the country's airports — in Skopje and in Ohrid. The proposal was presented in Bitola with a special focus on the Pelagonia region.
The plan aims to bring the three larger cities farthest from the capital — Bitola, Strumica and Ohrid — within a 90‑minute rail journey to Skopje, said Professor Zoran Karakutovski of the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Skopje.
Main elements of the proposal
“For that, a high‑speed Skopje–Bitola line should be built, which will pass through a railway station in Gradsko, then have a deviation toward Rosoman and Raec, with a tunnel under Pletvar so that it will be possible to reach Prilep in one hour. From Prilep to Bitola the track is planned to be reconstructed, electrified and operated at speeds of 120 to 149 kilometres per hour. Thus, Bitola would be 80 minutes away from Skopje airport,” said Karakutovski.
The proposal envisions the Skopje–Bitola corridor as a mix of new high‑speed alignment and upgraded existing track, with electrification and higher permitted speeds on the Prilep–Bitola section.
The document is a draft spatial plan extending to 2040; implementation would require detailed design, funding decisions and intergovernmental approvals before construction could begin.
Photo: press material from the event
