In a decision that the Infrastructure Agency told the STA had become final at the end of last week, the contract was awarded to the consortium of companies Pomgrad, Kolektor, SŽ-ŽGP, GH-Holding and Gorenjska Gradbena Družba.

The chosen consortium made the lowest cost estimate of the project, equalling the ceiling value of the investment.

Bids had also been submitted by the Turkish company Cengiz (EUR 117.4 million), and the Austrian builder Strabag (EUR 136.6 million).

The Infrastructure Agency said it would now sign a contract with the chosen bidder. The deadline for the completion of the project is 30 months from the start of construction, which is expected to begin early in 2020.

The project is part of the ongoing upgrade of the rail line between Maribor and Šentilj and also includes a new tunnel and a new viaduct.

The entire project to upgrade the 16-kilometre Maribor - Šentilj line is valued at EUR 253.7 million, with the EU Cohesion Fund to chip in EUR 101 million. The project is being conducted in several phases.

The single-track Maribor-Šentilj line, running through two tunnels, was built in 1846 as part of the railway connecting Vienna and Trieste. It was electrified in 1976.

Following the upgrade, trains will be able to travel at speeds of up to 120 km/h, up from the current top speed of 80 km/h. The number of trains the track can handle will increase from 63 to 84 a day, and cargo capacity from 6.3 to 9.9 million tonnes a year.

The upgrade, which is slated for completion by the end of 2021, will also adapt the line for a later expansion with a second track, which could be built by the end of 2026.