Before the train’s departure, a ceremony was organized at the Villa Opicina station, where speeches were given by the Secretary General of the Central European Initiative, Roberto Antonione, Head of railway and cableway sector, Vlasta Kampoš Jerenec from the Slovenian Ministry of Infrastructure, Regional Minister for Infrastructure of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region Cristina Amirante, Director of SŽ Potniški promet Darja Kocjan and Head of HŽPP Sales Department Andrea Glavaš. With the symbolic cutting of the ribbon, a new line between Trieste and Rijeka was inaugurated.
During the train ride to Rijeka, rich cultural and gastronomic program was organized by Slovenian railways in which performers from Sežana, Divača, Pivka and Ilirska Bistrica, train stops along the line, took part. Guests and passengers enjoyed the performance in the train, as well as at Rijeka railway station.
Afterward, a press conference took place in Rijeka City Library, where the attendees were addressed by the Interreg CE Programme representative Winfried Ritt, Head of railway infrastructure and transport sector at Croatian Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Jasna Divić, Head of railway and cableway sector at Slovenian Ministry for Infrastructure Vlasta Kampoš Jerenec, Mayor of Rijeka Marko Filipović, Mayor of Trieste Roberto Di Piazza, Mayor of Ilirska Bistrica Gregor Kovačič, Head of public transport at Friuli Venezia Giulia Region Enzo Volponi, HŽ Passenger Transport Management Board President Željko Ukić, Director of SŽ Potniški promet Darja Kocjan and CEI Secretary General Roberto Antonione.
This new railway connection has attracted huge media interest at the local, regional and national level, in all three participating countries – Italy, Slovenia and Croatia.