[6] Local authorities did not support the project while the long-distance rolling stock proved to be unsuitable for suburban traffic.

[11] In 2011, Croatian Railways struck off one third - 7 daily departures from its timetable, amidst heavy protests and criticism.

[12][13][14] The major issues plaguing the line include the distance of the railway tracks (built for long-distance traffic towards Knin and Zagreb) from the population centers along Bay of Kaštela.

Despite the fact that around 35% of Split, 40% of Solin, and 50% of Kastela population lives along the suburban railway, due to the urban sprawl and the lack of spatial planning the surrounding area mostly consists of single-family detached homes with low urban density and poor access to public transport.

[15] Together with the lack of railway commuting tradition among the population, this maintains the reliance on personal vehicles for transport.

[18] Since the tracks pass very closely through the suburban area without fences, and the car crossings are frequent, there have been a number of accidents.

Several times a day bus connection runs between Split airport/Trogir and Kastel Stari railway station, aligned with the train schedule.

[46] In October 2017, after expressing the importance of this project,[47] Split mayor met with local counterparts in Kaštela to discuss the development.

Split-Kopilica was mentioned as an intermodal transport hub in order to alleviate the burden on the current Central Train Station in Split harbor, something advocated as early as 1939.

Kaštela and Trogir mayors stated that the general urban plan changes with respect to the new rail line have been ongoing in their jurisdictions.

[53] Under the auspices of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and its vice president Mirjana Čagalj, on April 30, 2018, a memorandum establishing the multiyear partnership on Split area rail passenger traffic development was signed between the CR, local authorities, national ministry, and other stakeholders in the project.

8 train compositions would be bought for this line; Končar representatives presented the diesel multiple unit HZP 7-023 series to the stakeholders.

Rail-workers' trade union representatives supported investing in the Split suburban rail network as a way to improve Croatian Railways' sustainability, profits, and mission fulfillment.

The latter would effectively create a proper suburban rail line connecting the entire Kastela area with Split, airport, and Trogir.

[66] In December 2018, public stakeholders and local authorities together with the Croatian Railways agreed on relocating the main railway hub and (temporarily)[67] a new central bus station to Kopilica station (officially Split Predgrade), where a Park and Ride spot will be built as well.

Starting from March 2019, CR will open three new stations (Split-Dujmovača, Sveti Kajo and Solin-Širine) on the existing line, adding more commuters further out of the city, north from Kopilica.

The existing pre-determined spot in railway tunnel between Kopilica and Split Main Station will be equipped and opened as an underground Split-H.B.Z.

[68] Split authorities will stimulate bus operators to use Kopilica (Split-Predgrade) as their terminal by charging 700-800kn per entry to the inner city center.

[69] News portal T-Portal and Slobodna Dalmacija local daily also reported that the "north" option to connect the Airport to M604, with a route avoiding Kastela, was the most likely solution in the long term.

underground station amidst diesel exhaust fumes, and avoiding connecting Kastela commuting population to the suburban railway were criticized in the daily press[70] as well as by the members of the Split City Council.

[72] The opposition in Split city council pointed at unresolved legal and real estate ownership issues around Kopilica station (Split-Predgrade).

[81] In January 2019, internet news portal T-portal reported that the feasibility study (contrary to the earlier studies, such as that of Matić, Nosal and Mikec from 2018) concluded that the 8 km connection between Kaštel Stari station (on the existing M604 tracks) via Rudine to Split Airport, bypassing Kastela proper, is the most favourable solution to integrate the airport onto the suburban railway.

[82] The January issue of Građevinar, journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers, reported that the planned route to Split Airport will branch off earlier, from Kaštel Kambelovac station, running along D58 and thus through Kaštela proper.

[95] In a town hall meeting, Split city representatives claimed that the frequency of trains running between Kopilica hub and Split Main Station will follow from the needs as defined by the city administration and that the Croatian Railways have already started refurbishing Rudine station.

[103] On March 20, Croatian minister for transport and infrastructure Oleg Butkovic visited Split Airport and stated that the 7 km of new tracks necessary to connect the airport to Split with rail are in the planning process by Croatian Railways-Infrastructure and that he hopes that the work will commence in 2021.

[104] In early April, Croatian Railways-Infrastructure published an open bid for plans to renovate Split railway tunnel and to build an underground station "Split-H.B.Z."

CR-Infrastructure claimed that this option would be cheaper than digging the rail underground, the construction would cause less interruption, and there would be no legal or expropriation issues.

[109] In March 2020, Croatian Railways board member Darko Barisic presented ongoing plans to local stakeholders.

Rudine, a new station where the new railway to Split Airport and further to Trogir would branch off from M604, is yet to be planned pending the selection of the optimal route after the feasibility study.

In 2021, Ivica Puljak was elected mayor of Split, defeating Vice Mihanović, the candidate of Croatia’s ruling HDZ party.