Goran Vesić, Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, announced that static tests on the Novi Sad to Subotica rail line are currently underway. Following these, dynamic tests and trial runs will commence, with the first passenger train scheduled to operate on this route starting November 25, as promised by President Aleksandar Vučić.
Vesić highlighted the significant progress in Serbia’s transportation infrastructure, emphasizing that high-speed railways represent a major technological advancement and a link to the 21st century. The newly constructed high-speed rail lines, including the 76 kilometers from Belgrade to Novi Sad and the 108 kilometers from Novi Sad to Subotica, mark substantial progress in the country’s rail network.
The schedule for this line will see trains operating from 5 AM to 10 PM, with travel time between Belgrade and Subotica reduced to one hour and ten minutes. Static tests are currently being performed, and dynamic tests by Deutsche Bahn are planned from September 23 to October 11. Test runs will continue until November 24 to ensure readiness for the inaugural passenger service.
Vesić stressed that the high-speed railway will transform city connectivity, enhance local businesses, boost tourism, and attract new investments. He described high-speed rail as Serbia’s greatest technological breakthrough, equating its significance in the 21st century to the impact of railway construction in the 19th century.
The minister noted that Serbia’s last railway construction project before this was the Belgrade-Bar line in 1976. Since 2012, Serbia has built 108 kilometers of new railways and reconstructed 842.8 kilometers.
Ongoing projects include the railway bypass around Niš, which Vesić highlighted as a major achievement of the current administration, with an investment of over 150 million euros. The construction of the Belgrade-Niš high-speed railway is also advancing, with preparatory work on a 17.7-kilometer section starting in July.
The new Belgrade-Niš line, 230 kilometers in length and divided into three sections, will be built in phases with ongoing traffic. Vesić hopes to finalize prequalification tenders for the remaining sections by October and begin construction by the end of the year.
Additional projects include the reconstruction of the railway from Niš to Skopje and collaboration with Greece and Hungary on a high-speed rail corridor stretching from Budapest to Athens. Vesić also mentioned the start of the Sobovica-Lužnica railway project, which will connect Kragujevac’s industrial zone, and the construction of a new bridge at Tomasevački most.
Finally, Vesić confirmed that the reconstruction of the railway from Pančevo to Subotica will soon begin, further enhancing Serbia’s rail infrastructure.
