photo: Archives/Illustrative picture
Officials, represented by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, held the inauguration of the Belgrade-Novi Sad railway line. They made a 30 minute inaugural trip on the line in a double-decker four-car electric train Soko, along with 270 passengers. Those were other officials from the Chinese Communication Construction Company, the two governments of the RZD International, and other domestic companies.
Chinese and Russian companies with domestic subcontractors were responsible for the modernization and construction of the line between Belgrade and Novi Sad, which is 74.9 km long. The first part of the project, which started in 2017, was the modernization and construction of the Čortanovcitunnel and viaduct (4.2 km) and Stara Pazova - Novi Sad section (36.2 km), which cost RZD International EUR 935 million. Consortium China Railway International Company China and Communications Construction Company was responsible for the second phase of construction of the section between Belgrade Central Station and Stara Pazova (it cost USD 350.1). The tests on the line were carried out by the DB Systemtechnik train at 200 km/h.
The ceremony took place at Novi Sad station, fully renovated for the first time since 1964. Aleksandar Vučić said: "Serbia opens one of the most modern railway sections in Europe, equipped with the best systems and components. Our high-speed railroads were built by our Russian and Chinese friends. The Germans supervised and the trains were supplied by the Swiss, and Serbia is stable and strong."
The new Belgrade-Budapest railway corridor is planned to be completed in 2025 and will connect southern and central Europe, providing passengers with a fast and comfortable ride. To achieve this goal, work on the third section from Novi Sad to Kelebia (108.1 km) started in November 2021. Chinese companies are also responsible for this section.
"The cooperation between the two countries has never been closer, and the high-speed railway from Belgrade to Novi Sad, and in a few years to Budapest, is proof of joint efforts in connecting the two countries. Despite all the challenges, Serbian-Hungarian friendship will be preserved in which joint plans will be realized. In the past 70 years, the countries have been connected in the east-west direction, and in the meantime, we have forgotten how important it is to connect the territories on the north-south direction," Viktor Orbán said at the inauguration.