Partial operation begins on the Budapest-Belgrade railway line

Train service is set to begin between Subotica and Belgrade on the Budapest-Belgrade railway line, with trains operating from 25 November, according to Serbia’s Minister of Construction.

Trains on Budapest-Belgrade line to start running in November

Goran Vesić, Serbia’s construction minister, announced on Monday during an interview with Belgrade’s Pink TV that passenger trains will start running on 25 November between Subotica and Belgrade, covering the entire Serbian section of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line, Világgazdaság reports.

He also mentioned that the railway is currently undergoing tests between Novi Sad and Subotica. Meanwhile, the segment between Novi Sad and Belgrade has been operational since March 2022.

The 184-kilometer stretch between Subotica and Belgrade will take just 70 minutes to travel, with trains running in both directions from 5 AM to 10 PM.

Vesic highlighted that Serbia had not built a new railway since 1976, and until 2012, only 31 kilometres of railway had been renovated. Between 2012 and 2023, 108 kilometres of new rail lines were constructed, and approximately 843 kilometres were refurbished.

When will the Hungarian section of the Budapest-Belgrade railway be completed?

The Hungarian portion of the Budapest-Belgrade railway is expected to be completed by 2026, and train service will begin that same year, according to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in an interview with Chinese state media CGTN. Orbán expressed confidence in the 2026 launch date.

The foundation stone for the reconstruction project was laid in October 2021. The project, valued at approximately EUR 1.7 billion, is being financed by Hungary, with 85% covered by a low-interest Chinese loan and the remaining 15% from domestic funds. Once completed, the travel time between the Serbian and Hungarian capitals will be reduced to 2 hours and 40 minutes.

Read also:

• Budapest-Belgrade railway line: Construction resumes, date of the Hungarian section’s completion out
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