Here’s how long border checks will take on the Budapest-Belgrade trains!

Passengers travelling on the soon-to-launch Budapest–Belgrade railway line should expect a 30-minute passport and customs check, according to an announcement by Serbia’s Ministry of the Interior.

The checks will be carried out jointly by Hungarian and Serbian authorities on services scheduled to start operating in late February or early March.

Where and how the border checks will take place

The procedure is regulated by an agreement between the Hungarian and Serbian governments covering border controls for road, rail and water traffic. Under this framework, the two countries can agree to carry out checks at a single, shared border crossing point.

For passenger trains, border control will take place on Hungarian territory, at Kelebia railway station. Meanwhile, freight trains will be inspected on the Serbian side, at the Subotica–Kelebia rail border crossing.

Eight daily services, with some trains running to Vienna

Ljubisa Pejicic, acting director of Serbian Railways, previously said that the Budapest–Belgrade line is expected to enter service between 20 February and 15 March.

According to the plans, eight trains will run daily between the two capitals, two of which will continue on to Vienna, offering direct international connections beyond Hungary and Serbia.

Major milestones already completed in Serbia

The Novi Sad–Belgrade section of the railway was opened in March 2022, while the entire Serbian stretch of the line has been operational since October last year.

Currently, the 184-kilometre journey from Belgrade to Subotica takes around 70 minutes.

Under three hours between Budapest and Belgrade

Once the full Budapest–Belgrade railway line is completed, the total travel time between the two capitals is expected to be no longer than 2 hours and 45 minutes, marking a major improvement in rail connectivity between Hungary and Serbia.

Budapest might not be the final stop

As we wrote a few days ago, the final destination of the route might not be Budapest, as Austria’s capital, Vienna, has signalled its willingness to join. The new service could operate with two departures in each direction daily. Under the plan, the Vienna-bound train would continue from Budapest to Belgrade, creating a direct connection and eliminating the previous two-stage journey.

Services set to start soon

According to a statement from János Lázár, passenger services on the Hungarian section could begin as early as March, though the exact date depends on the completion of safety inspections. Freight services already have a confirmed start date: goods transport on the Hungarian section will commence on 27 February. Test runs are ongoing, and full utilisation of the line is expected to reach 100 per cent, giving the route strategic significance for east–west logistics.

The Serbian section has already opened

Back in October 2025, the Serbian section of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line was officially inaugurated. During the celebratory ride, Vučić said the railway would become an eternal symbol of friendship and partnership between Hungary and Serbia.

On the 108.1-kilometre section between Novi Sad and Subotica, trains can reach speeds of up to 200 km/h. Thanks to this, travel between Novi Sad and Subotica takes only 41 minutes, while the 184-kilometre journey from Belgrade to Subotica takes about 70 minutes.

Once the entire line is completed, travel time between the Serbian and Hungarian capitals is expected to drop to less than 2 hours and 45 minutes.