Train travel in Serbia – an ultimate guide

Serbia has an extensive railway network, but it has been neglected for many decades. Recently, the railways have purchased new rolling stock to service regional and long-distance trains. Construction and rehabilitation of the main railway lines is ongoing, and there is a project of rehabilitation of local lines in Vojvodina. There’s a lot that needs to be done. Currently, train travel in Serbia is slow, excerpt for Belgrade – Novi Sad route.

Last updated: 09.07.2024

Train travel in Serbia – domestic trains

There are many passenger trains in Serbia but The train is a good choice if you want to visit Novi Sad and Belgrade, or if you have booked accommodation in Subotica and want to go to the charming town of Sombor or to the lake in Palić.

Passenger trains are operated by Srbijavoz. Rolling stock varied, many of Yugoslavia-era passenger carriages ended at train graveyard, although these carriages were comfortably enough. Diesel multiple units often break down during the heat.

The new high-speed railway line from Novi Sad to Subotica will be open for regular passenger traffic in December 2024.

Srbijavoz official website – timetable, prices, additional information

Train travel in Serbia
Stadler Flirt3 for Srbija Voz

Long-distance domestic trains run on the following routes:

Belgrade – Zvornik (twice a day)
Belgrade – Šid (only regional trains)
Belgrade – Niš (only regional trains)
Belgrade – Prijepolje teretna (regional and international trains)
Subotica – Zrenjanin (once a day, regional train)

Regional domestic trains run on the following routes:

Belgrade – Vršac
Belgrade – Užice – Valjevo
Belgrade – Novi Sad (additional to Soko trains)
Belgrade – Ruma – Sremska Mitrovica
Smederevo – Požarevac
Subotica – Sombor
Subotica – Kikinda
Zrenjanin – Kikinda
Novi Sad – Sombor
Niš – Zaječar
Kraljevo – Lapovo
Kraljevo – Požega

Serbia Railway
Ra2 diesel multiple unit – most common local train in Serbia (Photo: Phil Richards, CC-BY-SA, Wikimedia Commons

Types of the trains in Serbia:

There are following train types and categories in Serbia:

Regional (Re) – formerly “putnički voz”. Slow local trains. It stops at all stations. Usually served by diesel RA2 multiple unit produced in Russia or old Swedish diesel multiple unit Y1 (Niš – Zaječar).

BgVoz – urban rail system that connects the city of Belgrade with nearby cities . It is operated by the public transit corporation GSP Belgrade. The rolling stock consists of Soviet-era RVR multiple units.

Brzi voz (B) – fast train. Usually comprised of diesel locomotive and passenger carriages or diesel RA2 multiple unit. It stops at main stations only.

Regional Express (REx) – fast trains operated by modern, comfortable and air-conditioned Stadler Flirt 3 (ŽS 413). You can choose between first and second class. Trains are overcrowded during rush hours and on Fridays and Sundays.

SOKO – high-sped train from Beograd to Novi Sad (75 km). The Stadler Kiss electric multiple units (ŽS 410) are going up to 200 km/h, connecting two biggest cities in 36 minutes. The high-speed service was inaugurated in March 2022. Seat reservation is compulsory.

Tickets for local trains are very cheap, tickets for SOKO are relatively expensive.

BGvoz
Old RVR EMU as a BGVoz train
Belgrade train
High-speed Soko train

Train travel in Serbia – international trains

There are very few passenger international trains in Serbia. Most popular is the train from Belgrade to Bar. A several years ago there were much more international connections.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

There are no passenger trains between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Fast train from Belgrade to Zvornik terminates at Mali Zvornik close to the border but you need to cross the border on your own and there are no trains from Zvornik in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A short section of a Belgrade – Bar railway line of passes through Bosnia but the trains don’t stop on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Train from Belgrade to Sarajevo was suspended many years ago.

Bulgaria

Due to reconstruction and modernization of the whole railway line from Niš to Dimitrovgrad all passenger trains to Bulgaria were cancelled until further notice. The works started in 2023.

Croatia

All passenger train services between Serbia and Croatia have been suspended due to the pandemic.

Hungary

On 28 November 2023 passenger trains from Szeged to Subotica were reinstated. Trains run 5 times a day. There are fast and comfortable Intercity trains from Szeged to Budapest. Ticket costs 3,20 EUR

Online timetable and e-shop of Hungarian Railways
Srbijavoz – online timetable

Direct trains Budapest – Belgrade are suspended due to the construction of the high-speed railway between the two capitals.

Kosovo

There were two trains from Kraljevo to Zvečan operated by Serbian Railways. These trains have not been running for a long time. In January 2017 passenger traffic between Serbia and Kosovo was resumed, but the first train from Belgrade to Mitrovica was painted in the colours of the Serbian flag and bearing the words “Kosovo is Serbian”. Eventually the Serbian authorities stopped the train in Raska, just before the Kosovo border. The incident raised tensions in both countries.

The border crossing in Merdare is closed.

Montenegro

Famous all over the world Belgrade – Bar train currently run from Zemun to Bar. Overnight train comprised of seat carriage, couchette cars and sleeping cars runs all year round. During summer season additional daytime train is launched.

In 2024 a seasonal daytime train (with transfer) between Bar to Novi Sad will run from 15.06. do 16.09.2024 and from Novi Sad to Bar from 14.06 to 15.09.2024)

Bar (dep. 09:00) –> Beograd Centar (arr. 19:28) –> Novi Sad (20:28)
Novi Sad (dep. 08:20) –> Beograd Centar (dep. 09:31) –> Bar (arr. 20:37)

Seat reservation is compulsory. Ticket from Novi Sad to Bar costs 26,80 € (23,80 € + 3 € seat reservation), from Beograd centar to Bar 24 € (21 € + 3 € seat reservation).

It is not a direct train, because passengers will change trains at Bijelo Polje station. Serbian part of the route is served by Stadler Flirt electric multiple units, between Bijelo Polje and Bar in Montenegro passengers travel in seating carriages with compartments owned by Željeznički prevoz Crne Gore.

Srbijavoz – online timetable

North Macedonia

There are no passenger trains between Serbia and North Macedonia. The main north–south line from Niš in to Thessaloniki passes through North Macedonia, but due to engineering works in Serbia all passenger services are suspended. There are plans to upgrade railway line from Niš to North Macedonian border to 160 km/h.

In 2010 there were two trains from Belgrade to Thessaloniki through Skopje: daytime and overnight train. Several years later daytime train was shortened to Skopje and ceased, overnight train ran as a summer train and was suspended.

Romania

There are no trains between Serbia and Romania. Train from Belgrade to Bucharest was suspended many years ago. Local trains Vršac – Timisoara were suspended because of pandemic. So far, no connection has been restored.

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