From what I've read the rebuilding of the Belgrade-Nis line is to commence in 2025. It is going to take a few years but expect it to be similar to the now rebuilt Belgrade-Subotica high speed line built by the Chinese. Service on that line was supposed to begin Nov. 24 2024. But the collapse of the canopy at Novi Sad station with 14(?) deaths has delayed the start of the operation. That collapse has also lead to serious protests claiming government corruption in Serbia. An unfortunate chain of events has darkened what would have been a grand opening of the line. Hungary is rebuilding their line from Budapest to Subotica and maybe within a year you will see Budapest-Belgrade high speed(200 kph) service. This is a strategic freight corridor which will ultimately restore dependable service between Turkey and Greece on the one hand and Central Europe.
I have a couple of corrections for you as a Serbian train enthusiast. Novi Sad- Subotica is opening two weeks later actually, in December, because of the tragedy that happened. Recently it was announced that the Belgrade-Budapest service will be started at the latest by March 2026, per the Hungarians. Also, yes, Belgrade-Nis high speed is starting early next year (supposedly). One thing you missed: Nis-Bulgarian border is actually currently being reconstructed for brand new 120 km/h service. I think it's currently the oldest line in Serbia. I wish this video was made in a few years when that's finished, but alas. Additionally, the Serbian and Bulgarian were recently discussing building another new high speed line to connect Corridor X to Turkey, but those are just loose plans for now.
@@matematika1000 Thanks for the great update. I did ride the Belgrade-Novi Sad segment in October 2022. Quite nice. I must say as a Serbian rail enthusiast you must have suffered in silence but better days are ahead. Patience! As an American, I have nothing positive to say about our Amtrak service.
@@raleighsheffield841 I absolutely hate our government, but honestly, the investment in rail is something I like. The recent tragedy but a damper on my excitement, but there is a lot of work being done right now and in the near future. More so than any other country in the Balkans, for some reason our shitty government actually recognized the importance of rail transport.
And what most don’t realize is that Serbia will again be on a viable key freight corridor. Good transportation can induce new industry and lower cost to move goods and agricultural products. Great investment for Serbia’s future
@@raleighsheffield841 hell yeah! I’m excited to be on the European network again once we’re connected efficiently to Budapest. I’d love to see some Nightjet or Railjet type services. A Belgrade-Vienna passenger service through Budapest would be revolutionary for our population
@@bosnianphantom480 Something tells me that getting convicted in Serbia is not something that you might necessarily want. Or in any country, for that matter.
I used to get first class, it has power outlets so I could use my old laptop. Now my laptop could actually last the journey and the wife started driving so now we take the car.
So happy to hear that. I Made the trip go and return in 2000 and it was very adventurous (but so slow!), but it had its charm. I am afraid that with high-speed it will be lost.
Project of high-speed (up to 200kmh) line from Belgrade to Niš is ready, expected time of travel cuts to only 70 minutes, the work will begin in the beginning of 2025 until 2029. Expected opening date to Niš - Dimitrovgrad line (electrified, up to 120 or 160kmh (?)) is the end of 2027. Also Novi Sad - Subotica - border with Hungary high-speed line opening date is december 8th, 2024 and there are some works to refurbish Belgrade (Pancevo) - Zrenjanin - Kikinda - Romanian border line
Good to know for Belgrade-Romanian border, but it sucks that neither Serb or Romanian governments care about trains, there is no connection between Serbia and Romania since the pandemy, pretty shameful, neither of them are working on having the train back....
@@bosnianphantom480 Belgrade - Šid main line high-speed project in progress (EU money), also i read smth about refurbishment of Šid - Bijeljina branch line and Ruma - Zvornik line too, but without any details
It is a well-known fact that the Belgrade-Sofia line is not in the best condition, that there are no direct trains because the reconstruction, modernization and electrification of the Niš-Dimitrovgrad line to the Bulgarian border, as well as parts on the Bulgarian side, is underway. Complete reconstruction of Belgrade - Niš fast line begins next year. The Belgrade-Subotica high-speed railway to the Hungarian border is completed, Hungary should complete its part by the end of 2025. This year, construction of a new Beo Voz line also began (Beo voz is urban rail system that serves the city of Belgrade and its muncipalities, something like semi metro), which will connect the airport with the city, as well as the further Belgrade municipalities of Surčin and Obrenovac. Metro subway drilling should begin in 2025, hopefully, and the depot for the metro is under construction. The documentation for the reconstruction of the railway on the Serbian side of the high-speed railway to the border with Croatia, 200 km/h, has been completed, which, according to some announcements, should start soon because Italy wants the Trieste - Belgrade line. The reconstruction of the Belgrade - Kikinda - border with Romania, Belgrade - Vršac - border with Romania, Belgrade - Bar (Serbia - Montenegro), the railway to N. Macedonia, the railway to Bosnia and many others are planned, we will see how it goes.
The line from Sofia to Kalotina(border with Serbia) is already in renovation with a double track with speeds up to 160 km/h. It will be complete in two years from now. As for the serbian part to Belgrade - I dont know anything. Especially the part from Dimitrovgad to Nis, which is in a auful condition and even still not electrified. O, and by the time that there was still passenger trains, the train was taken this "journey" for more than 3 hours. For about 100 km of lenght. What a speed! :)))
Back in 1988 we rode the line with 100 of other Inter-railers going to Greece ! Two Soviet Ammendorfer from Moscow to Athens with a very effective AC and a harsh "providnitsa". And two luggage cars where they put almost all the Inter-Railers. The big doors were open because it was 30+ hot outside and the speed .. hmmm.. NOT over 50-60 km/h
2:21 Have you forgotten that long distance configuration Stadler FLIRTs exist? Example being the ED160 used by PKP Intercity on many routes around Poland's electrified rail network. Those are great basically and I can see them almost every time I travel by train from my hometown. But why woudl we travel 7 hours on a regional train?
Haha, can't believe it, one of the few railway stations you've shown is of the village where my paternal grandfather (and my surname) comes from. Also shout-out to Cle 2 Berne :D
The unfortunate part is that there is a faster section to Lapovo waiting for papers. Section over Krsna is done with reconstruction now probably four years, and its a V-MAX 120kph but for some reason its not being used by passenger trains. The highspeed that everyone in comments is talking about will probably be another nail in the coffin of the Serbian Railways. With one stop only in Jagodina it's gonna put a even darker shadow on regional rail in Serbia. The old Belgrade - Niš track really needs to be brought to working order with speeds at longer sections being at least 80kph. Niš - Dimitrovgrad is getting fixed because of derailments this year.
Even *Albania* have people who nip out when the train is due and operate the level crossing barriers! And that's a country where the entire national timetable can be printed on one side of A4!
In July 2017 I planned to travel by train from Paris to Sofia: Paris-Munich-Zagreb-Belgrade-Sofia. From Paris to Zagreb was great, fast air-conditioned trains and a fabulous ride through Slovenia. Zagreb to Belgrade was slow, incredibly hot, no food or drink on the train, uncomfortable seats, and on and on. Once I got to Belgrade I decided to skip the train and fly to Sofia, have never regretted it. But I can recommend the overnight train from Bucharest to Istanbul (the Sofia leg connects with it) which I took in October 2022 - even though it arrived 6 hours late it was very comfortable and the landscape is worth the trip. And for that matter the Vienna-Bucharest overnight train is great, though always hours late - the boring Hungarian part is overnight and you have all the landscape of Romania to watch during the day as it inches towards Bucharest.
You definitely took a very big hit for Team SR on this trip, well above and beyond the call of duty. You need a nice relaxing dining/sleeper trip to recover.
The EMU You spotted in Serbia is not that typical for Eastern Europe. Even Yugoslavia used at least 3 types of different EMUs made by RVR, Pafawag ang GANZ-MAVAG. Bulgarian railways bought RVR trains though.
The main railway station in Belgrade is nice as is the train you were in, let's be honest. The problem is the rail tracks, they have not been renovated. Anyway, there were other options.
These Flirt 3's are worked on in hungary at Pusztaszabolcs, i always go by them and they look really awesome! I think they do some works on the Axles perhaps?
I can see that all forget the war in the 90s... the bad rail infraestructure and non investment is some consequence of that. However, the nonsensical destruction of the former Belgrad station isnt.
Ah yeah, very nice. I traveled this back in April this year, but other way around. Comming from Vienna to Bucharest, then some days later to Sofia, to return via Belgrade and Hungary home. I actually traveled faster, or better to say, I would have travelled faster, but sadly we had an accident with a car some like 20tish Kilometers before Beograd xd you can imagine the pain. But all in all, yeah, it takes very long to drive, but the scenery is nice, the people were frendly, and it was a quite decent experience. But 1 time is alright, no need to repeat it xd
Great trip. I don't know how to say it, but yeah flying is still faster between two cities, but for someone who afraid of flying, taking the road vehicle (bus or maybe Ride sharing) is faster than train between two cities. I think the Soko Train Project makes Railway in Serbia can influence and improve others railway line nationwide, but sadly not yet.
Kudos to you for taking the plunge. The railway in Serbia is desperate, no investment has been made for 40 years. Along with Albania, Bosnia and Croatia, Serbia has the worst railways in Europe. In recent years, a little investment has been made, but even these investments are a cover for corruption, reconstructions cost five times more, because certain government structures are included in the cost of reconstruction.
The claim that no investment was made in Serbian railroads for 40 years is incorrect. Recent projects include the high-speed rail linking Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Subotica, ongoing construction to Niš and North Macedonia, and overhauls on the Montenegro route. Additionally, 500 km of local railways have been overhauled, with 600 km more planned in the next four years. A future line to Zagreb is also in development.
08:07 Ha ha ha Greatings from Serbia. It is accident before month a go. About slow rails. Yep. Rails southern of Belgrade are in very bad conditions. I like to use that line when i travel to Belgrade or Nish but people from western Europe do not likes slow trains, actually slow rails. I LIKE IT. But i must say something. I traveled around 15 times to Belgrade and Nish in latest two years. TOTAL DELAY of trains in that periood is less then 60 minuts together. Every time train comes on time or couple minuts later. In oposite direction, the same. High speed train between Belgrade and Budapest are finished from serbian side. Fast trains alredy operating, 200km per hour. It is around 300km in Serbia and i do not know how many in Hungary. High speed line between Belgrade and Nish is in process of building, will be finished for 2 or 3 years probably. I am sad, because I LIKE SLOW TRAIN TRAVELS.
They may have to keep the old, slow route for freight trains and to keep service for areas that won’t be served by the new line, so don’t worry too much
Išao sam dvaput Bg-Niš i nazad, kao da uštedim 500 dinara u odnosu na bus. Nikad više. Prvi put 6 sati tamo i 6 nazad, drugi put 5 sati 40 min tamo, a nazad je stao 100km pre Beograda, kažu gore pragovi u Beogradu, ne smeju da nastave, pa sam kupio kartu za bus do Bg... Sve bi bilo kao što ti kažeš, uživancija, lagana vožnja i gledanje prizora, iako nije neki, ali su sedišta parče plastike sa tkaninom preko, ni dva duksa ispod bulje ne pomažu dugo.
Da ,au farmecul lor !Am călătorit in Serbia în fiecare an din 2019 încoace și imi plac și trenurile și oamenii pe care ii întâlnești aici !Păcat ca s- a desființat trenul Timisoara Vrsac cu legatura la cel de Beograd ! În Timișoara am facut cereri sa revina dar ....
I had tested this trip myself in the summer of 2023 and the train just broke down in the middle of Serbia, a good fraction of our ticket we had got back but there was no replacement bus or anything. Fortunately, there was a regional bus that took us to Belgrade but not one from srbjia voz😂
Serbia is actually investing a lot of money in its railways. A lot has been done & a lot still has to be done. For example, the section Niš-Dimitrovgrad (Bulgarian border)is currently under renovation. The section Belgrade-Niš is gonna start next year, with a projected speed of 200km/h.
i keep going w belgrade-nis train even tho its the slowest asf transport,but nothing can replace the comfort of a train. Im afraid of bus drivers in Serbia. They are more likely to crash than this slow crap lmao. Still,id not recommend this train to anyone who dont wanna save tons of money and isnt a train enjoyer no matter how slow it is. Thanks for the video too!
The Balkans really need faster and better railways with double tracks that allow trains travelling up to 200 km/h to improve railway connections between Europe and Asia while we can't travel via Russia.
The things that you do for us thibault not so long ago you were having to suffer a luxurious train ride for us and now something similar, well you were on a train that’s similar 😊, great post again, love your vlogs, next week I suffer the 5 star orient express just for you 😊😊
for me to travel by train has nothing to do to travel fast. exactly the opposite. i want to enjoy every minute on train. The longer the journey, the greater the enjoyment of traveling on the train.
When traveling in the Balkans in August 2022, I wanted to go by train from Sofia to Belgrade. And after viewing this video, I'm glad I didn't -- I took the bus instead. The bus was its own horror because of how slowly it went in approaching the Bulgaria-Serbia border crossing. It was a summer Sunday, and it seemed like all of Europe was out driving with the same idea in mind. For the last 10-15 km, the bus crawled to the border due to the heavy traffic. And the passport control on both sides was slow because of all the buses going through the dedicated bus lane. Once we got through to Serbia and a brief rest stop near the border, the ride was pleasant and uneventful. However, due to the heavy traffic at the border, the bus arrival into Belgrade was four hours late. It will be great when the Serbian stretches of railway are finally upgraded to modern standards so through trains can go once more. But that's going to be years into the future. Thanks for the good video and description, Thibault!
Pruga Niš - Dimitrovgrad ima promet samo terentni i putnički samo Agencijski vlak Optima Ex za tursku Kapikule.Čou sam da pruga je u remontu opet na brzinu 120 km/sat. Radovi počinu da budu brže po rekonstrukciji pruge BG_NS_Sub. Ovdje se pušta več normalni promet početkom01.12.2024.
Serbian Railways' train announcement in English language aboard Stadler Flirt regional service! Sure better than commuter train notices by voice (live) in Florida.
The claims some people nake in the comments that no investment was made in Serbian railroads for 40 years is incorrect. In the last 5 years projects include the high-speed rail linking Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Subotica, ongoing construction to Niš and North Macedonia, and overhauls on the Montenegro route. Additionally, 500 km of local railways have been overhauled, with 600 km more planned in the next four years. A future line to Zagreb is also in development.
Yes, and it took less than a year for those new and/or overhauled rail lines to return to slow speeds again. Corruption scandals, huge money given to Chinese contractors who, in turn, built things with a well known Chinese "quality".
The statement using a derogatory term is both unfair and inaccurate. Serbia has made significant investments in its rail infrastructure, including the high-speed rail line connecting Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Subotica, ongoing construction towards Niš and North Macedonia, and overhauls on the Montenegro route. Additionally, 500 km of local railways have been overhauled, with 600 km more planned in the next four years, alongside plans for a future line to Zagreb. These developments clearly demonstrate a focus on modernizing both stations and railroads.
Nah we don't say that, we see it as the governemnt embezzling funds, again. While their shoddy and cheap work killed a few people and several injured when a rainguard collapsed.
I've noticed that former communist countries (USSR, Yugoslavia, etc.) as well as Mainland China have a tendency to design their rail stations like airports. Most of these stations look similar.
5:29 three Krauss-Maffei ML 2200 locomotives JŽ D66-001, D66-002, D66-003, and one EMD JT22CW-2 ŽS 666-003 (still in function) of Tito's "Blue Train". It would be cool if they would restore at least one of Krauss-Maffei's.
@@jaxparrow1794 They were abandoned for a long time. As of 2007, they were just rusting behind the building in this video. So I imagine it wouldn't be easy and probably expensive. Parts would need to be sourced from Germany, I guess.
Yes, there are only two regular passenger services operating at less than 70 km/h in a country of 8,511,000 km². This year, the North and South were finally connected by freight railways. I hope they operate passenger cars too! It is progress, even if it is late!
Both countries are Hungary and Bulgaria no need passport check can take the train like as domestic ways and it's part of Schengen area and EU member states countries.
they should have bought končar trains like bosnia did, končar trains are very good for balkan countries like serbia, they are regional trains that can be used for long journies like this
This line has like 50-60 stops, that slows it down too. But I guess since service is so slow anyways, they decided to combine regional and intercity line. Also it is quite an experience to see how cars overtake the train, even on straight segments. I think the highway is 130 km/h all the way, so it is really shame that the train line is so bad.
Honestly, you knew it was bad, you knew it takes that long, and you still took that service (and for a second time). Honestly, this one is on you. I am from Serbia, and will now explain the facts (which you failed to see). Belgrade-Niš rail line is in poor condition, no doubt about it, but did you ever stop to think why was there only a 4x daily Regional train? Well, only a very few passengers travel directly from Belgrade to Niš, so we have cut every express service and left a bare-bone regional train to service smaller towns and villages. No one here expects you to travel the whole route, and that is why it takes 6+ hrs in contrast to 4 hrs it would take a hypothetical express train (which is still bad). This is the state of it now because it is getting ready to be modernized for 160-200 km/h next year. IC trains will travel the route in 95 minutes by simulation calculations for example. Unfortunately, all passenger traffic will have to be cut during the works, whereas freight service will continue in windows of 36 hours. It is expected to be completed by 2030+-. After that complete rail line from Niš to Budapest will enable 160/200 km/h speeds, and with further modernization from Niš to Skoplje and Sofija it will significantly cut travel times in the whole region. You just have to start somewhere, and we have decided to first do the connection from Belgrade to Novi Sad and HU border which has been quite successful so far. That is why there are huge differences between the state of rail lines, you just can't modernize everything now, especially after 30 years of noninvestment. There are plans in place for the rest of the network and it will be done one by one in the following decade.
13hrs to go 395km is ridiculously slow pretty sure you could drive that distance from whoa to go in around 4 hrs even allowing for a pit stop on the way !
Honestly, this is a pretty odd and a bit disrespectful video. I didn't like the "Serbian infrastructure" comment. Yes, we are a poorer country. But yes, we are also building a lot of new infrastructure, including this very line being fully reconstructed. Why not film a nicer line to uplift Serbia and promote the work being done, but rather literally the oldest and most run down line in the whole country?
Guys dont forget we came from 50yrs of communism (or hard socialism as you wish) and then the 90’s wars that left our infrastructures in ashes. 00’s we didnt have the money. We are not EU member so no subventions. Things are slowly but surely getting better due to investments in critical infrastructures.
Horrible est un grand mot quand même, tu devrais voir comment voyagent ceux qui utilisent les trains de fret genre GIFGAS et autres, c'est de la folie leurs voyages même si le confort est nul, tu devrais essayer un jour peut être, ça donne des vidéos folles.
In Serbia corruption and crime is by far number one business last 35 years so everything here is as expected .My town which is 4th biggest in Serbia last 5-6 years dont even have passenger trains any more and want have in any near future because nothing has been going on
during the train ride, did you see any evidence of active track works? was it an unusually hit day that could have triggered slow orders? was the track bunpy or dif you feel the soeed restrictions were artificial? During bus ride, did you see active track works? or just aware they were rebuilding it?
From what I'm gathering, this trip might get you to do more International Trips just to forget this strip! 😉 Ever since the war this has been going downhill. I do hope they fix their problems or their economy will suffer even more than it is now!
00:15 Angels by Robbie Williams....hope I'm not getting anybody into trouble for identifying that but it is a good song (at least I think so). One of the more passionate ones from 20 or so years ago.
C'est incroyable comment présenter les choses toujours dans le négatif ! Toujours à charge quand il s'agit de la Serbie ou des Balkans. Pourquoi ne pas montrer les efforts récents qui ont été fait ? Pourquoi ne pas faire une vidéo sur la ligne Belgrade-Novi Sad et montrer le côté positif, mélioratif ? Alors oui les infrastructures ferroviaires serbes ne sont pas au top certes, mais beaucoup d'efforts ont été fait depuis quelques années maintenant en comparaison de ce qu'il y avait avant. D'ailleurs, la ligne Belgrade-Nis sera en reconstruction à partir de l'année prochaine. Achevée, elle permettra aux trains de circuler jusqu'à 200 km/h. Mais ça évidemment, pas un mot !
Linia Belgrad Novi Sad este de viteza ,am fost și e minunat dar și alte trenuri îmi plac ,cele în care poți admira în tihna călătoria. Occidentul are multe dar a pierdut ce are Serbia ,locuri frumoase ,oameni prietenoși, mâncare bună ! Cine nu vede ,pacat !
From what I've read the rebuilding of the Belgrade-Nis line is to commence in 2025. It is going to take a few years but expect it to be similar to the now rebuilt Belgrade-Subotica high speed line built by the Chinese. Service on that line was supposed to begin Nov. 24 2024. But the collapse of the canopy at Novi Sad station with 14(?) deaths has delayed the start of the operation. That collapse has also lead to serious protests claiming government corruption in Serbia. An unfortunate chain of events has darkened what would have been a grand opening of the line.
Hungary is rebuilding their line from Budapest to Subotica and maybe within a year you will see Budapest-Belgrade high speed(200 kph) service. This is a strategic freight corridor which will ultimately restore dependable service between Turkey and Greece on the one hand and Central Europe.
I have a couple of corrections for you as a Serbian train enthusiast. Novi Sad- Subotica is opening two weeks later actually, in December, because of the tragedy that happened. Recently it was announced that the Belgrade-Budapest service will be started at the latest by March 2026, per the Hungarians. Also, yes, Belgrade-Nis high speed is starting early next year (supposedly).
One thing you missed: Nis-Bulgarian border is actually currently being reconstructed for brand new 120 km/h service. I think it's currently the oldest line in Serbia. I wish this video was made in a few years when that's finished, but alas. Additionally, the Serbian and Bulgarian were recently discussing building another new high speed line to connect Corridor X to Turkey, but those are just loose plans for now.
@@matematika1000 Thanks for the great update. I did ride the Belgrade-Novi Sad segment in October 2022. Quite nice. I must say as a Serbian rail enthusiast you must have suffered in silence but better days are ahead. Patience! As an American, I have nothing positive to say about our Amtrak service.
@@raleighsheffield841 I absolutely hate our government, but honestly, the investment in rail is something I like. The recent tragedy but a damper on my excitement, but there is a lot of work being done right now and in the near future. More so than any other country in the Balkans, for some reason our shitty government actually recognized the importance of rail transport.
And what most don’t realize is that Serbia will again be on a viable key freight corridor. Good transportation can induce new industry and lower cost to move goods and agricultural products. Great investment for Serbia’s future
@@raleighsheffield841 hell yeah! I’m excited to be on the European network again once we’re connected efficiently to Budapest. I’d love to see some Nightjet or Railjet type services. A Belgrade-Vienna passenger service through Budapest would be revolutionary for our population
"The first class section was reserved for police transporting a convict..." 😮
I wish I was that convict, getting first-class for free 😂😂😂😂
taking him on the train may constitute a human rights abuse icl
that convict had a ride of his life.
@@bosnianphantom480 Something tells me that getting convicted in Serbia is not something that you might necessarily want. Or in any country, for that matter.
I used to get first class, it has power outlets so I could use my old laptop.
Now my laptop could actually last the journey and the wife started driving so now we take the car.
This train is literally as fast as a fit person on a bicycle. Quite an achievement.
budala
Speed-rail is just buing built on that line....... you speeedy maniac :P
Lovely video, watching from serbia 🇷🇸
доброго дня товарищ дятлов!
I have done the train between Nis and Belgrade, for a first time on a Serbian train and in first class it is actually bearable.
So happy to hear that. I Made the trip go and return in 2000 and it was very adventurous (but so slow!), but it had its charm. I am afraid that with high-speed it will be lost.
Project of high-speed (up to 200kmh) line from Belgrade to Niš is ready, expected time of travel cuts to only 70 minutes, the work will begin in the beginning of 2025 until 2029. Expected opening date to Niš - Dimitrovgrad line (electrified, up to 120 or 160kmh (?)) is the end of 2027. Also Novi Sad - Subotica - border with Hungary high-speed line opening date is december 8th, 2024 and there are some works to refurbish Belgrade (Pancevo) - Zrenjanin - Kikinda - Romanian border line
@@VinegarGuts only left towards Bosnian and Croatian border
Good to know for Belgrade-Romanian border, but it sucks that neither Serb or Romanian governments care about trains, there is no connection between Serbia and Romania since the pandemy, pretty shameful, neither of them are working on having the train back....
@@bosnianphantom480 Belgrade - Šid main line high-speed project in progress (EU money), also i read smth about refurbishment of Šid - Bijeljina branch line and Ruma - Zvornik line too, but without any details
@VinegarGuts šid - bijeljina? Does Bijeljina even have rails, no as far as I know
It is a well-known fact that the Belgrade-Sofia line is not in the best condition, that there are no direct trains because the reconstruction, modernization and electrification of the Niš-Dimitrovgrad line to the Bulgarian border, as well as parts on the Bulgarian side, is underway. Complete reconstruction of Belgrade - Niš fast line begins next year. The Belgrade-Subotica high-speed railway to the Hungarian border is completed, Hungary should complete its part by the end of 2025. This year, construction of a new Beo Voz line also began (Beo voz is urban rail system that serves the city of Belgrade and its muncipalities, something like semi metro), which will connect the airport with the city, as well as the further Belgrade municipalities of Surčin and Obrenovac. Metro subway drilling should begin in 2025, hopefully, and the depot for the metro is under construction. The documentation for the reconstruction of the railway on the Serbian side of the high-speed railway to the border with Croatia, 200 km/h, has been completed, which, according to some announcements, should start soon because Italy wants the Trieste - Belgrade line. The reconstruction of the Belgrade - Kikinda - border with Romania, Belgrade - Vršac - border with Romania, Belgrade - Bar (Serbia - Montenegro), the railway to N. Macedonia, the railway to Bosnia and many others are planned, we will see how it goes.
The line from Sofia to Kalotina(border with Serbia) is already in renovation with a double track with speeds up to 160 km/h. It will be complete in two years from now. As for the serbian part to Belgrade - I dont know anything. Especially the part from Dimitrovgad to Nis, which is in a auful condition and even still not electrified. O, and by the time that there was still passenger trains, the train was taken this "journey" for more than 3 hours. For about 100 km of lenght. What a speed! :)))
Niš-Dimitrovgrad section in Serbia is currently under reconstruction & electrification.
@@gamps2771, very good, nice to hear it, it was very time to upgrade this section to a good modern standarts.
Back in 1988 we rode the line with 100 of other Inter-railers going to Greece ! Two Soviet Ammendorfer from Moscow to Athens with a very effective AC and a harsh "providnitsa". And two luggage cars where they put almost all the Inter-Railers. The big doors were open because it was 30+ hot outside and the speed .. hmmm.. NOT over 50-60 km/h
2:21 Have you forgotten that long distance configuration Stadler FLIRTs exist? Example being the ED160 used by PKP Intercity on many routes around Poland's electrified rail network. Those are great basically and I can see them almost every time I travel by train from my hometown. But why woudl we travel 7 hours on a regional train?
Haha, can't believe it, one of the few railway stations you've shown is of the village where my paternal grandfather (and my surname) comes from. Also shout-out to Cle 2 Berne :D
The unfortunate part is that there is a faster section to Lapovo waiting for papers. Section over Krsna is done with reconstruction now probably four years, and its a V-MAX 120kph but for some reason its not being used by passenger trains.
The highspeed that everyone in comments is talking about will probably be another nail in the coffin of the Serbian Railways. With one stop only in Jagodina it's gonna put a even darker shadow on regional rail in Serbia.
The old Belgrade - Niš track really needs to be brought to working order with speeds at longer sections being at least 80kph.
Niš - Dimitrovgrad is getting fixed because of derailments this year.
Thanks!
Thanks for the warning
For next trip try Belgrade - Bar (Montenegro)
14 hours for 400 km. Could be regional service in Germany on some days…
Even *Albania* have people who nip out when the train is due and operate the level crossing barriers! And that's a country where the entire national timetable can be printed on one side of A4!
In July 2017 I planned to travel by train from Paris to Sofia: Paris-Munich-Zagreb-Belgrade-Sofia. From Paris to Zagreb was great, fast air-conditioned trains and a fabulous ride through Slovenia. Zagreb to Belgrade was slow, incredibly hot, no food or drink on the train, uncomfortable seats, and on and on. Once I got to Belgrade I decided to skip the train and fly to Sofia, have never regretted it. But I can recommend the overnight train from Bucharest to Istanbul (the Sofia leg connects with it) which I took in October 2022 - even though it arrived 6 hours late it was very comfortable and the landscape is worth the trip. And for that matter the Vienna-Bucharest overnight train is great, though always hours late - the boring Hungarian part is overnight and you have all the landscape of Romania to watch during the day as it inches towards Bucharest.
That's why I fly. 😌
You definitely took a very big hit for Team SR on this trip, well above and beyond the call of duty.
You need a nice relaxing dining/sleeper trip to recover.
The EMU You spotted in Serbia is not that typical for Eastern Europe. Even Yugoslavia used at least 3 types of different EMUs made by RVR, Pafawag ang GANZ-MAVAG. Bulgarian railways bought RVR trains though.
RVR EMU's are so beautiful and very nostalgic
The main railway station in Belgrade is nice as is the train you were in, let's be honest. The problem is the rail tracks, they have not been renovated. Anyway, there were other options.
At least towards Hungary Budapest in other direction will be all speed 200+ KM/h in 2025.
Nice video as always , you should try Romania's new Coradia stream train that goes from Bucharest to brasov , that would be cool
Since we're talking steam trains, the Dampfbahn Furka Bergstrecke would be a great ride
@@counterfit5 Stream, not steam. It's a modern train, not historic.
I took this in Jan 2021 and it was a really pretty train through Serbia to the border
These Flirt 3's are worked on in hungary at Pusztaszabolcs, i always go by them and they look really awesome! I think they do some works on the Axles perhaps?
I can see that all forget the war in the 90s... the bad rail infraestructure and non investment is some consequence of that. However, the nonsensical destruction of the former Belgrad station isnt.
Ah yeah, very nice. I traveled this back in April this year, but other way around. Comming from Vienna to Bucharest, then some days later to Sofia, to return via Belgrade and Hungary home. I actually traveled faster, or better to say, I would have travelled faster, but sadly we had an accident with a car some like 20tish Kilometers before Beograd xd you can imagine the pain. But all in all, yeah, it takes very long to drive, but the scenery is nice, the people were frendly, and it was a quite decent experience. But 1 time is alright, no need to repeat it xd
100th Like! Loved this video
Great trip. I don't know how to say it, but yeah flying is still faster between two cities, but for someone who afraid of flying, taking the road vehicle (bus or maybe Ride sharing) is faster than train between two cities. I think the Soko Train Project makes Railway in Serbia can influence and improve others railway line nationwide, but sadly not yet.
Kudos to you for taking the plunge. The railway in Serbia is desperate, no investment has been made for 40 years. Along with Albania, Bosnia and Croatia, Serbia has the worst railways in Europe. In recent years, a little investment has been made, but even these investments are a cover for corruption, reconstructions cost five times more, because certain government structures are included in the cost of reconstruction.
Correction: there has been an investment (one) - high speed line Belgrade - Novi Sad - Subotica.
The claim that no investment was made in Serbian railroads for 40 years is incorrect. Recent projects include the high-speed rail linking Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Subotica, ongoing construction to Niš and North Macedonia, and overhauls on the Montenegro route. Additionally, 500 km of local railways have been overhauled, with 600 km more planned in the next four years. A future line to Zagreb is also in development.
Can you make a Caltrain ride with the south county connector from San Jose to Gilroy
Love VELIKA PLANA❤❤❤❤
08:07 Ha ha ha Greatings from Serbia. It is accident before month a go. About slow rails. Yep. Rails southern of Belgrade are in very bad conditions. I like to use that line when i travel to Belgrade or Nish but people from western Europe do not likes slow trains, actually slow rails. I LIKE IT. But i must say something. I traveled around 15 times to Belgrade and Nish in latest two years. TOTAL DELAY of trains in that periood is less then 60 minuts together. Every time train comes on time or couple minuts later. In oposite direction, the same. High speed train between Belgrade and Budapest are finished from serbian side. Fast trains alredy operating, 200km per hour. It is around 300km in Serbia and i do not know how many in Hungary. High speed line between Belgrade and Nish is in process of building, will be finished for 2 or 3 years probably. I am sad, because I LIKE SLOW TRAIN TRAVELS.
They may have to keep the old, slow route for freight trains and to keep service for areas that won’t be served by the new line, so don’t worry too much
@@olasola1013 I hope. Route isnt 100% the same.
Išao sam dvaput Bg-Niš i nazad, kao da uštedim 500 dinara u odnosu na bus. Nikad više. Prvi put 6 sati tamo i 6 nazad, drugi put 5 sati 40 min tamo, a nazad je stao 100km pre Beograda, kažu gore pragovi u Beogradu, ne smeju da nastave, pa sam kupio kartu za bus do Bg... Sve bi bilo kao što ti kažeš, uživancija, lagana vožnja i gledanje prizora, iako nije neki, ali su sedišta parče plastike sa tkaninom preko, ni dva duksa ispod bulje ne pomažu dugo.
Da ,au farmecul lor !Am călătorit in Serbia în fiecare an din 2019 încoace și imi plac și trenurile și oamenii pe care ii întâlnești aici !Păcat ca s- a desființat trenul Timisoara Vrsac cu legatura la cel de Beograd ! În Timișoara am facut cereri sa revina dar ....
@@dorinalivitchi624 FELICITARI CEI MAI MAI VECINI DIN REGIUNEA DIN SERBIA.
I was planning to do this trip in the other direction last summer, but the bus to Nis was so delayed that I missed the train...
I had tested this trip myself in the summer of 2023 and the train just broke down in the middle of Serbia, a good fraction of our ticket we had got back but there was no replacement bus or anything. Fortunately, there was a regional bus that took us to Belgrade but not one from srbjia voz😂
It’s ridiculous how so many countries under-invest in railways. They’re a key driver for a country’s economy.
Serbia is actually investing a lot of money in its railways. A lot has been done & a lot still has to be done. For example, the section Niš-Dimitrovgrad (Bulgarian border)is currently under renovation. The section Belgrade-Niš is gonna start next year, with a projected speed of 200km/h.
Nice train travel
i keep going w belgrade-nis train even tho its the slowest asf transport,but nothing can replace the comfort of a train. Im afraid of bus drivers in Serbia. They are more likely to crash than this slow crap lmao. Still,id not recommend this train to anyone who dont wanna save tons of money and isnt a train enjoyer no matter how slow it is. Thanks for the video too!
Excellent video. What app is used to create animated journey map?
Viaduct.world
Now i fell our railways are light years ahead despite not being good.
Not of you check other 1000kms of already modernised and 500km under construction;)
Thibaut maybe check out the Christmas train by comboios de Portugal if you have the time.
The Balkans really need faster and better railways with double tracks that allow trains travelling up to 200 km/h to improve railway connections between Europe and Asia while we can't travel via Russia.
If you do research you will find that major o overhaul of more than 1000km of HS and regional rr is under way.
I did this exact journey a year ago and there was also a convict being escorted by two police officers😂 they just sat next to me though
The things that you do for us thibault not so long ago you were having to suffer a luxurious train ride for us and now something similar, well you were on a train that’s similar 😊, great post again, love your vlogs, next week I suffer the 5 star orient express just for you 😊😊
for me to travel by train has nothing to do to travel fast. exactly the opposite.
i want to enjoy every minute on train. The longer the journey, the greater the enjoyment of traveling on the train.
When traveling in the Balkans in August 2022, I wanted to go by train from Sofia to Belgrade. And after viewing this video, I'm glad I didn't -- I took the bus instead. The bus was its own horror because of how slowly it went in approaching the Bulgaria-Serbia border crossing. It was a summer Sunday, and it seemed like all of Europe was out driving with the same idea in mind. For the last 10-15 km, the bus crawled to the border due to the heavy traffic. And the passport control on both sides was slow because of all the buses going through the dedicated bus lane. Once we got through to Serbia and a brief rest stop near the border, the ride was pleasant and uneventful. However, due to the heavy traffic at the border, the bus arrival into Belgrade was four hours late.
It will be great when the Serbian stretches of railway are finally upgraded to modern standards so through trains can go once more. But that's going to be years into the future.
Thanks for the good video and description, Thibault!
Pruga Niš - Dimitrovgrad ima promet samo terentni i putnički samo Agencijski vlak Optima Ex za tursku Kapikule.Čou sam da pruga je u remontu opet na brzinu 120 km/sat. Radovi počinu da budu brže po rekonstrukciji pruge BG_NS_Sub. Ovdje se pušta več normalni promet početkom01.12.2024.
Just curious, why did you take that journey knowing how slow it is?
Serbian Railways' train announcement in English language aboard Stadler Flirt regional service! Sure better than commuter train notices by voice (live) in Florida.
I did part of this journey in BG from Sofia to Dragoman which is also getting upgraded
Unfortunately, this is a completely normal state of infrastructure in the Balkans. Not only in Serbia
But Serbia is the one the is currently doing biggest overhaul.
The claims some people nake in the comments that no investment was made in Serbian railroads for 40 years is incorrect. In the last 5 years projects include the high-speed rail linking Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Subotica, ongoing construction to Niš and North Macedonia, and overhauls on the Montenegro route. Additionally, 500 km of local railways have been overhauled, with 600 km more planned in the next four years. A future line to Zagreb is also in development.
Yes, and it took less than a year for those new and/or overhauled rail lines to return to slow speeds again. Corruption scandals, huge money given to Chinese contractors who, in turn, built things with a well known Chinese "quality".
@@Wustenfuchs109Make as much sense as other German news media claims that Trump would not win and that Russians are fighting with the shovels:)
what is that app that you use to see the tracks and the speed of these tracks?
Feels a bit like Germany, it takes me 8 hours from Frankfurt to Brussels sometimes...
The serbs say: oh look at us we have a all new railwaystation in belgrade and 50 new trains (but no one built new tracks)😂😂🎉 classic
The statement using a derogatory term is both unfair and inaccurate. Serbia has made significant investments in its rail infrastructure, including the high-speed rail line connecting Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Subotica, ongoing construction towards Niš and North Macedonia, and overhauls on the Montenegro route. Additionally, 500 km of local railways have been overhauled, with 600 km more planned in the next four years, alongside plans for a future line to Zagreb. These developments clearly demonstrate a focus on modernizing both stations and railroads.
@ you mean set and cancel several houndrets kilometers of tracks in serbia?
@@tejmeycan’t understand what are you talking about, so typical for a Serb. Can you explain yourself better?
Nah we don't say that, we see it as the governemnt embezzling funds, again. While their shoddy and cheap work killed a few people and several injured when a rainguard collapsed.
I've noticed that former communist countries (USSR, Yugoslavia, etc.) as well as Mainland China have a tendency to design their rail stations like airports. Most of these stations look similar.
5:29 three Krauss-Maffei ML 2200 locomotives JŽ D66-001, D66-002, D66-003, and one EMD JT22CW-2 ŽS 666-003 (still in function) of Tito's "Blue Train". It would be cool if they would restore at least one of Krauss-Maffei's.
How easy would it be to restore them? Are there parts available?
@@jaxparrow1794 They were abandoned for a long time. As of 2007, they were just rusting behind the building in this video. So I imagine it wouldn't be easy and probably expensive. Parts would need to be sourced from Germany, I guess.
@@NevoKolano Thx for the info.
How did they get this new rolling stock if they don't have any money for the tracks ?
We could have enough money. But it keeps landing in the politicians' pockets 😅
😂👍
I'm from Brazil. A gigantic country that doesn't have regular train service. That's why I love this channel!
Yes, there are a lot of suburban trains in Brazil, and two long distance lines, plus several tourist lines. So that is wrong.
Yes, there are only two regular passenger services operating at less than 70 km/h in a country of 8,511,000 km². This year, the North and South were finally connected by freight railways. I hope they operate passenger cars too! It is progress, even if it is late!
This felt like A Serbian Film on a train.
Does this mean that, because of the Nis-Dimitrovgrad closing, Optima Express didn't run this year, and will not run next year?
Both countries are Hungary and Bulgaria no need passport check can take the train like as domestic ways and it's part of Schengen area and EU member states countries.
Maybe it's the American in me, but I just assume any bus trip will be subpar, at best
they should have bought končar trains like bosnia did, končar trains are very good for balkan countries like serbia, they are regional trains that can be used for long journies like this
hahaha
This line has like 50-60 stops, that slows it down too. But I guess since service is so slow anyways, they decided to combine regional and intercity line.
Also it is quite an experience to see how cars overtake the train, even on straight segments. I think the highway is 130 km/h all the way, so it is really shame that the train line is so bad.
Great video.
👎🔥🔥🔥🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🔥🔥👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎
Honestly, you knew it was bad, you knew it takes that long, and you still took that service (and for a second time). Honestly, this one is on you. I am from Serbia, and will now explain the facts (which you failed to see). Belgrade-Niš rail line is in poor condition, no doubt about it, but did you ever stop to think why was there only a 4x daily Regional train? Well, only a very few passengers travel directly from Belgrade to Niš, so we have cut every express service and left a bare-bone regional train to service smaller towns and villages. No one here expects you to travel the whole route, and that is why it takes 6+ hrs in contrast to 4 hrs it would take a hypothetical express train (which is still bad). This is the state of it now because it is getting ready to be modernized for 160-200 km/h next year. IC trains will travel the route in 95 minutes by simulation calculations for example. Unfortunately, all passenger traffic will have to be cut during the works, whereas freight service will continue in windows of 36 hours. It is expected to be completed by 2030+-. After that complete rail line from Niš to Budapest will enable 160/200 km/h speeds, and with further modernization from Niš to Skoplje and Sofija it will significantly cut travel times in the whole region. You just have to start somewhere, and we have decided to first do the connection from Belgrade to Novi Sad and HU border which has been quite successful so far. That is why there are huge differences between the state of rail lines, you just can't modernize everything now, especially after 30 years of noninvestment. There are plans in place for the rest of the network and it will be done one by one in the following decade.
Day 5 of Asking to do The Rack Railway In Greece
Next time try hitchiking its easy❤
yes this route its quite annoying!
13hrs to go 395km is ridiculously slow pretty sure you could drive that distance from whoa to go in around 4 hrs even allowing for a pit stop on the way !
Just take a plane from Belgrade to Sofia and it is so easy.
As a Serb I feel embarassed for what are governments have allowed for the past 30 years
Honestly, this is a pretty odd and a bit disrespectful video. I didn't like the "Serbian infrastructure" comment. Yes, we are a poorer country. But yes, we are also building a lot of new infrastructure, including this very line being fully reconstructed.
Why not film a nicer line to uplift Serbia and promote the work being done, but rather literally the oldest and most run down line in the whole country?
Now you know the hatred and ignorance we in North America constantly have to put up with.
Lol
Guys dont forget we came from 50yrs of communism (or hard socialism as you wish) and then the 90’s wars that left our infrastructures in ashes. 00’s we didnt have the money. We are not EU member so no subventions. Things are slowly but surely getting better due to investments in critical infrastructures.
02:19
I wouldn't expect much else, after all it's the Balkans.
13 hours??
✌️🇧🇬👌
Horrible est un grand mot quand même, tu devrais voir comment voyagent ceux qui utilisent les trains de fret genre GIFGAS et autres, c'est de la folie leurs voyages même si le confort est nul, tu devrais essayer un jour peut être, ça donne des vidéos folles.
In Serbia corruption and crime is by far number one business last 35 years so everything here is as expected .My town which is 4th biggest in Serbia last 5-6 years dont even have passenger trains any more and want have in any near future because nothing has been going on
Boa tarde simplys Boa viagem ai pra sófia Boa 1:50
Ha ha ha ... "Remont" is a word you'll have to understand in the Balkans...
I hope you are happier in other videos.
during the train ride, did you see any evidence of active track works? was it an unusually hit day that could have triggered slow orders? was the track bunpy or dif you feel the soeed restrictions were artificial?
During bus ride, did you see active track works? or just aware they were rebuilding it?
From what I'm gathering, this trip might get you to do more International Trips just to forget this strip! 😉
Ever since the war this has been going downhill. I do hope they fix their problems or their economy will suffer even more than it is now!
8:48 Dude wtf
Balkan experience lol
00:15 Angels by Robbie Williams....hope I'm not getting anybody into trouble for identifying that but it is a good song (at least I think so). One of the more passionate ones from 20 or so years ago.
who cares about getting someone in trouble? we need to defy the supreme leaders.
C'est incroyable comment présenter les choses toujours dans le négatif ! Toujours à charge quand il s'agit de la Serbie ou des Balkans. Pourquoi ne pas montrer les efforts récents qui ont été fait ? Pourquoi ne pas faire une vidéo sur la ligne Belgrade-Novi Sad et montrer le côté positif, mélioratif ? Alors oui les infrastructures ferroviaires serbes ne sont pas au top certes, mais beaucoup d'efforts ont été fait depuis quelques années maintenant en comparaison de ce qu'il y avait avant. D'ailleurs, la ligne Belgrade-Nis sera en reconstruction à partir de l'année prochaine. Achevée, elle permettra aux trains de circuler jusqu'à 200 km/h. Mais ça évidemment, pas un mot !
Linia Belgrad Novi Sad este de viteza ,am fost și e minunat dar și alte trenuri îmi plac ,cele în care poți admira în tihna călătoria. Occidentul are multe dar a pierdut ce are Serbia ,locuri frumoase ,oameni prietenoși, mâncare bună ! Cine nu vede ,pacat !
Buses are not my favorite modes of travel. Thanks Thibault for sharing 🥰👌👍🚈
Same here
As always, Balkan videos are my favourite content on this channel :D
where are the words that normallly at the bottom of the screen?
You need to turn on the subtitles
@@osasunaitor tried that but there isnt any
@@matthewbateman1947 must be an issue on your side, I could see them perfectly
Защо да не пътуваме с влак или автобус от София до Белград-София през 2024 обяснете защо така сте си озаглавили клипа
why so slow 😵
I went on a date with destiny, so you don't have to! Serbia... 😂
The new station feels very Chinese.
Many are Chinese built
I think The Balkans generally is a 'DON'T DO IT'
BUStitution!
So the tracks there are just like in the US