Skip to main content

EBRD investment to modernise Serbia's railways

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is continuing to support the modernisation of Serbia’s transport infrastructure and promote further reform of the rail sector with a sovereign-guaranteed loan of up to €95 million (US$125 million) to the Serbian Railways company.
March 15, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
The 2001 European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)  is continuing to support the modernisation of Serbia’s transport infrastructure and promote further reform of the rail sector with a sovereign-guaranteed loan of up to €95 million (US$125 million) to the 3911 Serbian Railways company.

The investment will finance the rehabilitation of key sections of Corridor X, the main north-south route running through Serbia, which is also the country’s key regional link with its neighbours.

As the most important component of the railway network in Serbia, Corridor X handles over 50 per cent of all rail traffic. However, much of it is in a poor state, resulting in speed restrictions, or is in need of modernisation to meet anticipated traffic flows. More than 50 per cent of the network operates at speeds of less than 60 km/hour.

The EBRD loan will help Serbian Railways to address these limitations by financing the modernisation of a 14km section of Corridor X from Belgrade Central Station through Rakovica to Resnik, as well as the renewal of approximately 50km of track along key sections of this Corridor. The project will enhance the speed and reliability of passenger and freight rail services in Serbia.

The EBRD is supporting the ongoing reform of Serbian Railways, particularly the creation of separate passenger, freight and infrastructure companies, and the opening of the rail freight market to private operators. The objective of these reforms is to increase efficiency, and the quality of rail services offered to the market.

Related Content

  • Report: Priority funding for rail projects drives investments in Turkey
    January 22, 2015
    Turkish railways have undergone a complete overhaul due to significant investments over the last five years. In the majority of rail projects currently under way, investment is directed towards the construction of new high-speed rail (HSR) lines, electrification, extensions and upgrading of existing infrastructure. With u$18 billion allocated for the rail sector as part of the Turkey Vision 2023 plan, the country is expected to have a total conventional rail network length of 25,940 kilometres and a HSR net
  • Smarter transport remains key to smart cities
    January 9, 2018
    Colin Sowman looks at some of the challenges and solutions that will provide enhanced transport efficiency in tomorrow’s smarter cities. However you define a ‘smart city’, one of the key ingredients will be an efficient transport system. As most governments and city authorities face financial constraints, incremental improvements in the existing systems is the most likely way forward. In London, new trains and signalling are improving the capacity of the Underground but that then reveals previously
  • Underinvestment in infrastructure threatens economic growth
    January 24, 2012
    The 2011 Urban Mobility Report from the Texas Transportation Institute highlights the dangers of continued underinvestment in transportation infrastructure but also offers some hope in terms of possible solutions
  • Transport Scotland opts for Vysionics average speed enforcement
    April 23, 2014
    Traffic control specialist Vysionics ITS has won a deal to deliver Europe’s longest average speed enforcement system. This will be installed on a 220km stretch of the A9 in Scotland. The installation will be the first time average speed cameras will have been used on such a long stretch of road on a permanent basis, rather than for short term use during road repairs. The current road configuration is a mixture of single and dual carriageway which carries a high proportion of HGV traffic. Part of the lon