Serbia is currently drafting two documents as preparations for two upcoming railway modernisation projects.
The first project concerns the preparation of planning documentation for the Belgrade–Vršac–Romanian border railway corridor. The Agency for Spatial Planning and Urbanism of the Republic of Serbia has adopted a decision to prepare a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the Spatial Plan for the Special Purpose Area covering the railway line.
The Strategic Environmental Assessment will examine the potential impacts of the project on water, air, soil, biodiversity, nature protection, and other environmental issues identified during the planning process. The assessment will be prepared by the Agency for Spatial Planning and Urbanism, with completion expected within 12 months.
At the same time, the City of Belgrade has opened a public consultation on the Detailed Regulation Plan for the Ostružnica–Surčin–Batajnica railway corridor. The plan includes the reconstruction and modernisation of the existing railway line, together with the construction of a second track along the 24-kilometre section.
The line forms part of the main railway route connecting the Belgrade railway junction with Pan-European Corridor X. It is currently a single-track railway used exclusively for freight traffic. Freight trains currently operate on the line at an average speed of only 30 km/h, while its capacity is approximately 25 trains per day. The project envisages reconstructing the existing alignment and adding a second track, increasing the design speed to up to 120 km/h.
The route currently includes two freight stations—Ostružnica, with four tracks, and Surčin, with five tracks. Both stations will be reconstructed and upgraded with new buildings and equipment required for railway operations. A railway connection to Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport is also planned at Surčin.
One of the most significant elements of the project will be the construction of a new railway bridge over the Sava River, almost 700 metres long, which will replace the existing bridge. The new structure will provide a wider navigational opening and fewer bridge piers within the riverbed. Construction will be carried out in phases to ensure uninterrupted railway operations. The existing bridge over the Galovica Canal will also be replaced.
The project also includes measures to improve safety at railway-road crossings. The section currently has seven grade-separated crossings and eight level crossings. All existing grade-separated crossings will be retained, with one additional grade-separated crossing to be constructed. Of the eight existing level crossings, five will be removed, two will be reconstructed, and one new level crossing will be built between Jakovo and Surčin.
