NEW RAIL LINK BETWEEN REPUBLIKA SRPSKA AND SERBIA: DAILY TRAIN SERVICE FROM ZVORNIK TO BELGRADE

Republika Srpska and Serbia will be connected by a daily railway service between Zvornik and Belgrade, marking a new chapter in transport links between the two sides of the Drina River.

PHOTO: Srbijavoz

The service, operated by Serbia’s national railway company Srbijavoz, is expected to begin with the new timetable coming into force in December.

DAILY TRAIN SERVICE CONNECTING ZVORNIK AND BELGRADE

Acting Director of the Railways of Republika Srpska, Dragan Zelenković, said the initiative to establish a railway connection between Republika Srpska and Serbia was launched earlier this year.

“The idea of connecting Republika Srpska and Serbia by rail began in February. Since Srbijavoz already operates services to Mali Zvornik, we proposed extending the route to Zvornik, specifically to the Zvornik Novi railway station in Republika Srpska,” Zelenković said.

Under the new timetable, the train will operate every day. The plan is for the train to depart from Zvornik in the morning and return from Belgrade in the evening.

The timetable is planned to remain in effect for one year, after which passenger demand and the results of the service will be assessed and used to plan further cooperation.

FIRST DAILY RAIL CONNECTION FROM EASTERN REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

Zelenković said he believed this would be the first time that Zvornik and Belgrade would have a daily railway connection.

“This is the first time that a train will depart every day from the eastern part of Republika Srpska towards Belgrade,” he said.

He also noted that the railway section from Ruma to Mali Zvornik in Serbia has been improved, with trains on that section expected to reach speeds of up to 80 kilometres per hour.

IMPORTANT CONNECTION FOR THE ZVORNIK REGION

The new railway connection is considered particularly important for residents of the Zvornik region, who have in recent years relied on other forms of transport when travelling to Belgrade.

The return of regular rail transport is expected to provide another travel option, with railway transport traditionally regarded as an affordable, safe and environmentally friendly form of transportation.

The announcement of the new service followed a meeting between Zelenković and Acting Director General of Srbijavoz Ljubiša Pejičić.

CONNECTING REPUBLIKA SRPSKA AND SERBIA BY RAIL

The new service adds another dimension to transport connections between Republika Srpska and Serbia, alongside road infrastructure and other existing forms of transport.

Zelenković said the goal was to strengthen connections between the two sides of the Drina through railway transport as well.

“The desire was for Republika Srpska and Serbia to be connected in this way as well, by train. We have achieved that,” Zelenković said.

MODERN RAILWAYS AS A FUTURE GOAL

Zelenković also said that the development of new railway infrastructure and modern trains remains one of the strategic goals of the Railways of Republika Srpska.

“New railways and modern high-speed trains, together with capital investment, should help bring the railways of Republika Srpska up to modern standards and, ultimately, return passengers to trains. That is part of our strategy for the future,” he said.