Serbia has initiated the construction of a 22 km railway bypass around Nis, a significant city in the south. This effort is part of a broader project to upgrade the railway line connecting Nis with Dimitrovgrad, located at the Bulgarian border.
Key Features: The project includes several important components:
- Construction of a single-track electrified railway that supports train speeds up to 120 km/h.
- Electrification of the Crveni Krst section, a crucial connection point to the bypass.
Financial Backing: The European Union is financing the bypass construction with a 35 million euro grant. Additionally, the EU has allocated 80 million euros for the overhaul of the Nis-Dimitrovgrad railway section.
Contracts and Signatories: In June, Infrastruktura Zeleznice Srbije, a state-owned railway infrastructure firm, signed a contract worth 153.6 million euros (166.5 million USD) with the local company Extra Auto Transport. This company leads a consortium that includes China Road and Bridge Corporation.
Project Timeline and Components: Construction works began in November 2023. The project includes:
- Reconstruction of the 80 km Sicevo-Stanicenje-Dimitrovgrad section.
- Building the Nis bypass.
- Electrifying the 100 km railway line connecting Nis and Dimitrovgrad.
Future Developments: Transport Minister Goran Vesic announced in March that Serbia would start revamping the 230 km railway line linking Belgrade with Nis in 2025.
Strategic Importance: The Belgrade-Nis railway line is part of Pan-European Corridor X, connecting central Europe to Greece’s Aegean port of Thessaloniki. Its branch, Corridor Xc, runs from Nis through Dimitrovgrad to Sofia, Plovdiv, and on to Edirne and Istanbul in Turkey. This route links Belgrade with the capitals of Bulgaria and Turkey.
