China-built high-speed railway in Serbia off to roaring start

A total of 2.93 million passenger trips were made along the China-built high-speed railway in Serbia during the first year of its operation, according to China Railway International.

Sunday marked the first anniversary of the Belgrade-Novi Sad section of Serbia-Hungary Railway. It is the first high-speed railway in Serbia and also a hallmark project of the Belt and Road Initiative in Europe.

Over the first year of its operation, the line has greatly facilitated the travel of people along the route and become a flagship project of the international cooperation between China and Serbia railways. It has also played a positive role in serving the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, the company said.

The 80-kilometer line, with the maximum operation speed of 200 km per hour, cut travel time between the two cities from 90 minutes to about 30 minutes, greatly reducing travel time and boosting social and economic development in the region.

On average, more than 50 train services were operated everyday along the route since its open. The record of daily passenger volume was 14,400 trips.

The Belgrade-Novi Sad section is part of the Hungary-Serbia Railway. The 342-kilometer Hungary-Serbia Railway is an important BRI project in Europe. It links Budapest, the capital of Hungary in the north, and Belgrade, the capital of Serbia in the south.

China Railway International is promoting the construction of the railway's rest of the section in Serbia— from Novi Sad to the city of Subotica and the border.