Works commence on the Niš bypass, a section of the EU-supported Rail Corridor X

Works commence on the Niš bypass, a section of the EU-supported Rail Corridor X

10-07-2024 | Tags: Serbia, Sustainable Transport, WBIF

Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret, and the president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, visited the commencement of works on construction of the Niš Railway bypass on 6 July, as part of the overall modernisation of Niš – Dimitrovgrad railway.

The railway bypass will enable a more efficient flow of freight transport at first but will facilitate further development of the City of Niš and improve safety and efficiency of the urban transport.

“Constructing the railway bypass around the City of Niš is oxygen for further development of the City of Niš and the beautiful south-east region of Serbia, on sustainable and environmentally based principles,” said the ambassador.

The city is an important railway hub that connects the region with four seaports – Istanbul, Varna, Thessaloniki, and Durrës. Giaufret stated that the railway bypass will prevent freight transport from passing through the city centre, reduce congestion, make urban transport safer, and enable citizens to commute more efficiently.

The investment is part of the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans flagship on sustainable transport. 


The Head of Delegation of the EU to Serbia reminded that the EU continues to invest in the future of Serbia and its citizens through the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, worth €6 billion for the period 2024-2027.

“The Growth Plan for the Western Balkans will put additional emphasis on synergy between investments and necessary reforms. Railway projects, in particular Rail Corridor X through Serbia, will remain a priority. Travel time will be reduced, enabling more connectivity and interaction between citizens, but also the economy would benefit from the reliable railway connection, modernised in line with EU standards,” said Giaufret.

President Aleksandar Vučić said that Serbia invests a lot of money in the development of Niš and thanked the EU for the financial support stating: “In total €115 million for Niš – Dimitrovgrad modernisation is a huge amount.”

After the reconstruction of the Railway Corridor X, it will take one hour and 40 minutes to travel from Belgrade to Niš, and only four and a half hours from Budapest to Niš, said the President of Serbia.

The railway bypass will be for train speeds of up to 160 km per hour and is part of the Niš-Dimitrovgrad railway. The  23-kilometre-long section from Nis to Brestovac is also currently being worked on.

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Corridor X is part of the Western Balkans - Eastern Mediterranean European Corridor, connecting central European Member States with the ports of the Adriatic and East Mediterranean Seas via the Western Balkans. The Corridor fosters the development of those ports as major multimodal logistic platforms, improving the connections of key economic centres in Central Europe to the coastlines and Cyprus.

Rail Corridor X Factsheet, October 2024