This article deals with the system of transport in Belgrade, both public and private.
Urbanedit
Belgrade has an extensive public transport system, which consists of buses, trams, trolley buses and trains operated by the city-owned GSP Belgrade[1] and several private companies. All companies participate in Integrated Tariff System (ITS), which makes tickets transferable between companies and vehicle types. Tickets can be purchased in numerous kiosks or from the driver. They must be validated inside the vehicle and are valid for one ride only. On February 1, 2012, BusPlus, a modern electronic system for managing vehicles and transportation tickets in public transport was introduced,[2] a system based on a vague contract which does not explicitly state the profit made by Apex Technology Solutions, and the giveaway of advertising space on bus stations.[3]
Excluding electric buses, minibuses and seasonal lines, there are 223 regular lines and 23 night lines.[7] Night lines are 15, 26, 27, 29, 31, 32, 33, 37, 47, 51, 56, 68, 75, 101, 202, 301, 304, 401, 511, 601, 603, 704, 706.
Night lines that are abolished are: 7, 9, 11, 48, 96, 304, 701.
Each of the regular lines is operated by GSP and by one of the other carriers. Since November 27 all night routes are operated by GSP Beograd.
Private carriers were introduced in 1990s after many strikes in GSP, which had the monopoly till then. There were many unsuccessful efforts by the city after 2000 to unify them into the same ticket system. Finally, in 2004 it was agreed that ITS (integrated tariff system) will be introduced. These 6 companies will carry the public transportation till 2012, when the City Government will decide whether GSP is going to remain the only transport company.
Regular bus linesedit
The lines are usually denoted by their number, but sometimes letters are added as a designation. Lines serving the city have numbers up to 100, while lines reaching the suburbs or exclusively serving those are indicated by numbers over 100.[8] Line 95 is the longest line in the city proper: connecting Borča to Block 45, it goes across the Danube via Pančevo Bridge and across the Sava via Branko's Bridge. Line 583, which reaches to the village of Trbušnica is the longest in the city's metropolitan area. Line 95 is more than 20 kilometres long, while line 583 stretches on for 73 kilometres. In contrast, line 66 is the shortest one, at just 700 metres.[9]
34 – Topčidersko brdo (Senjak) - Železnička stanica ”Beograd Centar” – Ul. Pere Velimirovića
35 – Blok 20 – Lešće (Groblje)
36 – Železnička stanica ″Beograd centar″ – Trg Slavija – Savski trg – Železnička stanica ″Beograd centar″ (In the inner circle traffic via TC Galerija.)
37 – Pаnčevаčki most (Railway station) – Kneževаc
38 – Šumice – Milošev kladenac - Veliki mokri lug
38L - Železnička stanica "Beograd centar" - Pogon "Kosmaj"
94 – Block 45 (New Belgrade) – Resnik /Edvarda Griga/
95 – Block 45 (New Belgrade) – Borčа 3
96 – Pančevački most (Railway station) – Borčа 3
101 – Omlаdinski stаdion – Padinska Skelа. Lines 101 to 111 operate across Palilula, Belgrade's largest municipality that stretches across the Danube[10].
106 – Omlаdinski stаdion – PKB Kovilovo – Jabučki rit
107 – Padinska skela – Dunavac
107O - Omladinski stadion - Dunavca (Operates only on weekends.)
108 – Omlаdinski stаdion – Reva (Dubokа bara)
109 – Padinska skela – Čenta. The line's terminus is in the municipality of Zrenjanin, connecting Belgrade with the municipality of the Central Banat District.
309L - Kaluđerica /Put za Institut/ - Kaluđerica /Višnjićeva/
310 – Šumice - Mali Mokri Lug
311 - Ustanička - Leštane /Ravan/
312 - MZ Veliki mokri lug - Cvetanova Ćuprija - Kumodraž - MZ Veliki mokri lug
313 - Mirijevo 4 - Leštane /Ravan/
350 - Živkovac - Dražanj - Brestovik - Kamendo - Živkovac. Lines 350 to 366A operate across the municipality of Grocka, connecting its largely rural settlements with both each other and the urban neighborhood of Šumice.
There are two electric "EKO" bus lines in Belgrade, served by vehicles produced together by the Israeli-Bulgarian[11] Chariot Motors and Chinese Higer Bus Company[12] and Aowei Technology. Those are painted with a distinctive green color and are recharged in 10 minutes at the termini.[13] The first buses entered service on 1 September 2016.[14]
EKO 1 – Vukov spomenik – Naselje Belville. It was the first electric bus line introduced, crossing the Sava River via Branko's Bridge.[15]
EKO 2 – Dorćol /SRC Milan Gale Muškatirović/ – Beograd na vodi. The line was introduced on 24 January 2022.[16]
In addition to those, there is a Vrabac (Serbian: vrabac, meaning "sparrow") line of electric minibuses serving the pedestrian streets in the centre of Belgrade. Those are free to passengers and painted with a blue color.[17] The line is circular and has eight stops, going from Obilićev venac to Studentski trg, then Kosančićev venac and back to Obilićev venac.[18]
Seasonal busesedit
In addition to regular lines, six seasonal ones exist. Five of them, operating under the names ADA-1 through ADA-5, provide public transport to Ada Ciganlija, known as the Belgrade's sea. Those begin working on the last Saturday of June.[19][20][21] The sixth one, line 400, goes from Voždovac to the peak of the Avala Mountain. It starts operation on May 1.[22] All six lines work until September 1.[23]
ADA 1 – Trg republike – Ada Ciganlija – Vidikovac
ADA 2 – Zemun /Kej oslobođenja/ – Ada Ciganlija
ADA 3 – Konjarnik – Ada Ciganlija
ADA 4 – Mirijevo – Ada Ciganlija
ADA 5 – Bežanijska kosa – Ada Ciganlija
400 – Voždovac – Vrh Avale
Tramways and trolleysedit
The first tram line was introduced in 1892. The current extent of the network track has been unchanged since 1988, though with some re-routings of the tram lines. Trams and trolleys are operated exclusively by GSP Beograd. Trolleybuses are confined to the right bank, while the tram network reaches the left bank, too: lines 7, 9, 11 and 13 terminate at Block 45. Lines 7 and 9 use the Old Sava Bridge, while lines 11 and 13 go via the newer Ada Bridge.[24][25][26][27]
Tram linesedit
Belgrade has 11 current trams (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14).[8] Tram line 2 (dva) is a circular line around the downtown, so often downtown is referred to as krug dvojke (the circle of line 2)
2 – Pristаnište – Vukov spomenik – Pristаnište
3 – Kneževаc – Slavija – Omladinski stadion
5 – Kаlemegdаn (Donji grad) – Ustаničkа
6 – Tаšmаjdаn – Ustаničkа
7 – Ustаničkа – Block 45 (New Belgrade)
9 – Banjica – Block 45 (New Belgrade)
10 – Kalemegdan (Donji grad) – Banjica
11 – Kalemegdan (Donji grad) – Block 45 (New Belgrade)
12 – Bаnovo brdo – Omlаdinski stаdion
13 – Banovo brdo – Block 45 (New Belgrade)
14 – Ustanička – Banjica
Tram network and terminiedit
All the revenue service track is constructed as parallel double track with terminal loops.
There are 8 revenue service loops in the system: Kneževac, Omladinski stadion, Kalemegdan, Ustanička, Tašmajdan, Block 45, Banjica, Banovo brdo.
There are further 9 auxiliary loops: Pristanište, Slavija, Autokomanda, Trošarina, Radio industrija, Gospodarska mehana, Topčider, Railway station, Rakovica. Only the first three are actively used for cutting short during the schedule disruptions. The loops Slavija and Autokomanda are located in roundabouts and are normally used for the revenue thru-traffic. Other auxiliary loops are used only as alternatives during the closures. The last two loops (Rakovica and Railway Station) are defunct. The track at Rakovica is disconnected from the main line. The loop at Railway station was recently reconstructed but is completely out of use due to unworkable design. The circular line 2 does not use loops at its terminus at Pristanište. It makes the service stops on the main line instead.
Tram depotsedit
There are 3 tram depots in Belgrade. Sava is the central active service depot built in New Belgrade in 1988. Dorćol ("Lower depot") is the historical electrical cars depot from 1894 which is used only for auxiliary and overhaul purposes. It is co-located with the active service trolleybus depot. The two single-track lines leading to it are the only exceptions to otherwise parallel double track network in the system and are not used in the revenue service. The third "Upper depot" is the historical horse-drawn cars depot from 1892. It retains its track but was recently disconnected from the main line. The depot is completely void of trams and is now housing only the overhead wiring maintenance unit. The plans to adapt it into the public transportation museum have never materialised.
Trolleybus linesedit
The first trolleybus line was introduced in 1947 to replace trams on the central corridor Kalemegdan-Slavija. The network extent is unchanged since late 1980s, though with minor relocation of the central terminus from Kalemegdan to Studentski trg in late 1990s. Belgrade has 7 current trolleybuses (19, 21, 22, 28, 29, 40 and 41).[8]
19 – Trg Slavija – Konjаrnik
21 – Trg Slavija – Učiteljsko nаselje
22 – Trg Slavija – Kruševаčkа
28 – Studentski trg – Zvezdara
29 – Studentski trg – Medаković 3
40 – Zvezdara – Bаnjicа 2
41 – Studentski trg – Bаnjicа 2
Trolley network and terminiedit
There are 4 revenue service terminal loops in the system: Studentski trg, Konjarnik, Banjica 2, Medaković 3. The peripheral termini Učiteljsko naselje, Kruševačka and Zvezdara have no purpose-built loops: the trolleybuses are circling around the city block instead.
Additionally, there are 3 auxiliary loops in the system: Slavija, Crveni krst and Banjica 1. The auxiliary loops are actively used for cutting short during the schedule disruptions (the line number carries the suffix "L" on the departures to be cut short). Crveni krst and Banjica 1 can be used only in the direction towards the peripheral termini, Slavija can be used in both directions. Due to the insufficient number of correct trolleybuses on line 21, buses marked 21A are operated, and two buses also operate on line 40.
Minibusesedit
In April 2007, six minibus lines were introduced (E1-E7, except E3) which criss-cross Belgrade. Minibuses are all air-conditioned, smaller and generally quicker than buses. However, tickets are bought inside a minibus and they are more expensive than ordinary ones – since minibuses are out of integrated tariff system.
Minibus City Lines:[28][29]
A1.Slavija – Aerodrom „Nikolа Teslа“ /Express/ – LINE TO THE AIRPORT
701N – Trg Republike – Nova Galenika – Zemun polje – Nova Pazova
E3 – Cerak vinogradi – Block 45 (New Belgrade)
E4 – Bežanijska kosa – Mirijevo 3
E5 - Zvezdara - Novi Beograd Blok 70
E7 – Pančevački most /Railway station/ – Petlovo brdo
E8 – Dorćol (SRC ″Milan Gale Muškatirović″) – Braće Jerković
Rapid transitedit
Belgrade is one of the few European capitals and cities with a population of over a million which have no metro/subway or another rapid transit system.
Metroedit
The idea of a metro system for Belgrade has been around for nearly a century. The Belgrade Metro started construction in November 2021 and the first line is scheduled to open in the year 2028. It is considered to be the third most important project in the country, after work on roads and railways. The two projects of highest priority are the Belgrade bypass and Pan-European corridor X.
Inter-Cityrailedit
On September 1, 2010, as an "almost" metro line and the actual metro's 1st phase, the first line of Belgrade's new urban BG:Voz system, separate from suburban commuter Beovoz system, started its operation.[30][31] The first line at the time connected Pančevački Most Station with Novi Beograd Railway Station and used the semi-underground level of Beograd Centar rail station, two underground stations (Vukov Spomenik and Karađorđev park) and tunnels in the city centre that were built for ground rail tracks to Novi Beograd. The line had just 5 stations (Pančevački most, Vukov spomenik, Karađorđev park, Beograd Centar and Novi Beograd, which it shared with Beovoz), was 8 kilometer long and the commute took about 16 minutes. Train frequency was from 30 minutes with 15 minutes frequency during rush hour. The line uses the stock similar to suburban Soviet/Latvian electric rolling stocks with upper current collectors including ER31 with 3 doors along the side of car. In April 2011, the line was extended to Batajnica, and in December 2016 to Ovča. The new line has a daily riding of about 18500. A new line from Ovča to Resnik is planned to open in 2018.[32][33]
Suburbanedit
Busesedit
Suburban bus transportation is conducted by SP Lasta.[5] Beside Lasta, certain number of suburban lines are operated by other carriers, too.
Suburban transport on the territory of Belgrade is performed within the integrated tariff system 2 (ITS2), with over 300 lines and 2,500 daily departures. The network of suburban lines spreads radially from Belgrade to the centers of the suburban municipalities, from which Lasta's local lines can be used to reach smaller places. Suburban buses depart from the Lasta Bus Station in Belgrade and from the terminus of Šumice near Konjarnik in the neighbourhood of Zvezdara and another in Banovo Brdo. Lasta transports passengers in the local transport in the areas of the Mladenovac, Sopot, Lazarevac, Obrenovac, Grocka, and Barajevo municipalities.
Bus Lines:[34]
607 Banovo brdo - Bežanijska kosa - Aerodrom /Nikola Tesla/ LINE TO THE AIRPORT
610 Zemun /Kej oslobođenja/ - Jakovo
611 Zemun /Kej oslobođenja/ - Dobanovci
860 Beograd - Obrenovac
860A Beograd - Mala Moštanica - Barič /ambulanta/
860B Beograd - Mala Moštanica - Barič /Industrial zone/
860BL Lazarevac - Barič /Industrial zone/
860E Beograd - Obrenovac
861A Beograd - Mala Moštanica - Obrenovac
865 Banovo brdo - Sremčica - Velika Moštanica
904 Surčin - Obrenovac
Railway (now disfunct)edit
Similar to French RER, suburban rail system Beovoz was operated by Serbian Railways, the national railway company.[35] In its final stage, Beovoz had six lines with 41 stations and 70 km length:
Line 1 Nova Pazova – Pančevo Vojlovica
Line 2 Ripanj – Pančevo Vojlovica
Line 3 Nova Pazova – Novi Beograd
Line 4 Pančevo Vojlovica – Valjevo
Line 5 Pančevo Glavna – Valjevo
This system became defunct in 2013.
The most of system's stations are now used for the BG voz system.
Taxiedit
Taxi service is operated by 24 taxi companies, and it's not very expensive (start is about 1.5 euros (150 Dinars).
Every Belgrade taxi company has to have 2 signs: a company unique sign and a smaller blue sign with 4 white numbers – a unique number of each vehicle of Belgrade taxi.
Busedit
Belgrade is connected by intercity bus lines with all major towns in Serbia, while during summer and winter tourist seasons there are also special seasonal lines.
There is a good connection with the cities in Republika Srpska and North Macedonia. The international bus lines to Western Europe are mainly focused on Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France, where buses can be taken for all other destinations.
SP Lasta, besides suburban transport, carries passengers in intercity transport on regular lines in Serbia and Montenegro and Republika Srpska and in international transport, as part of the Eurolines organization.
Trainedit
The Belgrade railroad network is currently under reconstruction . The massive reconstruction scheme of the Belgrade railway junction calls for completion of the new central Prokop railway station that is to replace the historical Belgrade Main railway station (Serbian: Главна Железничка Станица, Glavna železnička stanica) situated near the downtown and Sava river. Belgrade is directly connected by train with many European cities (Thessaloniki, Istanbul, Sofia, Bucharest, Budapest, Vienna, Kiev, Moscow, etc).
In addition, there are 5 more railway stations in Belgrade (Centar – Prokop, Dunav, Rakovica, Novi Beograd, Zemun). Some long distance and international trains do not call at Central Station, but at Novi Beograd.
A new central railway station has been under construction since 1977 at the site named Prokop. The new railway station will be called "Beograd Center"; upon its completion all Belgrade rail traffic currently handled by the old railway station situated near the downtown district will be transferred to the new station freeing thousands of square meters of prime real estate along the Sava and substantially easing the rail travel into Belgrade. After years of delay, this ambitious project is set to be completed in the next few years pending the new international tender for its completion set to be announced by the government at the beginning of March 2006. The train terminals will be situated underground while the vast passenger terminal will be above ground featuring commercial spaces, possibly a hotel and other amenities. Most of the rough work on the station's train terminals has been completed thus far. Belgrade has been restricted in its use of its vast waterfront precisely because of the large rail infrastructure that hug the river banks of the Old Town. Completion of this station is signaling a major boom in Belgrade's waterfront development.
Airedit
The international airport, Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport,[36] is located 12 km outside the city. It is connected with the city by the Belgrade – Zagreb highway. Bus line of public transport number 72 and A1 connect Airport with downtown. Airport provides connections with many cities in Europe, Asia and Africa.
A major expansion of the airport in Belgrade has been detailed with a development deal signed with DynaCorp. Inc. to build a regional air cargo hub, but the plan has failed. Belgrade airport also plans to build a third passenger terminal and another runway; however this may not be feasible in the immediate future.
Belgrade has a commercial port on the banks of Danube named Luka Beograd.[37] There is also a tourist port on the banks of the Sava welcoming various river cruise vessels from across Europe. Belgrade has several impromptu sporting marinas near the islands of Ada Ciganlija and Ada Međica harbouring small sail boats and sporting/recreational vessels. There are no regular passenger lines from the Belgrade Port (Luka Beograd), although tourist and individual lines run occasionally. Answering to the need for a real sporting/recreational marina a detailed plan for a marina in Dorćol on the banks of the Danube has been presented to the public, and an international tender for its development has been announced.
Bridgesedit
There are nine bridges over the Sava and two over the Danube river, listed below:
Savaedit
Obrenovac-Surčin Bridge (Most Obrenovac-Surčin), the two-lane road truss bridge over the Sava at Obrenovac — 30 km southwest of Belgrade, constructed by Mostogradnja between 1994 and 1999. The total length of the bridge is 446.5 m, with the longest span of 141 m. The bridge was originally designed to carry only two heating water pipelines, but was later redesigned and built as a road bridge with the two pipelines on side cantilevers.[38] Finished in 2011.
The single-track railway truss bridge over Sava at Ostružnica — just outside the urbanized area of Belgrade, serving the freight bypass line. The bridge was badly damaged during the 1999 NATO bombing. Fully reconstructed in 2002.
Ostružnica Bridge (Ostružnički most) is the three-lane semi-highway girder bridge over Sava at Ostružnica on the Belgrade bypass motorway — constructed by Mostogradnja between 1990 and 1998. Total length of the bridge is 1,789.6 m, with a 588 m long continuous steel structure crossing the river in five spans. The largest span is 198 m. The bridge was bombed by NATO during the Kosovo war in 1999 and fully reconstructed by 2004. The additional three-lane span is currently under construction and it will be opened in March 2020.[39]
Ada Bridge (Most na Adi) a 969 m long and 200 m tall pylon bridge with six-lane roadway and unlaid double-track mass transit right-of-way is opened in 2012.
Old Railroad Bridge (Stari železnički most) over the Sava — a single-track truss-bridge originally built in 1886.
Gazela Bridge (Gazela) — a single-span six-lane motorway bridge over the Sava, the main traffic artery into the city, built in 1970.
Old Sava Bridge (Stari savski most) — a 410 m long two-lane road and tram bridge. The main span is a tied arch bridge over 100 m in length. During World War II it was the only road bridge available in Belgrade, the current span being installed in 1942, and one of the few bridges in Europe which the retreating German forces failed to demolish. In October 1944, the bridge, already laden with explosives and prepared for demolition, was saved by a local resistance veteran Miladin Zarić who managed to cut the detonator wires.[40] Adding new lanes and full reconstruction is scheduled for 2017. Total investment is 60 million Euros.
Branko's Bridge (Brankov most) — a 450 m long six-lane road girder bridge over Sava, connecting the center of Belgrade to the densely populated residential suburb of Novi Beograd. Originally built as Most kralja Aleksandra (Bridge of King Alexander) in 1934 it was a chain-bridge. The bridge was destroyed in 1941 and rebuilt in 1956 as a single-span bridgeč at the time it was the longest bridge of that kind in the world.
Danubeedit
Pupin Bridge (Pupinov most) is the newest six-lane road bridge over the Danube. Named after scientist Mihajlo Pupin, it was constructed by the China Road and Bridge Corporation and opened in December 2014.
Pančevo Bridge (Pančevački most) — a 1,075 m long combined four-lane road and double-track railroad truss bridge over the Danube, originally built in 1935. It was destroyed during World War II, and rebuilt after the end of the war in 1946. The overhaul and installation of the second rail track was completed in 2015.
Roadsedit
Belgrade is connected by motorways to Zagreb to the west, Novi Sad to the north and Niš to the south. The motorways feed traffic into a large interchange popularly called Mostar. A wide boulevard, Kneza Miloša street, connects the interchange to the city centre.
A traffic decongestion project named unutrašnji magistralni prsten ("inner ring road") is set to begin with the goal of easing the congestion in the city centre and on the motorways.
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