SERBIA: President Aleksandar Vučić has attended the handover of the first of three 200 km/h Stadler Kiss double-deck electric multiple-units to national passenger operator Srbija Voz.
The Ministry of Construction, Transport & Infrastructure called tenders for the EMUs on February 9 this year, specifying a very tight deadline of March 15, and the €62·2m contract was signed with sole bidder Stadler on April 8.
The first unit was handed over on October 29, and the other two are scheduled to follow by the end of the year.
Speaking at the handover, Vučić said that the modernised Beograd – Novi Sad route would be reopened in early March 2022.
According to infrastructure manager Infrastruktura Železnice Srbije operation at 200 km/h will be possible on the 41·6 km Batajnica – Karlovački Vinogradi section of the route, and the estimated journey time for inter-city services between Beograd and Novi Sad will be 36 min.
