The new direct railway connection, jointly operated by Serbian, Hungarian, and Austrian railways, is expected to begin service in 2026, extending the long-anticipated Belgrade–Budapest high-speed line further west to the Austrian capital.
According to preliminary schedules, two trains per day will run in each direction, linking Serbia, Hungary, and Austria through one of Central Europe’s busiest rail corridors.
Once operational, this connection will reduce current bus travel time by nearly a third and significantly expand Serbia’s international rail network, which currently offers only one cross-border passenger line, to Montenegro.
The Belgrade–Vienna line marks another step in Serbia’s broader railway renaissance, supported by billions of euros in EU grants and European Investment Bank loans. Major upgrades are also underway on routes toward Niš, Dimitrovgrad, and the Adriatic, aiming to position the Western Balkans as a more connected, sustainable, and accessible part of the European transport map.
