PROJECT TITLE

NARROW RAILWAY VIŠEGRAD – VARDIŠTE – ASSIGNMENT OF USE
(PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP)

SECTOR

Traffic

LOCATION

Railway section Višegrad – Vardište (– Mokra Gora, Republic of Serbia)

BRIEF PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Višegrad – Vardište narrow-gauge railway has a tourist-commercial character and is connected to a part of the narrow-gauge railway in the Republic of Serbia (Šarganska osmica), and therefore has great tourist potential. Traffic does not run regularly, but as needed, mostly during the holiday season.
The traffic is organised by the railways of Serbia on the basis of the agreement on the regulation of mutual relations in connection with the assignment of the use of a part of the RSR (ŽRS), which was signed by the Railways of the Republic of Srpska JSC Doboj, Infrastructure Railways of Serbia JSC Belgrade and Serbia Train JSC Belgrade.
When considering the public-private partnership option, it would be good to establish contacts with the cities of Višegrad and Užice and check the possibility of these cities also joining the partnership.

DETAILED PROJECT DATA

In addition to the tourist-commercial character, this railway also has historical significance. Namely, the narrow-gauge railway Višegrad – Vardište is part of the once famous “Eastern Railway” built by Austria-Hungary in the period from 1903 to 1906, thus connecting eastern Bosnia with Sarajevo and the rest of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.
The construction of this railway was motivated solely by its strategic importance, since Višegrad was then located on the border between Austria-Hungary and Serbia.
After the end of the First World War, the construction of the continuation of this railway from Vardište to Užice in Serbia began, and this route was officially opened on January 25, 1925. Until 1974, the railway was of great importance and connected Belgrade with Sarajevo. In the euphoria of the abolition of narrow-gauge railways, in 1974 the railway line to Višegrad was abolished, and in 1978 to Sarajevo as well.
In the period from 2004 to 2010, the reconstruction of this railway was completed, following the same route as the original railway.
The first official „Ćira“ train composition after the reconstruction of the railway arrived from Mokra Gora to Višegrad on August 28, 2010.

The railway was built according to the route of the original railway and the total length of the railway located in the territory of the Republic of Srpska is 18 139 km. The railway was built with rail type 45A-S49-S35 with fasteners “K” and “SKL”, as well as wooden sleepers and crushed stone of limestone origin.
The maximum speed of the railway is 20 km/h, and there are 21 road crossings, 13 bridges, 9 tunnels and 60 culverts on the railway.

REASONS TO INVEST IN TE PROJECT
  • Tourist-commercial
  • Museum-technical
  • Ethno-architectural
  • Cultural and entertaining

PROJECT APPLICANT WITH CONTACT INFORMATION

REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA RAILWAYS JSC DOBOJ
Director General: Slađan Jović

Address: Svetog Save 71, 74000 Doboj
Tel: +387 53 241 368
E-mail: kabinet@zrs-rs.com

Contact person:
Gordana Ilinčić, Assistant General Director for Investments

Tel: +387 65 405 129
E-mail: gordana.ilincic@zrs-rs.com