Thread by @jonworth

Right, it's taken a while longer to finish than I'd hoped, but my report about what's happening to the railways in Serbia 🇷🇸 is done 👇
jonworth.eu/how-to-repair-…

#BerlinBeogradBerlin

Summary in the 🧵

First, the eyewitness experience

The Subotica - Novi Sad train is probably the worst train I have ever taken, as the infrastructure is so bad. Closing the line to upgrade here makes sense...

Second, Serbia's rail upgrade plans

Whether all of these plans will happen, and on time, is the big question, but the plans themselves make a lot of sense - there is a solid logic here

Third, headaches at the borders

🇭🇺 it's infrastructure
🇷🇴 it's a financial dispute
🇧🇬 the politics is sour, timetables awful
🇲🇰 it's infrastructure
🇲🇪 it works, albeit very slowly
🇭🇷 🤯 best border infra, but no trains run!

(🇧🇦, 🇽🇰 - forget it)

Fourth, unfinished Beograd Centar station is a huge problem

Even when the line from Novi Sad is done, passengers will be dumped in this ill connected concrete monstrosity

Fifth, running the prestigious train from Bar to Topčider station instead of Centar makes no sense, not least as Topčider's tram line is out of action - this must be switched

Thanks @EUWB6_TCT @MZakonjsek for inviting me to Belgrade to make this report possible

@Transport_EU @AdinaValean @CER_railways these are the things to address when #ConnectingEurope express goes to 🇷🇸!

Report FYI @vorortanleiter @alexcburrows @seatsixtyone @PaliparanDotCom