Reconstruction of railway from Ruma to border with BiH to start – State seeking consultants

The Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure has published a request for expression of interest for consulting services related to the reconstruction of the regional railway line Ruma - Sabac - border with Bosnia and Herzegovina (around 109.5 kilometers long in total), within the project of the reconstruction of the rail sector in Serbia.

The Republic of Serbia has received a loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) in the amount of EUR 51 million and from Agence Francaise de Développement (AFD) in the same amount, toward the cost of the Serbia Railway Sector Modernization Project, Phase 1 of the Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA).

As said in the call, the reconstruction and modernization of railway line Ruma - Sabac - border with BiH aims to increase the safety and efficiency of railway traffic, increase the running speed and at the same time reduce the train running time in passenger and freight services, raise the railway line capacity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the electrification of the line and replace diesel traction with electric traction and facilitate international freight and passenger railway traffic by establishing a joint border station within Donja Borina station.

The consulting services include the preparation of all necessary planning documentation “for the full scope of modernization and electrification of the railway line Ruma - Sabac - border with BiH” - Feasibility study with Preliminary design and the Environmental Impact Assessment Study.

Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Study is also sought.

– This study should provide impact assessment not only on environment but shall also cover the full spectrum of social impacts, including land acquisition and resettlement, in accordance with the WB ESF – the call points out.

Spatial plan of the special purpose area for railway infrastructure corridor for the part Ruma - Sabac - Donja Borina Junction - State border is also required.

Expected duration of services is 18 months starting from the commencement date.

Reconstruction and modernization of the single-track railway line, as can be seen from the documentation, is planned starting from the exit switch of the Ruma station all the way to the Donja Borina junction and ending at the State Border, including the branch line reaching the end in Zvornik. The planned speed on this railway is up to 120 km/h. Construction of the joint border station Donja Borina with all the necessary facilities to accommodate the institutions of both countries (railway, border police, customs, phytosanitary and veterinary inspections) that will conduct joint border procedures in one place is also planned.

Reconstruction of tracks and platforms in all service points (stations and halts) along the line according to new station layouts that should be defined based on the forecasted future demand, as well as digitalization of telecommunications on the entire railway line are planned, among other things.

The plan is also to increase the level of protection at level crossings, reconstruct and redesign the existing level crossings and/or potentially de-level the most critical level crossings on the railway line as needed. Within the scope of the preliminary design, a proposal should be made for rationalizing the number of road crossings in locations where technical conditions exist.

Expressions of interest in English must be delivered in a written form by May 26, 2025.

More details can be found HERE.

This railway is a single-track, non-electrified railway line with a length of about 109,7 km, which in current condition of railway substructure and superstructure does not meet modern transport requirements. The railway was constructed between 1901 and 1978. According to the Network Statement for the year 2025, the maximum allowable speed for diesel railcars ranges from 50 to 80 km/h. According to currently available data, civil structures on the route include 4 tunnels (total length of 420 m), 7 concrete bridges (total length of 754 m), and 10 steel bridges (total length of 750 m). Additionally, there are 71 culverts, 45 slab culverts, and 3 arched culverts, 113 level crossings, and 8 retaining walls.

In 2018, the section from Sabac to Brasina was overhauled in the total length of 53 km, which created the conditions for the establishment of regular passenger rail traffic between Sabac and Loznica.

D. A.

Ministarstvo građevinarstva, saobraćaja i infrastrukture Republike Srbije

Ministry of Construction Transport and Infrastructure

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development

IBRD

Agence Francaise de Développement

AFD

reconstruction of railway line Ruma Sabac border with BiH