The European Union is allocating 175 million euros to modernise the Bar-Golubovci railway in Montenegro. The line is part of Rail Route 4 of the extended TEN-T Core Network. It is vital in connecting the Serbian capital city Belgrade to the Mediterranean Bar port.
Via the railway, the Montenegrin Port of Bar has rail access to Central Europe. The 39-kilometre Bar-Golubovci section will get an upgrade to increase train speeds and improve reliability, safety and capacity. It will help move 1.85 million tonnes of freight annually.
The Port of Bar has become a transshipment hub for Serbian copper, transporting some 800,000 tonnes between 2020 and 2022. The port expected an income of 10 million dollars from the copper mining company through an agreement to transport 2 million tonnes by the end of 2024. In that same year, the port was added to the network of the Niš MBOX intermodal terminal.
The total project cost is estimated at 230.8 million euros. The investment is primarily supported by a 63 million euro loan from the European Investment Bank and a substantial 112.6 million euro grant from the European Commission, provided under the Western Balkans Investment Framework. Additional funding includes a 50 million euro loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and a 5.2 million euro contribution from the government of Montenegro.
Western Balkans – EU
“This project represents one of the most important investments in Montenegro’s railway infrastructure in decades and a clear signal of trust from our European partners”, commented Montenegrin Minister of Transport Maja Vukićević.
“Our long-standing cooperation with the European Investment Bank has been crucial in modernising the Bar–Belgrade railway corridor, which is the backbone of sustainable transport in Montenegro. By upgrading the Bar–Golubovci section, we are not only improving safety, efficiency, and service quality, but also strengthening Montenegro’s role as a key transport hub between the Western Balkans and the European Union. This investment directly supports our green transition, economic development, and EU accession goals.”