The Austrian national rail freight operator OBB Rail Cargo Group (RCG) has launched a new connection between Budapest, Hungary, and Belgrade, Serbia. It links major industrial and logistics hubs in Western and Central Europe with markets in the Balkans, the operator says.
The Budapest–Belgrade connection will start off with one round trip per week, but RCG is already planning the addition of a second weekly journey. RCG will provide its own traction and carry 20-, 30-, 40- and 45-foot containers as well as dangerous goods on the route.
Since the connection includes RCG’s Budapest hub, it is immediately integrated into RCG’s Europe-wide TransFER network. There are onward connections available to Sopron, Vienna, Wels and Duisburg.
The rail operator stresses that the new connection is a reliable transport alternative with its fixed timetable. This offers a high level of planning certainty and supports stable supply chains, the company says.
Return to Kelebia border crossing
The introduction of the Budapest–Belgrade connection follows the reopening of the key Kelebia border crossing between Hungary and Serbia. The railway through Kelebia was subject to modernisation works for severeal years until its reinstatement in February. Since then, freight trains have been able to run via the usual Hungarian-Serbian Kelebia/Subotica border crossing.
Previously, they had to use the alternative route via Röszke/Horgoš during the construction phase. The return to the regular Kelebia/Subotica border crossing made operations noticeably simpler, RCG said earlier. For one, there are no more diversions. Secondly, rail operations no longer require additional diesel locomotives at the border. This has resulted in more stable transit times and greater reliability, according to the Austrian operator.