tech
April 8, 2026
Two train derailments in three days: Railway expert says most of the network is in a catastrophic condition
The derailment of a train on the Belgrade-Subotica high-speed railway has once again drawn attention to the question of how safe we are and whether this, once called the job of the century, was done according to standards. And more importantly, who maintains the railway and how.
TL;DR
- Recent train derailments on the Belgrade-Subotica high-speed line have raised safety concerns.
- Expert Stanislav Jovanović suggests the line was opened prematurely without adequate testing and safety procedures.
- A significant portion of Serbia's rail network (over 50%) has exceeded its lifespan, increasing the risk of failures.
- The quality of infrastructure on the high-speed line contrasts sharply with the rest of the aging network.
- Jovanović criticizes political interference in technical assessments and notes a lack of trained personnel and equipment for maintenance.
- He believes a lack of proper maintenance planning could lead to long-term costs exceeding the initial construction expenses.
- The expert suggests involving companies like the Chinese or Russian firms that built the line for maintenance as a potential interim solution.