The Belgrade–Bar railway: the back story

About The Belgrade–Bar railway: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Podgorica Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Few railways in Europe can match the line from Belgrade to Bar for drama. It climbs from the Pannonian plain over the Dinaric mountains and drops to the sea, and Podgorica is its last big station before the coast.

Building the line

Work on the railway began in 1951, and the line was finally opened in 1976. It runs about 476 kilometres between Belgrade and Bar, and its highest point, near Kolašin, is over 1,000 metres above the sea.

Tunnels and bridges

To cross the mountains, the engineers built 254 tunnels and 435 bridges: almost a quarter of the route runs underground. The longest tunnel, Sozina, carries the line through the coastal mountains to Bar.

For hours, the train runs from tunnel to bridge to tunnel, with canyons opening below the windows.

The Mala Rijeka viaduct

North of Podgorica, the Mala Rijeka viaduct carries the line about 200 metres above the valley floor; when it opened it was the highest railway viaduct in the world.

Riding it today

The overnight train with couchettes and sleepers runs all year between Belgrade and Bar via Podgorica, and in summer a day train also runs, the best way to see the scenery. South of Podgorica, the line skirts Lake Skadar at Virpazar.

Our advice: for the views, travel by day in summer, or ride the short stretch north of Podgorica past the Mala Rijeka viaduct. Overnight, book a couchette or sleeper in advance, especially in summer, and bring water and snacks.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The Belgrade–Bar railway: the back story before you go.