The high-speed railway link between Belgrade and Novi Sad in Serbia was inaugurated on Saturday. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban boarded the first train together to complete the journey between the two cities. At the inauguration ceremony, PM Orban and President Vucic reiterated that both countries want peace.

A historic moment in Serbia-Hungary relations

Shortly after 11 am on Saturday, the new high-speed train departed from the platform in Belgrade to head for Novi Sad. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban also boarded the train named Sólyom (Hawk), alongside several members of the Serb government, including Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and Istvan Pasztor, President of the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina.

This train will make the friendship between Serbs and Hungarians even stronger as it will allow us to reach Budapest in a little more than two and a half hours. This is a historic moment, Alaksandar Vucic told the Serb press, adding that this train also symbolised the friendship between the two nations.

As physical distance between Hungarians and Serbs was an obstacle so far, the two governments are now working to build connections between the north and the south, Viktor Orban said during the trip. Together with the Serbian president, much has been done to create friendship between the two peoples, he added.

The first journey between Belgrade and Novi Sad took 33 minutes. The Hungarian prime minister and the Serbian president then visited the completely renovated Novi Sad railway station.

Serb-Hungarian friendship will be preserved

After arrival, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told the audience gathered there that this was a great day for Serbs and Hungarians wholeheartedly congratulate them. In the past 70 years, countries in the east and west have been connected, but in the meantime, the importance of connecting the north and the south has been forgotten. Mr Orban pointed out that it was regretful that travel between Belgrade and Budapest took such long hours. He and Serbia’s president have joined forces in order to change this situation, bringing the two capitals closer, the Hungarian premier emphasized.

The relationship between Serbs and Hungarians has never been so close, he underlined, and promised that the section between Belgrade and Budapest will be fully completed by 2025.

„The war raging near Hungary’s eastern borders is here, in everyone’s heart and mind,” Hungar’s prime minister said at the Novi Sad railway station. The war came at the worst possible time, he said, „as we were making nice progress, we started off with such a big momentum and we still have so many good plans”. Now that the world has become uncertain, Serbs and Hungarians need to rethink many things, PM Orban said, adding that he hoped „President Vucic and I will have a role in this process of rethinking” after the upcoming elections.

„We want peace, and despite the difficult circumstances, together with your president, we will carry out all our big plans,” Viktor Orban underlined. God bless Serbia, God bless Serb-Hungarian friendship, and I wish you every success and a great victory,” he concluded his address.

Aleksandar Vucic expressed his pride that, after more than 60 years, the Novi Sad railway station has been renovated and also because the distance between the two cities was covered in 33 minutes. Travel offers an opportunity to gain experiences, to have a good time, to learn and to show respect for the culture of others. In this way, we can contribute to international cooperation and peace across the world, Serbia’s head of state emphasized.

Viktor Orban did the most for the friendship between Serbia and Hungary, Aleksandar Vucic said, but also highlighted the role of Istvan Pasztor, the President of Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians. While many in Brussels lowered their heads and stay silent, he noted, our Hungarian friends speak out in defence of Serbia. Serbia’s president thanked the Hungarian premier for the support Budapest has given to Belgrade over the years.

In this difficult crisis situation, he continued, we agreed on one thing. If Serbia is short of anything, Hungary will be the first to offer what is missing, and if Hungary is in want of anything, Serbia will be the first to offer what is needed. „This is how to build friendship,” Serbia’s president said.

Speaking about Serb-Hungarian relations, he recalled that when Hungarians play in a match, the Serbs tend to cheer for them.

Belgrade-Novi Sad trip now barely more than a half hour

The upgrade of the railway line between Belgrade and Budapest began on the Serbian side in 2017; 138 years after laying the first tracks and half a century after launching the first train service between Belgrade and Bar in Montenegro.

The construction of the high-speed railway line connecting Serbia’s capital and Novi Sad, the seat of the Province of Vojvodina, is the largest infrastructure investment in the region, with the tracks eventually reaching the Hungarian capital Budapest. When the upgrade is complete, travel time between Budapest and Belgrade will be less than three hours, according to officials, which means the fastest way to get from one capital to the other will be by train.

The section between Belgrade and Novi Sad is 75 kilometres long. Serbia used Russian and Chinese loans to implement the project, with an investment worth 915 million US dollars. Apart from railway tracks, 120 buildings, underpasses and overpasses were built, and several railway stations were revamped.

Following the official inauguration on Saturday, the general public will be able to travel on the high-speed train from Sunday, with 36 daily services between Belgrade and Novi Sad. A ticket will cost 300 dinars, equivalent of two and a half euros, at an initial discount price.