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| Belgrade Centre railway station (Prokop) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Belgrade Centre railway station (Prokop) |
| Native name | Железничка станица Београд Центар (Прoкоп) |
| Location | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Borough | Savski Venac |
| Opened | 2016 (partial) |
| Architect | Zoran Knežević (lead planner) |
| Operator | Serbian Railways (Železnice Srbije) |
| Platforms | 5 (planned 12) |
| Tracks | 10 (planned 22) |
| Connections | Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, Belgrade tram network, Beovoz, BG Voz, bus services |
Belgrade Centre railway station (Prokop) is the main intercity passenger railway terminus in Belgrade, Serbia, developed to replace the historic Belgrade Main railway station and to serve as a regional hub for the Western Balkans. Located in the Savski Venac municipality near the Sava River and the Gazela Bridge, the station is linked by new rail alignments to the national network operated by Serbian Railways and integrated into urban transport services such as BG Voz. The project has involved national, municipal, and international stakeholders including the Government of Serbia, the City of Belgrade, and contractors from Italy, Germany, and China.
The site lies on land formerly used for Freight yards and industrial facilities adjacent to the Sava Centar complex and the former Belgrade Waterfront development zones. Initial proposals for a central underground or elevated terminus date back to urban plans during the 1970s under the administration of the Socialist Republic of Serbia, with renewed advocacy during the 1990s amid modernization efforts following the dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In the 2000s the project gained momentum under the administrations of Zoran Đinđić's reforms' successors and during mayoralties including Nenad Bogdanović and Dragan Đilas. Political backing intensified with national infrastructure strategies promoted by the cabinets of Zoran Živković, Vojislav Koštunica, and later Aleksandar Vučić.
Design competitions and feasibility studies involved local bureaus and international consultancies, with notable contributions from architectural teams influenced by precedents such as Gare do Oriente in Lisbon, Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof, and Antwerpen-Centraal railway station. Contracting phases involved companies from Italy and China Railway Group, while financing combined municipal budgets, state investment from the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure (Serbia), and commercial loans. Construction began in the late 2000s but was delayed by land acquisition disputes involving the Belgrade Waterfront developers, environmental reviews linked to the Sava floodplain, and technical challenges connecting the station to the Pan-European Corridor X. Works accelerated in the 2010s with track realignments toward Novi Sad and Niš and partial opening for international and regional services in 2016.
The station's passenger concourse features platforms designed for high-speed compatible rolling stock such as Siemens Vectron-type locomotives and multiple-unit trains used by Železnice Srbije and international operators like Rail Cargo Austria and SBB CFF FFS. Architectural elements reference contemporary European transit hubs: a longitudinal hall, canopy structures, and integrated commercial zones hosting retail chains similar to those found at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport terminals. Facilities include ticketing halls, waiting lounges, baggage handling areas, administrative offices for Serbian Railways Passenger Transport, and safety systems interoperable with European Train Control System standards.
Operations are managed by Serbian Railways in coordination with urban operators including BG Voz and long-distance operators to destinations such as Budapest Keleti, Vienna, Zagreb Glavni Kolodvor, and Thessaloniki. Services comprise international InterCity and EuroCity trains, domestic InterCity connections to Novi Sad, Niš, and Subotica, and suburban services linking to Zemun and Pančevo. Freight operations were relocated from the site to terminals near Vinca and Resnik to prioritize passenger flows. Ticketing integrates national fare systems and international reservation platforms used by operators like ÖBB and MÁV.
Prokop is connected to the urban network via tram lines operated by GSP Beograd, multiple bus routes linking to the Belgrade Bus Station (BAS), and planned rapid transit links to Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport and the Ada Bridge corridor. Integration with the Belgrade Waterfront commercial district and access roads via the Gazela overpass aim to create multimodal interchange nodes. Park-and-ride facilities and bicycle parking have been included to interface with municipal mobility plans spearheaded by the City of Belgrade office for transport.
The project has attracted controversy concerning delayed completion, cost overruns, and the premature closure of the Belgrade Main railway station which critics argued left the city with reduced central rail access. Environmental groups questioned floodplain impacts near the Sava River and the displacement of railway workers tied to historic yards. Political opponents raised concerns about procurement transparency involving national ministries and foreign contractors, citing debates in the National Assembly (Serbia) and local assemblies. Passenger groups and transport planners criticized the limited immediate connectivity by road and tram at opening, referencing service disruptions affecting commuters to Novi Beograd and Zvezdara.
Plans include full completion of platform and track phases to reach 12 platforms, enhanced interoperability with Pan-European Corridor X upgrades, and integration into envisioned high-speed corridors connecting Belgrade with Budapest and Sofia. Proposals involve constructing underground pedestrian links to Prokop-adjacent developments, expanding commercial real estate akin to major European station precincts like Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof regeneration projects, and upgrading signaling to full ETCS Level 2. Stakeholders such as the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure (Serbia), City of Belgrade, and international financiers remain engaged in phased delivery contingent on budget allocations and alignment with regional transport initiatives promoted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and other multilateral institutions.
Category:Railway stations in Belgrade Category:Transport infrastructure in Serbia Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2016