Big Changes in Belgrade Public Transport Possible from Autumn – Introduction of Eco Lines in City Center and Waiving of Stretches 100, 300, 400 and 700 to Private Owners Being Considered

The maintenance of the public transport lines in Belgrade has been split for years between GSP Beograd and private transporters, and from January 2016, it is known exactly which lines belong to the public transport company and which ones to private owners. The agreement on the public-private partnership for city lines between the city and the private transporters, which came into effect slightly over eight years ago, was initially intended to last ten years, that is, by the end of 2025, but as we’ve learned, due to the money for line maintenance having been spent before the expiration of that deadline, one agreement (Arriva) will expire at the end of September, and another (Avala Bus 500) at the end of 2027, so there is the possibility of the city opening a new call for a public-private partnership on the city lines in the coming months and for the new contract to be signed by the end of this year. Let us remind that the agreement for the suburban transport expired last year and that a new one was signed for a period of 10 years.

According to eKapija’s findings, those in charge of the public transport in the city are already considering several scenarios for the functioning of the distribution and maintenance of the city lines in Belgrade in the coming years. The only thing that is certain in all of them is that the tram and trolley subsystems would be maintained by GSP Beograd exclusively, which, according to those familiar with the matter, is the case in other major cities as well.

However, when it comes to the distribution of the bus lines, big changes are currently being considered compared to the current situation. As a source who is involved in the question of the planning of the public transport in the coming years in the city unofficially confirmed to us, the introduction of several new features is possible.

One of those new features that is currently being considered is a kind of a rotation of a certain number of lines which currently belong to GSP Beograd and private transporters. This idea that is currently being considered entails the taking over by GSP Beograd of all the lines which pass through the city core and for them to be operated in the future by ecological vehicles exclusively, more precisely, gas-powered buses. As we were told, this would mean that buses using traditional fuel would no longer pass through the Republic Square. On the other hand, certain “long” lines would be waived to private transporters in turn and these should be lines which lead to the same part of the city (such as the New Belgrade lines which currently belong to GSP Beograd).



What could turn out to be much less favorable for GSP, as our source emphasizes, is that one of the options considered lately is the waiving of entire stretches held by GSP Beograd for years, such as Stretch 100 (lines toward the Palilula settlements), 300 (Smederevo Road), 400 (Avala Road) and 700 (lines toward the Zemun settlements). As the source clarified, if the decision were made for these stretches, currently belonging to GSP Beograd, to be waived to private transporters in the coming years, the biggest city transporter would lose 200 to 250 buses. In other words, that many GSP buses would be withdrawn from the lines on these stretches if they were to be waived to private owners.

Let us remind that those familiar with the situation regarding the public transport in Belgrade and part of the trade union members earlier criticized the decision of the city to waive the stretch 600 to private transporters and pointed out that it had been one of the most profitable bus line stretches for GSP before it went to the hands of private owners.

D. A.

JKP GSP Beograd

Avala Bus 500 doo Beograd

MobiLitas doo Požarevac

GSP Beograd

consortium of private transporters

Arriva

Avala Bus 500

public private partnerhsip