SERBIA: State passenger operator Srbijavoz has signed a €35.35 million contract, excluding VAT, with Siemens Mobility for six new multi-system electric Vectron locomotives to replace equipment the company’s own director calls unreliable and more than 40 years old.

Siemens Vectron locomotive on Serbian railway tracks
A Siemens Vectron locomotive in New Belgrade. Illustrative photo — does not depict the specific units ordered for Srbijavoz. Photo: Srđan Popović, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The contract was formally signed in Belgrade on Aug. 18 by acting Srbijavoz director Ljubiša Pejičić and Siemens Mobility Austria managing director Matthias Hermann Koch, according to B92. “Srbijavoz currently uses locomotives that are more than 40 years old. They are neither reliable nor of good quality,” Pejičić said, adding that the new locomotives will “drastically raise” service quality once delivered. The locomotives are due to arrive in June–July 2027. The procurement also includes maintenance for at least eight years or until the locomotives reach 1.2 million kilometres, as well as training for operating staff.

Don’t miss… Serbia Invests €90 Million in Railway Rolling Stock Modernization

Why the timing matters

The purchase continues a wider modernisation programme that also includes new trains procured for EXPO 2027. Belgrade will host the international specialised exposition from May 15 to Aug. 15, 2027, meaning the locomotives are scheduled to arrive while the event is already under way. Their arrival does not necessarily mean immediate entry into passenger service, since commissioning may still be required. Pejičić said the locomotives would be used on services to Budapest. Siemens Mobility Austria’s Andreas Palfi said more than 3,000 Vectron locomotives have been produced, with around 2,000 already in operation, calling the signing “a significant step” in expanding the company’s cooperation with Serbia’s rail sector.

What to watch

Watch for whether the locomotives arrive on the stated June–July 2027 schedule and when they subsequently enter passenger service. Delivery would take place while EXPO 2027 is under way, but no commissioning timetable has been announced. Also worth tracking is whether the contract will be financed through the €90 million EUROFIMA-backed programme approved in 2025, which allocated €40 million for six electric locomotives. The funding source for this contract has not been explicitly confirmed.

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed:

Don’t miss… Serbia: A New Stage in the Development of Railway Infrastructure