Public transportation in Serbia is essential part of national communication between cities and people. Every day thousands of citizens use public transportation to go around cities and from one city to another. Since Serbia has many small towns and villages trains also play a significant role in transportation system in country.
In this research, we’ll discuss importance of public transport, issues with it and how these issues can be solved
Serbian Public Transport
City public transportation is one of main parts in city’s comfort. Since Belgrade is separated in Old town and New Belgrade people need access to go from one part of city to another. Belgrade has several transport systems like buses, trams and metro in construction. Other cities in Serbia like Novi sad and Nis have only buses. Since there are many issues, everything should be viewed more precisely.
Issues with Public Transportation in Belgrade
Public transportation in Serbia is a big issue for every city. Complaints about schedules, transport, and technical failures in the payment system have led to significant changes in society’s opinion.
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A major issue for commuters has been the unreliable bus schedules and lack of transport. Between 2022 and 2023, media outlets such as Blic and Danas reported on residents’ collective complaints about buses failing to follow timetables, especially in the evenings. In response, local governments in Belgrade and Novi Sad launched tenders for new, eco-friendly buses. Belgrade acquired around 100 new buses in 2022, improving service reliability, while Novi Sad announced fleet upgrades to reduce breakdowns and long wait times.
Public frustration also grew over technical failures in the BusPlus payment system, which frequently malfunctioned, causing issues. Reports from Nova.rs and RTS highlighted widespread issues due to faulty terminals while inspectors still issued penalties. In cities like Novi Sad and Niš, students faced difficulties using their discounted electronic passes. The government, recognizing the inefficiencies and costs of maintaining the system, considered a radical shift inspired by Luxembourg-abolishing fares altogether. This move aimed to reduce administrative burdens, enhance accessibility, and encourage public transit use to combat traffic congestion and pollution.
This shows how important activism is for the shape of government’s systems. This means that everybody could change the environment in Serbia. For example joining such group as “Београд у Покрету” (Belgrade in the moving). Those movements influence the government by petitions and indicators.
Read more about specific kind of transport in the detailed article