In 13 years, EUR 180 million has been invested in the railway infrastructure and trains. The main reason for the decreased interest in the rail transport over the last decade is somewhat slower dynamics of works related to repairs on the Bar railway, as well as the old rolling stock, said Milan Banković, Director General of the Railway Directorate in the Montenegrin Ministry of Transport, in an interview with Pobjeda, a daily.
He said: “The Government of Montenegro recognized the need to revitalize the entire network of public railroads and a major investment cycle was launched in 2006. Most of the investments relate to general railways repairs and the repair of weak points on railroad lines.”
“During this period, more than EUR 30 million has been invested in trains, while a total of EUR 13.5 million was allocated for new trains,” Mr Banković clarified for Pobjeda daily.
As for the decreased interest in rail transport over the past decade, Mr Banković explained: “Somewhat slower dynamics of works related to repairs on the Bar railway, as well as the old rolling stock, resulted in longer journeys and less interest of passengers in the international transport. Except for the 3 new trains that we started to use in 2013, we use locomotives, trains and wagons, which have been periodically repaired, but are older than 30 years.”
Since 2006, he added, the entire Nikšić railway has been repaired and nearly 50% of the railway near Bar as well, while Serbia has finished 25% of its part. Low net-worth individuals, according to him, mostly use the rail transport.
