Modern Infrastructure
As a logistics base, Serbia is a perfect place for a company to locate its operations if wanting to efficiently serve its EU, SEE or Middle Eastern customers. It borders the EU, at the Hungarian, Bulgarian, and Romanian state line offering a possibility of production outside the European Union. Moreover, businesses can enjoy all the benefits of working outside the EU, while being able to provide services and transport goods in projected and flexible time frames.
Further, for its position on the geographic borderline between the East and West, Serbia is often referred to as a gateway of Europe. In addition, two very important European corridors, No. 7 - River Danube and No. 10 - the international highway and railroad, intersect on the Serbian territory providing excellent logistic connections with Western Europe and the Middle East. In summary, Serbia boasts a great potential to grow into a logistics hub of the South East Europe.
Read in more detail about:
Roads
Railroad
Ports
Airports
Telecommunications
By using highly developed road connections, shipment from Serbia can reach even the remotest parts of Europe in less than 72 hours. Goods can also move rapidly cross-country - the road network of Serbia is 40,845 km long consisting of the following:
- 5,525 km of state roads of the 1st category,
- 11,540 km of state roads of the 2nd category, and
- 23,780 km of local roads.
The road network also features 498 km of toll motorways and 136 km of toll semi-motorways.
In order to further upgrade the country's road network, Serbian Government has adopted the National Plan for Road and Railroad Infrastructure Development. By 2012, a total of €2.9 billion will be slated for the construction of the six major highways.
The railway network in Serbia has the length of 3,809 km. Out of that figure, main lines account for 50%, 35% of the network is electrified (in particular main lines), while 7% of the lines are double-tracked.
The main lines are designed for freight trains of 1,000-1,200t and 120 axles, i.e. train lengths of 600 m plus locomotive. Passenger trains of 600t are also allowed.
In general, the main lines have been designed for a maximum speed of 120 km/h except for the Belgrade - Bar (80-100 km/h), Nis - Presevo, and Nis - Dimitrovgrad lines. The present permissible train speeds are below the designed speeds on most lines and line sections. The average permissible speed on the Corridor X lines is limited to 82 km/h.
The major part of the main lines are of the class D4, i.e. permitting an axle load of 22.5t and 8.0 tons/m, which applies generally in Western Europe.
As is the case with road network development, the Government plans modernization and reconstruction of the railway lines on the Corridor X. This project aims to increase the average speed, along with electrification and construction of the double-gauge railway tracks on certain sections. The total amount of investment funds is estimated at around €1.7 billion. The detailed project volume and timeline will be determined in the next 12-18 months.
Serbia offers an outstanding potential for river transportation. A highly cost effective way of transport can be pursued on three rivers giving a total of 959 km of safe navigable routes. The international River Danube, 588 km long, represents the most reliable navigable route, which can be used for transportation throughout the year. In addition, artificial canals Rhine-Main-Danube - an international canal allowing barge traffic between the North Sea and the Black Sea and Danube-Tisa-Danube create a network of routes providing access to all Danube basin countries.
The Sava River links the following countries in the region: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia, and is in the process of gaining the status of the International Navigable Route.
The Danube River features a total of 7 ports: Apatin, Backa Palanka, Belgrade, Novi Sad, Pancevo, Prahovo, and Smederevo.
Serbia can be reached by air using one of two available international airports in Serbia: Nikola Tesla Airport in Belgrade and Nis International Airport. Also, there is a Civil Airport Bor and 16 sports airports. Transportation by air to and from Belgrade is possible to almost every destination in the world, either directly or by layover.
FIXED TELEPHONY
Serbia has a relatively good voice telephone access, with a penetration rate about 38% higher than the South East European average. Telekom Srbija provides fixed telephony services in Serbia. Following major investments over the past few years, the company's operating system is now 93% digitalized.
As of 2009, the fixed telephony market will be open for private investors.
Key features of the fixed telephony network include:
- Total number of available installed subscriber lines: 3,216,734;
- Total number of connected subscriber lines: 2,930,273;
- Installed subscriber capacity per 100 inhabitants: 42.9;
- Level of digitalization: 93.3%.
MOBILE TELEPHONY
Mobile phone networks are widespread, covering 90% of the country geographically. There are three mobile telephony service providers: Telekom Srbija, Telenor and VIP Mobilkom. The three operators support 2nd and 3rd generation mobile networks, while mobile telephony penetration in Serbia stands at 112.7% (8,452,600).
INTERNET
The total capacity of Serbia's international Internet link via Telekom Srbija is 10.2 Gbs. In addition, the Internet provider VeratNet has its own link, with the capacity of 2 x 155 Mbs, while the Serbian Academic Network has a 1Gbs link towards Hungary and 155 Mbs link towards Greece.
Internet access is offered by around 160 local providers in the following forms:
- Cable Internet with the maximum capacity of 10 Mbits;
- ISDN/ADSL up to 2 Mbits.
