The train from Podgorica to Belgrade
A couple of years ago an intrepid friend of mine spoke of a train journey through the Balkans that sounded like no other. She described a line that connected present day Podgorica in Montenegro to Belgrade in Serbia crossing a spectacular mountain range. I was intrigued and investigated the matter. According to train journey (and life) guru The Man in Seat 61 it is ‘one of Europe's most spectacular train rides’ and a' ‘marvel of Soviet engineering’. It sounded a must and I was intent on factoring it into my Silk Road journey in 2019.
My girlfriend, Aleyha, and I reached Podgorica in early July last year and discussed our plans with a young man serving breakfast at our hotel. “The train is no longer operating due to the line being very dangerous,” he told us flatly. “It frequently derails. Many people have died. I suggest you fly.”
“The train is no longer operating due to the line being very dangerous. It frequently derails. Many people have died.”
Rattled but finding no evidence online of these dramatic and strange claims, we got a second opinion and were reassured that the train was still operating and was ‘more or less’ safe.
So, we went in search of the train to Belgrade. And we were not disappointed. A one way ticket cost us €21 for a cabin of our own and the train departed exactly on time.
The near 480km, 10 hour journey truly is a marvel of Soviet engineering. Traversing spectacular mountainous landscapes, the train travels across 435 bridges and through 254 tunnels. The latter would plunge the train into complete darkness, sometimes for several minutes at a time. Periodically, I would feel completely lost from the world forgetting where we were and where we were headed.
These existential moments, together with the spectacular vistas and the time that travelling by train affords one to think, are what makes this journey so unique and memorable. If you have the time to spare, I highly recommend taking this train over the equivalent plane journey any day.
