Rail service in Serbia was suspended nationwide on Saturday ahead of a large student protest scheduled in Belgrade.
The state-owned rail operator Srbija Voz announced in a brief statement released this morning that train service has been “temporarily” suspended throughout the country.
The company did not provide any explanation for the decision. An employee of the company in the city of Subotica, located on the country’s northern border, was unable to specify the reason for the suspension. This is the third time Serbian authorities have suspended rail traffic ahead of student demonstrations.
Protests Following the Tragedy at the Novi Sad Train Station
The protests began following the tragedy that occurred in November 2024 in the city of Novi Sad, where the collapse of a canopy at a train station resulted in the deaths of 16 people. Students were at the forefront of the protest movement and demanded the resignation of President Aleksandar Vučić.
In August 2025 a former minister and ten other people were arrested in Serbia in connection with the Novi Sad train station roof case.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, those arrested had responsibilities related to the renovation work at that station. Among those arrested is former Minister of Infrastructure Tomislav Momirovic. Six of them are suspected of inflating invoices issued by a consortium consisting of two Chinese companies (China Railway International Co and China Communications Construction Co) that were entrusted with the renovation of the Novi Sad train station and the railway lines, according to a statement from the Belgrade Prosecutor’s Office.
It also adds that, by inflating the invoices, the damage to the state budget amounted to 115.6 million USD, while the Chinese consortium made a profit of 18.8 million USD.
Protesters accuse the authorities of negligence and corruption in connection with the accident. The Serbian government has responded with harsh measures against the protesters, according to civic organizations and the opposition.
Several organizers and supporters of the demonstrations have been arrested in recent months. In March and June of last year, the authorities cited anonymous bomb threats to justify suspending train service ahead of the protests.
Independent observers, however, claimed that the measure was intended to prevent protesters from other cities from traveling to the capital. Tens of thousands of people participated in previous demonstrations. Organizers expect a similar turnout at the protest scheduled for Saturday evening in Belgrade’s Slavija Square.
The student protests have become one of the biggest political challenges for the Vučić administration in recent years. The movement has garnered support from university professors, civic organizations, and opposition parties, which accuse the Belgrade government of excessive control over institutions and of restricting democratic freedoms.
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