Vucic: Belgrade-Budapest high-speed rail line to be launched by March 2026 at the latest

BUDAPEST - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday in Budapest a high-speed rail line between Belgrade and Budapest would be launched by March 2026 at the latest.

"It would happen much sooner, but (building it) will take somewhat longer due to a 3 km route going through downtown Budapest," Vucic told reporters after a meeting with Hungarian PM Viktor Orban, noting that a train journey between the two capitals would take "two hours and forty, two hours and forty-five minutes."

He said he had also discussed building an oil pipeline between Serbia and Hungary.

"A single project has been finished, and a feasibility study will be completed by December 10. We have set aside the money and the cost of our section will amount to around 150 mln (euros)," Vucic said, noting that the diversification of oil supply routes had a "very healing effect."

He also said work was underway on further leases of natural gas storage facilities in Hungary, noting that they would be insufficient even after planned capacity increases.

He also said he had asked Orban to consider Hungary selling a 5 or 10 pct stake in its Paks nuclear power plant to Serbia.

Vucic said they had also discussed other energy issues, such as a Pannonian Corridor of power transmission lines that would connect the two countries.