A consortium led by Alstom and RZD International, including their local partner, Institute Mikhajlo Pupin, have signed a contract to supply the signalling system on part of the Belgrade–Panchevo line in Serbia. The signature comes just two months after both companies signed an MoU to conduct railway projects on the international market.  The contract for Alstom is worth around EUR 10 million. The new signalling system will be installed by the end of 2016.  

This is the first Alstom Transport project with a Russian partner outside the 1520 mm market area and the first in the field of signalling in Serbia and the Balkan region. The reconstruction project, which is part of the development of the European Railway Corridor, is financed by Russia (85%) and Serbia (15%).

It has already started and will run for the next five years. It is the first step in the reconstruction of a total of 428 km of railway line. Today, 60 trains (passengers and fret) circulate each day on the line. By 2020, this figure will more than double to up to 136 trains.

“We are proud to be a partner of RZD International in the modernization of the Serbian Railway network. This project will open the door to further synergies between RZD and Alstom to serve our customers in and beyond the 1520 mm gauge market.” said Thibault Desteract, Senior Vice President of Alstom Transport for the CIS Region.

Alstom will install its electronic interlocking system Smartlock 400 along the 16 km section leading towards Romania, from Panchevo Bridge to Panchevo main station. The Smartlock 400 system with its enhanced remote diagnostic system ensures maximum network availability and operational safety with reduced maintenance costs, while increasing traffic handling capacity.

On the 2nd of September, RZD International announced subcontracting Alstom Transport RUS for providing signalling works on  Panchevo Bridge - Pancevo Glavna (main station) section.