Montenegro - General Information
Country Name
Montenegro (Crna Gora)
National railway system
The former state railway company Železnice Crne Gore (ŽCG, Cyrillic: Жељезница Црне Горе) was broken up in 2008 into four government owned companies to manage the infrastructure (Željeznička Infrastruktura Crne Gore, ŽICG), passenger operations (Željeznički prevoz Crne Gore, ŽPCG), freight operations (Montecargo) and rolling stock maintenance (Održavanje željezničkih voznih sredstava, OŽVS)
National Railway Operator
Passenger train operations are the responsibility of Željeznički prevoz Crne Gore (ŽPCG)
Freight operations are the responsibility of Montecargo
Language
Montenegrin/Serbian
Currency
Euro, though the country is not in the Euro zone.
UIC code
Numeric 62, alpha MNE.
Timetable
Journey Planner
The ŽPCG website provides a point to point search facility
Downloadable Timetable
Departure times from the main stations for local services are shown on the Local Transport section of the ŽPCG website
Departure times from the main stations for international trains are shown International Transport section of the ŽPCG website
A summary of all services on a single page is available on the ŽICG website here
Printed Timetable
None known.
Engineering Information
None.
Bus Information
A useful site is BalkanViator
Maps
Printed Maps
- European Railway Atlas (All-Europe Edition) by M.G. Ball.
- European Railway Atlas (Regional Series: Book 3) by M.G. Ball.
- Mapa Kolejowa Serbii, Kosowa, Czarnogóry (Serbia, Kosovo and Montenegro) by W. Kolondra.
Web-based Maps
- Refer to the Annexes of the most recent Network Statement for some useful diagrammatic maps.
- Map of Serbia and Montenegro dated December 2020.
Ticketing
ŽPCG requires passengers on the international trains to Beograd to purchase a seat reservation, irrespective of how short a journey they are making. This applies also to those on passes. However, ŽS has no such requirement on trains from Serbia, resulting in the bizarre situation of effectively requiring a reservation in one direction only. It is not known what applies on southbound international trains for journeys wholly within Montenegro, but is suspected that reservations are required. The compilers would appreciate information on this.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure Authority
Željeznička Infrastruktura Crne Gore
Network Statement
The Network Statement page on the ŽICG website gives access to the latest network statements.
Gauge
Standard
Electrification
25 kV 50 Hz
Rule of the road
The entire network is single track.
Distances
Refer to Annexe 4 of the most recent Network Statement.
Other Railways
None.
Tourist Lines
None.
Metro
None
Trams/LRT-Systems
None
Recent and future changes
All of the current rail network in Montenegro is of comparatively recent construction, largely due to the mountainous terrain; the route between Beograd and Bar only fully opened in 1976, replacing a 760mm gauge route to the Adriatic coast via Sarajevo.
The branch from Podgorica to Nikšić (table 51), which had not operated for several years, was reopened on to passenger traffic on 2 October 2012, having been electrified.
The cross-border route from Podgorica to Albania did not open until 1986 and the treaty concerning its construction limited it to freight use only. See Border Crossings: Albania - Montenegro for more information.
Special Notes
In June 2006 Montenegro became independent of the former combined "Serbia and Montenegro", which on 4 February 2003 had replaced the former name "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia".
The Mala Rijeka viaduct, between Kolašin and Podgorica on the Beograd - Bar line, was the highest viaduct in the world (198m from rail level to river level) until 2001, when it was superseded by the Beipan River Shuibai Bridge in China.
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