The delegation of PUK "Belgrade Metro and Train", led by director Andrej Mladenović, is on an official visit to China. On the first day of the visit, a series of meetings were held at the Beijing headquarters of PowerChina, one of the world's leading contractors in the field of infrastructure, energy and construction. This renowned Chinese company is the main contractor for the construction of Line 1 of the Belgrade metro.
During the visit, the importance of the three strategic contracts signed so far with this company, with a total value of around one billion euros, was highlighted. The contract for Depo Makis includes the construction of an operational control center and associated halls and facilities, while the contracts for the construction of the subway are divided into three lots, of which two key ones have been signed so far and negotiations are underway for lot three. This division into lots enables the smooth implementation of all activities and works on the first phase of Line 1, including procurement and production of TBM machines, excavations and preparatory works, construction of tunnels, stations and supporting infrastructure.
The delegation will continue its visit to China with a tour of the production facility of the Chinese Railway Construction Heavy Industry (CRCHI) factory, responsible for the production of TBM (TBM - Tunnel Boring Machine) for the needs of the Belgrade metro. These machines, also known as "moles", are key to tunnel excavation and represent one of the most significant investments in modern technology within the project. Both TBMs will be delivered to Belgrade in the second half of 2026, which will begin the most demanding and important phase of the metro construction. This segment of the visit to China is significant because PUC "Belgrade Metro and Train" will get acquainted with the complete methodology, details and procedures of machine manufacturing, on the spot.
"This is a key step in the realization of a project that changes the face of Belgrade. The arrival of the TBMs marks the beginning of the most complex and actually the most important phase of the works - tunnel excavation. The cooperation with PowerChina and CRCHI guarantees that Belgrade will get the most modern metro system in this part of Europe," said the director of the "Belgrade Metro and Train" PUK Andreja Mladenović.
"For our company, which builds metros in more than 40 world cities, the construction of the Belgrade metro represents one of the priorities and a big challenge to present ourselves in the right light in Europe. We have built more than a thousand kilometers of metro tunnels, and only at this moment, 51 TBMs are working on the construction of the metro within the framework of 16 different projects, digging tunnels with a total length of 260 kilometers. In the coming period, the Power China company will involve its best experts to contribute with their experience and knowledge the best possible quality of subway construction in your city," said the President of Power China Railway, Mr. Zhang Haiku.
The visit to Beijing once again confirms the commitment and trust in the strategic partnership between Serbia and China, with the common goal that Belgrade will have an efficient, safe and modern metro system by the end of 2030.
