A new rail connection has been introduced between the Port of Rijeka and Niš, Serbia. The rail corridor connects Rijeka’s container terminal to the Serbian logistics hub of Niš, offering an alternative to road transport for containerised cargo headed inland. The service is operated in coordination with national and private rail freight providers in both countries. No official data has been provided on weekly frequency, train length, or expected volume.
This development fits into ongoing efforts by ports in the Adriatic region to expand hinterland rail connectivity. The Rijeka terminal has been undergoing a gradual shift toward intermodal rail-based distribution to inland destinations, with links already established to Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria.
The introduction of the Niš connection aims to address cargo routing options in the Western Balkans and support growing interest in rail alternatives on medium-distance inland routes.
Rijeka has seen rising interest from shippers targeting Central and Southeastern European markets via the Adriatic, particularly as congestion at northern European ports has affected turnaround times for sea freight. Niš, positioned at a railway junction connecting Serbia with Bulgaria and North Macedonia, serves as a regional distribution point.
The launch of this connection follows various investments in Croatian rail infrastructure, including works on the Rijeka–Zagreb line and planned corridor upgrades under EU-backed schemes. While long-term capacity on these lines is still subject to infrastructure constraints, new routes like Rijeka–Niš are expected to test commercial feasibility and gauge demand for further services.
