Narrow gauge railway Višegrad - Mоkra Gora

The narrow gauge (760 mm) railway Višegrad - Vardište was a part of the once famous "Eastern railway." In German, it is called “Bosnische Ostbahn", and is also known as the line "Sarajevo – Ostgrenze", or the Sarajevo-eastern border railway line. It was built by Austro-Hungary between 1903 and 1906. It linked Eastern Bosnia to Sarajevo and to the rest of the Austria-Hungarian empire. With a pricetag of 75 million gold crowns (450 thousand gold crowns per kilometer), it was one of the most expensive railways in the world built up until that time. If we recalculate all the costs of railway building, we will come to the incredible price of 1 kilogram of pure gold for each meter of railway. The construction of this line was motivated soley by its strategic importance, as Višegrad was located on the border between Austria-Hungary and Serbia. 

The first train passed through the picturesque valley of the river Rzav on the 4th of July, 1906, travling from Sarajevo to Dobrun. On the 1st of August of same year, a part of the railway to Vardiste was opened. After the end of World War I, construction works continued this line from Vardište to Užice in Serbia, and that route was officially opened on January 25, 1925. 

From that time forward, the railway served as an artery for this region, and an important railway link between Bosnia and Serbia for full a 49 years. Unfortunately, in 1974, under the pretext of it being delcared unviable, the goverment decided to close railway line Užice – Višegrad. In 1978, the line Višegrad – Sarajevo was closed as well. The rails were removed and the route itself has been left to oblivion.

Thanks to the the initiative of a group of Mokra Gora citizens in 2003, a part of this railroad was reconstructed for touristic purposes: from Mokra Gora to Vitasi station, known as "The Sargan Eight," and to Visegrad.  After this section of the railway was restored, the first ceremonial train arrived from in Visegrad from Mora Gora on August 28, 2010, and was welcomed by the presence of numerous special guests, media representatives and several thousands of citizens of Visegrad and the surrounding municipalities.

(www.visegradturizam.com) 

Preise:

For more info, prices and reservations visit Serbian railways website here .