Belgrade Public Transport Adjusts for Protest: Buses Run, Trams and Trolleybuses Withdrawn

Public transport in Belgrade is adapting to an upcoming student protest scheduled for the evening, with a significant operational shift affecting trams and trolleybuses. Ivan Banković, president of the "Centar" union at the Belgrade Public Transport Company (GSP), stated that buses will remain on the streets, but trams and trolleybuses are being withdrawn from service for safety reasons.

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Buses remain on the streets of Belgrade ahead of the student protest on Slavija, while only trams and trolleybuses are being withdrawn from traffic for safety reasons.

Tram traffic began a phased suspension at 11:30 AM due to security concerns. Trams originating from Banjica and Ustanička streets are being systematically moved to depots in New Belgrade. This measure aims to prevent them from becoming stuck in the city center during the main protest gathering, which is set to commence at Slavija Square at 6:00 PM.

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Tram traffic in Belgrade is being successively canceled from 11:30 AM for security reasons, and trams from Banjica and Ustanička streets are being systematically withdrawn to the depot in New Belgrade so as not to get stuck on the streets due to the main gathering that starts at Slavija at 6:00 PM.

Trolleybus lines are currently operational but are expected to be withdrawn from the streets once an order is received from the Ministry of Interior. Banković explained that trolleybuses are connected to overhead power lines and lack the flexibility to easily change routes or maneuver, making them more vulnerable than buses.

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Trolleybus lines are currently still operating, but will be operationally withdrawn from the streets as soon as an order from the Ministry of Interior arrives, as the vehicles are tied to the contact network and do not have the possibility of maneuvering and easy route changes.

In contrast, all bus lines, operated by both GSP and private carriers, are running normally, with no buses having been pulled from service thus far. Banković anticipates that bus routes passing through the city center may be shortened or rerouted by traffic police if conditions on their regular routes are deemed unsafe for passage, prioritizing citizen safety. He also drew a distinction with past protests, noting that private carriers did not operate at all during a large protest on March 15 of the previous year, while GSP continued service until ordered to withdraw vehicles.

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All bus lines - both GSP vehicles and private carriers - are operating regularly, and no bus has been withdrawn to the garage so far.