Exactly 122 years ago, on September 15th 1884 (to be precise on September 3rd according to the old calendar), the first railway line in Serbia between Belgrade and Nis was opened to traffic. Since that time railway represents the central point of traffic system in Serbia, and rail development is one of the most important infrastructure projects in the country.

Building of the railway Belgrade – Nis came as a consequence of certain obligations, taken on by the Principality of Serbia (since 1882 the Kingdom of Serbia) in 1882 on the Congress in Berlin. At the Congress, Austria-Hungary helped Serbia to take over new territories, setting a condition to make a special convention. This convention imposed to Serbia an obligation to build a railway line from the border on the river Sava to Turkey, that is to Bulgarian border, within the period of three years. According to the Vienna Railway Convention, signed in March 1880, Serbian Kingdom obliged itself to commence the construction of the railway, and finish it in three years, so that the first train path, on the section Belgrade – Nis, could be determined. Building of the railway started in June 1881, and the Duke Milan Obrenovic, near the bridge on Mokri Lug River, along the Topcider Road (near the entrance of Belgrade Fair today) with silver pickax put the foundation of modern Serbian railways.

For the building of the first railway, Serbia signed a contract with French "General Union". After only a year, the French company bankrupted, however the rail was completed, and 59 years after the opening of English railway Stockton-Darlington, “iron road” through Serbia was built as well. The works have been performed simultaneously along the entire path 244 kilometers long, and beside the stations Belgrade and Nis, there were 20 other inter-stations on the line. The works were completed in 1884, and station buildings in Belgrade and Nis were opened the same year.

The first ceremonial train passed through the valley of Morava on 4th September (24th August in the old calendar) 1884, and regular passenger transport between Belgrade and Nis was launched 15th September 1884 (3dr September in the old calendar).

Three days before the ceremonial opening of the line Belgrade-Nis, the first train ran across the Sava Bridge, which connected Serbian and Austria-Hungary Railways. The first passenger on the train was the King Milan Obrenovic, traveling with his escort to Vienna, and did not attend the formal opening of the railway Belgrade-Nis, the first rail in his Kingdom.

Right after the finalization of the first train path, started the works on the sections from Nis to Bulgarian border and towards south, which have been connecting the first Serbian railway with the rails built by the Ottoman Empire. Till 1914 Serbia built 700 kilometers of standard-gauge railway, and about 600 kilometers of narrow-gauge lines 0,76 meters wide. The main path was connecting Valjevo, Uzice and Smederevo, and an independent section of standard-gauge rail was functioning in the region of Negotin, on the section Knjazevac-Zajecar-Negotin.

After the destructions brought by The First World War, The Kingdom of SCS immediately begun with the rehabilitation of railway network, as the most efficient transport mode, so that till 1921 almost every path and object has been repaired. Government of the new common state immediately commenced capital projects on the repair if the existing and building of new railway network, connecting the entire country and improving its development. Till 1945, over 2500 kilometers of train paths have been built. Rails, tunnels, bridges, railway stations were built in all parts of the state, and new building technologies enabled them to surmount the insurmountable obstacles. The section Uzice – Vardiste on the line Belgrade – Sarajevo, were the passage over the mountain Sargan is a master piece of civil-engineering, today stands for a path of so-called "Sargan Eight" one of the greatest tourist attractions of Serbia, unique in the whole world.

After the end of the Second World War and the repair of damaged rails, Yugoslav Government begun with an attentive planning of new railway paths and strategic lines. Developing economy, as well as the increasing number of citizens, was imposing a stabile, reliable and comfortable railway network, which would be able to carry the burden of society development. Narrow-gauge railways were being abandoned, steam traction replaced with diesel traction, and then even with electric one. Till the beginning of the 90’s, 3000 kilometers of the railways have been built on the territory of SFRJ. Huge infrastructure projects brought the connection of the most important port towns on the Adriatic coast, and one of the greatest civil-engineering undertakings of that time was the construction of railway line Belgrade – Bar. This line was opened to traffic 1976, and it was 476 kilometers long, with 234 bridges and 254 tunnels of the total length 130 kilometers.

Breakdown of the state, economic crises and sanction of international union during 90’s, and then the bombing were Serbian railways suffered a great damage, all slowed down the further railway development, bringing down the activities to elementary infrastructure maintenance and minimum of traffic.

In spite of difficult times, capital projects on railway infrastructure begun: Belgrade center, including one modern semi-metro station "Vuk Monument", operation since 1995, and a new passenger station "Belgrade Center", which is in the phase of construction, expecting to be finalized till 2009.