Chinese “moles” to arrive to Belgrade next year – Boring on subway line 1 to begin by end-2026

Two tunnel-boring machines (TBMs) for the boring of the tunnels of the first line of the Belgrade subway, so-called moles, will be delivered in the second half of 2026, it was announced during the official visit of the delegation of the PUC Belgrade Metro and Train to China. Their arrival will mark the beginning of the most demanding tunnel construction.

The machines are produced by CRCHI - China Railway Construction Heavy Industry, and the Belgrade delegation had an opportunity in China to see first-hand the process of the preparation and the methodology of the use of this technology.

At the same time, a range of meetings were held in Beijing with PowerChina, which is the main contractor on Line 1 and with which three agreements worth a total of around a billion euros have already been signed. They encompass the construction of the Makis depot and two out of three phases (lots) of the subway route itself, whereas negotiations for the third lot are ongoing.

The plan is for the first line to be completed by the end of 2030.

JKP Beogradski metro i voz Beograd

Power Construction Corporation of China Limited Ogranak Beograd

China Railway Construction Heavy Industry

PUC Belgrade Metro and Train

PowerChina

Belgrade subway

tunnel boring