Sargan 8 - scenic train ride through the mountains in Serbia
We have an exciting day ahead, because the Sargan 8 railway with a secenic train ride and Drvengrad ethno village in western Serbia await us.
Drvengrad and the Sargan 8 museum railway are the most popular destinations in Western Serbia, although they are less well known. Fortunately, even on the weekend, neither the railway nor the ethno village, which used to be the location of movie shoots, was too crowded, and the place seemed pleasantly peaceful - but it is better to buy tickets for the train in advance, just to be sure.
This cute old-style train runs between Mokra Gora and Šargan Vitasi stations on a total length of 15.6 km.
The travel time takes about 40 minutes, between the starting point and the final station, but after several stops, the total time of the tour is about 2-2.5 hours. During the journey, the train passes through fairytale landscapes, bridges and 22 tunnels, and stops at several viewpoints where you can look around and take photos.
The name Šargan 8 comes from the design of the train tracks, which just twist and turn, creating a figure similar to number eight.
This railway line used to be part of the line connecting Belgrade with Sarajevo. The first train on the Sargan Eight route started on January 25, 1925, almost 100 years ago, so you can really experience a real time travel.
A short history of the Šargan 8 train
The construction of the Šargan 8 Railway was started by the Sarajevo Railway Company in 1921. They moved very slowly, the railway was supposed to be completed in 1924, but the first train did not start on this section until 1925.
The starting point for the construction of Šargan 8 was that since trains cannot go up steep hills, this track must somehow be built so that the trains can reach the top of the mountain. That's why it travels in a figure-of-eight shape, twisting and going around the whole mountain to slowly climb up to the top - and thanks to this route, it undoubtedly offers the most impressive train experience and view in Serbia.
This little nostalgia train offers a truly authentic experience with its retro wooden interior. It stops at a total of four railway stations: Mokra Gora (departs from here and returns here), Jatare, Golubici and Sargan Vitasi, and each one is special because of something else, one of the stations, for example, has a wooden terrace from which you can enjoy a stunning view of the villages below.
The station buildings have been restored to look exactly as they did in 1925. At one of the stations there is a small tourist complex with a souvenir shop, a restaurant, a waterfall - and a very long, steep staircase, which, walking up to a forest area, also offers a wonderful panorama, and this time the train is also part of the view.
Interesting facts worth noting :
-This small section of railway passes through 5 bridges and 22 tunnels, which makes it a unique railway in Europe.
-One of the railway stations, Golubici, was built during the filming of Emir Kusturica's film "Life is a Miracle" - which has now become a regular stop for the small train.
I already mentioned the famous director Emir Kusturica, not by chance, because he built this beautiful ethnovillage as a set for his famous film "Life is a Miracle". His movie Black Cat Wite Cat is probably the most well-known, if you haven't seen it, be sure to watch it!
The good news is that we can visit this idyllic film set! The place is called "Drvengrad" (literally "wooden town") or "Küstendorf" ("Kusturica village") and is located near Mokra Gora, in the Zlatibor Mountains of Serbia - not far from the Sargan 8 station, so it is worth combining these two programs .
We dropped into an idyllic little village in the mountains, with beautiful, although now deplorable, wooden houses, a church, a main square, and restaurants. Of course, the house with the cat was my favorite, but if you walk around, you can come across many special street names and murals.
By the way, the village also has a cinema, a library, and even an exhibition hall, and film festivals are also held here.
And of course there is a wonderful view of the surrounding mountains from here.
I hope I got you in the mood for a trip to Serbia!
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Sargan 8 - scenic train ride through the mountains in Serbia
Hint for travelers: to book a ticket for Sargan train write to predrez@srbvoz.rs and rezervacija.karata@srbrail.rs as its impossible to buy tickets upon arrival for the nearest ride. Train trips start at 10:30 13:30 and 16:10.
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