If you got to know Belgrade from the perspective of a cyclist, you know that it is a different city than the one we see from behind the windshield of a car or from public transport. There is no honking, standing in traffic jam or constantly looking at the clock. Instead, you can feel a gentle breeze, you can see the river, a beautiful city skyline, and the capital is a place to pass through with ease.
In cities like Amsterdam, Copenhagen or Ljubljana, the bicycle has long been used not only for recreation, but also as a mean of everyday transport – the fastest and most practical one. Belgrade could slowly but surely become a part of such a society. Certain parts of the city already offer cyclists the experience expected in modern European cities.
Belgrade Waterfront is exactly such an example. From the very beginning, it was designed to give priority to pedestrians and cyclists. There, some ride a bicycle for practical reasons, others for pleasure or the desire to spend more time outdoors. But, regardless of the motive, everyone agrees on one thing: riding through Belgrade Waterfront is a real pleasure.
Project adapted to two-wheelers
The cycling infrastructure in Belgrade Waterfront expands alongside the roadways, with the plan to eventually include more than seven kilometres of paths and lanes intended for two-wheeled rides. Sava Promenada, a favorite route of recreationalists and all those who like riding by the water, has a modernly arranged track, with a flat surface, good visibility and continuous lighting.
While Belgrade Waterfront continues to develop, one thing remains constant – the determination to adapt every segment of the project to cyclists. Whether it is planning new streets or designing new public spaces, bicycle traffic is seen as an integral part of the city’s everyday life. Bicycle lanes are carefully integrated into the wider traffic plan, designed to allow unhindered movement without interruptions and with minimal intersection with pedestrians or cars.
The existing bicycle paths in Belgrade Waterfront are constantly renewed and improved. High-quality lighting is standard, while horizontal signage – lines and pedestrian crossings – are refreshed every few months, and even more often if necessary, so that they are always visible.
Cycling as everday life
Wide, flat paths without sudden ascents and turns, logically connected to the rest of the city, enable a simple and efficient ride to work, to a meeting, to the store or to a coffee. Through bicycle routes that are part of every construction phase, an urban culture is created that values movement under one’s own power, with respect for the environment, the rhythm of the city and the needs of its citizens.
Belgrade Waterfront is part of a wider bicycle network that connects with the surrounding parts of the city. On one side, there is Ada Ciganlija with bicycle paths around the lake, while the part around „25. May“ offers a route with a nice view of the Danube. Branko’s Bridge enables an easy and quick crossing between the riverbanks, to the developed cycling infrastructure of New Belgrade. Further development and connection of these routes is planned, so that cycling through Belgrade would be even safer and more pleasant.
Movement that changes the rhythm of the city
In the end, what makes cycling in Belgrade Waterfront special is not only the infrastructure, but the way the space is experienced. Cycling here is an opportunity to stop, look at the river, enjoy the view or simply be in motion, without noise and stress.
Belgrade Waterfront doesn’t only change the appearance of the city, it also changes its pace. It shows that development can be both fast and careful, urban and sustainalbe. The direction we move is more important than the speed we go. Here, it is a track along the river, on two wheels.