Niš-Ekspres
Niš-Ekspres is a Serbian bus transportation company based in Niš and one of the principal providers of intercity passenger transport from southern Serbia.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Niš-Ekspres is a Serbian passenger-transportation company headquartered in Niš. Its full legal name is Akcionarsko društvo za saobraćajnu delatnost Niš-Ekspres Niš. The company was established on 3 March 1951 as Preduzeće za putnički saobraćaj, beginning operations with a fleet of seven buses. Over time, it developed into a major regional bus operator serving intercity routes from Niš and other destinations in Serbia. The brand is associated primarily with scheduled road passenger services rather than with a diversified consumer-products portfolio. The company's historical importance reflects the role of bus transport in connecting Niš, a major city in southern Serbia, with other Serbian urban centres and with destinations elsewhere in the former Yugoslav transport network. One formerly operated route, Niš–Priština, became particularly prominent in the company's history because a Niš-Ekspres bus was struck by a NATO missile on 1 May 1999 during the bombing of Yugoslavia. According to the cited reference material, 23 people were killed. The route is no longer operated. On 16 February 2001, a further deadly incident occurred when a bus was targeted in a terrorist bombing, killing 12 civilians. These events are part of the historical record associated with the company, although they are not commercial scandals. Niš-Ekspres also entered vehicle manufacturing in the 1990s. In 1996 it began producing buses under the Nibus name. Its first reported model was the Nibus 350 tourist coach, powered by a MAN engine. Continued development led to the Nibus 400 after approximately five years. In 2006, the Nibus 400 received a “Best of Serbia” award, marking a notable point in the company's engineering and manufacturing activity. The available references do not establish whether Nibus remains an active product line or whether bus production continues at the same scale. The company's ownership structure changed in October 2019, when Bokić Gojko d.o.o., a company owned by Niš-Ekspres general director Zoran Jovanović, acquired nearly half of the shares from Delta Real Estate, a Belgrade-based company. The transaction made Bokić Gojko the majority shareholder. No reliable financial figures, current route inventory, fleet size, current executive roster beyond the referenced general director, or official website are provided in the available source material. Niš-Ekspres is therefore best characterized as an active Serbian intercity bus brand whose principal identity rests on scheduled passenger transport, with a significant historical association with Niš and a past secondary role in bus manufacturing.
History
Niš-Ekspres was founded on 3 March 1951 as Preduzeće za putnički saobraćaj. Its initial fleet consisted of seven buses. The enterprise grew within the postwar Yugoslav and later Serbian road-transport system, ultimately becoming a major provider of intercity passenger transportation from Niš. The available historical account identifies the company as the largest and most-used public intercity transportation provider from Niš, although it does not provide a current fleet count, detailed route list, or traffic statistics. The company's history includes two major wartime and terrorism-related tragedies. On 1 May 1999, during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, a Niš-Ekspres bus on the Niš–Priština route was struck by a missile. The cited account reports that 23 people died. The route is no longer operated. On 16 February 2001, a terrorist bombing involving a bus killed 12 civilians. These incidents are significant historical events associated with the operator, but the available material does not describe them as corporate misconduct or commercial scandals. Niš-Ekspres expanded beyond bus operations in 1996 by starting production under the Nibus name. The first reported model was the Nibus 350 tourist coach, equipped with a MAN engine. After roughly five years of further development, the model evolved into the Nibus 400. In 2006, the Nibus 400 received a Best of Serbia award. The available sources do not establish the later scale, continuity, or present status of Nibus manufacturing. A major ownership development occurred in October 2019. Bokić Gojko d.o.o., a company owned by Niš-Ekspres general director Zoran Jovanović, bought nearly 50 percent of the company's shares from Delta Real Estate, based in Belgrade. The purchase made Bokić Gojko the majority shareholder. Beyond this transaction, the available source material does not provide sufficient information about subsequent ownership, management changes, financial performance, fleet modernization, or current operating strategy. Niš-Ekspres remains documented as an active Serbian bus company whose core brand proposition is scheduled passenger transportation, particularly services connected with Niš.
- 2019
Bokić Gojko becomes majority shareholder
[1]Bokić Gojko d.o.o. acquired nearly half of the shares from Delta Real Estate, becoming the majority shareholder.
- 2006
Nibus 400 receives Best of Serbia award
[1]The Nibus 400 coach received the Best of Serbia award.
- 2001
Bus bombing
[1]A terrorist bombing on 16 February killed 12 civilians on a Niš-Ekspres bus.
- 1999
Niš–Priština bus destroyed during NATO bombing
[1]A Niš-Ekspres bus was hit by a NATO missile on 1 May while operating the Niš–Priština route; the cited account reports 23 deaths.
- 1996
Entry into bus manufacturing
[1]The company began producing buses under the Nibus name.
- 1951
Company established
[1]Preduzeće za putnički saobraćaj, the predecessor of Niš-Ekspres, was established on 3 March with seven buses.
Products and positioning
A major Serbian intercity and regional bus operator centered on Niš, with historical experience in coach manufacturing.
Bus transportation · 1951
Intercity passenger transportation
Niš-Ekspres's core offering is scheduled road passenger transportation linking Niš with destinations in Serbia and, historically, with routes beyond the city. The company is identified as a major and heavily used intercity transportation provider from Niš. The available material does not provide a current timetable, route inventory, fare structure, or fleet details.
Tourist coach · 1996
Nibus 350
The Nibus 350 was the first bus model associated with Niš-Ekspres's manufacturing activity, which began in 1996. It was described as a tourist coach powered by a MAN engine. After several years of development, the design evolved into the Nibus 400. The available references do not establish whether the Nibus 350 remains in production or service.
Coach · 2001
Nibus 400
The Nibus 400 was developed as the successor and refinement of the Nibus 350 after approximately five years of continuous development. It became the best-known product associated with the company's bus-manufacturing venture and received a Best of Serbia award in 2006. Current production and commercial status are not established by the available sources.
Brand decisions
2019
Change in majority ownershipM&ABackground
Nearly half of Niš-Ekspres shares were held by Delta Real Estate, a Belgrade-based company.
Action taken
Bokić Gojko d.o.o., owned by general director Zoran Jovanović, purchased the shares and became the majority shareholder.
Aftermath
The transaction changed the company's controlling shareholder. No reliable post-transaction financial or operational results are provided in the available references.
1996
Launch of Nibus bus manufacturingProduct launchBackground
The passenger-transport operator expanded into vehicle production during the 1990s.
Action taken
Niš-Ekspres started producing buses under the Nibus name, beginning with the Nibus 350 tourist coach.
Aftermath
The product line developed into the Nibus 400, which later received a Best of Serbia award. The longer-term status of the manufacturing business is unclear.
Recent events
- 2019
Niš-Ekspres established as Bokić Gojko becomes majority shareholder[1]
M&A · Leadership change
Bokić Gojko d.o.o., owned by general director Zoran Jovanović, purchased nearly half of Niš-Ekspres shares from Delta Real Estate and became the company's majority shareholder.
- 2001
Terrorist bombing kills passengers on a Niš-Ekspres bus[1]
Other
A terrorist bombing on 16 February 2001 killed 12 civilians while they were on a Niš-Ekspres bus.
- 1999
Niš-Ekspres bus struck during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia[1]
Other
A Niš-Ekspres bus operating on the Niš–Priština route was hit by a NATO missile on 1 May 1999. The cited reference reports 23 fatalities.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/niš-ekspres · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled