Getting to Belgrade

External assessments and connections

AIRPLANE

The Surcin airport
Web: www.airport-belgrade.co.yu, PHONE: (381) 603 227 for the central, (381) 601 424 for the information about the flights and (381) 676 374 for the lost luggage

JAT: (381) 3112 123 Web: www.jat.co.yu
The international airport of Belgrade is situated 12 km west from the capital on the road to Zagreb at the exit from Novi Beograd. JAT is offering transport to the town centre for 80 dinars. The company “Lasta” will bring you to the same destination for 120 dinars with departures between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. to both directions every day. The places where you can catch them are “Slavija” and the railway station in the centre of the town, and (three sections following one another of the circuit leading to Surcin). In addition two companies of minibuses are at your disposal if there are more of you. “Beo The Rent” PHONE (381) 3238 884 and “Inter City Express” phone (381) 3241 282.

Another possibility is also the taxi cab, but do not respond to the proposition given to you at the baggage exit and turn at the airport exit to those registered by a company as Beotaxi, Green, Maxi or Alpha. It takes 30 minutes to reach the city centre, sometimes less if you go to Novi Beograd for instance. Normally the average price is about 250 dinars per tour plus 40 if you have some baggage. But always ask the counter to be turned on.

TRAIN

The Central Railway Station PHONE: (011) 629 400 for the information about the time table (381) 684 721 for wagon couchettes and the car train.

Its look out of an ancient building makes thinking more of a little country station than of a central railway station. Less used than the bus by Serbs because of the reputation to be slower, the train remains a safe transport from the viewpoint of the timetable and especially less expensive. The railway station has been situated in opposition of the Terazije quater300 meters from the Moscow hotel. Thus it could easily be reached walking down Balkanska street at the backside of the hotel. Otherwise you can catch any bus or tram from the square Slavija and descend the Nemanjina Avenue.

Nine trains a day to Nis, meaning 4 hours for a direct and one hour more for the semi-direct (657 dinars). Four trains to Podgorica in Montenegro, two during the day and two at night, reckoning 7 hour 30 minutes per tour (868 dinars).

Two examples of regular connections: Belgrade-Zlatibor – 5 trains a day and 4 hours and 30 per tour. Belgrade-Subotica – 7 trains a day and 3 to 4 hours per tour depending they are direct or semi-direct.

THE BUS STATIONS

Attention! there are two bus stations in Belgrade and the more, they are one next to the other. But that is no problem because the competition allows to lower the prices and especially to present themselves to you any moment and you will get your ticket quickly enough.

The Bus station of Belgrade PHONE (381) 636 299
Situated 50 meters from the railway station, it is accessible like the latter by bus or on foot opposite Terazije. It serves all localities of more than 3,000 inhabitants of Serbia so to say that it is the neuralgic heart of the road network. Buy your ticket at the window indicated as “Rezervacija”. They will give you a chip to not forget. Supplied by two of them, you have to pass a gate with the chip, then you go to the quay of the correspondent number (“platform”).

The most frequented destinations are served well enough: every quarter of an hour to Novi Sad, every half an hour to Nis. But ask always for a direct (“direktan”) and to take an example: the tour to Novi Sad can vary from 45 minutes to 1 and a half hours! Thus you reckon 3 hours to Kraljevo, 4 hours to Nis, 7 hours to Pristina. As the time table has been observed, the tariffs have been somewhat higher than for the train, but this remains very correct: a go-return Belgrade-Novi Sad ticket is 400 dinars, Belgrade-Kragujevac 340 dinars and Belgrade-Nis 820 dinars.

The international bus station Lasta. PHONE (381) 625 740. Web: www.lasta.co.yu
Situated next to the railway station of Belgrade on the Sava bank on the way to the bridge leading to Novi Beograd it is easy to reach it from Terazije on foot. There is 200 meters to the cross roads Zeleni Venac, then you go down across the market and you will reach the station called “Lasta” by Belgraders, after a square full of passengers waiting. As a greater bus company of Serbia and Montenegro Lasta is also serving the internal, as well as the international lines. According to an agreement signed with the “Eurolines” Europe is at hand.

The main international destinations:

France: many lines are connecting you with main French regions
- Paris, every day departures at 10.30, 11 or 13 (130 Euro both way)
- Lyon, Wednesday and Thursday at 13, Friday at 22 (168 Euro both ways)
- Marseille, Toulon, Nice Friday and Saturday at 9.45 (184 Euro both ways)
Belgium: Departure Wednesday Saturday at 10.30 to Brussels
Switzerland: Wednesday Saturday 18 to Zurich and Saturday at17.30 to Geneva.
Greece: Thursday at 16 for Athens
Bulgaria: every day at 12.45 to Sophia

THE CAR

Two great axes serve Belgrade and lead you, when you once reach the suburbs 15-20 minutes after you left the highway to “Beograd-centre”. When you come from North (Hungary and Novi Sad) or from West (Croatia) you use the highway E70 which, coming from the airport Surcin, represents a road of two times four quicker ways little used. Cross the suburb of Novi Beograd recognisable by its two towers called “the Gates of Belgrade” without leaving it, then follow the direction “Beograd-centre”. After crossing the river Sava you can take the first way out, and you are at the heart of the capital. Another great axis is that which by the highway E75 you make enter coming from Nis. It is enough to remain on the highway crossing the suburbs and, after 4 kilometres you leave the branching called “Beograd-centre. Three secondary axes formed by the national roads are longer and sometimes uncertain. Coming from the East, from Smederevo, it would take not less than 45 minutes to cross the ancient quarters and reach the centre. From South-West, from Obrenovac, it is the same thing, Sometimes longer, the only interesting international road is that leading from Vojvodina and Pancevo because after leaving the bridge you quickly come to Kalemegdan.