Bus Travel within Serbia

[Ouster]

Greetings,
My plan is to fly into Belgrade then travel by bus to the following places (tentative):
•Belgrade
•Novi Sad
•Valjevo
•Uzice
•Nis
•Belgrade

I have a question about bus travel within Serbia. Can I travel easily by bus from town to town outside of Belgrade, i.e., Belgrade - Novi Sad - Valjevo •Uzice •Nis •Belgrade (without backtracking); or do I have to back track to Belgrade each time because it is the hub, i.e., Belgrade - Novi Sad - Belgrade - Valjevo etc.?

I ask this question because I've been to places where bus networks operate on a hub system where outlying towns do not have frequent service (maybe 1 run per day or 2 per week) or do not connect to the desired destination.

Looking forward to your advice to enable better travel planning.

[Jelence12]

You can easily travel from Novi sad to Valjevo, or from Uzice to Nis etc. You don't have to go back to Belgrade each time. But just check timetable. You can use this site

http://redvoznje.net/

[Ouster]

Thanks for the advice!

I've been reading some of the other topics in this forum and there was a post on "off the beaten path" destinations:
https://www.klubputnika.org/forum/topic/2978-off-the-beaten-path-places/

which showed a link to such places.  But the link does not work!  Can someone direct me to a working link?   

Some more questions:

• How reliable is Studenica dormitory accommodation?  Some of the previous posters report that the email does not work or they got no response.
• Are there any volunteers to roll out the red carpet and show me around your town? 

[Raymond Luxury-Yacht]

Thanks for the advice!

I've been reading some of the other topics in this forum and there was a post on "off the beaten path" destinations:

https://www.klubputnika.org/forum/topic/2978-off-the-beaten-path-places/

which showed a link to such places.  But the link does not work!  Can someone direct me to a working link?   

Hi Ouster,

yes, the English page seems to be gone, here is the Serbian version: https://www.klubputnika.org/servis/odredista (just use google translate, you'll understand most of what you need and you'll probably have a few giggles too). And if you find a destination you like, you can always check back here and ask for more info about it.

[Old School]

Try balkanviator: http://www.balkanviator.com/en/

They have pretty reliable bus timetables information for the whole Balkans.

[Ouster]

Questions about the Nis spa:

• Is there a single spa or several?
• How do you get into the spa for a massage, just walk in? 

[Ouster]

I'm thinking of traveling to Novi Sad from the airport and there doesn't seem to be any direct buses.

Has anybody had experience with this shared transfer service?:

http://www.autoturist-ns.com/en/home/transportation-belgrade-airport-novi-sad-belgrade-airport/

[Duya]

I'm from Novi Sad. Unfortunately, there's no direct regular line [anymore] from the airport to Novi Sad, but there are multiple transfer service companies like that one.

I didn't travel with those guys in particular, but those seem like the standard prices, so I think you can safely use them. No guarantees of course, but I guess there's enough competition to ensure a relatively professional service. Now, if you travel alone, the final price depends on your luck finding a fellow passenger.

A cheaper alternative is to travel to Belgrade via the local bus, then take a bus to Novi Sad, that should be some 10€ total, though it's a bit of hassle (and ~3 hours of travel).

Pay attention that the average exchange rate is 1€ = 115 RSD, so better exchange some dinars in advance.

[Ouster]

Duya,

I've booked a trip with the transfer service I linked to, and they promise to inform me the day before if they have a shared transfer.  Can you also let me know which service you use?  If they don't have a shared transfer on my arrival date, I'll have to scramble to find another pickup.

All,

Can I assume there are ATM machines in the arrival hall of BEG?

I'm from Novi Sad. Unfortunately, there's no direct regular line [anymore] from the airport to Novi Sad, but there are multiple transfer service companies like that one.

I didn't travel with those guys in particular, but those seem like the standard prices, so I think you can safely use them. No guarantees of course, but I guess there's enough competition to ensure a relatively professional service. Now, if you travel alone, the final price depends on your luck finding a fellow passenger.

A cheaper alternative is to travel to Belgrade via the local bus, then take a bus to Novi Sad, that should be some 10€ total, though it's a bit of hassle (and ~3 hours of travel).

Pay attention that the average exchange rate is 1€ = 115 RSD, so better exchange some dinars in advance.

[Relja]

All,

Can I assume there are ATM machines in the arrival hall of BEG?

Yep.

http://beg.aero/while_waiting/money_and_insurance/at_machines/at_machines.731.html

[Duya]

Duya,

I've booked a trip with the transfer service I linked to, and they promise to inform me the day before if they have a shared transfer.  Can you also let me know which service you use?

Ouster, I have a taxi driver from NS who gives me a friendly price of 25€ per trip, but I always travel with my wife (and travel relatively often). I could make an arrangement for you, but it could hardly go under these 25-30€, so I didn't want to play a middleman and just complicate the matters.

Even if your shared transfer fails for whatever reason, you can always take the public transport (bus #72) from the airport and a bus to Novi Sad from the Belgrade bus station, it's not that much of a hassle. Just avoid shark cab drivers fishing for victims in the airport's waiting room and you'll be fine.

[Ouster]

Wisdom.  Thanks for the advice.  I've got some other questions but I think I'll start another thread since it's no longer about bus transport.

Ouster, I have a taxi driver from NS who gives me a friendly price of 25€ per trip, but I always travel with my wife (and travel relatively often). I could make an arrangement for you, but it could hardly go under these 25-30€, so I didn't want to play a middleman and just complicate the matters.

Even if your shared transfer fails for whatever reason, you can always take the public transport (bus #72) from the airport and a bus to Novi Sad from the Belgrade bus station, it's not that much of a hassle. Just avoid shark cab drivers fishing for victims in the airport's waiting room and you'll be fine.