Getting Around Serbia

Getting around Serbia is cheap and refreshingly simple. Belgrade's buses, trams and trolleybuses have been completely free since January 2025 — for everyone, tourists included — and ride apps, intercity buses and the new high-speed train fill in the rest. Most expats in Belgrade and Novi Sad never bother owning a car.

Getting around Belgrade

Belgrade has a dense public transport network of buses, trams and trolleybuses run by GSP Beograd, plus the BG Voz suburban rail. It covers the whole city, runs from early morning to past midnight (with a handful of night bus lines), and — the big news — it is now free to ride.

What happened to the BusPlus card?

If you read older guides, you will see talk of the BusPlus card — a tap-on card you loaded with credit. That system has been retired along with fares. You no longer need a card, app or SMS ticket for regular lines. The only paid exceptions are two niche categories:

• A1 Airport minibus (Slavija ↔ Nikola Tesla Airport) — about 400 RSD (~€3.40), paid to the driver.
• "E" express minibus lines — around 200 RSD (~€1.70), paid on board. Regular numbered bus lines covering the same routes are still free.

Use the Beograd Plus or Moovit apps for live routes and arrival times. The network is reliable but can get crowded at rush hour, and trams in particular are slow — for a quick hop across town, a ride app is often worth the few euros.

Ride apps (the Uber alternative)

Uber does not operate in Serbia. Instead, locals use Yandex Go and CarGo — both work just like Uber, with upfront pricing, in-app card payment or cash, on iOS and Android. Yandex Go has the widest coverage and shortest wait times in Belgrade; CarGo is the home-grown favourite. A typical cross-city trip runs €3–7, a little more in peak hours or at night. These apps are the easiest option if your Serbian is shaky, since you never have to explain a destination out loud.

Taxis

Street taxis are metered and regulated. As of 2026 the standard tariff is roughly a 210 RSD (~€1.80) flag-fall plus about 80 RSD (~€0.70) per km, with higher night and out-of-zone rates. Stick to clearly marked taxis from reputable firms (Pink, Naxis, Lux, Beotaxi) and make sure the meter is running. The classic tourist scam is an unmarked car quoting a flat "tourist price" — avoid it. Honestly, most expats just default to Yandex Go, where the price is fixed before you get in.

Getting between cities

Intercity buses (BAS and others)

Long-distance buses are the workhorse of Serbian travel — frequent, comfortable and cheap. Belgrade's main hub is the BAS Belgrade Bus Station, which relocated to a modern terminal in New Belgrade in late 2024 (the old riverside station near the railway has been closed). Book online at bas.rs, or via Busbud or FlixBus in English with card payment. Buy at the counter and you may pay a small platform/peron fee on top of the ticket.

• Belgrade → Novi Sad — about 1 to 1.5 hours, €4–7.
• Belgrade → Niš — about 3 hours, €9–14.
• Belgrade → Subotica — about 3 hours, €9–13.

Trains — and the Soko high-speed line

Serbia's general rail network (Srbija Voz) is being modernised but is still slower than the bus on most routes. The shining exception is the Soko ("Falcon") high-speed train between Belgrade and Novi Sad: it covers the distance in about 36 minutes at up to 200 km/h, with air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, power sockets and comfortable seats. Tickets use dynamic pricing — typically €4–9 one way depending on demand. It is faster, cheaper and far more pleasant than driving, and the line is gradually being extended north toward Subotica and the Hungarian border. Book ahead on the Srbija Voz site or app, especially for weekends.

Nikola Tesla Airport to the city

Belgrade's airport — Nikola Tesla (BEG) — is about 18 km west of the centre and well connected to most European cities (Air Serbia, Wizz Air, Ryanair and others). Three ways into town:

Driving in Serbia

You can drive on a valid foreign or international licence for a limited period after arriving — generally up to 6 months. Once you hold Serbian residency you are expected to exchange your licence for a Serbian one, typically within 12 months of getting temporary residency (rules vary by your status and nationality, so confirm your own case). In Belgrade and Novi Sad most expats simply don't bother with a car: free transit and cheap ride apps cover everything, and central parking is scarce and metered. A car makes more sense if you live in a smaller town, in the suburbs, or plan a lot of countryside trips.

Exchanging a foreign licence

The exchange is handled at a MUP (police) office. You will generally need:

• Your valid foreign licence, plus a translation by a certified court interpreter.
• A medical certificate of fitness to drive (from any approved clinic, usually under six months old).
• Your residence permit / White Card registration and passport. See our White Card guide.

EU/EEA licences and those from countries with a bilateral agreement are usually swapped without an exam. Licences from other countries may require passing the Serbian theory and practical driving tests at an auto-škola. Note that you generally cannot hold two licences at once — your foreign one is surrendered when the Serbian one is issued.

Importing a car (briefly)

Bringing your own car permanently means customs clearance: import duty plus 20% VAT, and the vehicle must meet at least Euro 3 emissions. With a valid EUR.1 certificate of origin, EU-made cars can qualify for 0% duty under Serbia's free-trade arrangement; otherwise expect around 12.5% duty on the customs value. After clearance you'll need homologation, a technical inspection and registration. Some foreigners on temporary residence tied to specific employment can temporarily import a personal car duty-free for the duration of their stay. The numbers vary a lot by car age, engine and origin — for an older or non-EU vehicle, importing often costs more than buying a comparable car locally.

Cycling and walkability

Belgrade is improving for cyclists but is not yet a cycling city — hilly in the centre, with traffic that demands confidence. The flat, scenic riverside paths along the Sava and Danube (and the Ada Ciganlija lake loop) are a genuine pleasure, and the city has a growing bike-share scheme. Novi Sad is far more bike-friendly: flat, with extensive lanes and the lovely Danube path toward Fruška Gora.

For walking, central Belgrade is excellent — neighbourhoods like Stari Grad, Vračar and Dorćol are dense, lively and made for strolling, anchored by the long pedestrian street Knez Mihailova. Pick the right area and you can live largely car-free; our Belgrade neighbourhoods guide breaks down which ones are most walkable.

Quick reference

Figures are approximate and as of 2026; fares and schedules change, so verify before you travel. Planning the bigger picture? See our guides to cost of living, finding housing, and life in Belgrade, Novi Sad and Niš.