All about the Balkans - Read before traveling to Eastern Europe

  • 14 June 2022
  • 4 replies
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The Eurail map is a lie in this part of the world.  I was livid when I found out.  There is only one international train running from Serbia and that is to Barr, Montenegro.

The following trains have been cancelled and you must buy a (long) bus connection:

Zagreb - Belgrade

Budapest - Belgrade

Belgrade - Sofia

Belgrade - Pristina

 Beograd-Skopje

Almost every train in Bosnia.  The only train that runs is Mostar to Sarajevo, NOTHING ELSE.

Many domestic trains in Serbia.  Eurail is not accepted Novi Sad - Belgrade. You can get to many borders on domestic trains, but schedules on each side do not work out.  You will have to find your own way across the border and overnight in the border city to catch an onward train in all sides other than to Bar.

 


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Userlevel 7
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The Eurail map is a lie in this part of the world.  I was livid when I found out.  There is only one international train running from Serbia and that is to Barr, Montenegro.

The following trains have been cancelled and you must buy a (long) bus connection:

Zagreb - Belgrade

Budapest - Belgrade

Belgrade - Sofia

Belgrade - Pristina

 Beograd-Skopje

Almost every train in Bosnia.  The only train that runs is Mostar to Sarajevo, NOTHING ELSE.

Many domestic trains in Serbia.  Eurail is not accepted Novi Sad - Belgrade. You can get to many borders on domestic trains, but schedules on each side do not work out.  You will have to find your own way across the border and overnight in the border city to catch an onward train in all sides other than to Bar.

 

Why is Eurail not accepted on the trains between Novi Sad - Belgrade?
They are operated by Serbian Rail and they are part of Eurail.
I had troubles to find a empty seat as this route is the first Highspeed track in serbia and currently every serbian takes a test ride on this route.
i was told the trains are often sold out

Userlevel 7
Badge +5

@seewulf: I guess-there was a similar report lately (describing on how to get Bgr→ Bp on rails amap) that said same. I guess the seats by now are all REServed and they cannot yet? cope with RES only without the seat paid same time. Or they need the money.

@Hall: you are right, have found it and in fact we as helpers here have also stated exactly same many times here-and also the negative cons of passes in some other notorious countries. Even if there were trains-often they are so cheap that passdays cost more as simply buying there&then.

Though there are a few sneeky ways to cut the time in bus-and go over rails for die-hard train fanatics. Best site for current situation is seat61.com- and its very much pro-train

Userlevel 7
Badge +9

Why is Eurail not accepted on the trains between Novi Sad - Belgrade?
They are operated by Serbian Rail and they are part of Eurail.
I had troubles to find a empty seat as this route is the first Highspeed track in serbia and currently every serbian takes a test ride on this route.
i was told the trains are often sold out

Is this route now with mandatory reservations? If so, was it a problem to get a reservation only?

Is this route now with mandatory reservations? If so, was it a problem to get a reservation only?

There are IC trains where a reservation is needed. They stop just at Novi Beograd. 

There are (fast) regional trains where a reservation is needed. 

There are regional trains where a reservation is not needed and not possible. 

If you’d look at the trains you’d say: There’s a difference? :-)

The price in the last month was just 2,55 € with reservation fort the IC trains - wonder what a price without reservation would be but for this price I wouldn’t even argue about it when buying it because of this. Interesting thing is if a pass wouldn’t be accepted on the slow trains.

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