Changes

==== Bus lines around the city ==== To help you to navigate around the city and to take necessary buses to your hitchhiking spot, here is the map of the bus lines (September 2021)https://www.jgpnis.rs/linije/gradske-linije/ ==== Toll gates ====There is a [[are 3 toll station]] gates around the city: Niš South - https://goo.gl/maps/HutQubncm5K1MLJQA | Niš North - Nais, just before https://goo.gl/maps/kU4kYyKBpThLBtaQ6 | Niš, if you're coming down south East - https://goo.gl/maps/fADyXt17D34D3ZqCA | Additionally there is one more toll gate around 10 km from direction of Belgrade using the motorway. There you can get rides straight to [[Sofia]], or rides south towards [[Skopje]] and further on towards [[Greece]], without entering into the citycalled Niš Malča - https://goo.gl/maps/QoJByKXJLMCvxQFb7

Take a city bus from the central square '''Option 1 (highway):''' You need to Niška Banja (a one-way ticket should cost around 50 RSD, which is about 0.50€, conductors will charge it once you get on the bus). Get off the bus on the second-to-last stop, just before roundabout (before bus crosses over the railroad tracks), after about a 15 minutes journey. There toll gate called "Niš istok" which is a roundabout and you can thumb after the roundabout. Here, you may catch 70% of all locals driving out of the city to your directionlocated here https://goo.gl/maps/4WTEMmG5PphHWGjc8

However==== Bus ====To get there, take a '''bus number 2''' from this point you can walk 3the city center. Bus ticket costs 60 dinars or 0.5 euros and a ride will take around 10-15 minutes (9-10 stops).5 km further to reach an ideal hitchhiking position in Follow GPS on your phone and get off the village bus just before intersection of Prosek "Knjaževačka street" and "Matejevački put". Walk 300 meters more until intersection and turn left to "Matejevački put" street ''(Просек), where this road joins btw. you can also come to the highway and all same intersection by taking a '''bus number 4''' from the other traffic going towards Bulgariacity center)''. After 3 km down Keep walking in the road, same direction for 1.5 km. If you will notice a small junction where roads merge, and after some 400-500 m morefeel like not walking so much, you will be standing in can try to hitchhike until the toll gate right spot with a couple after you cross intersection of well-frequented Turkish restaurants around "Matejevački put" and some roadside parking area for long-distance trucks "Somborska street" (most of them again being Turkishwhen 6 lanes boulevard becomes 2 lane street). Although it is possible Most of the cars go to the villages along the road and some to get a ride at the previous spot, this one in Prosek highway (Просекsame direction) should be . You may get lucky and save your goal for international rideslegs of 1 km walking. If not, as you have excellent chances just keep walking to find a straight ride to [[the toll gate. At the toll gate make sure with the driver that he goes direction of Bulgaria]] or even further towards [[Turkey]]Pirot at least. * [[User:Antonopa|Antonopa]] (May 2016) This option works well, Car should go over the walk bridge to Prosek is far, possibly better join the highway. Don't make a mistake and take road to take the bus directly thereright side before crossing the overpass. Once you are You will get lost in Prosek the highway intersections and it is not hard will be difficult to come back. If you don't find a lift anyone going directly to the border, you can accept rides going to BulgariaPirot. I waited approximately 45 mins for a ride direct to SofiaFrom there the border is much closer and you will have better chances.

Alternative and possibly easier way to get to Prosek hitchhiking point is to get one of those suburban buses that go around local villagesYou can also take a '''bus number 5''' from the city center. Get to off at the main bus station just around last stop at "Somborska street". From the fortress, don't enter main terminals but find a smaller one with only one ticket selling booth (looks like a bus last stop with buses constantly flowing through, just by walk 2 km to the hitchhiking spot explained above. Note this: "Somborska street" has changed name in January 2020, and not by fortress walls), and get but on a bus to village of Prosek (Просек)Google maps it still has the old name. Ticket should not be more than 1.25€If the new name ever gets updated on Google maps, and these buses depart at every 60 minutes or so. Ask driver to let you know where to get off as this is still a local suburban bus line and stops arendon't well marked. Anyway, bus stop where get confused if you're getting off has a restaurant meters away with big neon STOP sign, so you candon't miss it. Once find "Somborska street" but instead you get off, walk some 100 meters backwards and there you are, right at the position described abovefind "Bulevar svetog Pantelejmona".

==== Taxi ====Another option towards Bugaria is to go '''take a taxi'''. Taxi in Niš is really not expensive. According to Google maps it's 5.5 km from the city center to the hitchhiking spot. Start costs 110 dinars and every km is 40 dinars. That's around 330 dinars total which is less than 3 euros. If you take taxi from different location which is closer to the hitchhiking spot it can be even cheaper. You can also take a bus (explained in previous steps) and from there take a taxi to hitchhiking spot. For 2 km it would cost no more than 200 dinars or 1.6 euros. We don't really have those taxis that rip of tourists because we don't have many tourists so they are not used to it. There are few scammers around main bus station, but not at the outskirts of the Nais toll gatecity. Legal taxi in Serbia always have TX as last two letters on car plates. To order a taxi you have to make a call. Waiting time is usually 3-4 minutes. If you don't have local sim card, ask someone to call taxi for you and to explain where taxi should pick you up from. Most popular taxi companies are: Prvi, City, Cool, Eko, Bros, TDI,...

Take a city '''bus number 1''' from the central square to Niška Banja. One-way ticket costs 80 RSD, which is about 0.70€. After about a 15 minutes journey, get off the bus on the second-to-last stop, just before roundabout (before bus crosses over the railroad tracks). There are several possibilitiesis a roundabout and you can thumb after the roundabout. Here, you may catch some traffic driving out of the city to your direction. After the highway was completed, most of the people use highway and this road is mostly used for local traffic to the nearby villages and maybe even city of Pirot, which is on the way to the border. The road is free and in good condition, so some people choose this road instead of paying for the highway.

==== Walking =North towards [[Belgrade]] {{European Route Number|75}} ===From the main bus station walk straight along the "Bulevar 12. Februar" blvd after 3-4km you will get on the highway, but a good place to hitchhike is just before the highway, you will pass under an overpass few hundred meters after there will be a turn right for "Aleksinac" hitchhike after it, get a ride at lest to the Pay Toll name "Nais", using a sign with "NAIS" written on it is advisable. From the Pay toll you can hitchhike directly north to Belgrade or cross the highway and hitchhike south towards Skopje or Thessaloniki.

It is possible You need to get from to the toll gate called "AleksinacNiš north" turn described above to the Nais tolls on foot (it may also be possible to get a short lift). Approximately 6 kilometres up the Aleksinac road, you can walk west through a village and then some fields to reach the motorway. Once you reach the motorway, you'll find the hotel Nais, a petrol station just beyond it with truck parking and then the toll area itselfwhich is located here https://goo.gl/maps/22qEprCexNWg9KHp8

Next to the main Take a '''bus station therenumber 3's a suburban buses terminal and a bus stop on 'Bulevar 12. Februar' street, with "Branković" bakery being right across the street from the bus stop (adding this info for easier orientation)city center. Get on a bus (The bus ticket is 50 60 dinars(Febor 0.5 euros.2013), although if you play dumb you can pass without paying), to Donji Komren (number 12 Bus ride will take around 10 minutes or 12s), and get less. Get off at the last stop. Continue You will see a small roundabout after the bus stop. Keep walking that way and after few hundred further for 900 meters, passing by petrol station on until you reach toll gate. This info is just for your right and orientation - you have to pass under a motorway overpass, you should walk a few hundred meters past the highway overpass, there should be a turn towards Aleksinac, hitchhike just after it, preferably with a sign NAIS, it may take a while but, get a ride at least on your way to the Nais toll area (''naplatna rampa Niš'') where gate. From there you can then stand with a sign for your destinationeasily hitchhike to Belgrade. All cars have You may even catch some traffic going to stop Bulgaria or south to get a ticket, it usually takes from 5-10min to get a ride to BelgradeMacedonia. You can also hitchhike next Probably not direct rides to gas station and below highway overpassthose countries, as many but for sure some cars comes from road on the left side and they usually stop as they have go to enter bigger boulevard 12nearby cities. februar. Easier to take bus 3 till the last stop, which start All traffic on this toll gate will be from the eastern outskirts of Nis going through the city center and stops somewhere very close to the motorway pass.

If you are going straight ==== Taxi ====Taxi in Niš is not expensive. According to Belgrade accept only direct rides, since a lot of cars are going there and Google maps it's 4.5 km from the biggest pay toll on city center to the wayhitchhiking spot.Hint: If you are patient Start costs 110 dinars and you every km is 40 dinars. That's around 300 dinars in total which is around 2.5 euros. We don't really have those taxis that rip of tourists (because we don't have time many tourists so they are not used to wait, it). There are few scammers around main bus station. Legal taxi in Serbia always have TX as last two letters on car plates. It's also possible very difficult to get a ride straight to Austria or Germany as many people from Bulgaria or Turkey taxi by waving with a hand like in movies. Most of taxis are going back home and not moving unless they have a ride. To order a taxi you have to pass this waycall them by phone. Also if If you don't have a driving licence is goodlocal sim card, because those people drive ask someone to call taxi for about 20 hours you and they need some to explain where taxi should pick you up from. Waiting time to sleepis usually 3-4 minutes. Most popular taxi companies are: Prvi, City, Cool, Eko, Bros, TDI, so they would be grateful if you can drive for awhile...

Sanja_spit was kicked out (October 2018) ==== Few advices ====* If you are going straight to Belgrade accept only direct rides, since many cars are going there.* It's not advisable, but if in some almost to impossible situation you don't find a direct ride to Belgrade, you may accept a ride to "Pojate toll gate" or "Batocina toll gate". Those two are on the intersection with the road coming from western and central part of Serbia and you have higher chances to get a ride than if you go to any other city on the way. People want to help hitchhikers, but please don't accept rides which will make you stuck on some small toll gate by without any traffic.* You may only accept rides to "Požarevac toll gate" because from there it's super easy to find a policemanride to Belgrade. Note that Požarevac city is another 17 km further from the toll gate. Returned back You don't want to go to the city, only to the toll gate which is located 100 meters from the highway. Traffic using this toll gate is not only from that city itself, but also from some bigger portion of eastern part of Serbia.* Try not to accept a ride to Smederevo because it's a dead end since most drivers will use the south toll gate "Kolari" to enter the petrol station NAIS city, but people going to Belgrade will never use it because they use southwest toll gate called "Vodanj". One hitchhiker stuck in "Kolari toll gate" once and got had to hitchhike back to "Požarevac toll gate" to get a ride to Belgrade form there. If your driver is going to Smederevo, you can kindly ask him if he is willing to take you to "Vodanj" toll gate. It will be 7 km more for him, but will save you from being stuck in a wrong toll gate.

=== South/Southwest towards [[PrishtinaSkopje]] ([[KosovoNorth Macedonia]]), [[SkopjePrishtina]] ([[MacedoniaKosovo]]) {{E|75}} {{E|80}} ===

Take bus no.10 ("9. maj") from the central square (the bus stop is next ==== Macedonia ====You need to get to McDonalds). Get off at the last stop, in a suburban area South toll gate called Novo Selo (also referenced as "Naselje 9. majNiš jug"). The bus ride should cost around 50 RSD. Walk straight on in the same direction and cross a bridge over the motorway. You will come to a roundabout, and the left path leads to the motorway, heading south. You can hitch from which is located herehttps://goo. The E80 and E75 split shortly afterwards, so make sure you're going in the right direction. For [[Skopje]], Leskovac is on the way, so you can accept a ride to that vicinity.(I did not find a roundabout, but highway was easy to approach from the bridge and parking spot is like 50 metres far. - Solop, Dec 2016)gl/maps/KEQJefmYByfgjnZC9

*The bridge mentioned may actually be Take a bus number 10 from the bridge over the railroad trackscity center. Bus ticket costs 80 dinars which is around 0.70 euros. If There will be many roundabouts on your way and after 5th one I think, you need to get off after the bus at the stop after last roundabout which is located here https://goo.gl/maps/xaHZMjieMgQHLYuf8Walk back 10 meters. Local road going over South will take you to [[Leskovac]]. If you want to go further, better take the bridge and walk back highway. Walk direction North for another 1.5 km (or you can find a roundabout whose left path does indeed leads try to a second hitchhike even there instead of walking). There will be another roundabout whose on your way. Go left path leads to there and you will see the motorwaytoll gate. HoweverNote that local road will probably not take you far, if but highway could take you are headed towards Kosovo it might be easier to ride even to the last stop and then hitch/walk about 6 kilometers further as this road merges border with the actual road leading to Kosovo and said road to Kosovo is fairly easy to hitch on because it isn't officially a motorwayMacedonia.

Another possibility is ==== Kosovo ====If you are going to take the train towards Doljevac from '''Kosovo''' get off at the main railway station. Get out at Doljevac station last bus stop (same bus number 10 -15 minutes ride, ticket price 64 RSD, as described above) and then hitch/walk about 30 RSD if 6 kilometers further as this road merges with the actual road leading to Kosovo and you manage can get more traffic coming from the highway. Road to bribe Kosovo is fairly easy to hitch on because it's a local road. You can use sign Prokuplje as it's the conductor), and take a 10 minutes walk first city on your way or Kuršumlija which is the last town before border with Kosovo. Don't go to Kuršumlija center. Get off the motorway toll station (accros vehicle before the road goes towards the fields)city. You will see it on GPS.

My friend After passing town of Prokuplje, number of vehicles is getting somewhat lower. You better get a lift from Nis told me that I can also catch bus 28 in the direction vehicles registered to Vrtosniki and ask driver to take me "blizu prugea foreign plates, blizu autopute"as not many Serbian registered vehicles cross into Kosovo at all. I did not try this optionA considerable number of trucks going into Kosovo also pass here. (SolopIf you use signs for hitchhiking, Dec 2016)after Kuršumlija write Merdare. that's the name of the border crossing with Kosovo.

For Kosovo:After passing What is important to notice here is the traffic structure on this particular road. Serbian vehicles are in most cases heading not further than town of ProkupljeKuršumlija and nearby villages. Those that pass Kuršumlija in most cases head to Prolom Banja (mineral springs health resort site) or Đavolja Varoš/Devil's Town, number of vehicles natural rock formations site that is getting somewhat lower. You're better taking a lift from vehicles registered to a foreign plates, as not many Serbian registered vehicles cross into Kosovo at alltourist hot-spot nowadays. A considerable number Both of trucks these are pretty much off the main road. These vehicles going into to the border with Kosovo also pass here(Merdare village) and further, are very low in numbers.

What is important to notice here is the traffic structure on this particular road. Serbian vehicles are Therefore, have in most cases heading not further than town of Kuršumlija and nearby villages. These mind that if you catch a ride that pass Kuršumlija in most cases head heads to Prolom Banja (mineral springs health resort site) or Đavolja Varoš/Devil's Town, natural rock formations site that is a tourist hot-spot nowdays. Both some of these are pretty much off previously mentioned sites, you may easily get stuck on the main road. These vehicles going to the border with for those last 10 or 15 kilometers before Merdare/Kosovo (Merdare village) and furthercheckpoint, are very low in numberswithout much traffic at all.

Therefore=== Northeast towards [[Zaječar]], have [[Vidin]], [[Romania]] ===Depending where your location is, you need to catch bus number 2 (also labeled as "Bubanj - Donja Vrežina"), towards Donja Vrežina neighborhood. The bus costs 60 RSD. Get off at the last bus stop. You will easily recognize it by suburban atmosphere. Once you are there, you can start hitchhiking, as visibility is very good at that point. Have in mind that if you catch a ride international and transit traffic, and good percent of locals use highway rather than this road. However, some general experiences are that heads to some about 50% of the locals going into your way are passing here. For the other half of these previously mentioned sitesa local traffic, you may easily would have to hitch on the motorway, and it's not too easy to get stuck on the road at these last 10 or 15 kilometers before Merdarecity/Kosovo checkpoint, without much traffic at allmotorway intersection for this route by public transport.

=== Northeast towards Zajechar, [[Vidin]], [[Romania]] ===Depending where your location isOnce you hitch a ride, don't worry if the driver doesn't go all the way. All you need is to get a ride for next 6 km to catch bus the intersection near the village of Malča where highway and local road merges together. Vehicles must pass there, and there's no.2 (also labeled as "Bubanj - Donja Vrežina")other intersection road, towards Donja Vrežina neighborhood. The bus ride should cost about 50 RSD. Hop off at so you can't miss the last stop. You will easily recognize it by suburban atmosphereplace. Once you're get there, you can start hitchhiking, as visibility thumb. There is very a good hitchhiking spot right at that pointthe crossroads. From the intersection you will see the "toll gate Malča" located here https://goo. Have in mind that international gl/maps/utSoEu6QkfcH92Bf9 and transit traffic, and good percent you can even hitchhike there if you prefer to ask drivers face to face instead of locals use motorway rather than this just waiting on the road. However, some general experiences On this spot you are that about 50catching almost 100% of the locals traffic going into your way are passing here. For the other half of a local traffic, you would have to hitch on the motorway, towards Zaječar and it's not too easy to get on the city/motorway intersection for this route by public transportfurther.

Once you hitch a ride, if the driver doesn't go all the way you need, it is recommendable Another option to get out of the car some 8 km away at the motorway intersection near the to Malča village or even further instead of Malchahitchhiking is to take a suburban bus number 16 or 17. Vehicles must pass there, Bus number 16 is going to village Vrelo and there's no other intersection road, so you can't miss ride that bus until the placelast stop and hitchhike from there. Once If you take a bus number 17, make sure to get there, thumb. There off the bus before it goes to the village which is a good hitchhiking spot right at off the crossroadsmain road. You Check on Google maps where those villages are catching almost 100% of traffic going toward Zajechar and further, located and visibility see what is goodthe best option for you.