Belgrade

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Belgrade
<map lat="44.80" lng="20.46" zoom="11" view="0" />
Information
Country:
Flag of Serbia
Serbia
State: Belgrade-City
Population: 2,000,000
Licence plate: BG
Major roads: E 70 E 75 (Autoput)
More info: Hitchbase
Meet fellow hitchhikers on Trustroots

Belgrade (Serbian: Beograd) is the capital of Serbia, home to about 2 million people. The main motorway (E75/Autoput) runs close to the centre of the city from the northwest to the southeast. Most cars also use this as a normal road so hitching out of Belgrade is quite difficult.

Hitching out

Southeast towards Niš, Sofia, Skopje E 75

There are several possibilities.

Bus 493

This bus leaves the Central Bus Station of Belgrade for Mladenovac and passes through the new toll station at Vrčin. Ask the bus driver to drop you off right there, user Jungma observed two locals doing the very same thing.

Bus 461 leaves from Šumice and goes to Vrčin, however this means you will have to walk for about 1.5km from the stop at 'Vrčin Ivo Lola Ribar (врчин иво лола рибар)'. You will travel a long way down the highway without stopping, don't worry. After you get out, cross over the highway and take the first right turn down the street 'Moše Pijade (моше пијаде)'. Keep following this road next to the highway and after about 1.5km you will see the toll station which you can start hitching from.

Bus 31

Take bus 31 from the city centre (from the squares Trg Studentski or Trg Slavia or in front of the large McDonalds) or bus number 17 going from Zemun, through Novi Beograd, until you get to the intersection of the streets Ustanička and Vojislava Ilića (ask someone in the bus for the stop Sumice, but in case you miss is it two stops before the last - on the right you will see a pekara and it's a bigger intersection after going uphill for a while). Turn around and go left, walk to the bridge, cross it, go downstairs, and walk around 150m to the right from the bridge. There you will find a on-ramp to the motorway, and it is the spot from where you can hitchhike towards the toll station. (Alternatively you can walk down the motorway for a couple of hundred meters further and talk to people on a petrol station. This might work better, because many people using the on-ramp are not leaving Belgrade). You should have sign which says "RAMPA" (toll station) or "Vrčin" (where the new toll station is located) in order to get a lift, otherwise you risk staying there for a long time. Once you reach the toll station, it is easy to get direct rides all the way to Greece, Bulgaria, Macedonia or even Turkey if the driver allows you to sleep the night in his truck.

  • Nero12 (July 2011) Yup, it works great.
  • Rozwal (October 2011) had a sign RAMPA and got a ride with a man going out of the highway just before Rampa so the sign proved very very useful.
  • NixyJungle (2011-2015) I was HH two times on the "on ramp" and waiting for about 30 minutes until I got a ride. Not good spot at all. Most of the cars go inside the city. Walk to the petrol station called AVIA (200 meters). You will see it from this "on ramp" spot. I hitchhiked there many times. Not so much cars, but the ones that stop for petrol, usually go to the toll gate Bubanj Potok. Depends on traffic, you could wait between 1 and 30 minutes. At least, you are not standing on a dusty road, but waiting like a gentleman for a car to pick you up :)
  • TurtleGrass (August 2015) Went with this option, following the 'RAMPA' advice, worked out great! Only waited about 30mins.
  • Antonopa (May 2016) Works great, I had to wait about 5 mins to get to the toll station, then about an hour to get a ride from the toll station all the way to Niš. Watch out for the police though, they will move you further down the road if you stand too close to the toll station.
  • Antonopa (April 2017) second time using this spot, it's perfect, a lot of traffic heading in the right direction, very easy to get a lift over to the toll station, and from there easy to catch a ride with a truck. Made the trip from belgrade to skopje in 10hrs starting from here at 1200.
  • Janos (June 2018) The toll station in BUBANJ POTOK is not in use anymore! There is a new toll station in in VRČIN (some 5 km further). I waited for an hour at the gas station, then decided to start asking people directly and the first person took me.
  • Justgettingaround (August 2019) Went to the petrol station and asked directly; got a ride within 5 minutes from some really cool musicians going to Skopje. Wasn´t headed there; got off before the toll station and started hitching with trucks through pretty much the entire country. Super kind guys, made sure we got as far as they could get us, made it to Bulgarian border until our driver got screwed bc he forgot his ID and we had to hitch at the border crossing; no trouble at all, though, got in a cute lil van and made it to Sofia from Belgrade in one day. Was recommended to write signs in both the Latin/Romanic and Cyrillic alphabets.

Trolleybus 29

Alternative (worked very well, a number of times, requires very little walking/riding on busses): If you are in the downtown area, past Slavia, near the big market and Mackenzie street (serbian: Makenzijeva ulica), you can take trolleybus 29 out until it comes to a long bridge with blue railings. This bridge crosses the motorway (among many other things). If you get out before the bridge and cross to the side where traffic is coming in the opposite direction (don't go all the way across the length of the bridge), there are stairs going down that lead to the motorway, from which, you can walk just a few meters and find a shoulder with enough space for cars to pull over, perfect for hitchhiking!

- Chillion (2018) This method is relatively easy, as long as you excerise caution. I missed the blue railing bridge by a stop after, so had to walk back which took 10 mins. Getting to the spot requires care. Took me about 1 hr to get a ride, only because I was using the wrong sign (NS for Novi Sad, I thought it meant Nis). When I used the correct sign (Nis-Nais) I got picked up in less than 10 mins. Arrived in Sofia that same day (luck was severely on my side). It is very likely that you'll also be able to catch a ride straight to Nis on this spot.

Note: Jeremie used this spot and would like it made clear that it is dangereous, even if it works well.

2nd note: Wouter and Michiel used this spot an stood along the motorway for 3 hours holding a big Niš sign without being picked up. They eventually decided to take the bus to Sofia.

Tram 7

This option involves less walking along the motorway. From the city centre, take tram 7 in the direction south-east until the last stop (takes about 15 minutes, depending on the traffic). From there take bus 308, direction Veliki Mokri Lug (sometimes written as V.M.L.). After about ten minutes you will cross a bridge going over the motorway; get out at the next stop 100 meters later. From the bridge you will already see the petrol station where you want to go, which is about 200 meters walking. This petrol station is also located uphill. (This info is not entirely correct, I spent 4 hours while trying to get out of Belgrade. There is no way to reach the stop of 308 with Tram 7. You have to get off at Vukadin memorial or shortly Vuk and from there on, walk to a nearby kiosk and catch bus 6A, then go to the last stop Ustanicka and walk down the street. There you can catch 308 to VML. The petrol station is a pretty good place to hitchhike, just don't be in it, cause there's just a few cars stopping and you'll be waiting quite a lot) (well, info is good - but from time to time officials do some tram-track repair, so tram 7 doesn't go further then Vukov spomenik (also, not Vukadin, his name was Vuk). In that case bus 6a runs. Otherwise, going to last stop Ustanička and going down stairs through this big mall and crossing the street will bring you to bus 308 stop).

A sign saying "10 K.M." might be helpful in catching a local car which can take you to the first toll stop (a hitchhiking stop regularly used by locals) and out of the intense exhaust fumes.

If you're heading for Niš (or beyond) try using a sign (saying Niš). If going beyond Niš remember to leave the car *on the motorway* - not in Niš, unless you're a big fan of walking. About two hundred meters before the motorway split Niš and Sofia (Bulgaria) is an working toll station where you can easily find a long distance ride.

To hitchhike towards Niš, you should first reach the toll station, which can be a bit tricky, since you have to hitchhike while you are still in the city.

Find the map on http://www.serbiatravelers.org/en/index.php/hitchhiking/145-beograd


Bus 26

This option is easy and works well if you like hitching from service stations and asking people instead of tolls/signs on the side of the road. From the city center bus station "Trg Republike" take bus 26 towards "Nazelje Brace Jerkovic" until "Peke Pavlovika" (11 stops, 25minutes, costs 150 Serbia Dinars) which is the second stop after the bus crosses over the highway. From the bus stop it is only 10 minutes walking towards the East to reach the highway at a place where you get to a service station from the company "MOL" and there is no fence! Some local people will tell you to go to another place nearby where you can stand by the road - it is used by locals but way more dangerous than the fuel station!

  • MartinJ888 August 2022: Hitched there with a friend (two men), it took us about 1 hour to get a ride towards Nis.

Southwest towards Sarajevo and Montenegro

Kristian hitchhiking towards Čačak in Belgrade (2013)

There are 2 ways to Sarajevo, one through Čačak-Uzice, a bit south, the other one more direct but not written on online maps... The one through Čačak worked well for us. Take the bus 53 from the green open market called "Zelena pijaca" (the stop is called Zeleni venac) in the center, to the last station (Vidikovac). Then just follow the street for one minute, turn right, here is the exit to the motorway, climb up the bridge and try to hitchhike there, there is some place for cars to pull over, but in Serbia when they want to stop the car the dont really need a proper place ;). It seems that buses 531, 532, 533 go further, but it's not really needed, and they might be regional buses. Use signs ČA and/or UE (ČaČak-Uzice). Jan hitched a ride to Čačak in Sep 2018 here in ten minutes.

This way through Čačak-Uzice is not the fastest but in t0ma5´s opinion very interesting, it will take you 6-7 hours to reach Sarajevo and before leaving Serbia you will pass near by GuČa, where a crazy Balkan music festival takes place every summer and just before the Bosnian border is Mokra Gora, the ethno village that the filmmaker Kusturica made for his movie, Life is a Miracle, you can visit it in few hours if you have the times but there is entrance fee.

After Uzice there is not much traffic going to Bosnia since after the border and before Sarajevo there is not any big city, so if you get a ride the driver will probably take u all the way to Sarajevo :)

This route is also useful to get to Montenegro - just use the Montenegro or MNE sign after you get out of Belgrade. The drivers usually go through Nova Varoš and Bijelo Polje.

North towards Novi Sad and Budapest E 75

It's best to take bus number 706 from Zeleni Venac station (big bus station in the city center) to Batajnica, around 15 kilometers away and 40 minutes by bus (depending on traffic jams). The same bus goes through Zemun. You also have 706E, which is an express bus, faster than 706, and starts from Zemun (Kej Oslobodjenja - Zemun center) going to Batajnica. You can also take bus number 73 from New Belgrade. Ask the driver to let you off at Batajnica where the highway crosses the bus road.

There is a map on http://www.serbiatravelers.org/en/index.php/hitchhiking/145-beograd

If you wish to hitchhike on the motorway, you should exit at the overpass just before entering Batajnica and walk up to the highway. There is a lot of space for cars to pull down. Try to get any ride to the highway toll gate / péage on the way to Novi Sad, where all cars have to stop. There you can ask people to take you further, even to Hungary (edited by NixyJungle).

  • User:Evolverine Hitchhiking on the highway was awful, cars going way too fast to even consider picking anyone up. Plus I was confused by the supposed toll booth / péage that I just couldn't find (it is near Novi Sad, so don't bother looking for it; I updated the wiki to make it more clear). So after a couple of minutes I went to the road the cars from Belgrade took to get onto the highway, here [1] / geo:44.88789,20.30195?z=17 (not marked on the map above), and in about 2h I got a ride to the border with Hungary, after which it was easy to get another ride to Budapest. But the general feeling that it's hard to hitch out of Belgrade seems accurate.
  • User:Luelle Another option if you don't want to ride a bus for so long: Take the 95 Bus from the city center to New Belgrade and exit at the station called Sava Center. It stops directly passed a bridge that is over the highway. Exit the bus and walk towards the bridge, you will see a petrol station on the highway to the right which is the direction Novi Sad/ Budapest. This a petrol station which you can use to get a short ride out of the city. Finding a long ride is pretty unlikely from this point since its mostly local traffic. Beware: Bring some cardboard with you. There isn't anything around.
  • User:schlaraffenkind I found a different and much easier way to hitchhike out of Belgrade. Take the Bus 601 from New Belgrade to the bus station "Tošin bunar". From Tošin bunar take bus 611 to the station "Zmaj". It stops right in front of a petrol station which is also called (Benzinska stanica NIS Petrol) "Zmaj" (2 stops from Tošin bunar but it's also so obvious, it will be hard to miss). It's outside of the city and on the E-70 motorway. The motorway that leads straight to Zagreb and is right before the junction that leads to Budapest. Definitely try this route if you are in doubt about the others. I got a ride within 5 minutes towards Novi Sad and then just before Novi Sad another one to the border with Hungary.

www.instagram.com/santi_viajasimplemente/ It is possible to take the underground or train to the station zemun that goes to batajnica every hour and seems to be free :), from there walk 600 to the service station with McDonald's. I got a ride there after 1 hour.

Northeast towards Timișoara (Romania) E 70

Take a bus from the center (25/25-P will work) to the base of the Pančevački most (the bridge over Dunav/Danube -- not any of the ones over the Sava). Take another bus (e.g. 101, 102, 103...) over the bridge, and get off at the first stop after the bridge. Turn around and walk to the elevated motorway back in the direction the bus came (< 100 m). This is the E-70. Coming from the bus stop, the direction East is on the far side of the motorway, so you need to walk under it and then climb up to the level of the highway. Walk right along it (there is a guardrail, so it's not too scary) until you come to a traffic light with a place for buses/cars to pull over immediately afterwards. This is the perfect hitch spot. Continue on the E70 towards Pančevo and Vršač and eventually the Stamora Moravița-Vatin border crossing into Romania. Be aware that Romanian drivers may expect money, so if a car with a Romanian number plate stops, explain that you will not pay.

MARCH 2017: I recommend you to take the bus that goes right away from Belgrade to Pančevo (I think number 95, but check it). Once you are in that village it goes super fast. It takes longer to go first to that spot after the bridge and find a straight ride to Timișoara than going first to Pančevo, because most of the cars go to small villages around, and normally the ones that leave from that village go to Timișoara.

West towards Zagreb E 70

Take bus no. 16 or 17 from the upper part of Zeleni Venac station towards Novi Beograd, and exit after you pass traffic circle. Cross the street, and take bus no. 611. To check bus connections: [2] . That bus will take you to the motorway, some 20 kilometers from Belgrade. Get off as soon as the bus turns from the motorway, and then return to the motorway. Start hitchhiking there. The toll station is around 7-8 kilometers far, but there's no need to go there on foot. When cars stop, ask them to take you at least until the toll station. If they leave the last exit before, they can drop you off there. (There is a gas station, what can be reached from behind). You can walk from there to the toll station (ca. 1 km). Once you get to the toll station, we recommend using a sign for the direction you want to go, it is a good opportunity to get a direct ride, even all the way to Zagreb.

From Belgrade to Zagreb advice is good you take bus 611 to end of town. Better not try to hitchhike on first petrol station Zmaj after Novi Belgrade, you can really stuck there for few hours. Hundreds of cars coming on that place but almost all of them were going back to Belgrade or to Novi Sad and just few of them to Croatia. Take 611 and go out just near road to air port than you just walk few minute on high way and come to petrol station. That is last petrol station in direction to Croatia and there also people can turn to Novi Sad and not in direction to Croatia. You just need to catch ride to pay tolls. When you at pay tolls, there is much easier to catch ride to Zagreb or any part of Croatia.(June 2013)

Just to write some more info, (June 2014). This time it was much easier to catch ride even on petrols station Zmaj outside of Novi Belgrade and without going more further with bus 616 to last petrol station near airport and pay tolls. It was same as last year a lot of cars where there on Zmaj petrol station and a lot of them were going back to Belgrade(It was mistake last year to ask drivers if they go to Croatia, just ask everyone to get you to pay tolls in Šimanovci) . Speak with people that work on petrol station an they will help you to catch ride, ask every driver just to drive you to Šimanovci-name of place where pay tolls are and from there is much easier to move forward Croatia. On Zmaj petrol station is forbidden to stop for trucks(specially for foreign trucks, trucks can not drive through Belgrade), only trucks with special license can stop there and they will be local Serbian trucks but they can go to pay tolls, try to ask them. On second petrol station after airport is allowed for all trucks. There are also helpful people that work on petrols station or girls that cleans cars to catch some money for summer , they could help you if you ask them. Serbian registration that could go to pay tolls are ŠI, RU, SM ask them or any other foreign driver, they will all go to pay tolls or Croatia.

If you want to hitchhiking directly from the toll station, it is also possible, but quite a long way. You are sure to get a ride pretty far though, it might be useful if you want to have a long ride. In April 2018, I`ve waited 1min and got a ride direct to Munich. How to get there : find a bus that goes to Novi Beograd and take the bus 711 in direction of Simanovci, the village where there is the toll station. You can take for example bus 65 from Zeleni Venac (the bus passes in the street, not in the bus station ; the street is Zeleni Venac and it goes across the bridge towards Zemun, Novi Beograd, etc.) and get out at stop Pariske Komune after a big round about. From there, come back to the round about and take a left on Bulevar Mihajla Pupina. Stay on the side of the road where cars go towards the round about, not from the round about! And walk a minute to the next bus stop and take the 711 til the last stop named Simanovci Centar. This is a 50min ride and you can easily blackride the bus. for info about the 711 bus https://www.busevi.com/mapa-linije-711-novi-beograd-paviljoni-ugrinovci-izlaz-simanovci/ From Simanovci Centar, continue straight on the main road for about 20min. Take a left on Dositejeva ulica for about 5min and you`re there!

Blackriding

Controllors are going into the vehicles with a mini computer for checking your e-cards (cards are called BusPlus). Normal BusPlus cards are blue coloured and they have red ones. When you spot them, just ignore them and leave on the next stop. Controls are quite common and with the new pricing system, a single ride bought from the driver is quite expensive (150 dinars).

WiFi

  • Main train station: network Peron code internet (they have changed it already, but in the smaller hall /not the one they sell train tickets in, but with the money exchange office/, you can catch some wifis without passwords, something like AUDInumbers)
  • Studentski Park has free wifi, just look for an open network that has the word 'free' in it.

Sleeping

We slept near the river, under the bridge we came in at 5am and slept until 1300 no one disturbed us.

nomad:Belgrade