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,...

* ''[[User:TurtleGrass|TurtleGrass]] 'Option 2 (August 2015local road) Worked out excellently:''' This option used to be the best one before the highway was completed in November 2019. Now mostly local traffic goes there and international traffic uses the highway, trucks especially because they are not allowed to use local road anymore. This route is not advisable as there are cars and trucks stopping all few examples of hitchhikers coming back to the city after unsuccessful day of hitchhiking at this spot. 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 timesecond-to-last stop, although I was quite unlucky and got in one that had just before roundabout (before bus crosses over the railroad tracks). There is a dribble roundabout and you can thumb after the roundabout. Here, you may catch some traffic driving out of petrol! Anywaythe city to your direction. After the highway was completed, plenty most of the people use highway and this road is mostly used for local traffic to Sofiathe nearby villages and maybe even city of Pirot, definitely recommend it!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.

There are several possibilitiesYou need to get to the toll gate called "Niš north" which is located here https://goo.gl/maps/22qEprCexNWg9KHp8

==== Walking Bus ====From Take a '''bus number 3''' from the main city center. The bus station walk straight along ticket is 60 dinars or 0.5 euros. Bus ride will take around 10 minutes or less. Get off at the "Bulevar 12last stop. Februar" blvd You will see a small roundabout after 3-4km the bus stop. Keep walking further for 900 meters until you will get on the highway, but a good place to hitchhike reach toll gate. This info is just before the highway, for your orientation - you will have to pass under an the highway overpass few hundred meters after there will be a turn right for "Aleksinac" hitchhike after it, get a ride at lest on your way to the Pay Toll name "Nais", using a sign with "NAIS" written on it is advisabletoll gate. From the Pay toll there you can easily hitchhike directly north to Belgrade . You may even catch some traffic going to Bulgaria or cross south to Macedonia. Probably not direct rides to those countries, but for sure some cars go to nearby cities. All traffic on this toll gate will be from the highway and hitchhike south towards Skopje or Thessalonikicity.

It ==== Taxi ====Taxi in Niš is possible not expensive. According to get Google maps it's 4.5 km from the "Aleksinac" turn described above city center to the Nais tolls on foot hitchhiking spot. Start costs 110 dinars and 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 many tourists so they are not used to it may also be possible ). There are few scammers around main bus station. Legal taxi in Serbia always have TX as last two letters on car plates. It's very difficult to get a short lift)taxi by waving with a hand like in movies. Most of taxis are not moving unless they have a ride. To order a taxi you have to call them by phone. Approximately 6 kilometres up the Aleksinac roadIf you don't have local sim card, ask someone to call taxi for you can walk west through a village and then some fields to reach the motorwayexplain where taxi should pick you up from. Waiting time is usually 3-4 minutes. Once you reach the motorwayMost popular taxi companies are: Prvi, City, Cool, Eko, Bros, you'll find the hotel NaisTDI, a petrol station just beyond it with truck parking and then the toll area itself...

==== Bus 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 without any traffic.* You may only accept rides to "Požarevac toll gate" because from there it's super easy to find a ride to Belgrade. Note that Požarevac city is another 17 km further from the toll gate. 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 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 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.

Next to the main bus station there'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). Get on a bus (bus ticket is 50 dinars(Feb.2013), although if you play dumb you can pass without paying), to Donji Komren === South/Southwest towards [[Skopje]] (number 12 or 12s[[North Macedonia]]), and get off at the last stop. Continue walking that way and after few hundred meters, passing by petrol station on your right and under a motorway overpass, you should walk a few hundred meters past the 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 to the Nais toll area [[Prishtina]] (''naplatna rampa Niš''[[Kosovo]]) where you can then stand with a sign for your destination. All cars have to stop to get a ticket, it usually takes from 5-10min to get a ride to Belgrade. You can also hitchhike next to gas station and below highway overpass, as many cars comes from road on the left side and they usually stop as they have to enter bigger boulevard 12. februar.{{E|75}} {{E|80}} ===

If you are going straight to Belgrade accept only direct rides, since a lot of cars are going there and it's the biggest pay toll on the way.==== Macedonia ====Hint: If you are patient and you have time to wait, it's also possible You need to get a ride straight to Austria or Germany as many people from Bulgaria or Turkey are going back home and they have to pass this way. Also if you have a driving licence the South toll gate called "Niš jug" which is good, because those people drive for about 20 hours and they need some time to sleep, so they would be grateful if you can drive for awhilelocated here https://goo.gl/maps/KEQJefmYByfgjnZC9

=== Take a bus number 10 from the city center. Bus ticket costs 80 dinars which is around 0.70 euros. There will be many roundabouts on your way and after 5th one I think, you need to get off after the last roundabout which is located here https://goo.gl/maps/xaHZMjieMgQHLYuf8Walk back 10 meters. Local road going South/Southwest towards will take you to [[PrishtinaLeskovac]] . If you want to go further, better take the highway. Walk direction North for another 1.5 km ([[Kosovo]]or you can try to hitchhike even there instead of walking). There will be another roundabout on your way. Go left there and you will see the toll gate. Note that local road will probably not take you far, [[Skopje]] ([[but highway could take you even to the border with Macedonia]]) {{E|75}} {{E|80}} ===.

Take bus no.10 ("9. maj") from the central square (the bus stop is next ==== Kosovo ====If you are going to McDonalds). Get '''Kosovo''' get off at the last bus stop, in a suburban area called Novo Selo (also referenced same bus number 10 as "Naselje 9. maj"described above). The bus ride should cost around 50 RSD. Walk straight on in and then hitch/walk about 6 kilometers further as this road merges with the same direction actual road leading to Kosovo and cross a bridge over you can get more traffic coming from the motorwayhighway. You will come Road to Kosovo is fairly easy to hitch on because it's a roundabout, and the left path leads to the motorway, heading southlocal road. You can hitch from hereuse sign Prokuplje as it's the first city on your way or Kuršumlija which is the last town before border with Kosovo. The E80 and E75 split shortly afterwards, so make sure youDon're going in t go to Kuršumlija center. Get off the vehicle before the road goes towards the right directioncity. For [[Skopje]], Leskovac is You will see it on the way, so you can accept a ride to that vicinityGPS.

Another possibility After passing town of Prokuplje, number of vehicles is getting somewhat lower. You better get a lift from vehicles registered to take the train towards Doljevac from the main railway stationa foreign plates, as not many Serbian registered vehicles cross into Kosovo at all. A considerable number of trucks going into Kosovo also pass here. Get out at Doljevac station (10 -15 minutes ride, ticket price 64 RSD, about 30 RSD if If you manage to bribe the conductor)use signs for hitchhiking, and take a 10 minutes walk to after Kuršumlija write Merdare. that's the motorway toll station (accros name of the fields)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.