Niš

<map lat='43.35865692013493' lng='21.93244384765625' zoom='11' view='2' float='right' height='300' width='400'/> Niš is a city in Southern Serbia with 250.000 inhabitants. It is on the main motorway between Belgrade and Skopje, as well as between Belgrade and Sofia.

Hitching Out

There is a toll station just before Niš. There you can get rides straight to Sofia, which is only 190km further, and south towards Macedonia and Skopje.

East towards Sofia, Plovdiv, Edirne, Istanbul

Hitching on the main road going east from central Niš (which runs just below the fortress and a central square) seems to work fine. This city's prime street is called Voždova (Вождова) which continues eastwards by the Skull Tower and Mediana Roman archeological site towards Niška Banja (Нишка Бања) - small neighborhood with spa centers and parks, on the mountain slopes, street changing name into boulevard of Zoran Đinđić and later boulevard of Constantine the Great. Since there are 8 km between the central square and the first hitch point, you better take city bus to Niška Banja from the central square (one way ticket should be some 45 RSD, which is about 0,4 EUR, conductors will charge it once you get on the bus). Get off the bus on the stop before the last one, that is the one right after the bus cross over the railroad lines, and should be some 15 minutes of a ride. There, it is easy spot a traffic roundabout and your hitchhiking position is right after the roundabout, towards the mountains. Here, you may catch 70% of all locals driving out of the city to your direction.

Yet, from this point, you have to walk 3 and a half more kilometers down the road, to get to the ideal hitchhiking position in the village of Prosek (Просек), where this road joins the highway and all the other traffic going towards Bulgaria. After 3km down the road, you will notice a small junction where roads merge, and after some 400-500 meters more, you will be standing on the right spot with a couple of well-frequented Turkish restaurants around and some roadside parking area for long distance trucks (most of them again being Turkish). Although it is possible to get a ride at the previous spot, this one in Prosek (Просек) should be your goal for international rides, as you have excellent chances to find a straight ride to Bulgaria or even further towards Turkey.

Alternative and possibly easier way to get to Prosek hitchhiking point is to get one of those suburban buses that go around local villages. Get to the main bus station just around the fortress, dont enter main terminals but find a smaller one with only one ticket selling booth (looks like a bus stop with buses constantly flowing through, just by the street, and not by fortress walls), and get on a bus to village of Prosek (Просек). Ticket should not be more than 1 EURO, 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 aren't well marked. Once you get off the bus, you should walk some 100 meters backwards and there you are, right at the position described above.

North towards Belgrade

You have three options: bus lines Komren, Soborska,and Donja Vrežina.

1. Just next to the main bus station there's a suburban bus stop, just across the street from the "Branković" bakery. Get on a bus to Komren, and get off at the last stop. Head straight down the same boulevard, and after some 50-100 meters you'll pass under an overpass. That overpass is the motorway.

Buses to Somborska and Donja Vrežina start from the city centre. When you're on the main square (Trg Pobede or Kralja Milana, by the monument) just cross the street and some 15 meters down you'll see the bus stop, which you'll notice easily since it's usually very lively.

2. Get on the Somborska bus line and get off at the station right above the St. Panteleimon church. When you feel that the bus is going uphill, look to the left and when you see a big church yard, concrete fence, a bell-tower and a church, get off at that stop. From there just walk straight ahead uphill. You are now in Borska Street. When you reach the railroad, keep walking straight ahead for another 100 meters, and you'll see the motorway.

3. Get on the bus to Donja Vrezina, and get off at the last stop. Follow the same road (Knjaževačka Street) for another 150-200 meters and you'll reach some recently built warehouses. The motorway is to you left, just walk through a couple of fields and there you are.

Map on http://www.serbiatravelers.org/en/index.php/hitchhiking/155-nis

South-West towards Pristina

Take bus 10 from Vozdova Street in the direction of 9. Maj to the last stop. Bus ride is 40D. Walk to the west edge of the village. There is plenty of visibility and space for cars to pull off. I got a ride within 30 minutes.

Route to Istanbul

Niš could be on your route to Istanbul. Check the Istanbul Category Page for more information and tips.