Belgrade, the Serbian capital city is one of the cheapest destinations in Europe. It offers a variety of exciting things to do.
The Belgrade bus station lies in the Southwest, 1.5 km away from the old town.
It’s open 24/7 and active even at night. The nearest tram stop is ‘Економски факултет‘ and lines #7, #9, #11, and 12 stop here.
But the bus station is not a typical European type where you reach the bus station and board the bus. We had to make our way in and adding to our surprise, our bus already left before its scheduled departure.
Blog Contents
Belgrade bus station
Here are the things to keep in mind when you depart from the Belgrade bus station
- A fee to enter the platform
- Sorry no Euros, please
- Pay your driver to store luggage on the bus
- Washroom & currency exchange center
- Luggage storage counter
- Bus operators office on the first floor
↪️Download free Belgrade bus station guidebook↩️
1. A fee to enter the platform
You need to pay a fee to enter the Belgrade bus station’s platforms. Strange, isn’t it? I have never experienced this in Europe.
The Security collects your platform ticket, validates it, and then allows you to enter the platform. Now imagine a big line waiting to enter. So make sure not to reach the bus station last minute. I guarantee that you will miss the bus.
Serbian currency (as of February 2020)
The official currency of Serbia is the Serbian dinar (RSD)
- 1 Euro ~ 117 RSD
- 1 US Dollar ~ 105 RSD
2. Sorry no Euros, please
Now that you have to buy a platform ticket to enter, the hunt to search the counter begins. Belgrade bus station has several counters.
Don’t panic, directly head to counter #12. They only sell platform tickets. The fee is 190 RSD (only RSD). It took a while to find an exchange center.
If you think that my vacation in Belgrade is over, and no more RSD is needed, you are totally wrong. Have a few hundred RSD if you leave from the Belgrade bus station.
3. Pay your driver to store luggage on the bus
A common scenario in the Balkan region is to pay the driver to store luggage. No matter how you purchased the ticket; online or at the bus station counter or through a travel agent, you must pay the driver to store the check-in luggage.
In return, the driver gives a tag to wrap and store the luggage in the bus’s lower compartment. You can pay both in Euro (1 €) or Serbia dinar (120 RSD).
4. Washroom & currency exchange center
There is a washroom, a few blocks away from the ticket counters. It cost 50 RSD
There are two exchange centers, one close to the ticket counters and one at the entrance. I am not sure about the names and their timings but the one near entrance closes early (~6 pm).
5. Luggage storage counter
Next to the washroom, there is a luggage storage room. The fee is 180 RSD/bag, valid for a day. You need a photo ID or a passport during the luggage deposit.
Tip: If you are on a day trip to Belgrade, use this storage counter, and wander the city baggage free.
6. Bus operator’s office on the first floor
There are several bus operators who start, transit or end at the Belgrade bus station. Neither all are famous nor they are available online.
So on the first floor, there is an office for every bus operator. You can also book a route directly with them.
Travel tip: Serbia is one of few European countries where Indian passport holders don’t need a visa to enter. Indians can enter or transit through Serbia without a visa for a period of 30 days.
My experience
Be prepared, be ready to walk a few hundred meters to reach the terminal if you rely on public transport.
The officials at the counters hardly speak any English. It can be crowded at times.
Nevertheless, Belgrade is a wonderful city to explore for tourists.
Overall experience: 
out of 5
Time of visit: February 2020
“A bus ride is like being in another world” – JA Redmerski
I am an avid traveller, and I am very impressed with your blog. Your descriptions about this part of the Balkans is spot on (because you are correct, you most certainly would miss your bus). The writing and tone perfectly describe the way that Serbia, Montenegro, and some of its neighbors are absolutely NOT like the rest of Europe, nor have they managed to modernize as other Eastern European countries have. As you highlight, it is really like stepping back in time here with some of their still-used customs as well as outdated oddities like pay toilets. A quick visit ONLY may be in order for those who still prefer to get a feel for the area but would feel like they are sometimes walking around with two left shoes if they stayed too long. (Although, it must be mentioned that Belgrade itself is progressing at an alarming rate, though this conversely comes with a massive loss of old world charm in exchange for entire neighborhoods which were ill-advisedly bulldozed to make way for a shocking total buy-in to made-in-China urban planning from the inside out.)
Thank you so much for reading the post and giving your comments.
Hi Anusha & Praveen, greetings. A very well written and a very useful blog. Amazing attention to details. I found it very useful. Keep writing.
Thank you Mahesh. We wish you a safe journey.
2 days ago (13/April/2024) I was at the Belgrade Bus Station and I will upload the prices.
The entrance fee for the platforms are: 220 RSD. The counter N°12 is still selling the platform tickets.
And the store luggage fee for the bus driver is still 120 RSD.
I haven’t found an article related to Sarajevo Bus Station, so, I’ll add some useful information for the travelers.
Today (15/April/2024) I took a bus from the Main Bus station of Sarajevo (Sarajevo has 2 differents bus stations: Main Bus Station and East (istočno) Bus Station) and the prices are the following:
Entrance fee for the platforms is: 2 BAM (Bosnian marks). You can buy it in any of the 4 counters. They only accept Marks, no Euros. I don’t know why some people pay for it and other people don’t pay for it.
Luggage fee for the bus driver is: 2 BAM. (Or 1 Euro).
Toilet/WC: 1 BAM.