Serbia - TransportationSerbia - Transportation
Serbia operates state-owned airports as well as the national air carrier, which was re-branded from Jat Airways to Air Serbia. In 2013, Etihad took over 49 percent of Air Serbia and operates the airline. Air Serbia sells Etihad tickets at its offices and website and codeshares to more than a dozen routes to China, Vietnam, Australia, and Thailand. Regional direct flights are available to many capitals, including Sofia, Bucharest, Budapest, Athens, Sarajevo, Prague, Ljubljana, and Zagreb. Ticket prices can be high given Air Serbia’s dominance. However, there are low cost carriers servicing Serbia such as Wizz Air, Fly Dubai, EasyJet, and Pegasus Airlines that are flying to multiple destinations throughout Europe and the Middle East from Belgrade.
The two major airports in Serbia are Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla International Airport and the Nis Airport. Nikola Tesla is the country’s largest airport and has direct service to many Western European cities, such as Vienna, Frankfurt, Munich, Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Istanbul, London, and Paris. U.S. and Serbian governments signed an Open Skies Agreement in May 2015 and Serbian Air Traffic Authorities have received Category 1 status, which are necessary for direct flights to the United States. First direct flight to New York, USA was in June, 23, 2016, conducting by Air Serbia.
The construction of a new international terminal and the reconstruction of the runway have helped increase passenger traffic and enabled it to handle the most sophisticated aircraft. Other than the national carrier, Air Serbia, approximately 20 airlines service Belgrade, including Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, Aeroflot (Russia), Cross/Swissair, Croatia Airlines (Croatia), Lufthansa (Germany), Turkish Airlines, Lot (Polish), Qatar Airways, Montenegro Airlines, Tarom (Romania), Belavia (Belarus),Wizz Air, and others.
The Nis Airport in southern Serbia offers limited commercial activity. Wizz Air and Ryan Air operate from Nis and other low-cost companies have expressed interest in flying from this airport.
Serbia can be reached by rail from Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Macedonia. Internal trains service most areas of the country. Long distances, however, can take a considerable amount of time and often are unreliable due to the aging rail infrastructure. The most convenient and efficient means of travel to Serbia are by air or road transport.
Serbia can be entered by vehicle from various border points. The most utilized border crossings are those connecting Serbia with Croatia, Hungary, and Bulgaria. The quality of Serbian roads and expressways varies greatly. Serbia’s motorway network is not extensive, while most roads are two-lane highways. There is a four-lane expressway between Zagreb and Belgrade (travel time is approximately 3.5 hours, depending on the time spent passing through immigration at the border), which is the best highway in the country. Travel time between Budapest and Belgrade is approximately four hours, and the travel time between Belgrade and Sofia is 4.5 hours. The expressway extending south from Belgrade is good until Nis, after which two-lane highways extend to Kosovo, Bulgaria, and Greece. Kosovo can be reached by automobile from either Sofia (Bulgaria) or Skopje (Macedonia). Now, two various Corridors are under construction: Corridor 10, and Corridor 11.
Car rentals from Hertz, Avis, Budget, and others are available from the Nikola Tesla International Airport, as well as other locations in Belgrade and Novi Sad. A complete list of rental car companies at Nikola Tesla International Airport can be found here.
U.S. citizens do not need an international driver’s license to drive in Serbia. A passport and a U.S. driver’s license are sufficient. Taxis are affordable and abundant within Belgrade and can be hailed curbside, at taxi stands, or by calling for radio dispatch.
Nikola Tesla International Airport, Belgrade
Konstantin the Great Airport, Nis Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.
The two major airports in Serbia are Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla International Airport and the Nis Airport. Nikola Tesla is the country’s largest airport and has direct service to many Western European cities, such as Vienna, Frankfurt, Munich, Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Istanbul, London, and Paris. U.S. and Serbian governments signed an Open Skies Agreement in May 2015 and Serbian Air Traffic Authorities have received Category 1 status, which are necessary for direct flights to the United States. First direct flight to New York, USA was in June, 23, 2016, conducting by Air Serbia.
The construction of a new international terminal and the reconstruction of the runway have helped increase passenger traffic and enabled it to handle the most sophisticated aircraft. Other than the national carrier, Air Serbia, approximately 20 airlines service Belgrade, including Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, Aeroflot (Russia), Cross/Swissair, Croatia Airlines (Croatia), Lufthansa (Germany), Turkish Airlines, Lot (Polish), Qatar Airways, Montenegro Airlines, Tarom (Romania), Belavia (Belarus),Wizz Air, and others.
The Nis Airport in southern Serbia offers limited commercial activity. Wizz Air and Ryan Air operate from Nis and other low-cost companies have expressed interest in flying from this airport.
Serbia can be reached by rail from Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Macedonia. Internal trains service most areas of the country. Long distances, however, can take a considerable amount of time and often are unreliable due to the aging rail infrastructure. The most convenient and efficient means of travel to Serbia are by air or road transport.
Serbia can be entered by vehicle from various border points. The most utilized border crossings are those connecting Serbia with Croatia, Hungary, and Bulgaria. The quality of Serbian roads and expressways varies greatly. Serbia’s motorway network is not extensive, while most roads are two-lane highways. There is a four-lane expressway between Zagreb and Belgrade (travel time is approximately 3.5 hours, depending on the time spent passing through immigration at the border), which is the best highway in the country. Travel time between Budapest and Belgrade is approximately four hours, and the travel time between Belgrade and Sofia is 4.5 hours. The expressway extending south from Belgrade is good until Nis, after which two-lane highways extend to Kosovo, Bulgaria, and Greece. Kosovo can be reached by automobile from either Sofia (Bulgaria) or Skopje (Macedonia). Now, two various Corridors are under construction: Corridor 10, and Corridor 11.
Car rentals from Hertz, Avis, Budget, and others are available from the Nikola Tesla International Airport, as well as other locations in Belgrade and Novi Sad. A complete list of rental car companies at Nikola Tesla International Airport can be found here.
U.S. citizens do not need an international driver’s license to drive in Serbia. A passport and a U.S. driver’s license are sufficient. Taxis are affordable and abundant within Belgrade and can be hailed curbside, at taxi stands, or by calling for radio dispatch.
Nikola Tesla International Airport, Belgrade
Konstantin the Great Airport, Nis Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.