Public transport is free for everyone
Since 1 January 2025 public transport in Belgrade has been free for everyone: buses, trams, trolleybuses and the city rail service. There are no tickets, no inspectors and no fines for riding without one. For a passenger this means just one thing: no barriers or cards, entry is free, and you pay only for intercity services and taxis. This also covers suburban routes within the city boundaries.
How to plan a route
The main aid is an app with routes and timetables: it shows waiting times and connections. Route numbering differs by mode: buses, trams, trolleybuses and the city rail run in separate series, and night routes are marked separately. At peak times — eight to nine in the morning and five to six in the evening — the centre is jammed, and a tram ride can be faster than a bus. In summer and on holidays timetables are reduced, so it is worth checking the specific route before setting off.
The city rail
BG voz is a rail service running through the city centre on routes between suburbs and stations. For residents of the outskirts it is the fastest way into the centre: the train does not sit in traffic and runs to a timetable. Travel within the city counts as free transport, while a trip outside the city is paid separately. Stations are placed so that some routes suit daily trips to work and school.
Taxis and car sharing
Taxis in Belgrade are ordered through apps: the price is known in advance, paid by card or cash. An average trip across the city costs fifteen euros, and in rain or at peak times prices rise with demand. Getting into a car with no markings and no app is not advisable: that is how inflated fares happen. Car sharing is charged by the minute, about twenty cents a minute, convenient for short trips, but it requires registration and a driving licence with sufficient experience.
Parking
Parking in central Belgrade is zoned: spaces are split into zones with different prices and time limits, and payment goes through SMS or the city parking service app. The closer to the centre, the more expensive and the shorter the permitted stay. Free spaces exist in residential areas, but looking for them in the centre is pointless. Unpaid parking brings a fine, and in more serious cases the car is towed away: getting it back costs extra time and money.
Cycling and walking
Belgrade sits on two rivers, and the quays along the Sava and Danube are good for cycling and long walks. Cycle lanes exist in the centre, in New Belgrade and along the rivers, though in the hilly part of town a ride takes effort. Cycling is used less in winter, while in spring and summer it is the fastest way between neighbouring districts. On foot, the centre is compact: from Republic Square to Kalemegdan and the quay takes ten to fifteen minutes, usually faster than any ride.