Most of the site’s transport content covers getting around once you’ve landed, but not how to actually reach Belgrade in the first place. Here’s flights, trains and buses from elsewhere in Europe. For the airport-to-city leg once you’ve arrived, see Getting from Nikola Tesla Airport to the City Center.
By air
Nikola Tesla Airport is served by most major European carriers alongside Air Serbia, the national airline, which runs the widest network of direct routes into the city. Budget carriers including Wizz Air and Ryanair also fly in from several European cities,. Routes and fares change by season, so compare current options before booking.
By train
Rail links into Serbia have improved in recent years, with direct or single-change connections from several regional capitals. It’s slower than flying but a genuinely pleasant way to arrive if you’re already travelling overland through the Balkans or Central Europe.
By bus
Long-distance buses connect Belgrade to most regional capitals and are usually the cheapest overland option, if not the fastest. Popular for budget-conscious travellers combining Belgrade with Sarajevo, Zagreb or Skopje on a wider Balkans route.
Regional context
Serbia sits outside the Schengen Area, so you will go through border control when you arrive from an EU country, and entry rules depend on your passport, covered in Do I Need a Visa to Visit Serbia? This is worth factoring into how you route the rest of a longer Europe trip.
Planning the rest of the trip
Once you’ve worked out how you’re arriving, 2, 3, and 4 Days in Belgrade covers how long to stay, and Practical Info covers everything else once you’ve landed.
I’m Nevena, a writer and Belgrade native who now splits my time between Serbia and the UK. I’ve been living between two countries for 8 years, which means I understand Belgrade from both sides: as someone who grew up here, and as someone who had to rediscover it through expat eyes.
That dual perspective shapes everything I write. I cover expat life in Belgrade in depth, the things no guidebook tells you, like how to navigate the healthcare system, where to find reliable childcare, what property buying actually involves for foreigners, and how much things really cost when you live here rather than just visiting. I’ve done most of this myself, which means my guides are based on real experience, not research from a distance.
I also write about Serbia and the wider Balkans as a travel destination, a region that still surprises people with how much it offers. I’ve taken 35+ solo trips across Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Croatia and Romania, and I speak Serbian, English and conversational Romanian.
Belgrade is one of Europe’s most underrated cities, and I’ve made it my mission to change that, one honest, practical guide at a time.