Serbia how to get there. Do i need a visa to serbia

Serbia is a country in Southeast Europe, it is part of the former Yugoslavia, it refers to countries united by the word “Balkans” - that is, to the countries of the Balkan Peninsula.

Serbia borders with Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.

Serbia is a visa-free country for Russian citizens   (visa-free stay is 30 days), i.e. in order to enter the country, you only need a valid passport and a return ticket.

Car (PutUmo Out - we go by car)

Road routes from Russia to Serbia usually enter through Hungary or through Romania. In both cases, a transit visa is needed - either for Hungary or for Romania (in my opinion, now "transit visa" \u003d "regular visa").

Train (PUTUEMO VOZOM - we go by train)

There is a train Moscow-Belgrade (from the Kiev railway station), it takes almost 2 days, and to travel on it, you also need a transit visa to travel through the territory of Hungary.

  • more precisely, I can’t say something about visas, we still used only airways.

Aircraft (Putuyemo Avionom - flying on an airplane)

Planes fly to Belgrade from Moscow. If necessary, you can start in the search from any city in Russia - and the search will show that you need a transfer in Moscow and select the best route option (including for St. Petersburg).

A direct flight from Moscow to Belgrade is always more expensive than a flight with a transfer at any foreign airport.

Flying to Belgrade from Moscow with a transfer is cheaper than direct!

Transplants are most often made in Munich, Frankfurt, Vienna, Budapest (in fact, it is not very important where, because it is impossible to enter the city without a visa, and the airports are all quite comfortable).

There are different transfers: there is only a 30-minute waiting time for the next plane, and many hours. The length of stay at the transfer point can always be estimated when ordering tickets and picking up tickets so that it is convenient for you.

In order to make a transfer without leaving the airport, even in a “visa” country for Russians, a visa is not required.

About luggage:    if all flights are operated by one airline - you don’t need to receive or hand over baggage at the transfer point, so it is always better to fly one airline in one direction. Just in case, when landing in Moscow or St. Petersburg, you can always clarify: do you need to receive and check in your luggage at the transfer point.

In the country of the Balkan Peninsula, Russians feel comfortable. Serbs welcome visitors from a friendly country - Russia. There is no sea, but many natural complexes with lakes, resorts with mineral springs allow you to improve your health, spend time among peace and beauty.

As an excursion program, visit the ancient cities of Belgrade, Novi Sad, Nis. There are ski resorts. Prices are relatively low, rest is cheaper than in more popular countries. Entrance for Russian brothers is greatly simplified.

1. Rules of entry to Serbia in 2019

The tourist purpose of the visit, visiting relatives (acquaintances, friends), a short business trip do not require advance permission to enter. If other travel objectives are being pursued, then a visa will be required.

Russian tourists have the right to enter Serbia for free and stay in the country without a visa for a month.

For all visitors, including Russians, a single rule applies - be sure to register within 24 hours from the day you arrive at local law enforcement agencies.

Registration issues for hotel residents are handled by administration staff. Those who rent a house or live with relatives or acquaintances need to register themselves. To do this, together with the owner of the apartment, at home, you need to visit the police station. The procedure takes a very short time - just a few minutes.

Resourceful Russians have found a simple way to extend the 30-day visa-free period. You can go to a nearby country and return back, again receiving a stamp on a visa-free stay for a month. Such actions at the moment do not contradict the current legislation. Moreover, the number of such entry-exit is also not limited.

2. Do Russians need a passport to enter Serbia?

Despite the agreement on a visa-free regime, it will nevertheless be required. It is this document that must first be presented at the border.

The main requirement for a travel document is a validity period of 3 months from the date of return to Russia.

3. When do I need to get a Serbian visa?

You will have to get a visa to travel to Serbia if you plan to study, work, do business in the country or a long tourist tour, a guest visit.

Regardless of the listed travel goals, the Serbs issue a visa for a long stay of a single sample. The validity of the entry permit is 1 year with the right to stay in the country no more than 90 days for the entire period. Consular fee - 40 euros (tourist, guest visa), 110 euros (working, business).

The applicant needs to come to the Embassy, \u200b\u200bsubmit a package of papers, pay for the service, and after 5-7 days receive a ready entry permit.

Nature of serbia

3.1 Required Documents

The visa officer will need to provide:

  • An application form completed and signed personally by the applicant in the established form;
  • Passport valid for at least 3 months from the date of the expected date of receipt of the visa;
  • Copy of an internal Russian passport;
  • Two photographs;
  • Copies of round-trip tickets;
  • Health insurance (minimum coverage of 20,000 euros);
  • Documents confirming the financial solvency of the applicant, namely: his ability to pay a minimum of 50 euros per night in Serbia. A bank statement, a certificate of employment is suitable.

Additional documents, the content of which is determined by the purpose of the trip:

  1. Tourist. You need to have a tour voucher or hotel reservation, a contract for renting private housing;
  2. Guestbook. There must be an invitation from the host;
  3. Business. An official letter of invitation from a Serbian company.

The requirements for the photo as a whole coincide with the standard parameters that are required for a Schengen visa: size 3.5x4.5 cm, using a light background, a full-face image with an open face without a smile, the absence of glare and fuzzy elements of the picture, high-quality photo paper. The presence of glasses and headgear is permitted for exceptionally good reasons - medical evidence, religious beliefs.

4. Crossing the border

Visa-free crossing of the border also presupposes a certain list of documents, but most of them are rarely asked by border guards, but you still need to bring them with you.

4.1 Documents for crossing the border

The inspecting border guard has the right to request the following documents:

  • international passport;
  • traveller's checks, bank statement or cash in the amount that will be sufficient for living in Serbia at the rate of 50 euros per day;
  • return tickets, document confirming the hotel reservation;
  • health insurance policy.

From the above list, only a foreign passport is required without fail, financial papers, tickets and housing reservation are rarely checked.

Medical insurance is not mandatory, but refers to the option "they can also ask." In addition, to draw up an insurance policy before going abroad should be based on personal responsibility, and not just because of visa requirements.

It is also advisable to check the absence (or presence) of debts before traveling abroad. After all, if enforcement proceedings are opened for a debt obligation, a ban on travel abroad may be imposed. To verify such data, the service Nevlet.rf is suitable.

Sights of Serbia

4.2 Documents for children

Minors are allowed to pass through their personal passport, as well as if the child is entered in the parent's passport and there is a birth certificate.

If only one parent accompanies the child, then the second must draw up written consent to leave the son or daughter abroad. This paper is drawn up in the presence of a notary and certified by him.

In the absence of one of the parents for objective reasons, this fact is also confirmed by documented death certificates, court decisions on the deprivation of parental rights and more.

When a minor citizen is sent to Serbia as part of a group for competitions, participation in other events accompanied by a trainer, teacher, then both parents issue consent to leave the child.

4.3 Customs regulations

The following are allowed to be transported to Serbian territory:

  • 1 liter of alcoholic beverages (vodka, champagne, liquor), wine - 2 liters;
  • 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 100 cigarillos (weight not more than 3 g), 250 g of smoking tobacco;
  • 1 bottle of perfume (100 ml), 1 bottle of toilet water (250 ml);
  • personally necessary medicines for the visitor;
  • fuel that is in the tank (for travelers by car);
  • currency in the amount of 10,000 euros (over the specified amount - must be declared).

It is forbidden to transport weapons, drugs, poisons, gold coins and gold in raw form.

5. Getting a visa to Kosovo

Kosovo is a separate independent Republic with its own president, parliament and laws. Serbia considers Kosovo to be its territory, although it does not control it. In the international community, Kosovo is a partially recognized state, since not all countries have recognized the declaration of independence.

The authorities of the Republic of Kosovo established a visa regime for all foreign citizens. Russia was no exception. The Russian Federation does not recognize the independence of Kosovo. There is no Embassy of the Republic on Russian territory.

You need to get a visa at the Kosovo Embassy in Istanbul. To do this, the applicant must send a request to the email address [email protected], after receiving an invitation to come for a visa.

An exception. Holders of a multiple Schengen visa are allowed to stay in Kosovo for 15 days without first obtaining an entry permit.

For owners of official, diplomatic passports, a visa-free regime has been maintained in the Kosovo state.

5.1 Documents for visa

During a visit to the Kosovo Embassy in Turkey, you need to have with you the documents for obtaining a visa:

  • International passport;
  • Color photo with similar parameters as for a Schengen visa (1 pc);
  • Confirmation of booking tickets for an airplane, bus;
  •   for the amount of coverage of 30,000 euros;
  • Documents on the financial viability of the visitor;
  • A completed application form;
  • Russian-language papers must be translated into one of three languages \u200b\u200b(English, Serbian, Albanian).

The cost of a permit to enter Kosovo is 40 euros. A visa is issued in the form of an insert in the passport, which eliminates future problems when visiting Serbia.

Going to Istanbul for a Kosovo visa for tourist purposes, to put it mildly, is not very convenient. Therefore, those citizens who do not have a Schengen multi-visa and the urgent need for a visit to Kosovo most often do not plan it when traveling to Serbia.

Belgrade, Serbia

6. Embassy, \u200b\u200bconsulates of Serbia in the Russian Federation

6.1 Embassy of Serbia in Moscow

Address: st. Mosfilmovskaya, 46
  Moscow, 119285

Finally, be sure to watch the video from the channel "Eagle and Reshka" about the capital of Serbia - Belgrade:

No wonder they call it the “Balkan gate”. The city is located at the crossroads of trade routes that arose in antiquity, due to its advantageous location at the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers. Today, fans of Balkan medieval architecture and gourmets, for whom the concept of Serbian cuisine is inextricably linked with the names of hundreds of dishes that respond with warm notes both in soul and body, are looking for the answer to the question of how to get to.

Choose wings

The fastest way to get to Belgrade is by air. Often it turns out to be not too expensive, because the Serbian airline arranges special promotions and ticket sales more often than many others in. To keep abreast of special offers and conveniently track changes in ticket prices, order an electronic subscription on the websites of air carriers. The address of the Serbian Airlines is www.airserbia.com.
  The schedule of European airlines includes both direct and connecting flights from to Belgrade:

  • Direct flights are offered by Air Serbia. In less than three hours, the board, rising from the Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport, reaches Belgrade them. Nikola Tesla. The cost of a round-trip ticket in normal mode starts from 250 euros. During periods of sales and in the not too "high" tourist season, tickets can be bought for 140 euros.
  • With connections, the cheapest are Turkish airlines to Belgrade from Moscow. The price of a ticket for a Turkish Airlines flight is 260 euros. Boards rise from the capital's Vnukovo airport. In the sky, passengers will have to spend 4.5 hours.
  • From 280 euros, ticket prices for Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa and KLM aircraft start. Docks are coming in, Frankfurt and accordingly.

Nikola Tesla Airport is located 12 km from the center of Belgrade. You can get to the city by taxi and public transport. The first transfer option will cost 10-12 euros, depending on the distance. Choose Žuti Taxi or Pink Taxi. Their cars are the newest and equipped with taximeters.
  Buses are represented by the N72 budget route and Jat Shuttle express trains. The first follows from the airport to the center of the Serbian capital. The stop you need in the city is called "Zeleni Venaz", and the fare does not exceed 0.7 euros. On the way you will have to spend from half an hour to 45 minutes depending on traffic. The shuttle runs on a certain schedule and stops, including at the train station of the Serbian capital. The fare to the city is 3.5 euros.

How to get to Belgrade by train

Moscow and Belgrade are connected by rail. You can get to Serbia by train from the Russian capital to the Bulgarian cities, and the capital. Trailer wagons to Belgrade are usually compartmented, and the cost of one-way tickets starts at 50 euros. You will have to spend about 40 hours on the road.

The car is not a luxury

To travel to Belgrade by car, you will need international license. The capitals and Serbia are separated by just over 2100 km and you will have to spend about 26 hours on the road.

Useful information for car enthusiasts:

  • The country provides for the use of certain roads. The cost of fees depends on the type of vehicle and the distance traveled. Payment is accepted both in cash and by bank card.
  • The largest fines are provided for transporting children without the use of special devices, for refusing to give way to pedestrians and for driving into a red light. For violations of these traffic rules you will pay 120 euros or more.
  • The cost of a liter of fuel in Serbia is approximately 1.16 euros.
  • The path from Moscow to Belgrade passes along the roads, and.
  • To drive on toll roads in Hungary and Slovakia, a car enthusiast must purchase an electronic permit called a vignette. Permits can be bought at the border crossing at a checkpoint or some gas stations. The cost of a 10-day vignette for a car is approximately 10 euros.
  • In Belarus and Poland, motorway tolls are calculated based on the distance traveled and the type of vehicle.
  • The use of radar detectors and even the transportation of turned off devices in a car in Europe is strictly prohibited. So in Serbia, for violation of this requirement, you can receive imprisonment for a period of 30 days.

All prices in the material are approximate and are given for March 2017. The exact fare is better to check on the official websites of the carriers.

Most often from Russia to Serbia get by plane.

Direct flights from Moscow

There are many direct flights to Serbia; Aeroflot and Air Serbia fly from Moscow. This is the fastest and most convenient way. Airplanes arrive at the Nikola Tesla Airport, which is 12 km away. from Belgrade.

Flight time is approximately 3 hours. Tickets cost about 200-250 euros. Previously, in rubles it came out quite inexpensively, about 9 thousand rubles there and back, now a ticket costs about 18 thousand rubles.

Tickets with connections are also available (via Vienna, Munich, Amsterdam, Zurich, etc.), but if there are savings, then in the region of 20-50 euros, and the trip may take a day.

By plane from St. Petersburg and Novosibirsk

There are no direct flights from St. Petersburg. But still, even with a connection via Moscow, it’s quite convenient to fly, in the morning you are still in the gloomy city of Petersburg, and by lunchtime in sunny Serbia.

The total travel time through Moscow is about 7 hours, for money - about 19 thousand rubles. Perhaps this is the fastest and most convenient way to get to Serbia.

But there is one more, cheaper and more interesting on tickets. From St. Petersburg to Belgrade, you can fly through Istanbul, Turkish Airlines. Saving on a ticket will cost about 3 thousand rubles, but in Istanbul you will most likely have to spend the night, so you should only fly this way if you want to see Istanbul.

Docking there can take about a day, that is, you will have time to go to the city and even spend the night there. In fact, this is a separate small trip, which you get for free, when compared in price with aeroflot tickets.

The difference of 3 thousand on the ticket, especially if you fly as a family or company, with a reasonable approach will pay off all expenses in Istanbul.

If desired, the stop in Istanbul can also be extended by issuing a stopover, and, suppose, go somewhere to the beach. You can read more about stopover (and our stopover in Beijing)

Similarly, Turkish Airlines planes fly to Belgrade from Novosibirsk. So the road through Istanbul is a great alternative to the road through Moscow.

Just note that the Turks do not fly from St. Petersburg and Novosibirsk every day (from Novosib on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays), so experiment with dates.

Well, how much can Novosibirsk-Belgrade tickets cost if you fly with Aeroflot:

Via Budapest

If you have a Schengen visa, it is sometimes more economical to get to Serbia like this: fly by Wizzair from Moscow to Budapest, and then get to Serbia by train or minibus.

You need to look for cheap tickets to Hungary at the Hungarian discount airline Wizzair.

You can get an additional discount on Wizzair tickets by purchasing their Wizz Discount Club card. It is annual and during this period will pay off more than once. If you plan only one trip a year with this airline, then buying a card does not make much sense, although even with one trip the card is likely to pay off.

Here are the prices of the card and the benefits it provides:

If we compare the cost of direct flights to Serbia and the cost of Wizzair tickets to Budapest, then the price may differ by 3 times.

Here, for example, tickets without any promotion. Pay attention to the prices with a Wizzair discount card - 29.99 euros from Moscow and 46.99 euros to Moscow, total 77 euros round trip:

True, you need to understand that a ticket for 30 euros from Moscow with an uncomfortable departure and arrival (at night), which is not suitable for everyone.

In addition, Wizzair additionally needs to pay for any luggage, even hand luggage, with the exception of a very small bag.

Therefore, you need to add a ticket for a train or bus to Serbia (a train ticket to Belgrade costs 15 euros, to Novi Sad 12 euros; a minibus ticket to Belgrade costs 30 euros, more) and the cost of a Schengen visa if you need to receive it specially for such a trip.

Given these additional costs for the train from Budapest, do not forget that in the same Novi Sad you will also have to get from Belgrade International Airport. Therefore, everywhere it turns out plus or minus.

So it’s profitable to fly through Budapest, especially as a family or a large company, since if several people fly, then you can save 200-300 and more euros, and this is already noticeable with any budget.

Options to get to Budapest airport if you are already in Serbia

If you are already in Serbia and plan to travel from here, then as an option, you can get to the Budapest airport by your car and leave it there in a paid parking lot if you fly somewhere for a short time. The fee for a week of parking is approximately 15 euros.

But you also need to take into account that roads in Europe are paid. And when calculating the savings, it is important not to miss the cost of the Hungarian vignette (10 euros for 10 days) and 3-5 euros, depending on where you get from - tolls for roads in Serbia. Well, and gasoline by itself.

How to get to Serbia by land

Previously, a train traveled from Moscow to Belgrade through Ukraine, but now it has been canceled due to the war.

You can also get to Serbia from Russia by car. This is the first time we got here. I have described all the technical points related to our trip.

Where to look for tickets to Serbia

Airline prices fluctuate significantly throughout the year. Tickets from Moscow to Budapest can be found on the official Wizzair website, but you can check all other options in this convenient form (the minimum prices are shown here for months, click on the desired month to see daily prices and book tickets).

In Kosovo

After the declaration of independence of Kosovo, Pristina Airport, which was almost never used even during the time of Yugoslavia, experienced a rebirth and was elevated to the international rank. Currently, it is the main air gate of Kosovo, and from it flights are operated to Istanbul, Zagreb, Berlin, Budapest, Geneva, Vienna and Athens.

  To Serbia by train

The direct train Moscow - Belgrade travels 50 hours through the territory of Hungary, the fare in a compartment costs $ 120. For transit, a Hungarian or any other Schengen visa is required.

Much more options exist for the following in transit through Hungary, Romania, Greece or Croatia. Daily trains run from Thessaloniki to Belgrade (10-14 hours, three trains per day), from Bucharest to Belgrade (12 hours, one train per day), Zagreb (6 hours, five trains per day), Sofia (10 hours, two trains per day), Budapest (6-7 hours, two trains per day). Montenegro can be added to this list; trains depart from Belgrade to Bar (via Podgorica) four times a day.

The daily train runs from Pristina (Kosovo) to Skopje at 7:30 in the morning, arriving three hours later. In the opposite direction leaves from Skopje at 16:35, arrives in Pristina at 19:37. A detailed timetable should be specified on the website of the Macedonian Railways (http://www.mzi.mk/documents/vozenred.pdf) and the Kosovo Railways (http://www.kosovorailway.com/transporti-i-udhetareve/orari-i -trenave /? lang \u003d en). The fare is 5 euros.

Until March 2012, a daily train arrived in Belgrade from Istanbul (Balkan Express), following through Bulgaria. After work began on the expansion and modernization of the railway line (due to the opening of the Marmaray tunnel under the Bosphorus and plans to launch direct communication from Azerbaijan and Georgia to Europe), passengers make part of the journey by bus. When traveling from Istanbul, they take their seats on the bus, departing daily at 22:00 from Sirkeci Station and travel to Cerkezkoy Station, 115 km west of Istanbul. There they transfer to a train going to Belgrade. As the work on the line is completed, the place of transfer from the bus to the train will change. According to the plan, a full-fledged railway connection will be restored in the spring of 2015.

  To Serbia by bus

Regular bus services are available between Belgrade and many European capitals. Especially many buses leave daily to Zagreb (Croatia), Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzogovina), Skopje (Macedonia), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Budapest (Hungary), Sofia (Bulgaria) and Istanbul (Turkey).

In addition, cross-border traffic is well developed. Up to seven buses a day connect Hungarian Szeged and Serbian Subbotitsa, Nis and Sofia (Bulgaria), Zrejanin and Timisoara (Romania), Novi Sad and Osijek (Croatia).

Tickets for flights within the former Yugoslavia are usually inexpensive and correspond to $ 4-5 per 100 kilometers in interstate traffic.

  To Serbia by car

Distance from Belgrade by road: Moscow - 2430 kilometers, Sofia - 395 kilometers, Bucharest - 630 kilometers, Budapest - 390 kilometers, Vienna - 635 kilometers, Zagreb - 330 kilometers.

  From Hungary

From Hungary you can enter through the Khorgos checkpoint (Uzhhorod-Bekeshchaba-Subotitsa highway), Celebia (Budapest-Dunaujvaros-Subbotitsa highway) and Bachki-Breg (local road).

  From Romania

From Romania - through the checkpoint Srpska-Crna (Arad - Novi Sad), Batting (Timisoara - Belgrade), Kalujerovo (local road) and Dzherdap (Bucharest - Craiova - Belgrade).

  From Bulgaria

From Bulgaria - through the checkpoint Mokrane (Vidin - Negotin), Vrska-Chuka (Vidin - Zayecar), Gradina (Sofia - Nis - Belgrade), Ribarcy (Sofia - Leskovac) and Stresimirovtsi (local road).

  From Macedonia

From Macedonia - through the checkpoint Prokhor - Pchinski (local road) and Presevo (Skopje - Kumanovo - Nis).

  From Bosnia and Herzegovina

From Bosnia and Herzegovina - through the Uvac checkpoint (local road), Kotroman (Sarajevo - Uzice), Bayina - Bashta (local road), Lyuboviya (Tuzla - Uzice), Maly Zvornik (Sarajevo - Belgrade), Trbusnica (Brcko - Valevo) ), Badovintsy (local road) and Sremska Racha (Tuzla - Zagreb - Belgrade).

  From Croatia

From Croatia - through the checkpoint Batrovtsy (Zagreb - Belgrade), Bachka - Palanka (Osijek - Novi Sad) and Bogoevo (Osijek - Sombor).

  From Montenegro

From Montenegro - through the checkpoint: Gostun / Brodarevo, Tutin / Vuca and more than 10 others, of local significance, connecting neighboring villages.

Attention! After Montenegro declared independence from Yugoslavia, full border formalities began to function between the two countries. At ground crossings, customs and passport control is carried out. Tourists should have with them all the usual and necessary documents for the trip. The rules for entering Montenegro can be found in the "Montenegro" section.

  From Kosovo

A paradoxical situation takes place in travel between Kosovo and Serbia. The country has not recognized the independence of the region and ignores any facts of independence of the Kosovars. For example, you may be denied entry to Serbia if you have a seal of entry to Kosovo. As a rule, a tourist does not have any opportunity to visit Kosovo and not receive entry stamps, which makes a tourist hostage to the confrontation between Serbia and Kosovo. Considering Kosovo to be an inseparable territory of Serbia, the latter do not consider the border with it to be their state border. There are regular transport links between the cities of Kosovo and Serbia, including not only regular buses, but even the daily train Belgrade-Pristina.

Read more about the rules for crossing the border of Serbia and Kosovo in the section "Visas to Serbia".

In addition, you may be denied entry to Serbia if you are following a rental car with Kosovo license plates (“KS”).

International automobile crossings to Kosovo from Macedonia are located in General-Jankovic (Skopje - Pristina) and Globochitsa (Tetovo - Prizren), and from Albania - Vrbnitsa (Kukes - Prizren) and Chafa-Prushit (Kukes - Djakovitsa). It should be borne in mind that when entering Serbia through Kosovo by car, you will need to purchase an insurance certificate for Kosovo at a price of 50 euros, since the standard Green Card is not valid there. More details in the section "Roads and driving rules."

For those who drive directly to Serbia from abroad by car, it is mandatory that they have an international driver’s civil liability insurance policy (“green card”, common throughout the country). In the absence of such insurance is issued at the border crossing.

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