The currency in Serbia is the dinar (denoted by РСД or динар, pl. dinari/динари). The USO currency code is RSD. Coins are minted in values of 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 dinars, and banknotes are printed in values of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 5,000 dinars. The banknotes tend to be more common than the coins, so be prepared to carry around a large number of banknotes in varying conditions.

Serbian taxis, street vendors, and small restaurants will rarely have change for the larger denominations (especially 5000 notes). Travelers would be wise to spend these at department stores or large grocery stores to keep an adequate supply of small notes on hand.

Money can be exchanged at official exchange offices, locally called menjačnica, often carrying the emblem of the National Bank of Serbia outside the building. The rates here are usually better than those of the banks. It is much easier to convert euros or other major currencies. There are many ATMs, which accept foreign bank and credit cards without a glitch. Visa, Visa Electron, Mastercard and Maestro are widely accepted. However, American Express and Diners Club cards are rarely accepted. Likewise, traveller’s cheques are not a well known form of payment in Serbia and cashing them in could present a challenge.

The dinar is not widely convertible outside Serbia; it is advisable to re-convert your remaining dinars to Euros or other major currencies before leaving the country.

Old Yugoslavian currency can be purchased from street sellers. A RSD 500,000,000,000 note makes an interesting souvenir. At Kalemegdan, near the fortress in Belgrade, you can pick up a set of 10 banknotes from the hyperinflation era for RSD 600.

The euro is occasionally accepted, but prices are often higher when directly compared to the dinar. Belgrade is typically on par with prices in many European cities; however, outside the capital, prices of almost any item are a lot lower than in the capital.

Money changers may refuse worn-out or damaged foreign banknotes, especially US dollars, therefore it is recommended to bring notes only in good condition. Banks usually accept slightly damaged notes, sometimes with a commission.

Gas stations close to borders sometimes accept foreign currencies.

BY BUS:

The most common and convenient way of getting around Serbia is by bus. See Bus travel in the former Yugoslavia for more information. For timetables (though not the prices) you can check polazak.rs

BY TRAIN:

Trains in Serbia are considerably slower than most of Western/Central Europe, but they can be a quite scenic way of seeing the country. On most of the routes trains are also slower than buses, exceptions being the lines running from Belgrade to Novi Sad, and to the Croatian border (Šid). They can be a lot cheaper (up to 40%), however. Trains are considerably more often on time, but the intensity of rail services has been decreased on most lines (with some international lines being suspended).

Most railways journeys are operated by new trains (Stadler Flirt for electrified lines and Metrovagonmash RA-2 for non-electrified ones, but you can still find some of the older trains in use on peripheral lines (JŽ class 412/416 made in the Soviet Union), and even some of the old East German diesel rail-buses (Šinobus), latter, mostly in regional use in Banat) and more regular locomotive-hauled trains serving international lines.

All trains are operated by Serbian Railways’ passenger branch SrbijaVoz. (timetables available, though, for some reason, prices are available just for certain routes. For train prices for all routes you can check polazak.rs . You would need to choose a railway station in the places you are traveling to (marked with a train symbol, and followed by ŽS.

Train types:

There are several train types in regular passenger service, but the type of the train rarely influences the actual journey time, or train speed. They also differ slightly in prices.

Brzi (Fast) trains (marked with a B on timetables), which theoretically stop on fewer stops (though this mostly means, the most peripheral ones).

RegioEkspres trains (marked with a Re on timetables), which stop on most stations (this usually means all).

These two types of trains have a supplement that is added to the ticket (50 RSD for journeys up to 50 km, and 100 RSD for journeys over 50 km, for Re trains, and 100 RSD for B trains).

Putnički (Passenger) (marked with a PT on timetables) trains, which stop at all stations and don’t have a supplement. This type is becoming increasingly uncommon as ŽS is phasing it out in favour of Re trains.

Train travel times and prices:

Train travel in most of Serbia is in no way time-saving, though it can be a very good option for budget travelers. There are (in theory) two classes in B and Re trains (1st and 2nd, 1st being 20% more expensive)), though this is increasingly meaningless as new Stadler and Metrovagonmash trains have very few 1st class seats (4 in every train), and they are almost always taken by the conductors, and getting them to move can be challenging. There is almost never a 1st class carriage on most international trains either.

Travel times on most lines are much longer than traveling by bus, and many cities in Central Serbia aren’t connected to Belgrade directly (and timetable planners don’t make it a priority to allow for fast and easy changes). This situation leaves a prospective train traveler with few possibilities of enjoying rail travel to smaller cities.

Generally, it is easier, cheaper and more comfortable (and sometimes faster) to take a train from Belgrade to Novi Sad (~1½ hr journey, ~400 RSD one way). Traveling from Belgrade to Niš is another option, though this journey is much longer than by bus (~5½ hr opposed to ~3 hr), and can get very uncomfortable if you’re traveling in newer Stadler trains, as their seats were built for shorter travel times (it can also be very frustrating to sit in a completely modern train with an LCD screen constantly showing you travel speeds of 45 km/hr). This journey can, on the other hand, be a very nice, and scenic experience, if you, for example, take a PT train from Zemun (departing Belgrade Centre station at 15:22 and arriving at 20:52, costing 784 RSD) which is still operated by old compartment carriages and locomotive hauled (and almost always completely empty (May 2017).

The long-lasting change (starting in the 1980s) of Railway Terminals from Glavna Železnička Stanica Beograd (Belgrade Main Railway Station) to Beograd Centar/Prokop (Belgrade Centre/Prokop) has been (as of the 2017/18 timetable) completed. Now, the only trains terminating at the Main Railway station are the international ones, and a couple of B trains from Subotica and Novi Sad. The problem with this is that Beograd Centar is mostly unbuilt, having only the platforms and no station building, and being infamously hard to reach (as Belgrade locals like to say, it has only 1½ bus lines going to it (one going from nowhere to nowhere and another (very irregularly) going from nowhere to Slavija square). If you happen to go from Novi Sad, Subotica or Šid, you should consider exiting the train at Novi Beograd and taking a bus or a tram to the city centre. Or you could take the city railway (BG:Voz from Beograd Centar either to Novi Beograd or Karađorđev Park/Vukov spomenik, which are more centrally located. Avoid trains arriving late at night because neither Novi Beograd Station nor Belgrade Centre are a good place to be at night, and there is virtually no public transport there after 23:00. Beograd Centar was built as a railway hub for the Yugoslav Railways, and was planned for many more and much bigger trains that it sees now, so be sure you’re waiting at the right platform and stay close to the middle, because otherwise you might miss your train.

You must buy tickets at the train station before boarding the train (unless the ticket window is closed (usually only very late at night, and never in main cities). A ticket is valid for a specific train, not (as is common in Western Europe, a line), so you can’t hop-on hop-off.

The cashiers usually speak little English, so you should have a peace of paper with your destination written on it, and if you don’t want to the next train, the number of that train. The cashier will sometimes ask you if you want a reservation, and if you speak no Serbo-Croatian, they will usually put it without asking. This reservation costs 110 RSD, and has no real purpose, as it only guarantees you a seat, and trains are almost never full (except the Belgrade-Novi Sad line). Also, even if you have it, conductors can be unwilling to fight other passengers to give you the seat, and you can bet that no one on the train will have a reservation for a particular seat you take. If you don’t wish to take the reservation you should just say bez rezervacije (bez rezervatsiye) when buying a ticket.

EAT:

Serbian food is a typical Balkan mix of Central European, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern dishes. Serbs are very proud of their food, which is heavy on grilled meats and sausages, local cheeses and bread. Serbia is predominantly a meat-loving nation. In all major cities, there are many international restaurants, such as Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Thai, Lebanese. In Belgrade you can even find sushi or kosher food.

There are international fast-food franchises such as McDonald’s, KFC, and Pizza Hut. On the whole, prices are cheap compared to Western Europe with main dishes ranging from €5–20 per person.

Typical Serbian foods:

Most Serbian restaurants offer roštilj, a large plate of various grilled meats, or any possible variety of grilled chicken wrapped in bacon and stuffed with cheese. It is possible to order fresh salads, plates of grilled vegetables, crepes, or omelettes if you are not carnivorous. Serbian cuisine is famous for its heavy use of varied vegetables, fresh or cooked.

Bakeries – called pekara – are ubiquitous in the city center, and you will find a wide assortment of breads, sweet and savoury pastries, sandwiches, and pizza. Some are open 24 hours per day. A snack or light meal of pastry and drinkable yoghurt (similar to kefir but milder) will give you an added healthy boost when walking about the city center.

Turkish delicacies such as baklava, tulumba, and other sweet treats are also commonly found.

Foods that vegetarians and meat eaters alike should try include kajmak (something between cream cheese and butter) and ajvar, a savory spread made out of roasted red peppers. It is also worth visiting a pijaca (green market) to buy some fresh fruit, vegetables and other grocery items.

Pljeskavica (pronounced approximately: PLYES-ka-vitsa) is the Serbian version of a hamburger which can be purchased from fast food restaurants.

The most famous dish in Serbia is ćevapčići (pronounced: chay-VAH-pee, chay-VAP-chitchee). Also called Ćevapi, they are a traditional food eaten throughout the Balkans. It consists of different types of minced meat (pork and beef) mixed together, shaped like small sausages, and then put on the grill. It is usually eaten with diced onion, and is very tasty. Depending on size, a portion of ćevapčići in a somun (pita bread), possibly with onion, ajvar or kajmak, is between €1.5 and €4.

Do not forget to taste the Karađorđeva Šnicla. It is meat that is filled with kajmak and bacon, and then pan-fried. It is another traditional Serbian dish that honors the leader of the first Serbian uprising against the Ottomans.

Try other traditional Serbian dishes, such as pečenje (roast pork or lamb), veal soup, and fish soup.

Burek (pronounced BOO-rek) is considered a national dish. It is made with a range of fillings including meat, cheese, spinach, apple or cherry. Due to the high fat content it is not for dieters. it is often eaten in the morning and can be sold out by the evening.

• Ćevapi (Ћевапи) -something like a Mixed grilled meat (one serving contains 5 or 10 pieces)
• Pečenje (печење) -roast pork or lamb-roast
• Kiflice (кифлице) (KEE-flitsay) small crescent-shaped bread rolls.
• Paprikaš (Паприкаш) (PAP-rik-ahsh) – stew with paprika often with chicken
• Gulaš (Гулаш) (GOO-lash)) – stew with paprika with beef
• Sarma (сарма) (SAR-ma) cabbage rolls, similar to dolmades, but made with sauerkraut instead of vine leaves
• Gibanica (Гибаница) (GHEE-ban-itsa) – phillo pastry made into a pie with spinach and cheese or just cheese (like spanakopita or tiropita in Greece)
• Lepinja (комплет лепиња или лепиња са све) – baked egg and cream inside of bread loaf.
• Punjene Paprike] (Пуњене паприке) – stuffed peppers (POON-yennay PAP-rik-ay)
• Pohovane Paprike (Поховане паприке (PO-ho-vah-nay PAP-rik-ay) – paprika rolled in soya oil and wheat flower and fried in sunflower oil, for vegetarians
• Pasulj (Пасуљ)(PAS-ooy) – beans. A national specialty. Often cooked for a long time with onion and paprika.
• Riblja čorba (рибља чорба) (RIB-yah CHOR-ba) Fish soup using freshwater fish.
• Roštilj (Роштиљ) (ROSH-teel) – barbecued meats.
• Prebranac (пребранац) (pre-BRAH-nats) – is for vegetarians. It’s cooked and roasted beans with various spices and vegetables. Usually completely meat free.
• Teleća čorba (Телећа чорба) -veal soup
• Proja (Проја) (PRO-ya) – a type of corn bread with white cheese. A national specialty.
• Ajvar (Ајвар) – ordinary red pepper, freshly ground and roasted and then made into a chutney.
• Kajmak (Кајмак) -something between cream cheese and butter.

Vegetarian foods:

Pure vegetarian restaurants are rare, but many places will provide you with non-meat food (just ask for ‘posno’-general term for non – meat foods). Numerous fast-food stands (burgers, barbecue, pizza, hot dog, pancakes…) and bakeries (Asian and European pastry, pitas…) are usually very good and will satisfy your needs at a reasonable price. Pizza, sandwiches, and pancakes (crepes) are also commonly found. Salads are primarily tomato, cucumber, and onion, or cabbage. Local produce is fresh and organic.

Serbian-style coffee:

Coffee culture in Belgrade is particularly developed; walking about the central areas of the city you will find sprawling terraces and cafés, serving all types of coffee and sweets, particularly Viennese type cakes and local specialties. Be sure to try Serbian Turkish style coffee, and chestnut purée with whipped cream, a local specialty especially at Republic Square (available mostly during winter).

DRINK:

• Rakija/Ракија/ (excellent brandy that has many flavours, like plum /Шљивовица/ (pronounced like SHLYEE-va), quince /Дуњевча/(DOO-nyah), apricot/Кајсијевача/ (KAI-see-yah), Pear /Крушковача/, plum-juniper/Клековача/(mix between rakija and Gin)… – You should know that some prestigious brands of rakija can be extremely expensive like Žuta Osa (ZHOO-tah O-sah), which means Yellow Wasp, also Viljamovka (VEE-lyam-ovka) made of pear of the sort william, the most expensive and the most quality ones have a pear fruit in the bottle.
• Loza (grape brandy, grappa, a type of rakija)
• Voda = Water
• Slivovitza /Шљивовица/(plum brandy – the national brandy of Serbia, and the most common type of Rakija, very popular, variably strong alcoholic beverage)
• Serbian wine is delicious and comes from many wine regions :Srem (especially town of Sremski Karlovci, also Irig), Oplenac, Župa, Smederevo, Negotin, Metohija, …
• Beer(Пиво). Jelen (Deer) and Lav (Lion) are the two most popular varieties of Serb beer, although Nikšićko from neighbouring Montenegro also seems very popular.
• Spring mineral water (Вода)-There are plenty of excellent bottled spring mineral water,from natural resources and protected areas.
• Мineral water(Минерална Вода)- In Serbia there are plenty of well-known springs (spa) mineral water (slightly sour, with a natural carbon)

TBC.

TBC.