The Republic of Macedonia is fairly easy to travel to and around with a good network of roads, rail and plane options for travellers. It is also linked with its neighbours and some other European countries by regular bus routes. Buses operate to and from Skopje to Sofia, Belgrade, Zagreb, Pula, Ljubljana, Thessaloniki, Munich, Bonn, Dusseldorf, Stuttgart, Dortmund, Frankfurt, Bern, Essen, Vienna, Zurich, Malme, Gothenburg.
Flights to the Republic of Macedonia
You can enter the Republic of Macedonia from Thessaloniki (SKG) in Greece or Sofia (SOF) in Bulgaria. In both cases you have to cross the border into the country by taxi or bus. Hire a taxi from the taxi desk at the airport in Sofia. Though the desk will charge you 160 Euro for a taxi from Sofia to Skopje, you can negotiate a lower fare of around 100 Euro with individual drivers. The country also has two international airports - one at the capital Skopje (SKP) and the other at Ohrid (OHD), connecting the country to several major European cities.
Flights to Macedonia
Trains to the Republic of Macedonia
If you prefer to travel by train, then avail of the regular train service from Greece and Serbia to the south and north of Macedonia, respectively.
Driving to the Republic of Macedonia
The country is connected by good roads to Bulgaria in the east and Albania in the west. Travellers entering the country by car usually use the E-75 international highway that goes from Serbia in the north to Greece in the South, cutting across the country. Make sure that your International Insurance Card (Green Card) has a ‘MK' box that is not cancelled. While travelling by road it is essential to carry a good road map and to have a fair knowledge of Cyrillic letters, as most road signs will be in Cyrillic and Latin. This is particularly true for the small towns on the way.
Buses to the Republic of Macedonia
Frequent, inexpensive and professionally run buses connect Skopje to various European countries such as Serbia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia and Turkey.
Skopje has two main bus terminals. The new terminal is used by most buses though some buses such as the one to Pristina still use the old terminal located at the city centre. The two terminals are about 2.5 km apart. You have to cross the stone bridge over River Vardar or take a taxi.
Bus travel in this country is cheap and safe and the buses usually are clean and run on time. Though you will be harassed by the taxi drivers, do not opt for it unless you do not mind shelling out exorbitant fares. As foreigners, you will be charged very high prices by the taxis.
Getting around the Republic of Macedonia
There are many options for getting around the Republic of Macedonia. We have highlighted a few of the main alternatives you may wish to consider.
Getting around the Republic of Macedonia by Car
Getting around the Republic of Macedonia by car is a good idea provided you are carrying a good road guide and driving a car with good tyres. In spring and summer the mountain weather in Bitola and Ohrid will be quite different from your country and you need to be careful.
Getting around the Republic of Macedonia by By Train
In summer the hot and crowded buses may not be preferable. Trains, though slow, are a better alternative. The main train line is from Skopje to Bitola and Gevgelia. There are no train services to Ohrid.
Getting around the Republic of Macedonia by By Taxi
Taxi is the most preferred mode of transport within the country. Macedonian cities are small compared to other European cities and in almost all cases you will be able to cover one end of the city to the other in 10 or 15 minutes. While negotiating the taxi charges keep the distance factor in mind. Most taxis will usually charge a flat rate of 30 Denars, with extra charge for additional kilometres. This will work out to maximum 80 to 90 Denars, even in Skopje which is the largest city. Do not agree to anything above 100 Denars, which will be a heavily overpriced rate.
The peak tourist season in Ohrid is summer. Small businesses, including taxi business, make the most profits during this time. So they will charge high rates, as much as a three times flat rate for same distances. You will commonly hear the terms ‘sto denari' or ‘stotka' (slang for a 100 Denar bill) and almost all taxis will not charge below a stotka. You can either negotiate the rates to go as low as 80 or 70 Denar or else hunt around for bargain rates. During the lean seasons the same rates can go down even to 40 Denar. However, never get bullied into accepting rates that seem very high.
Getting around the Republic of Macedonia by By Boat
Boats are available for charter, around Lake Ohrid, for a reasonable price. Hire one and go around the lake.
