Journey
Serbia by Rail: Fast Trains, Mountain Lines & the Šargan Eight
Seven days across Serbia by train: the new high-speed line to Subotica and Novi Sad, the Šargan Eight narrow-gauge railway and the Belgrade–Bar line down to Mileševa
- No payment now
- Private, on your dates
- Planned by our own team
- Length
- 7 days · 6 nights
- Travel style
- Private
- Pace
- Classic
- Stays
- Superior · Classic
- Starts and ends
- Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG)
- Guiding
- EnglishAll languages on request
- Group
- 2–12 guests
- Price
- On requestWritten offer first, no payment now
What you’ll see
Highlights along the way
Route & days
Day by day
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Day 1 Arrive in Belgrade
Meet your driver at Belgrade airport. In the late afternoon, a walk with your tour leader from Knez Mihailova street to Belgrade Fortress above the meeting of the Sava and the Danube.
- Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG)
- Knez Mihailova Street
- Belgrade Fortress & Kalemegdan Park
Included: Private arrival transfer; orientation walk; dinner.
Airport to the city centre. Easy city walk.
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Day 2 By fast train to Subotica
A short transfer to Belgrade Centre station and the high-speed train north: across the Danube, through Novi Sad and over the flat Bačka plain to Subotica, near the Hungarian border, in about 1¼–1½ hours. A walk with a local guide to the City Hall and the restored synagogue, then out to Lake Palić and its Great Terrace.
- Belgrade
- Belgrade Centre Railway Station (Prokop)
- Subotica
- Subotica City Hall
- Subotica Synagogue
- Palić Lake
Included: Fast-train tickets; licensed local guide; synagogue entrance and City Hall visit (subject to schedule); dinner.
Station transfer in Belgrade and the short drive to Lake Palić. Easy walking in town and by the lake.
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Day 3 Novi Sad and Sremski Karlovci
Back south by fast train to Novi Sad, under an hour. Walk through the old town and up to Petrovaradin Fortress, then drive the short way to Sremski Karlovci for its baroque square, the Patriarchate and a glass of bermet.
- Subotica
- Novi Sad
- Petrovaradin Fortress
- Sremski Karlovci
Included: Fast-train tickets; licensed local guide; bermet tasting.
Station transfer and the short drive to Sremski Karlovci. City walking with steps at the fortress.
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Day 4 South to Užice and Mokra Gora
A long day on the rails: the regional train south through Belgrade and the hills around Valjevo to Užice, about five hours depending on the timetable and the connection. Bring a book and a picnic. From Užice, a road transfer up to Mokra Gora for the night.
- Novi Sad
- Užice
- Šargan Eight heritage railway, Mokra Gora
Included: Rail tickets; picnic lunch box; road transfer; dinner.
Station transfer in Novi Sad and the road from Užice to Mokra Gora.
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Day 5 The Šargan Eight
Board the Šargan Eight at Mokra Gora for the round trip up to Šargan Vitasi and back, about two and a half hours on the narrow-gauge line. Walk up to Drvengrad, the timber village above the station, then drive over the Zlatibor hills to the open-air museum of Sirogojno and on to Zlatibor for the night.
- Šargan Eight heritage railway, Mokra Gora
- Drvengrad (Küstendorf)
- Sirogojno: Old Village Open-Air Museum
- Zlatibor
Included: Šargan Eight tickets (subject to timetable); Drvengrad and Sirogojno entrances; road transfers; dinner.
Planning time for a minibus. Short uphill walk to Drvengrad.
Easier or optional: A steam-hauled departure when one is scheduled.
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Day 6 On the Bar line to Prijepolje and Mileševa
An early transfer to Užice station for the train south on the Belgrade–Bar line: up through the Zlatibor hills and tunnels and down into the Lim valley to Prijepolje, about two hours. In the afternoon, Mileševa Monastery, founded by King Vladislav in the 1230s, for the fresco of the White Angel at Christ's tomb. Night in Prijepolje.
- Zlatibor
- Užice
- Prijepolje
- Mileševa Monastery
Included: Rail tickets; road transfers; licensed guide; dinner.
Road transfer to Užice station and to Mileševa.
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Day 7 Back to Belgrade
Return north by road through the Zlatibor hills to Belgrade or the airport, about 5–5½ hours with a break. Rail purists can ride the midday train back instead, arriving in the evening (an extra night in Belgrade is then needed).
- Prijepolje
- Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG)
Included: Private road transfer to Belgrade or the airport.
Planning time for a minibus.
Easier or optional: The train back to Belgrade instead of the road.
Driving times are approximate and don’t include stops. Every day can be adjusted: tell us what you’d change when you enquire.
What’s included
Included and not included
Included
- 6 nights in hotels and guesthouses (Belgrade 1, Subotica 1, Novi Sad 1, Mokra Gora 1, Zlatibor 1, Prijepolje 1), breakfast daily
- 5 dinners and a picnic lunch box on day 4
- Rail tickets for all train journeys in the programme (class as in your written offer); a support vehicle with driver for luggage and road transfers
- A Travel2Serbia tour leader throughout; licensed local guides in Subotica, Novi Sad and at Mileševa
- Šargan Eight, Subotica synagogue, Drvengrad, Sirogojno and bermet tasting
- Arrival transfer; Travel2Serbia support throughout
Guiding in all languages available on request, subject to availability.
Not included
- Flights
- Travel insurance
- Meals and drinks not listed
- Donations at monasteries
- Tourist taxes paid locally
- Tips
Why this journey
Why you’ll love it
- The high-speed line north from Belgrade across the Danube and the Bačka plain
- Subotica's Art Nouveau City Hall and the shores of Lake Palić
- Novi Sad, Petrovaradin Fortress and Sremski Karlovci
- The Šargan Eight, a narrow-gauge line that climbs the mountain in a figure of eight
- A ride on the Belgrade–Bar line through the Zlatibor hills to the Lim valley
- Mileševa Monastery and its White Angel fresco
Signature moments
Two hundred kilometres an hour
The fast trains on the new line north of Belgrade run at up to 200 km/h, and Subotica is now little more than an hour away.
A railway that loops back on itself
On the Šargan Eight the old narrow-gauge line to Višegrad climbs through tunnels and over bridges, crossing its own path as it gains height.
The line to the sea
South of Užice the Bar railway leaves the valleys and threads through the hills on bridges and in tunnels towards the Lim.
Where you’ll stay
Your stays · 6 nights
6 nights in hotels and guesthouses (Belgrade 1, Subotica 1, Novi Sad 1, Mokra Gora 1, Zlatibor 1, Prijepolje 1), breakfast daily
Night 1
Superior comfort, chosen for your dates
- Superior comfort
Upgrade: Central Belgrade hotel
Night 2
Superior comfort, chosen for your dates
- Superior comfort
Upgrade: Hotel in central Subotica
Night 3
Superior comfort, chosen for your dates
- Superior comfort
Upgrade: Hotel in Novi Sad
Night 4
Classic comfort, chosen for your dates
- Classic comfort
Upgrade: Small hotel at Mokra Gora
Night 5
Superior comfort, chosen for your dates
- Superior comfort
Upgrade: Hotel on Zlatibor
Night 6
Classic comfort, chosen for your dates
- Classic comfort
Upgrade: Guesthouse or small hotel in Prijepolje
We name each stay, with its photos, in your written offer once availability is confirmed.
Before you choose
Is this journey for you?
A good fit if
Rail enthusiasts, slow travellers who prefer a window seat to a coach, and anyone curious to see Serbia from the line rather than the road.
Maybe not if
Travellers who need exact connections and comfort every hour: Serbian regional trains can be slow, late or replaced by buses at short notice, and some days are long.
Pace and effort
Classic. Five train journeys from under an hour to about five hours, with short road transfers; a support vehicle carries your luggage. Carry your passport on every train day.
Tailor-made
Make it your own
A steam-hauled Šargan Eight departure (when scheduled) · An extra night on Zlatibor · Return from Prijepolje by train instead of by road · A first night in Novi Sad instead of Belgrade.
Customise this journeyHow booking and payment work
From enquiry to voucher
We never ask for card details by email or on this website. Bank details are only sent in your personal offer or invoice.
- 1 You send an enquiry Free, with no obligation.
- 2 We send a written offer Availability and your final price, confirmed.
- 3 You accept the offer
- 4 You pay securely Card payment link (Visa, Mastercard, Maestro) or bank transfer.
- 5 We confirm your payment
- 6 You receive your confirmation and voucher
Booking terms for this journey: Price on request. This is a private programme, arranged on request for your dates; there are no fixed departures. The final offer, price and availability depend on confirmation of the services (accommodation, guides, transport and activities) after your enquiry. Nothing is booked and no payment is taken until you accept the written offer.
Serbia by Rail: Fast Trains, Mountain Lines & the Šargan Eight
Tell us when you’d like to come
We’ll check availability for your dates with our local partners and guides, then send you a written offer with the confirmed price. Asking is free.
- WhatsApp us
- office@love2travel.rs
- +381 60 40 80 510
- We send your first proposal within 2 working days.
Request a quote
You might also like
Continue the story
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Short break
Zlatibor, Mokra Gora & the Šargan Eight
The figure-of-eight railway, a timber film village and Sirogojno's log farmsteads, without the 12-hour day trip
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Day experience
Western Serbia: Šargan Eight & Drvengrad
A long day west for the figure-of-eight railway and Kusturica's timber village
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Day experience
Novi Sad & Sremski Karlovci
Petrovaradin, Novi Sad's old town, Sremski Karlovci and a Fruška Gora monastery in one private day
Individual services
Need something else?
For travellers who don’t need the complete journey, Travel2Serbia can also arrange individual services.
Tell us what you need- Airport & private transfers
- Hotels & accommodation
- Private guides
- Day trips & excursions
- Chauffeur / car with driver
- Activities & experiences