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Spectacular scenery from the Belgrade-Bar train. See route map. |
From Belgrade to Montenegro by train
If I had to name Europe's most spectacular train ride, it'd probably be the journey from Belgrade to Podgorica and Bar in Montenegro. It's one of my favourites, a marvel of engineering with 254 tunnels and 435 bridges on the 296-mile journey from the Serbian capital to the Adriatic. Construction of the line started in the 1950s but it was only completed in 1976, opened by President Tito of Yugoslavia. Yet it costs only €24, watch the video below and you'll see it'll be perhaps the best €24 you'll ever spend. There's more detailed & historical information at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgrade-Bar_railway.
Train times
Read downwards, trains run every day all year round. Trains in fact start/finish at Zemun station, just west of Belgrade.
 Green = scenic Reproduced from the European Rail Map with kind permission of the European Rail Timetable people. Buy the map at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu. |
Belgrade's historic original station closed permanently on 30 June 2018. The international trains to/from Montenegro briefly used Topcider station until 2021, but from 1 October 2021 they use the new Belgrade Centar.
Note A: The Tara runs southbound from 13 June to 14 September 2025, northbound from 14 June to 15 September 2025. Until 2019 it ran all year round. There's now a change of train at Bijelo Polje between Montengrin & Serbian trains.
Tara = daytime train, summer only, 2nd class only, see photos below.
Lovcen = sleeper train, runs all year round with 6-berth couchettes, 4-berth couchettes and 1, 2 & 3 bed sleepers with washbasin, see photos below.
You can check these train times & times for intermediate stations using the journey planner at w3.srbvoz.rs/redvoznje, but do not look too far ahead. For buses between Podgorica/Bar & Kotor/Budva, see busticket4.me.
Which train is best for scenery?
The best mountain scenery is within Montenegro at the southern end of the line, between Bijelo Polje & Bar. So paradoxically, going southbound the sleeper train Lovcen is actually a good train to take as it'll be light in the morning for much of the year, whereas the southbound daytime train Tara covers the best sections in darkness during winter.
Northbound, the day train Tara is best for scenery all year round, but the northbound sleeper train is also good in summer when it's light into the evening. Tip: Look up the hours of daylight at www.timeanddate.com.
The best scenery is on the right hand side of the train going south, left hand side going north, although you can't choose sides when reserving seats, just move seats if necessary when you board, no-one seems to mind.
How much does it cost?
Belgrade to Bar or vice versa costs around €24 one-way. For travel by night train, add €6 for a couchette, €15 for a bed in a 3-bed sleeper or €20 for a bed in a 2-bed sleeper. A reserved seat on the daytime train costs €3.
How to buy tickets
Southbound tickets from Belgrade
You cannot book online. You can book a southbound train from Belgrade to Montenegro at the station, both cards & cash accepted.
There are often seats available even on the day of travel, but the train can get full in the summer months so book a day or two ahead if you can.
Or order by email: You can now book in advance by emailing AndyBTravels, tickets@discoverbyrail.com, the same rail expert that runs www.discoverbyrail.com. Booking opens 60 days ahead, don't email him until booking opens. Tickets are delivered to your hotel in Belgrade or a handover in Belgrade may be possible. They can't be sent anywhere or emailed. Only regular tickets are procured, not Interrail or Eurail reservations.
Northbound tickets from Montenegro
You cannot book online, you can easily book at the station in Bar or Podgorica, cash & cards accepted.
If passing through Belgrade on your way south, you can book a northbound ticket there, but only if you book 11 days or more in advance. Between 10 & 0 days in advance Belgrade ticket office can only book southbound.
You'll usually find seats available on the day of travel, but the train can get full in the peak summer months so book a day or two ahead if you can.
Route map: See route map
This route map is courtesy of the European Rail Timetable - Definitely buy this map for your European travels! Buy online with shipping worldwide at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu. Also see this detailed zoomable map at OpenStreetMap.com.
Video: Bar to Belgrade by train
A video guide to the scenery from Bar to Belgrade. Be warned, the video features the 'Uh-oh we've hit a horse' incident about 00:02:40 in. The video shows arrival at Belgrade's old terminal station, remember trains now use Belgrade Centar.
A ride on the Belgrade to Bar line
For the best scenery, sit on the right hand side of the train going south, the left hand side going north. You can't choose sides when reserving, so this may mean ignoring your reserved seat on a theoretically all-reserved train, but nobody seems to mind about seat reservations anyway. It's 296 miles from Belgrade to Bar, over a line started in the 1950s but only completed in 1976. It's a marvel of engineering, with 254 tunnels and 435 bridges between the Serbian capital and the Adriatic. For more information see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgrade-Bar_railway. See route map of locations mentioned below.
0. Trains used to leave from Belgrade's historic main station built in 1884, but this sadly closed on 30 June 2018. For the record, the photos above show it in 2013. From July 2018 until October 2021 these trains used Belgrade's Topcider station.
1. From 1 October 2021 trains to/from Montenegro use Belgrade Centar station, just south of the city centre, see location map & see Belgrade Centar station guide. Photo courtesy of DiscoverByRail.com.
The station's new main hall opened in late 2023. Photo courtesy of DiscoverByRail.com.
Belgrade Centar platforms. Courtesy of Iain Henshaw.
2. After passing through Topcider station just south of Belgrade, look to the right for the shed in which Marshall Tito's deluxe private train is kept, followed by a yard of rusting graffiti-covered diesels that used to haul it (above left).
3. After Valjevo the hills begin. The train calls at Užice (above right), where in 1941 the 'Republic of Užice' was celebrated as the first territory liberated from the enemy, a small enclave liberated by Tito & the partisans, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Užice
4. In the hills. Shortly after emerging from the 6km-long Zlatibor Tunnel, the train meanders into Bosnia for some 9km, although there are no stops or border formalities so you probably won't notice!
5. You'll see the Potpec dam on the Lim River to the right of the train and the little monastery alongside the station at Vrbnica on the left hand side.
6. The train crosses from Serbia into Montenegro at Bijelo Polje (pictured above left). where Serbian & Montenegrin passport checks are carried out.
7. The scenery now becomes truly spectacular. The summit is reached soon after Kolašin, at over 1,000m above sea level.
8. The line then descends steeply towards Podgorica. See the video to appreciate this section!
9. The train emerges from a short tunnel and crosses the breathtaking Mala Rijeka viaduct. Until 2001 this was the highest railway bridge in the world, 200m or 660' above the Mala Rijeka river. You can see what it's like to cross the viaduct in the video. After the viaduct the line swings sharply to the right along the valley wall, with fabulous views back towards the viaduct on the right-hand side of the train, in between a series of short tunnels. The photo above was taken from the train just south of the viaduct.
10. The descent.
11. Podgorica station.
12. Between Podgorica & Bar, the train crosses the beautiful Lake Skadar, passing the ruined Lesendro fortress of 1843.
13. In the last few miles to Bar, the train runs along the Adriatic.
14. Bar station. Above right, the northbound Tara about to leave Bar, before it ceased being a loco-hauled train.
The Belgrade-Bar daytime train Tara
Since 2024, the Tara consists of a modern air-conditioned Serbian electric unit built by Stadler between Novi Sad, Belgrade & Bielo Polje (see photos here), then a modern air-conditioned Montenegro Railways electric unit between Bijelo Polje & Bar (see photos here). You change trains at Bijelo Polje. There's no catering, so bring your own food & drink. Below, the Serbian part of the daytime service at Bijelo Polje, courtesy of Richard Kooper.
The Belgrade-Bar sleeper train Lovcen
The sleeper train Lovcen has (1) two second-hand sleeping-cars bought from France, each car has 12 compartments each configurable as 1-bed, 2-bed or 3-bed with washbasin, (2) Montenegrin 6-berth couchettes (second-hand German), (3) a Serbian first class 4-berth couchette car and (4) ordinary seats. Don't expect power sockets (always travel with a powerbank) or catering, so bring your own food & drink.
Update: Serbian Railways have on occasion pressed into service the staff sleeping-car from President Tito's historic private train, see the staff sleeper photo here so you know what it looks like. Tito's private train was built in 1959 and used until his death in 1980. You will be honoured if you are lucky enough to travel in this museum piece! I know of no other instance of such a historic private car being pressed into regular service.
