[boris]

Hello drivers.

Just to reiterate some points for those of you still wavering between taking some "safer" route or going for the "adventure" through the (former) war zone:

a) There is no war and there has been none in Serb/Mac for a while, so it's safe in that aspect.

b) The roads through Serbia have been thoroughly renovated over the last couple of years - much of it with your, EU money, thank you very much - so now it's fine in that aspect, as well.

c) All sanctions have been dropped nearly six years ago and all sorts of fuel are available - leaded, unleaded, diesel from the simplest to Eco4, natural gas - so from that point of view you can also turn the wheel this way. Most, if not all stations take credit cards and you should use them.

d) The only robbers on the highways in the two countries are in blue uniforms and they also only if you give them just cause, by speeding or overtaking illegally, etc... Not different than anywhere in civilized world, so... Well, by now you know, eh?

A Serbian car magazine this week published a detailed road report for the Belgrade-Thessaloniki segment. Belgrade is 200 kilometres south of the border with Hungary and around 80 east of the border with Croatia, so pls. take that into account.

Serbia

From Belgrade to Presevo on the Macedonian border you have 386 km, 287 of it highway, the rest freshly refurbished, expanded but still just 2-lane motorway.

- The magazine has counted all the motels, petrol stations, toll booths, etc. along the way. There's a plenty, but for pit stops they recommended the OMV, 106 km past Belgrade, as one of the cleanest, with all sorts of fuel, etc. At that, fuel is cheaper in Serbia than elsewhere - you may stock up in the country and save a few euros - the last Serbian station is @383km from Belgrade, all fuel types except gas).

- Motel/restaurants Predejane (@301 from Bg and Dzep @308) are nice places to stop and rest a bit, maybe eat, if you're of the sort who eats real food along the way (personally, I go with the stopwatch ticking, gobble/guzzle while driving, stop for fuel only).

- You have toll ahead of Belgrade, regardless whether you're arriving from the west or north. After that, you'll need fewer than 1,000 dinars @Nis (collect the ticket/card just beyond Bgd) and another one a few dozen km later.

- I had a private question regarding insurance - make sure you understand I'm not an expert, but, as far as I know, the "green card" international insurance is valid in Serbia (and Macedonia) and you should not have to pay extra. Pls. check with your insurance.

- I think you can set aside 50 euros for each of the legs of your trip; it'll be around 4,400 dinars, enough for the toll, some refreshment, etc. If you plan to pay speeding fines, change 100 each way, but have dinars, don't risk getting ripped of in informal money changing. Check the rate on the border, and have small-denomination euros in any case handy.

- There are radars everywhere. Don't speed, speed behind somebody or speed no more than 10 km/h above the limit. If you get caught, pay, don't offer bribes - cheaper and safer that way. Be as polite as you would be with a German cop.

- The road is good throughout, now even the tunnels were fitted with lights, so it should be a breeze. The border crossings however are still the same, crappy and few booths, so if you're in a middle of a large Greece-bound wave, you'll be in trouble and wait hours to get through. Start of August is the worst.

Macedonia

- Through Macedonia, to border crossing at Gjevgjelija, you'll drive 181 clicks, all but 34 full highway. The highway is decent, but is showing signs of wear, particularly in the slow lane - it's got deep lengthwise "ditches" (spurrillen, for Germans) from heavyweight traffic.

- Fuel, all over the place, mostly ok-to-fine stations, gas first at Veles (@456km from Bgd).

- Similar rules for speeding as in Serbia, though Macedonians seem to be more willing - or are more eagerly open - to take a tip and forget writing out a receipt. It's always a potentially unpleasant game, though, as the cop may have a superior watching over his shoulder and could want to make you proof of his incorruptibility.

- Border crossing Gjevgjelija is @567km from Belgrade. Just a click or so before that, you can get all sorts of fuel (cheaper than Greek), including gas, at the Simov petrol station.

Once in Greece, it's EU and your territory, no need to work on that, eh?

In any case, feel free to ask if I skipped something... I understand German, as well, so shoot. Bon voyage and a merry holiday, see you, maybe, in Limenas after July 14

Boris

[Steffi]

Super, Boris!

Many many thanks to your report!!

Its very interesting to read that the streets south of Belgrade are ready now!

Then we can go by car next year again!

Best regards to you

Steffi
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Wer in der rechten Hand einen Besen hält, um den eigenen Dreck vor seiner Tür weg zu fegen und sich dann mit der linken Hand an die eigene Nase fasst, der hat keine Hand mehr frei, um mit seinen Fingern auf andere Leute zu zeigen!!!

[Konstantin]

Hallo Boris,

noch wenige Wochen und wir (2+3) werden von Hamburg über die

Tschechei,
Slowakei,
Ungarn
Serbien und
Makedonien

nach Griechenland reisen.

Deine Berichte über die Route haben uns sehr genutzt und gefreut.

Vielen Dank dafür und einen schönen Urlaub auf Thassos!
_________________
Cheerio
Konstantin

[Wuestenwolf]

Hallo Boris,
das hat uns auch Mut gemacht, den guten alten Autoput so wie füher im nächsten Jahr wieder zu befahren. Irgendwie scheute man noch davor zurück, weil man noch von langen, langen Schlangen an den Grenzen gehört hatte. Das ist aber wohl schon Jahre her.
Danke für Deinen Beitrag
Klaus + Gabi
_________________

www.wuestenwolf.de

[Steffi]

Ohhh Konstantin, schreibst Du mal Deine Eindrücke hier nieder, wenn ihr wieder zurück seid? Mich interessiert das brennend!

Vielen Danke einstweilen und gute Reise!!

Liebe Grüße

Steffi
_________________
Wer in der rechten Hand einen Besen hält, um den eigenen Dreck vor seiner Tür weg zu fegen und sich dann mit der linken Hand an die eigene Nase fasst, der hat keine Hand mehr frei, um mit seinen Fingern auf andere Leute zu zeigen!!!

[boris]

Liebe Gabi & Klaus,

The road's fine, but the border crossings still aren't. They didn't make enough lanes, booths and the police worls too slowly. People really should try avoiding the time when the Gastarbeiter pack up and head for Serbia and Turkey, because then there's endless hours to wait at just about any border crossing.

Or, if you have to leave on August 1, feel free to experiment a bit and cut south early from Croatia, cross Bosnia, southwestern Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia and get into Greece @Bitola - nobody ever there, really cool things to see underway (monasteries, lakes, forts old towns, whatever... though, obviously, it isn't highway, just plain, mostly very good roads.

Boris