Macedonia Info
Joined: 20 Apr 2007
Posts: 14
Home Country: macadonia
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 Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 4:03 am Post subject: GETTING AROUND IN MACEDONIA / MACEDONIA TRANSPORTATION GUIDE |
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GETTING AROUND IN MACEDONIA
BY AIR
There are no regularly scheduled domestic flights - however, there are occasional flights between Ohrid and Skopje.
BY RAIL/ ROAD
All the main internal road and rail services are operating normally, with links from Skopje to Kumanovo in the north, to Stip in the east, to Veles and Gevgelija in the south, and to Prilep and Bitola in the southwest.
Train
Trains in Macedonia are usually not the best way to get around, with buses providing faster, more frequent and equally cheap services. Using trains in Macedonia also means you'll have to use Skopje's horrible train station. The Skopje-Veles-Prilep-Bitola train is highly recommended for those who enjoy shunting around, as it passes through magnificent landscapes - first through the Vardar Gorge, and then through untouched nature.
Bus
The bus network in (Former Yugoslav Republic of) Macedonia is well developed with frequent services from Skopje to Ohrid and Bitola. Long distance buses need to be booked well in advance.
Taxi
Skopje's taxis are regulated by the city council, and with the exception of the occasional scallywag the capital's cabbies are the most honest in the world - a startling and delightful fact that only adds to the pleasure and mystique of the city. The starting rate is 50den, which is valid for the first two kilometres; after that you pay an additional 20den per kilometre. The rates are the same at night, and waiting is charged at 300den/hr. Make sure the meter is running before you set off. Taxis can be hailed from the street, but phoning (or having the restaurant or hotel phone one) is an option too; operators speak English. Put +389-2 in front of the four-digit numbers below if you're calling from your mobile.
Car rental
Most of the main car rental agencies have their presence in Skopje. Driving around Macedonia is relatively fast and easy. It has good roads, Western-standard highways, reasonable signposting in both the Cyrillic and Latin alphabets, and petrol is slightly cheaper than in Western Europe. Bringing a detailed map is always a good idea, and make sure to have cash at hand to pay for the highway toll, usually 20-30den. Between Tetovo and Skopje you'll have to pay a number of times, on the way to the airport just once. Car rental in Macedonia is cheap and reliable.
URBAN TRANSPORTATION
Skopje's public transport system is composed entirely of old buses which have colour-coded roofs. The ones with red roofs are state-owned JSP buses, while the white-roofed ones are the slightly cheaper private buses (ignore whatever colours are on the sides). Day and evening services run approximately 05:00 - 23:00 with a limited service throughout the night on all of the major routes. Tickets are based on a zone system, with the city centre as zone 1. A ride within zone 1 on a JSP bus will set you back 30den if bought on the bus or 25den if you buy the ticket in a kiosk. You can travel even cheaper by buying a 10-ride card for 225den. The price for the same trip in a private bus is 20den, with tickets sold only on the bus. There is no public transport information centre, though the kiosks at the end of the lines have the schedules posted. For more information see JSP's website at www.jsp.com.mk. |
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