The Balkan Explorer: A 10-Day Train Trip Through Serbia, Bosnia, and Montenegro

February 24, 2025 Francesca 8 min read

For travelers who crave rugged landscapes, medieval towns, and railways untouched by mass tourism, the Balkans offer a treasure trove of secrets.

Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro—linked by slow, scenic trains—reveal a region where Ottoman castles perch above river gorges, socialist-era railcars chug through forgotten valleys, and locals share stories over strong coffee.

This 10-day itinerary bypasses crowded hubs, focusing on lesser-known towns, UNESCO sites, and natural wonders accessible only by rail.

All aboard for a journey where the rhythm of the tracks matches the pulse of the Balkans.

Day 1–3: Serbia – From Belgrade’s Bohemia to the Iron Gates

Scenic Orthodox monastery by the Danube River gorge in summer, set against lush green mountains.

Destination 1: Belgrade’s Savamala District (Belgrade, Serbia)

Start Point: Belgrade Centar Station, Savski nasip 7, 11000 Belgrade
End Point: Savamala District, Karađorđeva 2-18, 11000 Belgrade
Distance: 2 km (15-minute walk or tram ride)
Experience Duration: Half-day (4 hours)

Kick off your trip in Belgrade, Serbia’s gritty-cool capital. From Belgrade Centar, head to Savamala, a revitalized industrial quarter turned street art hub.

Join a “Burek & Graffiti” walking tour (weekends only), sampling flaky meat or cheese burek from Pekara Trpković while admiring murals depicting Balkan folklore.

Cap it off with a rakija (fruit brandy) tasting at KC Grad, a cultural space in a converted warehouse.

Why It’s Unique: Savamala’s underground clubs and avant-garde galleries thrive in abandoned factories—a symbol of Belgrade’s resilience.

Destination 2: Šargan Eight Railway (Mokra Gora, Serbia)

Start Point: Belgrade Centar Station
End Point: Šargan Vitasi Station, Mokra Gora 31243, Serbia
Distance: 200 km (4 hours by train to Užice, then 30-minute taxi)
Experience Duration: Full day (8 hours)

Board an early morning train to Užice, then transfer to Mokra Gora, home of the Šargan Eight—a restored 1925 narrow-gauge railway looping through the Dinaric Alps.

The 15 km ride takes 2.5 hours, crossing 22 tunnels and offering views of the Drina River Gorge.

At the halfway stop, hike to Mećavnik, director Emir Kusturica’s whimsical wood-carved village.

Lunch at Šarganska Osmica, serving smoked trout from nearby Tara Mountain.

Pro Tip: Stay overnight in a rustic cabin at Ethno Village Drvengrad—no electricity, just candlelight and starry skies.

Day 4–5: Bosnia & Herzegovina – Ottoman Trails and Wartown Valleys

Breathtaking sunset view of the historic Old Bridge in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Destination 3: Visegrád’s Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge (Visegrád, Bosnia)

Start Point: Užice Station, Serbia
End Point: Visegrád Station, Put oslobođenja bb, 75440 Visegrád
Distance: 80 km (2.5 hours via cross-border regional train)
Experience Duration: Half-day (3 hours)

Cross into Bosnia via a rickety regional train to Visegrád, a town immortalized by Nobel laureate Ivo Andrić’s The Bridge on the Drina.

The UNESCO-listed Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge, a 16th-century Ottoman marvel, spans the emerald Drina River.

Walk its 11 arches, then visit Andrićgrad, a stone-built cultural complex with a cinema, galleries, and a café serving bosanski lonac (Bosnian meat stew).

Why It’s Unique: Book a sunset kayak tour beneath the bridge—guides share tales of Ottoman spies and World War II resistance.

Destination 4: Sarajevo’s Abandoned Bobsleigh Track (Sarajevo, Bosnia)

Start Point: Visegrád Station
End Point: Sarajevo Main Station, Obala Kulina bana 9, 71000 Sarajevo
Distance: 100 km (3 hours by train)
Experience Duration: Half-day (4 hours)

Arrive in Sarajevo by afternoon and take a taxi to Mount Trebević. Hidden in the pines lies the 1984 Winter Olympics bobsleigh track, abandoned since the Bosnian War.

Graffiti artists have transformed its concrete curves into an open-air gallery. Hike or bike the 1.5 km track, then refuel with ćevapi (grilled minced meat) at Željo, a no-frills spot loved by locals.

Day 6–7: Bosnia to Montenegro – The Canyon Express

Destination 5: Tara River Canyon (Bijelo Polje, Montenegro)

Start Point: Sarajevo Main Station
End Point: Bijelo Polje Station, Trg žrtava fašizma, 84000 Bijelo Polje
Distance: 190 km (6 hours via scenic daytime train)
Experience Duration: Full day (8 hours)

Catch the daylight train from Sarajevo to Bijelo Polje, one of Europe’s most underrated routes.

The train hugs the Tara River Canyon—Europe’s deepest at 1,300 meters—with stops at villages where farmers sell wild honey through the windows.

At Bijelo Polje, join a rafting guide for a 2-hour float through the canyon’s turquoise rapids.

Pro Tip: Pack a picnic of pršut (smoked ham) and sir iz mišine (goat cheese) from Sarajevo’s Markale Market.

Destination 6: Ostrog Monastery (Nikšić, Montenegro)

Start Point: Bijelo Polje Station
End Point: Ostrog Monastery, 81400 Nikšić
Distance: 70 km (2 hours by train to Nikšić, then 30-minute taxi)
Experience Duration: Half-day (5 hours)

From Nikšić, ascend via taxi to Ostrog Monastery, a 17th-century Serbian Orthodox sanctuary carved into a vertical cliff.

Pilgrims believe its relics have healing powers. Attend a vespers service (5 PM daily), where monks chant in Church Slavonic as the sun sets over the Bjelopavlići plain.

Day 8–10: Montenegro – Bay of Kotor & the Belgrade-Bar Railway

Vibrant marina in Budva with boats docked by bustling cafés, framed by lush greenery.

Destination 7: The Belgrade-Bar Railway (Podgorica to Bar, Montenegro)

Start Point: Podgorica Station, Trg Golootočkih žrtava 1, 81000 Podgorica
End Point: Bar Station, Obala 13. Jula, 85000 Bar
Distance: 160 km (4 hours via daytime train)
Experience Duration: Full day (6 hours)

Ride Montenegro’s iconic Belgrade-Bar Railway from Podgorica to Bar. The route’s crown jewel is crossing the Mala Rijeka Viaduct, Europe’s highest railway bridge (198 meters). Stop at Sozina Tunnel for photos of Lake Skadar, then continue to Bar. Explore the Stari Bar ruins, a medieval town destroyed by an 1878 earthquake.

Why It’s Unique: The train’s dining car serves crni rižot (black risotto) made with cuttlefish ink—a Montenegrin coastal staple.

Destination 8: Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks (Kotor, Montenegro)

Start Point: Bar Station
End Point: Perast, 85336 Kotor (via 2-hour train/bus combo)
Experience Duration: Half-day (4 hours)

From Bar, take a train to Kotor, then a 30-minute bus to Perast, a Venetian-era village on the Bay of Kotor.

Board a wooden gajeta boat to Our Lady of the Rocks, an artificial island chapel built by sailors over 500 years. Legend says tossing a coin into the bay ensures safe travels.

Practical Tips for Balkan Train Travelers

Border Crossings: Carry passport photocopies; some regional trains require manual stamping.
Timetables: Use Polazak.info for real-time Balkan rail schedules.
Language: Learn Cyrillic for Serbian stations; Bosnian/Montenegrin stations use Latin script.
Safety: Trains are safe but basic—pack snacks and a power bank.

Where Rails Meet Resilience

From Sarajevo’s war-scarred Olympic tracks to Montenegro’s cliffside monasteries, this Balkan train journey isn’t just about landscapes—it’s about people.

Share plum rakija with a Serbian conductor, debate politics with a Bosnian student, or swap recipes with a Montenegrin grandma.

In a region where history is etched into every tunnel and trestle, the rhythm of the rails becomes a bridge between past and present.