Serbia Activities: Rail, Gondola and Boat

October 18, 2026

Serbia pays off when you plan around the calendar and carry the right cash. Prices here are in dinars (RSD), at about 117 RSD to the euro. The euro is not legal tender, so keep dinars for markets, bakeries and small kafanas; cards work in Belgrade, Novi Sad and chain shops. City buses, trams, trolleybuses and the BG Voz train in Belgrade are free for everyone, according to the Belgrade tourist organisation . One safety note: the US rates Serbia Level 2 for crime, and the UK Foreign Office warns that demonstrations can turn violent at short notice, so stay away from them and check local news.

Heritage train on the Šargan Eight

The Šargan Eight (Šarganska osmica) is a heritage diesel train run by Srbijavoz from Mokra Gora to Šargan Vitasi. The line is 15.5 km long with 5 bridges and 22 tunnels, and the round trip takes about an hour. Fares since 1 February 2026 are 1,500 RSD for adults and 750 RSD for children aged 6 to 14, while under-6s ride free if they do not take a seat. The summer season runs to about 30 October, with trains at 10:30 and 13:30 and an extra 16:10 only from mid June to the end of August. In winter a shorter run goes from Mokra Gora to Jatare and back for 1,000 RSD. The Zlatibor tourist site carries the timetable. Mokra Gora is roughly 3.5 to 4 hours from Belgrade each way, so treat it as an overnight stop.

Gold Gondola, Zlatibor

The Gold Gondola climbs 9 km in about 25 minutes to Tornik, at 1,496 m, with one intermediate station at Ribničko lake. A return ticket costs 2,000 RSD for adults (age 12 and up), 1,000 RSD for children 6 to 11 and 1,600 RSD for pensioners; under-6s ride free with an adult. Autumn hours are shorter: from early October the first ride is at 10:00, the last ride up at 15:00 and the last ride down at 16:00. Wind and maintenance can stop the cabins, so check goldgondola.rs before you drive up.

Uvac boat tour

The Uvac Special Nature Reserve is best seen from the water. The boat tour needs booking, leaves from the Uvac dam and lasts about 4 hours 30 minutes, with a stop at the Ice Cave, which can only be reached by boat. Griffon vultures may be seen overhead; they are protected, so keep your distance. The operator does not publish a price, so ask when you book on the operator’s site . Uvac is too far for a day out from Belgrade.

Winter skiing at Kopaonik

Kopaonik is Serbia’s main ski resort. In 2025/26 an adult day pass cost 5,600 to 6,500 RSD depending on the period, and the 2026/27 price list had not been published at the last check. Opening is planned for early December. See Skijališta Srbije for the new list, stay on marked runs because avalanches are a risk off piste, and call 112 in an emergency.

Pottery at Zlakusa

The pottery of Zlakusa, near Užice, was added to UNESCO’s intangible heritage list in December 2020. Potters work clay and calcite on a hand-turned wheel. The Terzića avlija ethno park holds a museum, a guesthouse and a pottery exhibition. Hands-on workshops are not confirmed, so ask before you arrive.

Belgrade evenings

In Skadarlija, the cobbled bohemian street, the kafanas Tri Šešira (Skadarska 29) and Dva Jelena (Skadarska 32) serve grilled meat to live string music. Dorćol has craft beer at Dogma and Samo Pivo, and the green markets at Kalenić and Bajloni sell cheese, kajmak and honey for cash. Guided kayaking around Great War Island runs from May to September, at roughly 2,500 to 3,500 RSD. Browse Serbia tours for guided options.

The Guča trumpet festival and the Nišville jazz festival both fall in August, so build summer trips around them.