Bike trip in Serbia

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de tovenaar
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Bike trip in Serbia

Post by de tovenaar »

Hello!
First my excuse for writing in English..or posting in the wrong subject.
I'm planning a trip next month in Eastern Europe. First i'd planned to take a train from Budapest to Sofia going through Serbia. From Subotica->Beograd->Niş.

Is it possible to take my bicycle on the trains?

Due to railway constructions I found out this train doesn't go further, so I am planning to cycle from Niş. Is there a camping in Niş?

Can you recommend the following route?
Niş -Niska Banja-Gadzin Han-Donji Dusnik-Ravna Dubrava
Babusnica- Zvonce-Dimitrovgrad->Bulgaria
(i think the main highway from Niş to the border is not recommended)

Thanks,
Minko

PS
Please check out my bicycle pages:
http://home.wanadoo.nl/moh
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NevenB
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Post by NevenB »

Hi Minko

Only thing I can "help" you with is trains, as far as I know, you should not have problems with taking bike on trains, BUT as here every thing is kinda wierd, out of placement and edgy, that applies to your question also, but my 2 cents is that you should not have any problems, it all depends on who you ran into.

And as for routing, there are far more experienced people here which will provide you with more information..

Best wishes and safe journey.
IRalic
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Post by IRalic »

Hej :-)


I think there are no probs posting in english here,
on the contrary - it is wellcome :-)

I can say few words about bike transport on Serbian raliway's.
I'm speaking from presonal expirience.

Generaly,no problems with the bike on the train.

Unlike the rest of europe,there is no 'official' way of bicycle transportation on trains,
there is no 'predefined space' for bikes,special bicycle cars,
or enything like that.

So you take a bike as a laguage.
As it is 'oversized' it is treated as an 'exsesive laguage',
so you have to pay extra fee for extra laguage.
You pay directly to the official inside the train,
who is checking tickets.
Generaly,they like to treat the bike as 'special',
as a vehicle,and some guys can ask for extra charge,
but dont pay enything,cause there is no special charge for the bicycles.
Just for exesive laguage.
Be sure that you get a ticket,after you pay for extra laguage.(so thay cannot put money in there pockets)
Usual fare for exsesive laguage is about 10-20% of the personal ticket price.

As i see you ride a recumbent,
it is a bit more dificult to handle inside the train,
cause it is longer.
I sugest you to take the last train car,or the first one,
and put bike on the end door of the car,
so it wont get in the way.
And take a seat in the closest compartment,
so you stay close to your bike.
I recomend that You tie(lock) the bike for the end door,
for extra security.

Dont expect the railway officials to speak any foren language,
xcept the ones on the main train station in Belgrad,
who sell international tickets.

Usualy train officials were nice,and just requested a fee to be pay'd,
few times thay didnt ask for extra charge,
and few times thay were not nice,
and wanned me to pay 'extra' cause it is a BICYCLE!
but ofcourse i didnt,cause it is a laguage as eny other,
and there is nothing that says that you should pay more for bikes.
So it depends on the official,and his mood :-(

Note that serbian railways have very strange laguage transportation menagement,
so for ex. you pay a fee for the bike,but it is only for the part of your trip,
wich is under there juristiction(for ex. Belgrad-Nis)
so after one part,another officials enter the train,
and you must pay a fee for ther's part of the railway.
So take note what your laguage ticket says!


Hope i'v been helpfull :-)


Have a nice journey!



Cheers!


Igor
Igor

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de tovenaar
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Post by de tovenaar »

IRalic wrote:Hej :-)


I think there are no probs posting in english here,
on the contrary - it is wellcome :-)

{cut}

Hope i'v been helpfull :-)


Have a nice journey!


Cheers!


Igor

Thanks Igor!
Its very helpful and clear, so i dont have to pay a bicycle ticket at the ticket office, but just for extra luggage in the train.
And I will take my normal bicycle with me, no recumbent :wink:

Greetings,
Minko
IRalic
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Post by IRalic »

de tovenaar wrote:
IRalic wrote:Hej :-)


Its very helpful and clear, so i dont have to pay a bicycle ticket at the ticket office, but just for extra luggage in the train.
And I will take my normal bicycle with me, no recumbent :wink:

Greetings,
Minko

Yeap! just on the train ..

So recumbent is "not normal" ? ;-)

Hope that somone has more details about your planed route,
wich road to take,etc.


Cheers! :-)
Igor

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de tovenaar
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Post by de tovenaar »

IRalic wrote:Yeap! just on the train ..

So recumbent is "not normal" ? ;-)

Hope that somone has more details about your planed route,
wich road to take,etc.


Cheers! :-)
Zdravo,

About the route from Nis to the bulgarian border, I already found an interesting road through the Jerma canyon, on this website:
http://host.sezampro.yu/freebiking/Turo ... _jerma.htm

So I think this would be a nice route to cycle:
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de tovenaar
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Post by de tovenaar »

[quote="de tovenaar]So I think this would be a nice route to cycle:
(img removed) [/quote]

Hi,

I got back home from the trip, everything went well. Of course i had some arguments about the payment of the bicycle but no serious problems ;-)

Click here for photos and an account of the trip.
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