Getting around Belgrade on New Year's Eve
Transport is the part of the night that visitors underestimate most. Getting to a venue is straightforward; getting back at five in the morning is not. Public transport runs on a special timetable, taxis are scarce and ride-hailing applies surge pricing. Everything is solvable, but only if it is arranged before you go out.
Public transport on the night
Belgrade runs a special New Year's Eve timetable, with selected lines operating later than usual.
The schedule is published towards the end of December and differs from year to year, so check it rather than assume.
Vehicles are crowded after midnight and waiting times are long, which makes this impractical with children or older travellers.
Taxis
Licensed taxis are marked, have a roof sign with the company name and a visible licence number inside.
Always use a taxi ordered by phone or app, or taken from an official rank, rather than one that approaches you.
On New Year's Eve the number of vehicles working is lower than usual and demand is the highest of the year.
Ride-hailing apps
Apps operate in Belgrade and are the most convenient option for visitors, as the destination is entered without language issues.
Surge pricing applies from late evening and prices after midnight are several times the usual fare.
Waiting times of thirty minutes or more are normal in the hours after midnight.
Arrange the return in advance
The only reliable solution is a vehicle booked before you go out, with an agreed time, place and price.
Drivers work by arrangement that night and the agreed fare is almost always lower than the app price.
Make the arrangement a few days ahead; by the afternoon of 31 December it is difficult to find anyone free.
Walking
If the venue is fifteen or twenty minutes on foot, walking back is often faster than waiting for a vehicle.
The centre is safe and busy that night, but pavements can be icy, so footwear matters more than usual.
Do not walk alone through empty streets at five in the morning; go together as a group.
Road closures
Streets in the centre close during the afternoon of 31 December for the open-air programme.
The list of closures is published a few days in advance and affects both driving and where a taxi can stop.
Agree a meeting point outside the closed zone, as vehicles cannot reach the stage area.
Driving yourself
Parking in the centre is limited, paid and full from early evening on 31 December.
If someone in the group is not drinking, driving solves both cost and the return journey.
Do not drive on the morning of 1 January after a late night. A few hours of sleep does not clear alcohol, and checks are increased.
Getting to the airport
Arrange airport transport before New Year's Eve if you are flying out on 1 January.
The roads are empty that morning and the drive is quick; the difficulty is finding a vehicle at all.
The official airport taxi service uses fixed prices by zone and can be booked in advance.
If the group splits up
Mobile networks are overloaded in crowded venues, so calls fail and messages arrive late.
Agree a meeting point before you go in, and note the table number or zone when you sit down.
Write down one phone number on paper, in case a battery dies.
Battery
Phones drain much faster than usual in crowded places, because they keep searching for a signal.
A power bank is the single most useful thing to bring, especially if transport is arranged by app.
Without it, a phone rarely lasts until morning on a night that starts at nine.
On 1 January
Public transport runs on a Sunday timetable and the city is almost empty, so travel is easy during the day.
Shops, most restaurants and all offices are closed, so plan the day around walking rather than errands.
From 2 January everything returns to normal.
A simple plan
Book the return vehicle before you go out, agree the meeting point, carry cash and a power bank.
Choose a venue within walking distance of where you sleep if you can; it removes the problem entirely.
Everything else about the night takes care of itself.