Serbia and Montenegro are just east of Bulgaria and easily accessed by train. You can book your train tickets either online or through a local travel agency. The scenery outside your window is lush, green and varied, so choose train travel as the mode of transportation that lets you see more of this rejuvenated area of the formerly troubled Balkans. The journey will be inexpensive to moderately priced.
Book tickets online through the Rail Europe Web site (see Resources below). You can also book by phone at 1-888-382-RAIL.
Select the dates and times you wish to travel, keeping in mind the risk of the outbreak of violence in areas in the region of Kosovo.
Select a seat type according to how long your train trip will be. If you are traveling from Sofia to Belgrade or Podgorica, you might want a sleeping car to lie down and rest. If you are traveling to Pristina, a single seat might do just fine and save you a little money.
Select a departure city in Bulgaria. Popular ports of departure include Sofia and Varna. For local transportation to or from your departure city, use the Bulgarian State Railway Web site (see Resources below).
Select a destination city within Serbia or Montenegro. Mountains, plains, and beautiful cities abound so travel by train will be most enjoyable. Popular destinations include Belgrade, Novi Sad, Pristina and Podgorica. To travel within Serbia and Montenegro, check out the Serbian Railways Web site (see Resources below) for information on ticketing, schedules and regulations.
Consider booking your return ticket if you plan to return to Bulgaria. You can also select a multi-leg ticket from a number of online vendors to save money and time.
Retain your ticket information and itinerary. Keep a printed copy of your receipt and itinerary with you during travel.
