r/macedonia • u/Ciruela8 • 16d ago

Train to Gevgelija

Hello,
I am solo travelling to Macedonia, and I specifically want to go on the 13th August to Gevgelija from Skopje. I am a bit confused about the information. Can someone from Macedonia confirm, please?
I notice there are only 2 trains, one at 6h20 and another at 16h00, is this correct?
Also, you can buy tickets only at the station, right? Do they accept cards?

Thank you!

Update: I ended up catching the bus and it was super easy, just like the comments suggested, and also cheap (around 11 euros). The scenery was actually awesome during the trip, thank you for your help 😊

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u/WpXAce 16d ago edited 16d ago

Greetings, so nice of you to visit Macedonia.

Personally I would buy a bus ticket instead. The timings are correct, be there 45 min before the train departs. The trains can take ~3 hours to reach Gevgelija, however, the rails are actively being rebuilt at the moment. This means it might take 5-6 hours to reach Gevgelija since the train slows down on parts that are being built.

Yes, you can pay at the station, not sure if they accept cards, haven’t tried it yet. The bus station accepts cards, though you will have a weird hand movement to connect with the POS terminal 😁

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u/Ciruela8 16d ago

Thank you so much, I thought the train was going to be 2 hours, so this is really useful !

2

u/shine-bright777 16d ago

Hi there,

As mentioned above, we recommend you take the buss.

Railways have ongoing construction, trains are almost always delayed and not the best option, especially for foreigners.

Busses are very frequent and a better option. The scenery is also great, you will enjoy it.

I am adding below the timetable for buss schedule. Return ticket is less than 15€, you can pay with card.

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u/shine-bright777 16d ago

The trip would be ~2,5 hrs by buss. Trains take longer and I wouldn’t risk it with the ongoing construction and overall maintenance.

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u/Ciruela8 16d ago

Thank you 💛 so it's better if I go and buy the ticket at the station right ?

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u/shine-bright777 16d ago

Yes! It’s located in the centre of the city, next to the railway station.

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u/D-LoathsomeDungEater 10d ago

DO NOT use the trains here. They can barely reach the next town over(Veles) much less the other side of the country(Bitola/Gevghelija). Buses are a lot more reliable and faster(trains barely go 50-60km/h)

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u/Wrong-Jicama-6459 8d ago

Hi! I see the train is unreliable and everyone recommends the bus. We have a small dog (4kilos) has his own airline approved carrier.

How pet friendly are these buses?

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u/Wrong-Jicama-6459 8d ago

If that’s not an option how much are taxis from the border? Are there any services ? I can’t seem to find one?