Belgrade Travel Forum

I was reading horror stories on the "bootsnall" site about the train from Sofia to Belgrade of drunks, thugs,con men, and hassles. a nightmare journey is this true? also they mention the prices advertised for Hostels were for locals only and foreighners must pay 5 times the posted price.

Hi,

I agree that the train and your fellow passengers might not look very pleasant or friendly. However, many youths drink on their travel to Belgrade in order to pass the time easily and also to seem somewhat more aggressive in order to scare potential muggers and alike. The atmosphere in the second class seating compartments is best described as uninviting: local Serbs (the trains stops virtually everywhere) lying on two or three seats, some Gypsies that are normally easygoing people, but we, the Balkan people, usually perceive them as 100% thieves who wait for you to sleep and rob you, etc. There is usually at least one Bulgarian or Serbian company of 3-4 young people who would be nice and probably English-speaking. Quite a number of foreign tourists also travel second class during the summer. Maybe they are the best company for you. There is barely any need to stick to your assigned seating if you don't like the people around you. Actually there is hardly any need to book a seat if you get on the train in Sofia.
I have traveled twice in the night and I have not noticed any problems, though, and I was awake for most of the time chatting. Lone Asian travelers (who supposedly have some money and expensive stuff) were not harassed in any way, to my knowledge. The day train that leaves Sofia around noon is, I suppose, more pleasant.
The "Central Station" hostel in Belgrade (just across the station square) is nice; the staff was friendly. The hostel was clean, newly furnished I guess, maybe somewhat noisy, but I slept like a log. The price last summer was 1000 dinars (12,50 euros). As everywhere in Eastern Europe, first ask about the prices, even two times, if necessary. Many tourists are not ready to argue after they signed/gave their names/etc., so be sure that there is nothing to argue about. A higher price for foreigners should be nothing, but a scam.
If you are unwilling to take the train, you can choose the bus Sofia-Nis, then change to Belgrade. It is quite straightforward. I think I described it in a previous post in the Bulgaria or Sofia forum. The price is somewhat higher if you compare return journeys, because the return train ticket is very cheap (42 levs=21 euros). The one-way ticket is almost the same price, I think, so it might make sense to take the bus if you travel one-way. However, the night train saves you a day, because to my knowledge there are no night buses Nis-Belgrade.

Hope that helps.
Venelin

"also they mention the prices advertised for Hostels were for locals only and foreighners must pay 5 times the posted price"

Advertised where? There are many hostels in Belgrade that you can book through hostelworld.com, hostelbookers.com and similar. There is no price discrimination when you book on-line.