Can I travel between North Macedonian cities by train?

Only on a limited number of routes — the country's passenger rail network is genuinely smaller than some neighbouring Balkan countries' own systems, which makes inter-city buses the actual primary way to get between Skopje, Ohrid, Bitola and Tetovo. Plan around bus schedules as the default.

How do I get around Skopje itself?

JSP Skopje's city bus network covers the capital comprehensively, including a connection to the airport, and is generally reliable enough for most visitors to use rather than relying on taxis for getting between the Old Bazaar, the city centre and outlying areas.

Can I travel to other Balkan countries by bus from North Macedonia?

Yes — direct bus services run from Skopje to Pristina, Belgrade, Sofia, Thessaloniki and Tirana, a real reflection of the country's position bordering five neighbours rather than a niche connection, making a multi-country Balkan itinerary genuinely practical.

Can I visit the Albanian side of Lake Ohrid?

Yes — the area around Pogradec on the Albanian shore is reachable by road from Ohrid town, a genuine cross-border option for travellers who want to see the lake from both countries rather than just the Macedonian side.

Getting around

Getting Around North Macedonia: Buses, Not Trains

North Macedonia's transport reality is shaped by a genuinely limited passenger rail network and a set of five land borders that make the country a real crossroads for onward Balkan travel — two facts that shape how a trip here actually gets planned, once you're past the flight into Skopje or Ohrid.

Updated 2026-08-16

Getting Between Cities: Buses, Not Trains

Unlike some neighbouring Balkan countries with genuine fast-rail connections between major cities, North Macedonia's passenger rail network is limited — a handful of routes rather than a comprehensive network — which makes inter-city buses the country's actual primary transport mode between Skopje, Ohrid, Bitola, Tetovo and everywhere else. Bus services between the major cities run frequently and are generally comfortable and inexpensive, and this is genuinely worth knowing before assuming a European-style rail trip is possible — plan around bus schedules as the default, with rail as a limited exception rather than the other way around.

Skopje's City Buses

Within Skopje, JSP Skopje operates the city's bus network, covering the capital comprehensively enough that most visitors can rely on it rather than taxis for getting between the Old Bazaar, the Skopje 2014 city centre and outlying neighbourhoods. Buses run frequently on main routes through the day, and the network connects to Skopje International Airport as well, making the bus a genuinely practical option for the full range of a visitor's movement within the city rather than just a backup to walking.

North Macedonia as a Balkan Crossroads

With land borders touching Kosovo, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece and Albania, North Macedonia genuinely functions as a crossroads for onward Balkan travel — direct bus services run from Skopje to Pristina, Belgrade, Sofia, Thessaloniki and Tirana, making a multi-country Balkan itinerary genuinely practical to build around North Macedonia as a base or a midpoint rather than treating it as a single-country trip. The Lake Ohrid area adds its own cross-border option too: the Albanian side of the lake, around Pogradec, is reachable by road from Ohrid town for travellers who want to see the lake from both countries.

This overview comes from Visaja's worldwide missions database (visaja.com), checked against official government sources; for binding answers, the mission itself always has the final word.