Taking the Bus in Skopje: Your Ultimate Guide

If you’re like us, you just arrived in Skopje and are confused about how to take the bus. There is little information online about taking the bus in Skopje. That’s where we come in, after one month in Skopje we became pros on the Skopje bus system. Here’s your ultimate guide to taking the bus in Skopje, North Macedonia!

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Why Take the Bus in Skopje and Not a Taxi?

You’ll see both taxis and buses everywhere in Skopje. Both are reliable options for getting around in the city, but if you’re not wanting to pay the jacked up tourist price for a taxi, then we recommend taking the bus.

We tested out both options. A 20 minute taxi ride in rush hour traffic cost us 1300 dinars, which is equivalent to $22. While this may be a normal price for taxis in some European cities, it’s definitely not a fair price for Skopje. A family member of ours, who speaks Macedonian, payed for the exact same route 230 dinars, which is equivalent to $4. If you are a tourist and don’t speak Macedonian then you can expect the taxis drivers to over charge your trip.

Buses on the other hand, which are just as reliable as taxis, cost 35 dinars or $0.61 per trip. The bus routes span all over the city and you usually only have to wait a couple of minutes until the next bus arrives. It’s a great and affordable way to get around the city, plus who doesn’t love taking a nostalgic double decker bus!

How Can I Get a Bus Ticket?

This was the hardest part for us to figure out! We ended up getting a physical plastic bus card that we could refill, but the only place we found to get one through research online was next to the Skopje central bus station. Yet, after talking to locals, we discovered an event easier way to taking the bus in Skopje.

The Skopje Bus Ticket App

Skip the hassle of trying to find where to get the physical plastic bus card and just use the Skopska app! You can find it in the app store here and the google play store here. The app can be used in English and is easy to figure out in our option.

The only downside to the app is that you will need a valid phone number to register. We always recommend getting a physical sim card or e-sim card while traveling as being able to use your phone makes travel a lot easier.

Here are our two favorite travel sim card options that we use:

Purchasing a Ticket From the Driver

If you will only taking the bus in Skopje for a short time, then this is a great option for you. Day pass bus tickets can be purchased from the bus driver for 120 dinars which come to $2.11. This ticket will allow you to travel on all bus routes during a day period. This is the easiest option, especially if you will be going to multiple stops in one day. Make sure to have cash though! The driver will most likely only be able to accept cash for the day ticket.

Getting the Top Up Plastic Bus Card

This option is for those that will be in Skopje longer and don’t have access to a phone number. The only place we figure out to buy the bus pass is at the main Skopje bus station here right next to the central bus station. You will want to look out for a white booth that is on the left end of the bus station. Here you will be able to purchase the top up Skopska card. They may not be able to speak English so make sure to have a photo of the card and a translator app ready.

How Can I Plan My Routes With the Bus And Use the Bus?

The easiest way for discovering how to get to each location is by using Google Maps. We used Google Maps to get everywhere during our one month in Skopje. By planing a route on Google Maps using public transportation, you will be able to see the bus stop, number, and arrival time. We found it always to be accurate and easy as it was in English.

Yet, be aware of a couple of things:

1. The bus driver does not announce the stops and there is no screen on the bus announcing the stops either, so make sure to follow along on Google Maps to know when to get on and off.
2. There will be stops not placed on Google Maps and there is no way of know they are bus stops.
3. The time on Google Maps to get to the destination is usually wrong. We found ourselves always arriving way earlier then the said time. Skopje is a small city, but there is sometimes traffic that slows down the bus.

Taking the Bus in Skopje for Free to Get to Mt. Vodno and the Millennium Cross

Are you in Skopje during the weekend? Then you’re in luck! You can go to Mt. Vodno and Millennium Cross using bus route 25. The bus is free on Saturday and Sunday. It leaves from the city center here and operates from 8:00 am to 6:20 pm on the weekend.

Taking the Bus in Skopje to Matka Canyon

Matka is another natural highlight right outside the city! Good news, you can take the bus there too! Bus route 60 goes from Skopje to Matka Canyon. The bus will stop here.

Be aware that the bus usually only stops here during weekdays! On the weekends, Matka is too busy and the bus has difficulties turning around. We also saw that taxis may lie and say that the bus is not running, so be aware of that too.

On weekends, an option is to take Bus route 12, which stops in the town before Matka then to go the rest of the short way by taxi.

Do You Want To Travel Like Us? Here are some of our favorite travel tips and resources:

Flights: Our go-to flight websites to find the best deals are CheapOair and Kiwi.com. The destinations everywhere feature is perfect for finding spontaneous cheap flights! 

Accommodations: There’s no better site than Booking.com. We save hundreds of dollars each year through their Genius program. It’s the most reliable site for accommodations with no added fees! 

Tours and Tickets: Our favorite site is GetYourGuide. They have the best-rated tours all over the world. Also, it is a perfect place to buy an entrance ticket that takes international cards.