10 of the best · the Balkans
Getting to and Around the Balkans
Airports, railways, ferries and cable cars: how to reach the coast, the lakes and the mountains, and how to travel between them.
Our 10 favourites, listed A–Z · Updated October 2026
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Insiders' picks
Three Balkan stories we would show a friend first.
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2 photosAcross the Adriatic
Ferries from Bar to Italy
Car ferries from Bar, Montenegro’s main port, across the Adriatic to Italy.
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3 photosAlbania’s gateway
Tirana International Airport (TIA)
Albania’s main airport at Rinas, north-west of Tirana, with flights across Europe.
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Gateway to the lake
Ohrid St Paul the Apostle Airport
Ohrid’s international airport, run by TAV, for flights straight to the lake region.
The full list: Getting Around, A–Z
Show 5 of 10 places on a map
More areas 4
Getting Around
Slovenia 2
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Video 3 photosAbout 26 km north
Ljubljana Airport (Brnik)
Ljubljana’s airport at Brnik, about 26 km north of the city, with buses, shuttles and taxis.
Zgornji Brnik 130a, 4210 Brnik-aerodromExplore View on map
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3 photosLake to peaks
Vogel cable car
A cable car from the Bohinj shore to the Vogel area, about 1,500 metres up, facing Triglav.
Getting Around
Croatia 1
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3 photosUp Mount Srđ
Dubrovnik Cable Car
A few minutes from above the old town to Mount Srđ, with Dubrovnik and the islands below.
Getting Around
Bosnia & Herzegovina 1
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3 photosThe Neretva railway
Getting to Mostar
Talgo trains from Sarajevo reach Mostar in under two hours, following the Neretva south.
Getting Around
Serbia 2
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2 photosFast train from Belgrade
Getting to Novi Sad & Sremski Karlovci
The Soko fast train links Belgrade and Novi Sad in about 40 minutes, several times a day.
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VideoOver Lake Ribnica
Gold Gondola
A 9-kilometre gondola from central Zlatibor up to Tornik, pausing at Lake Ribnica.
Getting Around
Montenegro 1
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2 photos
Across the Adriatic
Ferries from Bar to Italy
Car ferries from Bar, Montenegro’s main port, across the Adriatic to Italy.
Getting Around
Albania 2
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2 photosAcross to Italy
Ferries from Durrës
Year-round ferries from Durrës to Bari, plus sailings to Ancona and Trieste.
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3 photos
Albania’s gateway
Tirana International Airport (TIA)
Albania’s main airport at Rinas, north-west of Tirana, with flights across Europe.
Getting Around
North Macedonia 1
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Gateway to the lake
Ohrid St Paul the Apostle Airport
Ohrid’s international airport, run by TAV, for flights straight to the lake region.
Every place here is also on our city guide for its country, linked from its page. Opening times and seasons change, so check with each place before you travel.