Belgrade is a lively city with bright streets and busy night spots. You will enjoy the cool air, quiet roads, and warm city lights. Still, travellers should be careful when driving at night in Belgrade. You might pass busy spots like Dorcol or the riverside area and see groups crossing the road without looking. You may also notice cars driving faster on wide roads in New Belgrade because there is less traffic at night. If you rent a car for your trip, these tips will help you feel more confident navigating the city after sunset.
At night, traffic in Belgrade is generally lighter than during the busy daytime. You’ll find fewer cars on the road. However, the lighter traffic often leads to faster speeds. Some local drivers tend to speed on empty night roads, and many don’t strictly follow the speed limits. This means you might see aggressive drivers overtaking suddenly or racing through avenues late at night.
On the other hand, some popular nightlife spots stay busy at night. Around closing time, many people gather in areas with popular bars and clubs, as taxis and ride-shares transport them home. Around 1 to 3 AM, the traffic near clubbing districts can briefly resemble a mini rush hour.
Here are some neighbourhoods and zones where you need to take extra caution due to their conditions or activity level. Plan your route so you can bypass the most crowded streets, or just drive extra carefully through them.
Knez Mihailova is a famous pedestrian street surrounded by cafes, shops, and tourist spots. Even at night, people stroll nearby and often cross streets around Republic Square. If you drive in the adjacent streets, be aware of pedestrians who may step onto the road unexpectedly. Parking is very limited here, so you may need to park a bit further away and walk.
Dorćol is an old neighbourhood with lively bars and restaurants. It has narrow one-way streets. At night, you’ll often find cars double-parked and people walking on the roadside. Drive slowly in Dorćol and be ready for tight spaces or a car door opening suddenly in front of you.
New Belgrade is a modern district across the Sava River with wide boulevards and residential blocks. The roads here are well-designed and have good lighting, but their openness can encourage drivers to speed at night. Stay within the limit and use extra caution at big intersections. Traffic lights are fewer in some residential parts, and right-of-way can be confusing in the dark.
Belgrade’s riverside comes alive at night with floating clubs (splavovi) and bars along the Sava and Danube. Around areas like Savamala (near Brankov Bridge) and the Zemun quay, you’ll encounter crowded pavements and cars parked everywhere. Traffic can slow down suddenly due to people crossing the road or looking for parking. Keep an eye out for jaywalkers and go slow, as many revelers may not be paying attention to traffic.
Here are the key parts of your car you should inspect before a night drive:
Belgrade has wide boulevards, one-way streets, and riverside roads that can be confusing after dark. In this section, we’ll cover some tips so you can drive around confidently in Belgrade.
One of the most useful Belgrade driving tips is to use GPS navigation. A smartphone with online navigation apps will be a great co-pilot as you drive at night. Before heading out, download offline maps of Belgrade in case the mobile data signal gets weak.
When using GPS at night, set up the route while you’re still parked. Typing addresses while driving is dangerous. Mount your phone on a holder so you can glance at the directions hands-free. Major street names in Belgrade are usually displayed in both the Cyrillic and Latin alphabets.
Your map might show street names in Latin letters, but you might see some road signs in Cyrillic. The phonetic sounds are similar, and your GPS map will keep you on track. For instance, the map might say “Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra,” and street signs could show “Булевар краља Александра” – both are the same main boulevard. Trust your GPS and follow the voice or on-screen prompts to navigate through Belgrade’s twists and turns.
Most signs in Belgrade are reflective, which helps them catch your headlights, but try to scan further ahead. For example, the blue circular signs with arrows show required directions on roundabouts, and the red-bordered triangle with a cross inside warns of an upcoming intersection. Serbia does not allow turning right on a red light unless there’s a green arrow that’s lit. So at junctions, wait for the green light to turn.
Belgrade has several large roundabouts, like the Slavija Square. At night, these can be easier to enter because there’s less traffic, but you must still yield to any vehicles already in the circle. Use your indicators and move through the lanes. Many city centre streets are one-way, and the no-entry signs (a red circle with a white horizontal line) are crucial to obey. You may accidentally go the wrong way down a one-way street if you miss those signs in the dark. So if you’re unsure, stick to main roads rather than cutting through alleys.
Also keep an eye out for pedestrian crossings. These are marked by broad white stripes on the road, often called “zebra” crossings. Pedestrians might assume you’ll stop for them, and although drivers are supposed to yield, not everyone does. So when you see the zebra stripes, slow down.
If you’re unfamiliar with the city, stick to main boulevards and well-known routes at night. For crossing between different parts of Belgrade, one convenient route is over Branko’s Bridge (Brankov Most). This bridge connects New Belgrade with the old city center. It is a straight path with a view of the Sava River and the illuminated Kalemegdan Fortress.
Within the city, boulevards like Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra or Bulevar Mihajla Pupina in New Belgrade are reliable. They run through major parts of town and are well-lit. These are the easiest ways to traverse the city east-west or reach popular districts without getting lost in small streets.
If you need to travel a longer distance across the city at night, consider using the semi-ring road (bypass) if your journey is taking you from one end of Belgrade to the other. It may be a longer drive, but it is easier than using the busy city streets. In general, trust the routes suggested by your GPS that stick to principal roads and highways. For example, to go from the airport to the city centre at night, taking the E75 highway is easier than trying back roads.
Finding a place to park in Belgrade can be one of the more stressful parts of driving, especially in the evening when you’re tired or in an unfamiliar area. The good news is that parking is a bit easier at night in some ways.
Belgrade is generally a safe city, but, like any urban area, darkness can attract petty thieves. Try to park where there’s some light and ideally where other people are around. Park next to a busy petrol station or near an all-night bakery could be safer than a dark, empty side street. If you’re staying at a hotel or apartment, see if hotel parking is available. Many central hotels have their own garages or designated parking spaces for guests. Alternatively, look for a secure garage or attended car park. Belgrade has public parking garages in the city centre, such as the multi-story garage at Obilićev Venac.
Belgrade employs a zone system for street parking in central areas. There are three main zones marked by colors and numbers: Zone 1 (Red), Zone 2 (Yellow), and Zone 3 (Green). These indicate how long you’re allowed to park in that area during the day. Zone 1 allows parking for up to 1 hour, Zone 2 for up to 2 hours, and Zone 3 for up to 3 hours maximum.
The idea is to keep cars rotating in busy areas. You must pay in advance for the time you require by sending an SMS with your car’s license plate number to a specific number for each zone, or by purchasing a parking ticket at a kiosk and displaying it on your dashboard. The SMS numbers are 9111 for Zone 1, 9112 for Zone 2, and 9113 for Zone 3. Each SMS pays for an hour of parking.
The great thing for evening drivers is that after a certain time, street parking becomes free. In Belgrade, paid parking hours usually end at 9 PM on weekdays. This means if you arrive at or after 9 PM, you often don’t have to pay at all, and the time limits don’t apply overnight.
For example, if you park at 10 PM in a Zone 1 street, you can leave the car there overnight until morning without a ticket. Parking is free from 9 PM to 7 AM the next day in those zones. Do check the signs on the street, which will list the exact hours of enforcement and the zone number. On Saturdays, enforcement usually ends around 2 PM, and Sundays are typically free all day; however, confirm on the nearest sign or sticker.
If you drive to a late dinner, bar, or hotel, simple tips can help you park easily. For hotels, ask if they have parking. Many offer a small lot, a garage, or a partner garage nearby. Hotel parking is often the most convenient option. For busy nightlife spots, search for parking lots in advance. Some places have valet service or attendants to guide cars.
Most importantly, if you plan to enjoy Belgrade’s nightlife, remember that Serbia has a strict zero-tolerance drinking and driving law. The legal blood alcohol limit is just 0.02%, effectively zero. This means even one beer or glass of rakija can put you over the limit. The police do conduct checks, and penalties are severe.
If you plan to drink, leave the car parked and use a taxi or ride-share service to get back. Taxis in Belgrade are relatively affordable and plentiful at night. You can always retrieve your car the next morning. Remember, if it’s in a paid zone, get there before 7 or 8 AM when charging starts, or pay for a ticket via SMS as soon as paid hours resume.
Driving at night in Belgrade can be a rewarding experience. The city lights are beautiful, and you can cover a lot of ground when traffic is light. Just remember to stay prepared, cautious, and informed. Ensure your car is in good condition and familiarise yourself with the road rules.
If you need a reliable car for your trip, rent a car in Belgrade with Final Rentals. Choose a compact car for short city drives or an SUV for long trips and mountain roads. Booking is simple, and you get instant confirmation. Final Rentals also offers no hidden fees, flexible cancellation policies, and 24/7 airport service for late-night arrivals at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport. For extra convenience, you can also download the Final Rentals app on Google Play and the App Store.
