Transportation

From Skopje International Airport (SKP), about 20–25 km from the centre, the airport bus (Vardar Express) runs to the city, and taxis are readily available. Agree the fare or use the airport taxi desk to avoid overcharging. Ohrid Airport (OHD) serves the lake region and is mainly reached by taxi or transfer.

In Skopje, public transport is run by JSP Skopje, mostly buses, including the city's well-known red double-decker buses. Buses are cheap but can be crowded and less frequent off-peak. Outside the capital, towns rely on local buses; there is no metro or tram network in the country.

Skopje buses use the JSP system: you can tap a rechargeable smart card (Skopska) at the reader or pay the fare in cash to the driver/validator. There is no unified nationwide travel card; each fare is a single ride rather than a time-based transfer pass. Keep small denar notes and coins handy.

Taxis in North Macedonia are cheap and metered, and phoning a dispatcher (radio taxi) is common and usually cheaper than hailing on the street. Uber does not operate here, so use local taxi companies or their apps. Make sure the meter is running, or agree the fare first, especially at the airport and bus stations.

Intercity travel is mostly by long-distance bus, which is frequent, cheap and the practical choice for routes like Skopje–Ohrid or Skopje–Bitola. The rail network (Makedonski Železnici, MŽ) is limited with few trains, though international lines run towards Belgrade and Thessaloniki. Book bus tickets at the station and travel with some cash.

North Macedonia is a small country, so there are essentially no scheduled domestic flights; both airports (Skopje SKP and Ohrid OHD) handle international traffic. Getting around inside the country is done by bus or car, and even the longest routes take only a few hours by road.

Carry small denar notes and coins, as buses, small taxis and rural services often prefer cash. Allow extra time on mountain roads and in winter, when snow can slow things down. For intercity trips, buses are the reliable default; buy at the station and confirm the departure time. Taxi meters and prices are cheap, but agree the fare when in doubt.