Getting around Skopje
Bus / Public transport
The main public transport company in Skopje is JSP. The company operates all bus lines and the Vodno Mountain cable car.
A weekly ticket - which includes a cable car pass costs 500-600 Denars (8.11-9.73 Euros). You can buy them at the stores selling JSP tickets or at their points of sale listed below.
You can also buy tickets for public transport online through the Skopjebus application (PlayStore/AppStore). To do this, you first need to add funds to the application and then buy the ticket type you need - ticket for 10 rides, monthly ticket or the weekly ticket mentioned above. You can also top up the wallet, and pay with the funds on the app.
To validate your ride, you need to select one of the purchased tickets or choose the wallet and display the QR code from the app on the validators in the bus.
You can also purchase a ticket by dialing 185 on your mobile phone (only if you have Macedonian SIM card), after which a beep sound will play, followed by a voice message saying, "You have purchased a single-ride ticket for 40 denars" (Купивте билет за едно возење со цена 40 денари).
The payment is made immediately after dialing the number and hearing the beep sound, regardless of whether the voice message is fully listened to. Passengers then receive an SMS message stating, "You have purchased a single-ride ticket for 40 denars at HH:MM" (Купивте билет за едно возење со цена 40 денари во HH:MM). The ticket price through your mobile phone is 40 denars.
There is also an option to buy a one-ride ticket directly from the driver for 50 denars.
Make sure to validate your ticket on the devices installed at the beginning and at the end of the vehicle. A fine for not having/validating a ticket is 1,000 Denars (16 Euros) and must be paid within 8 days.
Points of sale, card personalization centers and card top-up centers from the network of the public transport company.
If you are staying for a longer time or already live here and want to use public transport more often, you might want to buy a monthly ticket (you can get a physical card or purchase the ticket through the SkopjeBus app) for all city lines, which costs 1.400 denars, or 1.600 denars which includes all lines. A six-month ticket for all lines costs 8.600 denars, while an annual ticket costs 15.400 denars.
Public transport also operates night lines (from 00:00 to 05:00) – 2, 5, 7, 22, 24, 41, 50, 61, 63B, and 65B, but they run very rarely. You can purchase a night ticket (50 denars) through the Skopjebus app with the funds on the app, or you can purchase a single-ride night ticket, but exclusively from the driver inside the vehicle, which must also be validated.
Find all the bus line schedules on the company's website or on the Skopjebus app (PlayStore/AppStore). You can also check out JSP's trip planner. Please note that buses may sometimes arrive at a different time than scheduled due to system issues.
Alternatively, you can use the system on Google Maps, which is integrated with the JSP public transport schedule.
(Vodno) Millenium Cross Cable Car
The cable car runs from Sredno Vodno (Middle Vodno) to the Millennium Cross.
A return ticket for adults costs 100 denars, while a ticket for children costs 50 denars. Meanwhile, children up to 6 years old have the right to free transportation. The monthly ticket for the cable car is 1,000 denars. Also, the 7-day ticket offered by JSP includes a round-trip for the cable car.
The cable car moves at a speed of 6 meters per second. Non-working days are Monday and every last Tuesday of the month.
Schedule for the Cable Car / Source: zicnica.jsp.com.mk, 2023
Taxi
The starting rate for a taxi is 40-60 Denars (0.65-0.97 Euro). Every other kilometer or 0.6 miles costs around 25-35 Denars (0.41-0.57 Euro). One hour of waiting will cost you around 300-480 Denars (4.87-7.79 Euro). There are three different tariffs, and the specific prices and which tariff is active change depending on the current cost of fuel.
Be aware of who you ride with. Keep in mind that licensed vehicles have yellow license plates and a permit displayed on the windshield. Additionally, check to see if a taximeter is installed in the vehicle (look for a vertical rectangular device). Ask the average price for the destination.
If you can't find a taxi on the spot, use a service like Yellow Pages or you could install the application "Call Taxi" (Vikni Taksi) where you have listed numerous taxi companies. (Play Store/App Store).
Also, if you want to order a taxi through an application and pay with a bank card, you can ride with BeeRide (electric vehicles fleet), or with Wizi (ex. Cammeo) (you can pay with a payment card through a top-up of funds on the application). You can also order a taxi from the Nashe Taxi company through their app and pay with a bank card in the vehicle. Also, you can order a taxi from Global through their application, but you cannot pay with a bank card.
Some taxi companies numbers are:
* Global (+389215180 / +38978415180)
* De Luxe (+389215187 / +38978228822)
* Classic (+389215167 / +38978279167)
* Wizi (ex. Cammeo) (+389215777)
Car & Parking
Skopje is considered a generally car-centric city, and cars are the primary means of transportation for a huge number of citizens.
There are many multistorey garages throughout Skopje. They can be found in the very center:
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"Beko" on "Dame Gruev" street; (1 hour; 30 denars - 0.5 eur)
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"Solunski Kongres", next to the Mepso Headquarters. (1 hour; 50 denars - 0.8 eur)
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"Razlovechko Vostanie" near the shopping center "GTC" - City Trade Center (1 hour; 50 denars - 0.80 eur)
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"Smilevski Kongres" near the "Goce Delchev" bridge. (1 hour; 50 denars - 0.8 eur)
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"Ss. Cyril and Methodius“ near the Ramstore mall.
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"Sudska palata" near the complex courts. (1 hour; 40 denars - 0.65 eur)
Additionally, parking is available at the City Trade Center in the city center, where it costs 70 denars for one hour, 120 denars for two hours, and 50 denars for each subsequent hour.
The public enterprise City parking manages some of the public parkings in Skopje.
The locations of the parking lots can be seen below. Parking in the blue area costs 25 denars/h (14 hours max), the green area 25 denars/h (14 hours max), the yellow area 30 denars/h (4 hours max), the red area 40 denars/h (2 hours max), the orange area 75 denars/h (2 hours max/8 hours on the south orange area).
You can see the map in detail on their Parking.MK application. Parking in these places can also be paid online, with a bank card.
The Public enterprise Parking lots of the Municipality of Centar is another enterprise within the City of Skopje.
Parking in the Zone 0 costs 100 denars/h, in the Zone 1 - 70 denars/h , and in the Zone 2 - 60 denars/h. Information boards in Macedonian, and English have been placed on the parking lots. Parking can be paid for via SMS or online, without logging in or using an app, simply by scanning a QR code that leads to the payment website.
Traffic jams
Skopje is a city of 500.000+ people, with an increasing number during workdays. Along with this, traffic jams occur in the city, usually in the morning and after working hours.
Traffic jams are most likely to occur from 7:30 to 9:00, around noon, and from 15:00 to 17:00. Some traffic hotspots are in the very center of the city, around Mavrovka (under the underpass) and on Bit Pazar street, at the entry of Skopje in Avtokomanda, Parliament, Vero Mall, East Gate Mall, Kapishtec, around Ramstore Mall, and clinic complex. Traffic jams also tend to occur when it rains, on Friday afternoons, and on days before public holidays.
Safe City System
As of February 1st, 2026, the Safe City System (traffic surveillance cameras), has begun operating in Skopje, Kumanovo, and Tetovo, as well as along Corridors 8 and 10.
Speeding, running red lights, improper parking and stopping, and expired vehicle registration are the four offenses for which drivers will be fined for now. The tolerance threshold is 6 km/h for areas where the maximum speed is up to 50 km/h, 9 km/h for areas where the maximum speed is between 50 and 100 km/h, and 12 km/h for areas where the maximum speed is over 100 km/h. For offenses that carry a driving ban, cases will be referred to the competent court.
The owner of the vehicle involved in the offense will receive notification via SMS and by email, including a link to download the violation report. Drivers will be able to pay 50% of the fine within eight days of receiving the notice. Payment can be made electronically, as well as at banks, police stations, through e-banking apps, or via the new Ministry of Interior app. During 2026, the system is planned to be rolled out across the entire territory of the country. According to the authorities, the aim of Safe City is not to punish, but to increase traffic safety.
Sanctions
Speeding in urban areas (speed limit up to 50 km/h, exceptionally up to 70 km/h where indicated by road signs)
* Up to 10 km/h over the limit — €15
* 10–30 km/h over the limit — €50
* 30–50 km/h over the limit — €300 and a driving ban of 3–12 months
Speeding outside urban areas (speed limit up to 130 km/h on motorways • 110 km/h on roads for motor vehicles • 90 km/h on other roads)
* Up to 30 km/h over the limit — €20
* 30–50 km/h over the limit — €50
* 50–70 km/h over the limit — €300 and a driving ban of 3–12 months
Running a red light
* €250 fine and a driving ban of 3–12 months
Improper parking and stopping (pedestrian crossings, intersections, bridges, green areas, spaces reserved for persons with disabilities, bicycle lanes, sidewalks, bus stops, and other critical locations)
* Fines depend on the type and severity of the violation: €25, €40, €150, or €180
Driving an unregistered vehicle (without a valid vehicle registration or license plates)
* Fine of €500
* If the vehicle registration expired within 30 days — €100