Jekyll2024-01-16T10:07:46+00:00https://balkanology.com/feed.xmlBalkanology - Explore Southeast EuropeA guide to travel in the countries of the Balkan PeninsulaAlan GrantEurope by Rail (guidebook review)2017-05-12T11:40:00+00:002017-05-12T11:40:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/europe-by-rail-guidebook-review<p>I have recently been reading the 14th edition of “Europe by Rail”, a guidebook written by Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries, the editors of the excellent <a href="http://www.hiddeneurope.co.uk/">Hidden Europe</a> magazine. The core of the book is a selection of 50 rail journeys covering most countries in continental Europe. Each trip is described in detail, with the focus on the journey itself rather than the arrival and departure cities. The selection reflects the full variety of European rail travel, ranging from a high-speed dash across Spain to a meander through Germany’s Harz Mountains on narrow-gauge lines and an overnight train from Stockholm to northern Norway. There is plenty of useful practical information, such as advice on whether each route rewards advance booking or is suited to those who prefer to just turn up and buy a ticket for the next departure. But the book is a potential source of ideas and inspiration even for experienced travellers who are already comfortable dealing with the mundane details. The authors’ love of travel and appreciation of Europe’s complex web of history and culture is evident throughout, especially when they describe slower lines off the beaten path. They are especially good at linking their journeys with the experiences of previous generations of travellers. I would recommend this book for anyone with a general interest in exploring Europe by train.<br />
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But what of rail travel in the Balkans in particular? The authors must have faced some challenges here: the railway system in most of the Balkans was never as dense as in other parts of Europe to begin with, and recent years have seen further declines in the route network, especially on international lines. Given these restrictions the authors have done well to include five routes that are fully or partly in Southeast Europe:<br />
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<li>“Historic Hapsburg Cities” takes us from Vienna to Zagreb and Ljubljana, and includes some pointed comments on the transport policies that have somehow contrived to leave rail connections between Italy and Slovenia in a far worse state than during the Cold War. <br /></li>
<li>“The Long Haul South” follows the direct route from Budapest through Belgrade and Skopje to Thessaloniki, with a suggested side trip to Kosovo. In current conditions bus transport will probably be necessary south of Skopje, or perhaps even south of Nis depending on engineering works.<br /></li>
<li>“From the Danube to Dalmatia” again starts in Budapest but heads towards the Adriatic rather than the Aegean, taking in Zagreb and Split and using ferry or bus transport to finish in Dubrovnik.<br /></li>
<li>“Slow train to Bosnia” links Zagreb and Sarajevo, crossing the Sava, Una, and Bosna rivers en route.<br /></li>
<li>“The ultimate challenge” is the last of the 50 routes in the book, and happens to be a personal favourite of mine. It is a 1200km trek that starts in Belgrade, crosses the whole of Romania, and continues to Chernivtsi and Lviv in Ukraine. The last paragraph is a fitting sign-off not just for this route but for the book as a whole: “If you have followed route 50 all the way, then you are clearly an independent spirit and no longer need our guiding hand. The next 50 routes are yours to decide and plan alone, for now the world is your oyster”.<br />
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You can find out more at the <a href="http://www.europebyrail.eu/">Europe By Rail</a> website, which also includes news about major changes to rail services.<br />
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</ul>Alan GrantI have recently been reading the 14th edition of “Europe by Rail”, a guidebook written by Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries, the editors of the excellent Hidden Europe magazine. The core of the book is a selection of 50 rail journeys covering most countries in continental Europe. Each trip is described in detail, with the focus on the journey itself rather than the arrival and departure cities. The selection reflects the full variety of European rail travel, ranging from a high-speed dash across Spain to a meander through Germany’s Harz Mountains on narrow-gauge lines and an overnight train from Stockholm to northern Norway. There is plenty of useful practical information, such as advice on whether each route rewards advance booking or is suited to those who prefer to just turn up and buy a ticket for the next departure. But the book is a potential source of ideas and inspiration even for experienced travellers who are already comfortable dealing with the mundane details. The authors’ love of travel and appreciation of Europe’s complex web of history and culture is evident throughout, especially when they describe slower lines off the beaten path. They are especially good at linking their journeys with the experiences of previous generations of travellers. I would recommend this book for anyone with a general interest in exploring Europe by train. But what of rail travel in the Balkans in particular? The authors must have faced some challenges here: the railway system in most of the Balkans was never as dense as in other parts of Europe to begin with, and recent years have seen further declines in the route network, especially on international lines. Given these restrictions the authors have done well to include five routes that are fully or partly in Southeast Europe: “Historic Hapsburg Cities” takes us from Vienna to Zagreb and Ljubljana, and includes some pointed comments on the transport policies that have somehow contrived to leave rail connections between Italy and Slovenia in a far worse state than during the Cold War. “The Long Haul South” follows the direct route from Budapest through Belgrade and Skopje to Thessaloniki, with a suggested side trip to Kosovo. In current conditions bus transport will probably be necessary south of Skopje, or perhaps even south of Nis depending on engineering works. “From the Danube to Dalmatia” again starts in Budapest but heads towards the Adriatic rather than the Aegean, taking in Zagreb and Split and using ferry or bus transport to finish in Dubrovnik. “Slow train to Bosnia” links Zagreb and Sarajevo, crossing the Sava, Una, and Bosna rivers en route. “The ultimate challenge” is the last of the 50 routes in the book, and happens to be a personal favourite of mine. It is a 1200km trek that starts in Belgrade, crosses the whole of Romania, and continues to Chernivtsi and Lviv in Ukraine. The last paragraph is a fitting sign-off not just for this route but for the book as a whole: “If you have followed route 50 all the way, then you are clearly an independent spirit and no longer need our guiding hand. The next 50 routes are yours to decide and plan alone, for now the world is your oyster”. You can find out more at the Europe By Rail website, which also includes news about major changes to rail services.The Alpe Adria Trail2016-07-07T15:15:00+00:002016-07-07T15:15:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/the-alpe-adria-trail<p>The Alpe Adria Trail is a recently developed long-distance hiking trail through Austria, Slovenia, and Italy. The project connects existing paths into a single well-documented trail linking the Carinthian Alps with the Adriatic sea via 43 stages and 750 kilometres. Although it passes between high mountains there are no technical Alpine sections and it is described as an “easy to moderate” trail, with many stages suitable for families.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/49415569/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/49415569/small.jpg" title="Trenta" width="160" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/49415562/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/49415562/small.jpg" title="Soca Valley near Bovec" width="126" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/49375370/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="116" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/49375370/small.jpg" title="Kobarid" width="160" /></a><br />
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Travelling from north to south, the trail first enters Slovenia via the ridge of the Karavanke Mountains. A long Slovenian section leads from Kranjska Gora across the Vršič Pass to Trenta, and then follows the beautiful <a href="https://balkanology.com/slovenia/article_soca_valley.html">Soča Valley</a> downstream. The towns of Bovec, Kobarid, and Tolmin are visited along the way. The trail then crosses the border into Italy, but this is only a temporary goodbye to Slovenia. Further border crossings come later in the journey, with two further Slovenian sections taking the walker through vineyards, orchards, and karst landscapes. The path crosses into Italy one last time to reach the Adriatic at Muggia just outside Trieste. <br />
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Comprehensive information about the trail is available online at the <a href="http://alpe-adria-trail.com/en/">Alpe Adria Trail Portal</a>. If you’d prefer to have everything you need to know collected into a convenient book, Bradt Guides have recently published a guidebook dedicated to the trail. The guide is by Rudolf Abraham who has written extensively about hiking in this part of Europe.<br />
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<br /></p>Alan GrantThe Alpe Adria Trail is a recently developed long-distance hiking trail through Austria, Slovenia, and Italy. The project connects existing paths into a single well-documented trail linking the Carinthian Alps with the Adriatic sea via 43 stages and 750 kilometres. Although it passes between high mountains there are no technical Alpine sections and it is described as an “easy to moderate” trail, with many stages suitable for families. Travelling from north to south, the trail first enters Slovenia via the ridge of the Karavanke Mountains. A long Slovenian section leads from Kranjska Gora across the Vršič Pass to Trenta, and then follows the beautiful Soča Valley downstream. The towns of Bovec, Kobarid, and Tolmin are visited along the way. The trail then crosses the border into Italy, but this is only a temporary goodbye to Slovenia. Further border crossings come later in the journey, with two further Slovenian sections taking the walker through vineyards, orchards, and karst landscapes. The path crosses into Italy one last time to reach the Adriatic at Muggia just outside Trieste. Comprehensive information about the trail is available online at the Alpe Adria Trail Portal. If you’d prefer to have everything you need to know collected into a convenient book, Bradt Guides have recently published a guidebook dedicated to the trail. The guide is by Rudolf Abraham who has written extensively about hiking in this part of Europe.New city e-guides: Podgorica, Skopje, Tirana2016-05-09T10:46:00+00:002016-05-09T10:46:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/new-city-e-guides-podgorica-skopje<p>Bradt Guides have announced a new series of city e-guides that includes three capital cities in the Balkans: Podgorica, Skopje, and Tirana. All the guides can be purchased and downloaded from the <a href="http://www.bradtguides.com/shop/series/city-guides.html">Bradt Guides website</a>.<br />
<br /></p>Alan GrantBradt Guides have announced a new series of city e-guides that includes three capital cities in the Balkans: Podgorica, Skopje, and Tirana. All the guides can be purchased and downloaded from the Bradt Guides website.Daytime train from Belgrade to Sofia2015-12-02T20:52:00+00:002015-12-02T20:52:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/daytime-train-from-belgrade-to-sofia<p>Mid December is traditionally the date when European rail operators make significant revisions to their timetables, and 2015 is no exception. The most significant change in the Balkan region is a welcome one: after a gap of several years, there will once again be a daytime service between Belgrade, Niš, and Sofia. The existing overnight service continues, so travellers will have a better choice of departure times. The daytime train (named “Balkan”) leaves at 07.35 from Belgrade and 11.30 from Sofia, and the trip takes around 9 hours. <br />
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It seems that this train will carry at least one Russian Railways sleeper car from Moscow, probably with extensions to the Black Sea and Adriatic coasts in summer. This is by no means the first time it has been possible to travel directly from Moscow to Serbia, Bulgaria, and Montenegro, but there had been a break in service due to the withdrawal of many services that passed through Ukraine. These sleeper cars will now take a more northerly route via Minsk, Warsaw, and Budapest.<br />
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There are few other major changes affecting Southeast Europe. The “Serdica” Budapest-Sofia service introduced last year will continue to operate but with a completely different timetable. It will now leave Budapest in the early morning and Sofia late at night, so the part of the journey through Bulgaria (and probably the crossing of the Danube) will be covered in darkness in both directions. There is also a significant timetable change to the “Citadella” from Budapest to Ljubljana, which now leaves in the morning rather than at lunchtime, allowing a late afternoon arrival in Ljubljana.</p>Alan GrantMid December is traditionally the date when European rail operators make significant revisions to their timetables, and 2015 is no exception. The most significant change in the Balkan region is a welcome one: after a gap of several years, there will once again be a daytime service between Belgrade, Niš, and Sofia. The existing overnight service continues, so travellers will have a better choice of departure times. The daytime train (named “Balkan”) leaves at 07.35 from Belgrade and 11.30 from Sofia, and the trip takes around 9 hours. It seems that this train will carry at least one Russian Railways sleeper car from Moscow, probably with extensions to the Black Sea and Adriatic coasts in summer. This is by no means the first time it has been possible to travel directly from Moscow to Serbia, Bulgaria, and Montenegro, but there had been a break in service due to the withdrawal of many services that passed through Ukraine. These sleeper cars will now take a more northerly route via Minsk, Warsaw, and Budapest. There are few other major changes affecting Southeast Europe. The “Serdica” Budapest-Sofia service introduced last year will continue to operate but with a completely different timetable. It will now leave Budapest in the early morning and Sofia late at night, so the part of the journey through Bulgaria (and probably the crossing of the Danube) will be covered in darkness in both directions. There is also a significant timetable change to the “Citadella” from Budapest to Ljubljana, which now leaves in the morning rather than at lunchtime, allowing a late afternoon arrival in Ljubljana.New photos of Kosovo: Prizren2015-07-23T16:39:00+00:002015-07-23T16:39:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/new-photos-of-kosovo-prizren<p>I have added the fourth and final set of photos to my <a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/kosovo">Kosovo Gallery</a>. These photos were taken in and around the city of Prizren.<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160818330" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Prizren by night, from the fortress"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160818330/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Prizren by night, from the fortress<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160818333" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Prizren and Pashtrik Mountan"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160818333/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Prizren and Pashtrik Mountain<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160818346" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Church of Our Lady of Ljeviš"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160818346/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Church of Our Lady of Ljeviš<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160818322" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Sinan Pasha Mosque"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160818322/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Sinan Pasha Mosque<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160818298" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="View towards the Sharr Mountains from the fortress"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160818298/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
View towards the Sharr Mountains from the fortress<br />
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<p><br /></p>Alan GrantI have added the fourth and final set of photos to my Kosovo Gallery. These photos were taken in and around the city of Prizren. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL GALLERY Prizren by night, from the fortress Prizren and Pashtrik Mountain Church of Our Lady of Ljeviš Sinan Pasha Mosque View towards the Sharr Mountains from the fortress CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL GALLERYNew photos of Kosovo: Prishtina2015-07-21T17:25:00+00:002015-07-21T17:25:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/new-photos-of-kosovo-prishtina<p>I have added a third set of photos to my <a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/kosovo">Kosovo Gallery</a>, this time from a very brief visit to the capital Pristina (or Priština or Pristina…). The fourth and final set will be from Prizren.<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160803510" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="National Library of Kosovo"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160803510/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
National Library of Kosovo<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160803477" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Mother Teresa Boulevard"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160803477/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Mother Teresa Boulevard<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160803499" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Fatih Mosque"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160803499/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Fatih Mosque<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160803482" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Prishtina by night"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160803482/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Prishtina by night<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160803503" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Drelaj Village, Rugova"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160803503/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Kosovo Museum<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/kosovo4"><b>CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL GALLERY</b></a><br />
</div>Alan GrantI have added a third set of photos to my Kosovo Gallery, this time from a very brief visit to the capital Pristina (or Priština or Pristina…). The fourth and final set will be from Prizren. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL GALLERY National Library of Kosovo Mother Teresa Boulevard Fatih Mosque Prishtina by night Kosovo Museum CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL GALLERYNew photos of Kosovo: Peja (Peć) and Rugova2015-07-18T12:35:00+00:002015-07-18T12:35:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/new-photos-of-kosovo-peja-pec-and-rugova<p>I have uploaded a second set of photos to my <a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/kosovo">Kosovo Gallery</a>. The photos in this set were taken in and around the city of Peja (Peć) in northwest Kosovo, including the mountainous Rugova region to the west of the city.<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160767932" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Peja Centre"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160767932/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Peja Centre<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160767981" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Patriarchate of Peć"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160767981/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Patriarchate of Peć<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160767913" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Rugova Valley road"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160767913/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Rugova Valley road<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160767907" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Drelaj Village, Rugova"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160767907/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Drelaj Village, Rugova<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160767973" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Peja Train Station"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160767973/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Peja Train Station<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/kosovo1"><b>CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL GALLERY</b></a><br />
</div>Alan GrantI have uploaded a second set of photos to my Kosovo Gallery. The photos in this set were taken in and around the city of Peja (Peć) in northwest Kosovo, including the mountainous Rugova region to the west of the city. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL GALLERY Peja Centre Patriarchate of Peć Rugova Valley road Drelaj Village, Rugova Peja Train Station CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL GALLERYNew photos of Kosovo: Gjakova, Visoki Dečani, Isniq2015-07-17T10:56:00+00:002015-07-17T10:56:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/new-photos-of-kosovo-gjakova-visoki-de<p>Following a short visit to Kosovo in late April and early May of this year, I have started uploading photos to my <a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/kosovo">Kosovo Gallery</a>.<br />
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The photos in this first set were all taken in Western Kosovo. The majority are from the city of Gjakova (Djakovica), and there are some from Visoki Dečani Monastery and the nearby village of Isniq. Photos of Peja, Rugova, Prizren and Prishtina will be added later.<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160761069" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Monastery Church, Visoki Dečani"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160761069/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Monastery Church, Visoki Dečani<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160761029" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Old Bazaar, Gjakova"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160761029/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Bazaar, Gjakova<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160761058" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Cabrat Hill, Gjakova"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160761058/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Çabrat Hill, Gjakova<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160761064" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Mountains and minaret, Isniq"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160761064/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Mountains and minaret, Isniq<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160761043" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hadum Mosque, Gjakova"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/160761043/medium.jpg" /></a><br />
Hadum Mosque, Gjakova<br />
<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/kosovo2"><b>CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL GALLERY</b></a><br />
</div>Alan GrantFollowing a short visit to Kosovo in late April and early May of this year, I have started uploading photos to my Kosovo Gallery. The photos in this first set were all taken in Western Kosovo. The majority are from the city of Gjakova (Djakovica), and there are some from Visoki Dečani Monastery and the nearby village of Isniq. Photos of Peja, Rugova, Prizren and Prishtina will be added later. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL GALLERY Monastery Church, Visoki Dečani Bazaar, Gjakova Çabrat Hill, Gjakova Mountains and minaret, Isniq Hadum Mosque, Gjakova CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL GALLERYUpdates to Bradt guidebooks in 20152015-07-15T17:26:00+00:002015-07-15T17:26:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/updates-to-bradt-guidebooks-in-2015<p>Bradt Guides continue to provide more extensive coverage of the Balkans than any other publisher, and have published new editions of four of their country guides so far this year. The guides to Albania, Macedonia, and Montenegro all move on to their fifth editions. It seems like only yesterday that I welcomed the first editions of all of these books, at a time when travel information about those countries in English was difficult to come by, and it is great to see that they continue to be updated. Meanwhile the Bulgaria guide, a relative newcomer, is on its second edition. All are available in electronic as well as paperback format.<br />
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<br /></p>Alan GrantBradt Guides continue to provide more extensive coverage of the Balkans than any other publisher, and have published new editions of four of their country guides so far this year. The guides to Albania, Macedonia, and Montenegro all move on to their fifth editions. It seems like only yesterday that I welcomed the first editions of all of these books, at a time when travel information about those countries in English was difficult to come by, and it is great to see that they continue to be updated. Meanwhile the Bulgaria guide, a relative newcomer, is on its second edition. All are available in electronic as well as paperback format.The trains of Bulgaria - a recent experience2015-07-06T11:45:00+00:002015-07-06T11:45:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/the-trains-of-bulgaria-recent-experience<p>Blogger Jon Worth, who writes about European politics and travel among other topics, travelled across and around Bulgaria by train in June 2015. He entered the country on the international train from Thessaloniki, travelled to Sofia, Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo and Burgas, and left on the international train to Budapest. His <a href="https://jonworth.eu/a-guide-to-the-trains-of-bulgaria/">blog post about his experiences</a> is well worth a read for anyone planning a trip to Bulgaria.<br />
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It is some years now since I travelled by train in Bulgaria but it doesn’t sound like very much has changed. Despite the availability of online ticketing on certain routes on the <a href="https://bdz.transportinfo.bg/en/">BDZ</a> website, Jon suggests it is generally easiest to buy tickets in cash at the departure station. His summary is in line with my own experiences: “Bulgarian railways are old style, and generally rather slow … if you want to see the landscape of the country, meet fascinating people, and feel the wind in your hair through an open window, and all of this on a shoestring budget, then a trip on Bulgarian railways is worth considering”.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/46812090" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/46812090/medium.jpg" /><br />
Train at Gara Lakatnik, in the mountains north of Sofia, in 2005</a><br />
</div>Alan GrantBlogger Jon Worth, who writes about European politics and travel among other topics, travelled across and around Bulgaria by train in June 2015. He entered the country on the international train from Thessaloniki, travelled to Sofia, Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo and Burgas, and left on the international train to Budapest. His blog post about his experiences is well worth a read for anyone planning a trip to Bulgaria. It is some years now since I travelled by train in Bulgaria but it doesn’t sound like very much has changed. Despite the availability of online ticketing on certain routes on the BDZ website, Jon suggests it is generally easiest to buy tickets in cash at the departure station. His summary is in line with my own experiences: “Bulgarian railways are old style, and generally rather slow … if you want to see the landscape of the country, meet fascinating people, and feel the wind in your hair through an open window, and all of this on a shoestring budget, then a trip on Bulgarian railways is worth considering”. Train at Gara Lakatnik, in the mountains north of Sofia, in 2005Air Serbia flies from Belgrade to Zagreb2014-12-12T22:06:00+00:002014-12-12T22:06:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/air-serbia-flies-from-belgrade-to-zagreb<p>Today saw the first services on Air Serbia’s new route from Belgrade to Zagreb - the first commercial flights between these cities since 1991. Air Serbia plans to operate two return flights daily all year round between the Serbian and Croatian capitals. This should open up new options for travellers from northern Croatia to other Balkan destinations beyond Belgrade itself, with same-day connections possible from Zagreb to cities such as Bucharest, Sofia, and Athens.<br />
<br />
For more information including the history of the route see <a href="http://exyuaviation.blogspot.ie/2014/12/historic-day-belgrade-zagreb-flights.html">EX-YU Aviation news</a>.</p>Alan GrantToday saw the first services on Air Serbia’s new route from Belgrade to Zagreb - the first commercial flights between these cities since 1991. Air Serbia plans to operate two return flights daily all year round between the Serbian and Croatian capitals. This should open up new options for travellers from northern Croatia to other Balkan destinations beyond Belgrade itself, with same-day connections possible from Zagreb to cities such as Bucharest, Sofia, and Athens. For more information including the history of the route see EX-YU Aviation news.New international train services December 20142014-12-03T21:17:00+00:002014-12-03T21:17:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/new-international-train-services<p>The second Sunday in December is traditionally the day for rail operators across Europe to reorganise their timetables. The news this year is mostly positive for Southeast Europe, with a few of the connections lost in the last few years being recovered, and in particular a notable improvement in connections from Budapest to the Balkans. International services to and within the region are still greatly reduced compared to just a few years ago, but at least we are seeing some movements in the right direction.<br />
<br />
As always information is fragmented, but I believe these are the main changes affecting the Balkans from 14th December 2014:<br /></p>
<ul>
<li>There will be a new direct overnight service from Budapest via Romania to Sofia. This crosses from Romania to Bulgaria via the recently opened bridge over the Danube at Vidin, so it is a completely new route. The train departs from Budapest in the evening and passes through Hungary and Western Romania during the night, crosses the Danube in the morning and arrives in Sofia 22 hours after leaving Budapest. In the reverse direction the journey time is a couple of hours faster but but the pattern is similar, with a midday departure from Sofia and a night run through Romania and Hungary. The train has been named the “Serdica”, at least in the timetables produced by MAV (Hungarian Railways), who of all European rail operators seem to be the most attached to the tradition of referring to trains by names.<br /></li>
<li>A new daytime Eurocity service links Vienna and Belgrade via Budapest. Departure time is in the morning in both directions, and journey time is 11 hours.<br /></li>
<li>Budapest now has 3 direct daily connections to Belgrade, one overnight and two during the day.<br /></li>
<li>The “Citadella”, which had been cut short last year, once again links Budapest to Ljubljana directly, with a journey time of 8 hours. This route offers the appealing possibility of a stopover in the small town of Ptuj in eastern Slovenia. <br />
<br /></li>
</ul>Alan GrantThe second Sunday in December is traditionally the day for rail operators across Europe to reorganise their timetables. The news this year is mostly positive for Southeast Europe, with a few of the connections lost in the last few years being recovered, and in particular a notable improvement in connections from Budapest to the Balkans. International services to and within the region are still greatly reduced compared to just a few years ago, but at least we are seeing some movements in the right direction. As always information is fragmented, but I believe these are the main changes affecting the Balkans from 14th December 2014: There will be a new direct overnight service from Budapest via Romania to Sofia. This crosses from Romania to Bulgaria via the recently opened bridge over the Danube at Vidin, so it is a completely new route. The train departs from Budapest in the evening and passes through Hungary and Western Romania during the night, crosses the Danube in the morning and arrives in Sofia 22 hours after leaving Budapest. In the reverse direction the journey time is a couple of hours faster but but the pattern is similar, with a midday departure from Sofia and a night run through Romania and Hungary. The train has been named the “Serdica”, at least in the timetables produced by MAV (Hungarian Railways), who of all European rail operators seem to be the most attached to the tradition of referring to trains by names. A new daytime Eurocity service links Vienna and Belgrade via Budapest. Departure time is in the morning in both directions, and journey time is 11 hours. Budapest now has 3 direct daily connections to Belgrade, one overnight and two during the day. The “Citadella”, which had been cut short last year, once again links Budapest to Ljubljana directly, with a journey time of 8 hours. This route offers the appealing possibility of a stopover in the small town of Ptuj in eastern Slovenia.Greece restores (some) international trains2014-05-04T19:16:00+00:002014-05-04T19:16:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/greece-restores-some-international<p>In February 2011 all international rail services to and from Greece were suspended. From 10 May 2014 two international trains will return to the timetables, linking Thessaloniki to three capital cities - Sofia, Skopje, and Belgrade.<br />
<br />
The overnight “Hellas” train on the Thessaloniki-Skopje-Belgrade route will offer couchettes as well as seats, and will also transport cars in summer. It will leave Thessaloniki every day at 15:52, call at Skopje in the evening, and arrive at Belgrade early the next morning at 05:33. In the opposite direction the train departs from Belgrade at 18:45, calls at Skopje in the early morning, and arrives in Thessaloniki at 11:10.<br />
<br />
Serbian Railways has announced promotional fares of 33.80 euro single, 47.60 euro return for tickets bought in Serbia in the first month of operation of the new routes. The couchette supplement is 8 euro one way.<br />
<br />
The service to Sofia will be a daytime train, leaving Thessaloniki at 06:55 and arriving at 14:00. The return trip will leave Sofia at 15:20 and and arrive at 22:20, allowing passengers to continue on the overnight service to Athens which leaves at 23:00. Tickets bought in Greece will are reported to cost 17.80 euro single and 34.60 euro return, with a special offer of 25 euro return available for purchases at least 15 days in advance.<br />
<br />
There is no news of any resumption of services to Istanbul. <br />
<br /></p>Alan GrantIn February 2011 all international rail services to and from Greece were suspended. From 10 May 2014 two international trains will return to the timetables, linking Thessaloniki to three capital cities - Sofia, Skopje, and Belgrade. The overnight “Hellas” train on the Thessaloniki-Skopje-Belgrade route will offer couchettes as well as seats, and will also transport cars in summer. It will leave Thessaloniki every day at 15:52, call at Skopje in the evening, and arrive at Belgrade early the next morning at 05:33. In the opposite direction the train departs from Belgrade at 18:45, calls at Skopje in the early morning, and arrives in Thessaloniki at 11:10. Serbian Railways has announced promotional fares of 33.80 euro single, 47.60 euro return for tickets bought in Serbia in the first month of operation of the new routes. The couchette supplement is 8 euro one way. The service to Sofia will be a daytime train, leaving Thessaloniki at 06:55 and arriving at 14:00. The return trip will leave Sofia at 15:20 and and arrive at 22:20, allowing passengers to continue on the overnight service to Athens which leaves at 23:00. Tickets bought in Greece will are reported to cost 17.80 euro single and 34.60 euro return, with a special offer of 25 euro return available for purchases at least 15 days in advance. There is no news of any resumption of services to Istanbul.JAT becomes Air Serbia and expands its route network2013-11-21T18:24:00+00:002013-11-21T18:24:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/jat-becomes-air-serbia-and-expands-its<p>A few weeks ago JAT Airways, the national airline of Serbia and previously of Yugoslavia, rebranded itself as <a href="http://www.airserbia.com/en/home.html">Air Serbia</a>. The move is linked to a large investment by the United Arab Emirates’ Etihad Airways. The new partnership promises to significantly expand Air Serbia’s fleet and route network, increasing Belgrade’s importance as a hub for travel in Southeast Europe.<br />
<br />
The impact of the changes can already be seen in the winter 2013/2014 timetable which contains several new routes. Of particular interest to travellers in the Balkans is the expansion of short-haul flights within the region. New routes have been launched to Bucharest, Ljubljana, and Banja Luka, to be followed by Sofia and Varna in spring 2014. There will also be more frequent services on the existing routes to Istanbul, Athens, and Thessaloniki.<br />
<br />
For a lot more information about Air Serbia and other airlines in the region, head to <a href="https://www.exyuaviation.com/">Ex-Yu Aviation News</a>.</p>Alan GrantA few weeks ago JAT Airways, the national airline of Serbia and previously of Yugoslavia, rebranded itself as Air Serbia. The move is linked to a large investment by the United Arab Emirates’ Etihad Airways. The new partnership promises to significantly expand Air Serbia’s fleet and route network, increasing Belgrade’s importance as a hub for travel in Southeast Europe. The impact of the changes can already be seen in the winter 2013/2014 timetable which contains several new routes. Of particular interest to travellers in the Balkans is the expansion of short-haul flights within the region. New routes have been launched to Bucharest, Ljubljana, and Banja Luka, to be followed by Sofia and Varna in spring 2014. There will also be more frequent services on the existing routes to Istanbul, Athens, and Thessaloniki. For a lot more information about Air Serbia and other airlines in the region, head to Ex-Yu Aviation News.BalkanViator plans for online bus tickets2013-11-18T19:00:00+00:002013-11-18T19:00:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/in-previous-post-i-mentioned<p>In a previous post I mentioned the BalkanViator website, which provides online timetables for bus routes in Southeast Europe, as well as information about taxi services and car pooling. Now the team behind Balkanviator are planning to add the ability to book bus journeys online. This is an ambitious goal, due among other things to the vast number of bus companies operating in the region. They have launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise money to fund the software development and other costs involved. If you want to know more, click through to the Indiegogo site below.<br />
<br /></p>Alan GrantIn a previous post I mentioned the BalkanViator website, which provides online timetables for bus routes in Southeast Europe, as well as information about taxi services and car pooling. Now the team behind Balkanviator are planning to add the ability to book bus journeys online. This is an ambitious goal, due among other things to the vast number of bus companies operating in the region. They have launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise money to fund the software development and other costs involved. If you want to know more, click through to the Indiegogo site below.New guidebook to Slovenia’s Karavanke Mountains2013-06-03T14:46:00+00:002013-06-03T14:46:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/new-guidebook-to-slovenias-karavanke<p>Most visitors to <a href="https://balkanology.com/slovenia/">Slovenia</a> have at least a passing familiarity with the Karavanke mountain range, perhaps without even realising it. The highest peak in the range, Stol, towers over the town of Bled and forms the backdrop to many views of Lake Bled, as in my photos below. And the major road and rail routes connecting Villach in Austria to Jesenice in Slovenia pass by, and under, the Karavanke range. But for many foreign visitors, that’s as far as it goes. Even those tourists with an interest in mountain walking tend to be drawn to the better-known Julian Alps further west.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/46261573"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/46261573/small.jpg" title="Lake Bled with the Karavanke range in the background" /></a><a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/46261570"><img border="0" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/46261570/small.jpg" title="Lake Bled with the Karavanke range in the background" /></a><br />
<br />
A new guidebook published by Cicerone Guides may encourage some hikers to take a closer look at the Karavanke, which run for 120km along Slovenia’s northern border with Austria. “Walking in Slovenia: the Karavanke” includes 23 one-day and two-day walks, covering the whole range from west to east. For more information visit the <a href="http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detail.cfm/book/642/title/walking-in-slovenia-the-karavanke">Cicerone website</a> or see the Amazon links below.<br />
<br /></p>Alan GrantMost visitors to Slovenia have at least a passing familiarity with the Karavanke mountain range, perhaps without even realising it. The highest peak in the range, Stol, towers over the town of Bled and forms the backdrop to many views of Lake Bled, as in my photos below. And the major road and rail routes connecting Villach in Austria to Jesenice in Slovenia pass by, and under, the Karavanke range. But for many foreign visitors, that’s as far as it goes. Even those tourists with an interest in mountain walking tend to be drawn to the better-known Julian Alps further west. A new guidebook published by Cicerone Guides may encourage some hikers to take a closer look at the Karavanke, which run for 120km along Slovenia’s northern border with Austria. “Walking in Slovenia: the Karavanke” includes 23 one-day and two-day walks, covering the whole range from west to east. For more information visit the Cicerone website or see the Amazon links below.Cuts to international rail services in Croatia, Bosnia, and neighbouring countries2013-01-18T21:50:00+00:002013-01-18T21:50:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/cuts-to-international-rail-services-in<p>Those of us who enjoy both travelling by train and travelling in Southeast Europe are used to bad news, but even so the introduction of new timetables in December 2012 has come as something of a shock. There have been drastic cuts in international services in the northwest Balkans, due mainly to a decision by Croatian Railways to abandon more than half of its international routes on economic grounds. As well as trains originating in Croatia this also affects lines passing through the country, with services to Bosnia particularly badly affected.<br />
<br />
Combined with previous developments such as the withdrawal of all international trains from Greece and the decline in cross-border connections between Italy and Slovenia, it seems that travelling by train in the Western Balkans becomes ever more impractical. For those readers who still want to try it, I have listed below all the remaining international trains from Bosnia and Croatia. This refers to the current winter timetable; there may be some additional services in summer.<br />
<br />
<b>Bosnia</b> <br />
<br />
Bosnia has been left with just two international services. There is one daytime train from Zagreb to Sarajevo. The overnight train on this route is withdrawn, as is the extension from Sarajevo to Ploče, at least during the winter. One train daily will run from Sarajevo to Ploče, leaving in the morning and returning in the evening. It appears this is currently the only train running on the scenic Sarajevo to Mostar line.<br />
<br />
The useful services from Sarajevo to Budapest and to Belgrade have sadly disappeared after just a few years in the schedules.<br />
<br />
<b>Croatia</b> <br />
<br />
As far as I am aware the following are the only international trains currently serving Croatia:<br /></p>
<ul>
<li>Zurich-Ljubljana-Zagreb-Belgrade (once daily, overnight Zurich-Ljubljana and daytime Ljubljana-Belgrade; this is now the only train between Croatia and Serbia, a significant reduction)<br /></li>
<li>Budapest-Zagreb (once daily, daytime; the faster of the previous two daily services has been withdrawn, as have local services across the Croatia/Hungary border)<br /></li>
<li>Vienna-Maribor-Zagreb (once daily, morning from Zagreb and evening from Vienna; again a reduction from two daily with the previous faster service having been withdrawn)<br /></li>
<li>Frankfurt-Munich-Ljubljana-Zagreb (one daily, daytime)<br /></li>
<li>Munich-Ljubljana-Zagreb (one daily, overnight)<br /></li>
<li>Villach-Ljubljana-Zagreb-Vinkovci (one daily, daytime)<br /></li>
<li>Villach-Ljubljana-Zagreb (one daily, daytime)<br /></li>
<li>Rijeka-Ljubljana (two daily, daytime) <br /></li>
<li>Zagreb-Sarajevo (one daily, see above)<br /></li>
<li>Ploče-Mostar-Sarajevo (one daily, see above).<br />
<br />
There have also been changes to the domestic timetable, with the earlier of the two daytime trains on the Zagreb-Split route cut back to a Friday-to-Sunday service.<br />
<br />
<b>Serbia</b><br />
<br />
Serbia has also been badly hit by the changes in Croatia. As noted above, there is no longer a train to Sarajevo, and connections to Zagreb and points further west have been severally reduced. Only the Belgrade-Zurich service will now cross the Croatia/Serbia border.<br />
<br />
In a separate development one Belgrade-Budapest train has been withdrawn, leaving just one daytime and one night service on this route.<br />
<br />
<b>Slovenia</b><br />
<br />
Slovenia’s connections to Croatia haven’t suffered too badly thanks to its position on various routes from Zagreb to Western Europe (listed above). The direct “Citadella” service to Budapest has been suspended - it seems this may be due to work on the line so perhaps it will reappear in the future. The only direct route to Budapest is now via through carriages that will join the Zagreb-Budapest train at Zagreb. This route is so slow that it is theoretically faster to travel via Austria, although this would involve at least two changes of train.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></li>
</ul>Alan GrantThose of us who enjoy both travelling by train and travelling in Southeast Europe are used to bad news, but even so the introduction of new timetables in December 2012 has come as something of a shock. There have been drastic cuts in international services in the northwest Balkans, due mainly to a decision by Croatian Railways to abandon more than half of its international routes on economic grounds. As well as trains originating in Croatia this also affects lines passing through the country, with services to Bosnia particularly badly affected. Combined with previous developments such as the withdrawal of all international trains from Greece and the decline in cross-border connections between Italy and Slovenia, it seems that travelling by train in the Western Balkans becomes ever more impractical. For those readers who still want to try it, I have listed below all the remaining international trains from Bosnia and Croatia. This refers to the current winter timetable; there may be some additional services in summer. Bosnia Bosnia has been left with just two international services. There is one daytime train from Zagreb to Sarajevo. The overnight train on this route is withdrawn, as is the extension from Sarajevo to Ploče, at least during the winter. One train daily will run from Sarajevo to Ploče, leaving in the morning and returning in the evening. It appears this is currently the only train running on the scenic Sarajevo to Mostar line. The useful services from Sarajevo to Budapest and to Belgrade have sadly disappeared after just a few years in the schedules. Croatia As far as I am aware the following are the only international trains currently serving Croatia: Zurich-Ljubljana-Zagreb-Belgrade (once daily, overnight Zurich-Ljubljana and daytime Ljubljana-Belgrade; this is now the only train between Croatia and Serbia, a significant reduction) Budapest-Zagreb (once daily, daytime; the faster of the previous two daily services has been withdrawn, as have local services across the Croatia/Hungary border) Vienna-Maribor-Zagreb (once daily, morning from Zagreb and evening from Vienna; again a reduction from two daily with the previous faster service having been withdrawn) Frankfurt-Munich-Ljubljana-Zagreb (one daily, daytime) Munich-Ljubljana-Zagreb (one daily, overnight) Villach-Ljubljana-Zagreb-Vinkovci (one daily, daytime) Villach-Ljubljana-Zagreb (one daily, daytime) Rijeka-Ljubljana (two daily, daytime) Zagreb-Sarajevo (one daily, see above) Ploče-Mostar-Sarajevo (one daily, see above). There have also been changes to the domestic timetable, with the earlier of the two daytime trains on the Zagreb-Split route cut back to a Friday-to-Sunday service. Serbia Serbia has also been badly hit by the changes in Croatia. As noted above, there is no longer a train to Sarajevo, and connections to Zagreb and points further west have been severally reduced. Only the Belgrade-Zurich service will now cross the Croatia/Serbia border. In a separate development one Belgrade-Budapest train has been withdrawn, leaving just one daytime and one night service on this route. Slovenia Slovenia’s connections to Croatia haven’t suffered too badly thanks to its position on various routes from Zagreb to Western Europe (listed above). The direct “Citadella” service to Budapest has been suspended - it seems this may be due to work on the line so perhaps it will reappear in the future. The only direct route to Budapest is now via through carriages that will join the Zagreb-Budapest train at Zagreb. This route is so slow that it is theoretically faster to travel via Austria, although this would involve at least two changes of train.By train through the Rhodopes2013-01-17T16:49:00+00:002013-01-17T16:49:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/by-train-through-rhodopes<p>Regular readers of <a href="https://balkanology.com/">Balkanology</a> will know that one of my favourite train journeys in the Balkans is the narrow-gauge line that meanders between the Rhodope, Rila, and Pirin mountain ranges of southwest Bulgaria - see the page on <a href="https://balkanology.com/overview/article_scenicrailways.html">scenic train Journeys in the Balkans</a> for more details. I’m certainly not the only fan of the railway from Septemvri to Bansko and Dobrinishte. A <a href="http://www.hiddeneurope.co.uk/through-the-rhodopes">recent edition of the Hidden Europe newsletter</a> has an evocative account of the trip. It sounds like the red engine and four green carriages are the same ones I travelled on almost ten years ago … which reminds me, I really must try to get back there some day soon.<br />
<br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/46766138" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/46766138/medium.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<p><br />
<br />
<br /></p>Alan GrantRegular readers of Balkanology will know that one of my favourite train journeys in the Balkans is the narrow-gauge line that meanders between the Rhodope, Rila, and Pirin mountain ranges of southwest Bulgaria - see the page on scenic train Journeys in the Balkans for more details. I’m certainly not the only fan of the railway from Septemvri to Bansko and Dobrinishte. A recent edition of the Hidden Europe newsletter has an evocative account of the trip. It sounds like the red engine and four green carriages are the same ones I travelled on almost ten years ago … which reminds me, I really must try to get back there some day soon.New site about transport in the Balkans2012-08-19T11:54:00+00:002012-08-19T11:54:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/new-site-about-transport-in-balkans<p><a href="https://balkanviator.com/">BalkanViator</a> is a new website that aims to make life easier for anyone travelling by public transport in the Balkans. As many travellers in the region are aware, details of bus routes in the region can be frustratingly difficult to pin down when planning a trip. Websites with bus timetables are often fragmentary and provide limited information (for example departure times but no arrival times, or routes listed by final destination with no indication of intermediate stops). The idea behind BalkanViator is to put an end to all this by making available in a single website the information about bus routes held by the Ministries of Transport of Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Bosnia - more than 20,000 routes in all.<br />
<br />
I tried out the database by asking if there are direct buses on August 20th from Dubrovnik to Skopje, Ohrid to Blageovgrad, and Budva to Sarajevo. These are all routes people have asked me about in the past, and for which I have had trouble tracking down a definite answer. The answer turned out to be “yes” in all three cases. BalkanViator provided full timetables including intermediate stops, and the names of the bus companies operating the routes.<br />
<br />
As well as the bus timetables the site has a carpooling section, and details of taxi companies in many Balkan cities. The site is available in six regional languages as well as English.<br />
<br />
BalkanViator has the potential to be a very useful resource for travellers in Southeast Europe and I wish the team the best of luck with the website.<br />
<br /></p>Alan GrantBalkanViator is a new website that aims to make life easier for anyone travelling by public transport in the Balkans. As many travellers in the region are aware, details of bus routes in the region can be frustratingly difficult to pin down when planning a trip. Websites with bus timetables are often fragmentary and provide limited information (for example departure times but no arrival times, or routes listed by final destination with no indication of intermediate stops). The idea behind BalkanViator is to put an end to all this by making available in a single website the information about bus routes held by the Ministries of Transport of Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Bosnia - more than 20,000 routes in all. I tried out the database by asking if there are direct buses on August 20th from Dubrovnik to Skopje, Ohrid to Blageovgrad, and Budva to Sarajevo. These are all routes people have asked me about in the past, and for which I have had trouble tracking down a definite answer. The answer turned out to be “yes” in all three cases. BalkanViator provided full timetables including intermediate stops, and the names of the bus companies operating the routes. As well as the bus timetables the site has a carpooling section, and details of taxi companies in many Balkan cities. The site is available in six regional languages as well as English. BalkanViator has the potential to be a very useful resource for travellers in Southeast Europe and I wish the team the best of luck with the website.No more slow trains to Pogradec2012-06-25T07:00:00+00:002012-06-25T07:00:00+00:00https://balkanology.com/blog/no-more-slow-trains-to-pogradec<p>Both <a href="http://www.seat61.com/Albania.htm">Seat 61</a> and <a href="http://www.europebyrail.eu/no-trains-to-lake-ohrid">Europe by Rail</a> report that it is no longer possible to travel by train from Tirana/Durres through central Albania to Pogradec on the shores of Lake Ohrid. This probably won’t disrupt the travel plans of many travellers, few of whom were ever prepared to submit themselves to the rigours of the famously slow 6-to-7 hour trip. But the distinctive character of the journey did appeal to some visitors, and I had hoped to travel the route some day myself. I have not seen any indication of what prompted the closure or whether there is any hope of a resumption of services in future.<br />
<br />
There is still one service daily on this line, from Tirana via Durres and Elbasan as far as Librazhd, a town I have to confess I had never previously heard of. It takes around five hours from Tirana to Librazhd, four hours of which are accounted for by the meandering route between Tirana and the the substantial town of Elbasan, a trip which can of course be done much more quickly by bus.<br />
<br />
<br /></p>Alan GrantBoth Seat 61 and Europe by Rail report that it is no longer possible to travel by train from Tirana/Durres through central Albania to Pogradec on the shores of Lake Ohrid. This probably won’t disrupt the travel plans of many travellers, few of whom were ever prepared to submit themselves to the rigours of the famously slow 6-to-7 hour trip. But the distinctive character of the journey did appeal to some visitors, and I had hoped to travel the route some day myself. I have not seen any indication of what prompted the closure or whether there is any hope of a resumption of services in future. There is still one service daily on this line, from Tirana via Durres and Elbasan as far as Librazhd, a town I have to confess I had never previously heard of. It takes around five hours from Tirana to Librazhd, four hours of which are accounted for by the meandering route between Tirana and the the substantial town of Elbasan, a trip which can of course be done much more quickly by bus.