Choosing Your Berth: Couchette vs Sleeping Car
When booking overnight passage to Montenegro, you can choose between two main comfort categories:
- Couchette Compartment (Kušet): Features 4 or 6 berths arranged in three tiers. Each passenger receives a clean sheet, blanket, and pillow. Couchette compartments are mixed gender and offer a social, budget-friendly travel experience.
- Sleeping Car (Spavaća kola): Offers high privacy and comfort. Compartments include an in-room washbasin with running water, towels, soap, and lockable compartment doors. Berths are available as tourist (3 beds), double (2 beds for couples or friends), or single (exclusive occupancy).
Ticket Fares & Berth Supplements
Overnight rail travel requires a basic international train ticket plus a berth supplement reservation:
- Base International Fare: A one-way 2nd-class ticket between Belgrade and Bar costs approximately 21 to 24 EUR (around 2,500 to 2,800 RSD).
- Couchette Supplement: A reservation in a 6-berth couchette costs roughly 9 EUR (1,050 RSD).
- Sleeper Supplement: Tourist (3-bed) is approx. 15 EUR, double is approx. 20 EUR, and single occupancy is approx. 45 EUR per person.
- Early Booking: Sleeper cabins and couchettes sell out weeks in advance during the peak summer season (July and August). Book as early as possible.
Accompanying Car Transport (Motorail / Auto-Voz)
One of the unique highlights of the Bar railway is the ability to take your personal car with you:
- Vehicle loading takes place on the dedicated motorail loading ramp at Zemun railway station.
- Vehicles must be checked in at least 2 hours prior to train departure for secure tie-down.
- One-way vehicle transport costs approximately 30 EUR (around 3,500 RSD).
- Your car is unloaded and ready for collection on the platform at Bar station upon morning arrival.
Nighttime Border & Customs Formalities
Because the train crosses an international border into Montenegro, passport control is conducted in two stages:
- First stop is at Prijepolje Teretna, where Serbian exit border police inspect travel documents.
- Second stop is at Bijelo Polje, where Montenegrin entry border police and customs inspect compartments.
- You do not need to disembark; officers board the carriages directly. Non-EU/Balkan travelers must present a valid passport.
Česta pitanja
What is the difference between a couchette and a sleeper car on the Belgrade to Bar train?
Couchettes feature 4 or 6 bunk berths per compartment with clean linen, pillows, and blankets, ideal for budget travelers and groups. Sleeper cars provide greater comfort and privacy with 1, 2, or 3 beds, a private washbasin, towels, and lockable doors.
How much do sleeper and couchette supplements cost?
In addition to the standard train ticket (approx. 21–24 EUR), a 6-berth couchette supplement costs roughly 9 EUR (1,050 RSD). In sleeping cars, a tourist 3-bed berth is about 15 EUR, a double (2-bed) cabin is about 20 EUR, and a single cabin is about 45 EUR.
Can I transport my car on the train from Belgrade to Bar?
Yes, motorail car carrier wagons are attached to the night train. Vehicle loading takes place at Zemun railway station at least 2 hours before departure. One-way car transport costs approximately 30 EUR (3,500 RSD).
How does border control work overnight?
Border formalities take place at Prijepolje Teretna (Serbian exit) and Bijelo Polje (Montenegrin entry). Officers board the carriages to check passports while the train waits at the platform. Keep your passport handy in your berth.
Is the day train or the night train better for tourists?
The night train is practical because you sleep through the journey and save on accommodation. The day train (Tara) is recommended for sightseeing, as it crosses the awe-inspiring Mala Rijeka Viaduct and Moraca Canyon in full daylight.
General Bar Railway Guide
Read about the engineering wonders, viaducts, tunnels, and history of the Bar line.
Open Bar Railway Guide →