Most travelers who rent a car in Serbia will want to avoid driving in Belgrade, where traffic is usually very congested and confusing. However, a lack of public transport in the rest of the country means that exploring outside of the cities is best done by rental car. Having a car opens up the possibility of visiting destinations like the southern ski resorts, the Golubac Fortress, the Tara Mountains, and Uvac National Park, not to mention the many "spomenik" war monuments scattered around the country.
It is important to note that on-street parking in Serbian cities is paid almost entirely by SMS rather than by parking meter, meaning that anyone who wishes to use this option will need to have a Serbian SIM card. An alternative option is the wide range of attended parking lots in cities such as Belgrade; these are relatively inexpensive, they accept cash payment, and they offer an added level of security.
New child car seat laws were introduced in Serbia in 2018 and now require a hefty penalty of up to 120,000 RSD (1,100 USD) if ignored. Children must be over 12 years old to be allowed to sit in the front seat of a vehicle, and all children under 135 cm (54 in) need to be restrained in an age-appropriate seat. Rental agencies can provide these when booked in advance; expect to pay a daily fee of around 590 RSD (5.60 USD) with an agency like Hertz.
Most rental agencies allow drivers to rent a car in Serbia and travel into neighboring countries, though usually not into Albania, Turkey, or Ukraine. Cross-border travel into Kosovo is also not usually permitted with a rental car. Additional fees, around 5,900 RSD (56 USD) with an agency like Enterprise, and paperwork are required by most agencies, meaning that you should always check first before traveling to another country.
25% of our users found rental cars in Serbia for ₪131 or less
Book your rental car in Serbia at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
Off-airport rental car locations in Serbia are around 22% more expensive than airport locations on average
Compact rental cars in Serbia are around -11% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in Serbia
On average a rental car in Serbia costs ₪147 per day.
Compact (Class Economy Van or similar) is the most frequently booked rental car type in Serbia.
In the past 72 hours, the cheapest rental cars were found at CarWiz (₪55/day), Budget (₪85/day) and CarQ (₪106/day).
Based on car searches on KAYAK, the most popular cities to rent a car in Serbia are Belgrade (83% of total searches of users looking to rent a car in Serbia), Niš (10%) and Novi Sad (8%).
On average a rental car in Serbia costs ₪1,107 per week (₪158 per day).
On average a rental car in Serbia costs ₪4,742 per month (₪158 per day).
Anyone who wishes to rent a car in Serbia will find driving to be a relatively straightforward experience. Roads are well maintained across the country and include a large network of highways, which usually will require you to pay a toll of around 500 RSD (4.75 USD) by cash or credit card. Signs are usually in both Cyrillic and Latin script, and driving is on the right-hand side.
Drivers need to be at least 21 years of age to rent a car in Serbia, and most rental agencies request that they have possessed a domestic driver’s license for at least two years. Some agencies charge a young driver’s fee for renters age 21 to 25, including Avis, where the daily surcharge is approximately 1,700 RSD (16 USD). Renters with an EU-issued driving license may need only their license and passport, but most other nationalities will need to provide an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) as well.
Petrol stations are plentiful in major urban centers like Belgrade, but in the rural north and south of the country, drivers may struggle to find regular fueling stations. It is important to keep the tank topped off whenever possible. Petrol prices are higher in Serbia than in many neighboring countries, costing about 150 RSD (1.40 USD) per liter of petrol and 163 RSD (1.55 USD) per liter of diesel. The equivalent prices per gallon are 5.29 USD for unleaded petrol and 5.86 USD for diesel.
Speed limits in Serbia vary depending on the road, but normally the limits are 40-50 km/h (24-31 mph) in urban zones and 80 km/h (50 mph) on rural roads. Highways have a maximum speed of 100-120 km/h (62-74 mph). Speed limits are clearly marked and cameras are in place.
The rates displayed include all taxes and fees for car rentals for the class listed and were found by KAYAK users in the last 24 hours. Offers are subject to change and may not be available on all car rentals listed or dates of travel. Some car rental providers charge additional fees for other services (GPS, infant car seats, etc.). Please check the car rental providers' sites.