Serbia

Is Serbia safe to visit?

Yes, for most travellers. Serbia recorded 54 homicides in 2024, or 0.82 per 100,000 people (Eurostat), a lower rate than Bulgaria. Crime against visitors is mostly pickpocketing and bag snatching. We score it 78, just below Romania (79) and Bulgaria (80).

Two things pull Serbia down. The country has been in political turmoil for almost two years, and its roads are among the deadliest in Europe. The US State Department rates Serbia Level 2, "exercise increased caution", because of crime, especially violence linked to organised crime and sporting events.

What is happening with the protests?

On 1 November 2024 the concrete canopy at Novi Sad's newly renovated railway station collapsed and killed 16 people. University students, who blame corruption for the faulty work, started a protest movement that has led to near daily demonstrations, some drawing hundreds of thousands. According to AP, the government's response has drawn international concern over police violence and arbitrary detentions.

The movement has now entered politics. President Aleksandar Vučić called an early parliamentary election for 25 October 2026, and the students filed their own list in September. Expect large rallies before and after the vote.

For a visitor the risk is disruption, not danger. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says most gatherings are peaceful, but some have turned violent, and protests can cut public transport and mobile networks at short notice. Avoid crowds and police lines, plan extra time to reach the airport on rally days, and follow local news.

The Kosovo border

Serbia does not recognise Kosovo, and that shapes travel in the south. Serbia treats its crossings with Kosovo as internal, not international. If you entered Kosovo from Albania, North Macedonia or Montenegro, Serbia is likely to refuse you entry from Kosovo; enter Serbia first and get a Serbian stamp. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary reports isolated cases of Serbian officials cancelling Kosovo stamps.

Tensions can flare at the crossings, and the US advises reconsidering travel to North Kosovo because of unrest. Many Serbian car hire firms will not let you drive into Kosovo, and Serbian-registered cars have been vandalised or set on fire there. Leftover landmines and bombs from 1999 remain in the mountains north and east of Kosovo; keep to marked roads.

How dangerous are Serbia's roads?

This is Serbia's weakest point. ETSC counted 488 road deaths in 2025, or 74 per million people, the highest rate of the 31 countries it follows, above Bulgaria (71) and far above Croatia. The total fell 5% from 2024 but has barely moved since 2019.

Motorways from the Hungarian border through Belgrade to Niš are good. The danger is the two-lane roads. Rural roads deteriorate after bad weather, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary names the Ibarska Magistrala, the old main road from Belgrade via Čačak and Užice towards Montenegro, as particularly dangerous; overtaking lorries on blind bends is the classic killer. Drive in daylight, keep your headlights on, and carry an international driving permit (1968 version) as backup.

Crime and petty theft

Pickpockets work tourist areas, airports, public transport and motorway service stations. Thieves operate on trains, so lock your berth on overnight services. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary warns that criminals may assume foreigners carry a lot of cash, and that four-wheel-drive and luxury cars are targets.

Football is the place for real caution. Violence is common around Belgrade derbies between Red Star and Partizan. Take only registered taxis with a municipal number, or call a radio taxi; most operators speak English.

Health and hazards

CDC recommends hepatitis A and B vaccines for unvaccinated travellers, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary warns about ticks. UK visitors get free emergency care under a reciprocal agreement. Earth tremors are common, parts of the country flood after heavy rain, and wildfires are possible from April to October.

How to stay safe in Serbia

• Check the news before travelling around 25 October 2026 and avoid demonstrations.
• Enter Serbia before Kosovo if you plan to visit both.
• Avoid driving rural roads at night and take care on the Ibarska Magistrala.
• Avoid stadiums on derby days.
• Call 112 for any emergency, 192 for police, 194 for an ambulance.

How we scored it

Violent crime (88) is the strongest factor, based on a recent homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary under 1 per 100,000, trimmed for organised crime violence. Petty crime (70) and conflict (72) are the weakest, reflecting the US warning about theft, almost two years of protests and the Kosovo border. Road safety (75) sits at the very edge of the 4–8 per 100,000 band.