Bitola Transportation

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I didn't have occasion to use either of Bitolas bus stations and so this is just a general observation.

The main bus station is about 1.5 km out of town, next to the railway station, and buses from here leave and arrive from Skopje, Ohrid and Sofia on a regular basis.

For a useful guide to times and prices check out MacedonianUK's page here - Bitola Bus Schedules

There is also a smaller bus station close to the city centre which appears to cover local routes although it seems that shared taxis are more commonly used.

I only had one occasion to use use a taxi here in Bitola, to get from the train station to my hotel.

The city is compact and emminently walkable and all the main sights are on and around the pedestrianised main street.

The train and main bus station however are about 1.5 Km out of town and as far as I'm aware there isn't a regular bus service to and from these and so if you don't fancy the walk then the best option is a taxi.

From my singular experience I found the taxi driver to be cheerful, the meter was switched on as soon as we started up and apart from a little bit of chaotic traffic the journey into the city hassle-free. At 60 Den for what turned out to be a fifteen minute journey this was also vry cheap.

There's always taxis outside the station to meet arriving trains and a couple of taxi ranks dotted around the top and bottom ends of the Shirok Sokak. Otherwise I'm sure your hotel will be happy to arrange one for you.

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If, like myself, you appreciate a scenic train journey then you'll enjoy getting to Bitola from Skopje by train. There are four departures a day (early morning, mid afternoon, early evening and mid evening) with a journey time varying from 2hours 50 minutes (the 1700 express) to about 3 and a half hours.

I've only done this journey once, on the mid-afternoon train which was late arriving and very crowded. It was standing room only until Prilep (about an hour away) but on a warm early summer afternoon that was no hardship as we all leaned out of the windows watching the scenery go by (and smoking!).

The journey starts by roughly following the River Vardar south from Skopje and takes you through two mountain ranges with the fertile plains of mid-Macedonia in between. The slow train is quite fast until Prilep after which it stops at every station, some of which are ramshackle ruins barely standing and seemingly located in the middle of nowhere. This to me was the best part of the journey - I ended up with a carriage by myself which gave me the opportunity to crack the couple of beers I'd picked up at Skopje station but at the same time to watch the world go by out of my smoking window.

When you arrive at Bitola the station is about 2 km out of the city centre, easily walkable if you are inclined (and don't have a lot of luggage), but there are usually plenty of taxis available on the rank and my friendly guy cost me a mere 60 Den for the ten minute ride.

For the current (2011) timetable click HERE

We arrived by train in Skopje and from there we took a bus to Bitola.
It took a while to find out were to buy the ticket as not many spoke English.
But pen and paper will help or just say Bitola lots of times lol.
It took about 3 1/2 hours from Skopje to Bitola
think the bus left around 11.00 and costed about 8 euro each. think it was 470 each
you get seat numbers and they wear already taken but they had to go.
they people who were sitting on our places.
The 2 seats behind the driver dont have a number.
So i think the 4 seats left and right behind the driver are mostly empty and not aloud to sit here.
The websites name was on the ticket. But we just bought it at the bus station

I am still trying to figure out what this is. There were several models cruising Bitola, some parked. I tried hailing one thinking it was a taxi. Maybe I should have reserved one of this open air stallions.

The road to Bitola from E-75 via Prilep passes through some spectacular scenery, but the road is scary.

Take your time!

Make sure your brakes are OK!

Watch out for oncoming trucks on the wrong side!

But enjoy...

Here is the time tables from Bitola Bus station operated by "Transkop"-Bitola buses..
They are National & International

EVERY DAY DEPARTURES:

Bitola-Skopje-Sofija:
05.00
Sofija-Skopje-Bitola:

15.00

Bitola-Delcevo-Sofija:
20.00

Sofija-Delcevo-Bitola:

20.00

Bitola-Veles-Skopje:
05.00, 06.30, 07.30, 08.30, 11.00, 13.00, 14.30, 16.30, 19.00

Skopje-Veles-Bitola:

04.15, 09.00, 11.00, 13.30, 14.30, 15.00, 17.00, 19.00, 21.00

Bitola-Kicevo-Skopje:
05.00 (Sunday at 11.00)

Skopje-Kicevo-Bitola:

15.30



Bitola-Ohrid-Struga:
06.30, 09.00

Struga-Ohrid-Bitola:

10.00, 12.00



Bitola-Resen-Ohrid:
13.15, 15.00

Ohrid-Resen-Bitola:

16.30, 18.00


Bitola-Strumica:
07.00

Strumica-Bitola:
11.00


Bitola-Brajcino:
14.45
Brajcino-Bitola:
05.00


Bitola-Otesevo:
17.15

PRICES FOR TRAVEL FROM BITOLA Bus Station

One way ticket/ Return Ticket

Bitola-Skopje 440/ 590


Bitola-Veles 340 /540


Bitola-Prilep 110/ 180

Bitola-Resen 120/ 200

Bitola-Ohrid 240/ 390

Bitola-Struga 240/ 390

Bitola-D. Hisar 60/ 100

Bitola-Kicevo 230/ 370

Bitola-Gostivar 320 N/A

Bitola-Tetovo 350 N/A

Bitola-Kvadarci 250/ 420

Bitola-Negotino 290/ 460

Bitola-Demir Kapija 330/ 520

Bitola-Valandovo 360/ 600

Bitola-Strumica 440/ 600

BITOLA-SOFIJA 1365/ 2325

SKOPJE-SOFIJA 990/ 1800

Note:
All prices are in MKD denars.

Bitola,has great bus conection with the rest of Macedonia, and also good rail conection.
Generaly the buses are the transport mode one will use in Bitola or around.
Ohrid is only 72 km away and there is an International airport.
Unfortunatly there is no daly connection to Greece altought the next town in Greece -Lerin (Florina) is only 32 km away.
Use to be train conection but that stoped just before '91 now only the taxis are mode of transport between Bitola and Lerin (Florina).

Taxis in Bitola are a plenty. it is very cheap way to get around.
Also as there is no transport connections between Bitola in Macedonia & Lerin (Florina) in Greece, taxis are only & best value to get on the other side of the border.
Here are few reputable ones:
Cager Taxi: +389 (0) 47 222970
Kabalero Taxi: + 389 (0) 47 227799
Baban konzul Taxi: +389 (0) 47 229716
Luna taxi: +389 (0) 47 255082
Top Kar Taxi: +389 (0) 47 9194
Prips Taxi: +389 (0) 47 9195
Leo Taxi: +389 (0) 47 9175
Usual rate to come to Lerin (Florina) to pick you up, or just deposit you at Lerin (Florina) bus station is €20.
Rate to take you to Solun (Tessaloniki) is €70 -jurney is 3 hrs or 220km.

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There is no official place to leave your baggage at if you are making only a step visit to the town. But if you eat at the restaurant in front of the bus station, they may take your luggage for some hours. For me they did it.

If you catch a bus at the station, it will take you first up and up through the newer quarters of the city, at the end it arrives there where the two mosques are, the old part.