Is it better to pay taxis in Serbia with cash, or do drivers accept cards or payment apps?
Serbia isn’t quite there yet with taxi card payments. I spent time in Novi Sad and Belgrade, and while a few drivers had machines, most didn’t use them. Even when they said card was okay, there were excuses about connection issues. Cash in dinars is the norm. If you prefer not to carry much cash, then using CarGo is a good workaround since it allows card-linked payments. For street taxis though, think cash only-it’s simply how they operate.
My experience in Serbia was that taxis function best with cash. Even though I saw stickers for Mastercard or Visa in some cabs, the drivers preferred cash and a few declined card altogether. The only time I used a card was through an app-based ride, and that worked perfectly. If you’re flying into Belgrade, I’d suggest withdrawing some dinars right at the airport, since taxis are not card-friendly. Don’t count on digital options as your main method here.
I assumed I could just tap my card like I do at home, but nope - first taxi ride ended in an awkward ATM detour. The driver was chill about it, but lesson learned. After that, I used the Yandex app a few times, which was way better - some drivers accepted in-app payments. Still, most of the time I used cash, especially in smaller towns. Carry some bills and avoid the stress.
Serbia isn’t super card-friendly with taxis yet. CarGo worked great and let me pay directly through the app, but regular street taxis almost always wanted cash. Even when they had a POS machine, it wouldn’t connect half the time. I kept about RSD 2,000 (€17) in smaller bills just for cabs. If you’re arriving late or staying outside the main city zones, definitely don’t rely on your card.
I booked taxis through Pink and Naxis in Belgrade - some had working card machines, others didn’t. One said he only accepted card if I told them during booking. So I started asking when I called ahead. For spontaneous rides, I always carried cash just in case. No major problems, just don’t assume card is standard. CarGo app is great, though - totally cashless if you’re staying in the city.
Used a few taxis in Belgrade and Niš - most of them were cash-only, even the official ones with meters. I asked about card and they just kind of shrugged. If you're using an app like CarGo (Serbia’s Uber equivalent), you can pay in-app, but street taxis? Better to keep a few thousand dinars on you. I had a driver tell me the card machine was “broken” twice - not sure if it really was.