Trying to plan ahead so any know if card payments are common at hostels in Serbia or cash is king?
In Belgrade and Novi Sad, I had no problem paying by card at hostels. Places like Hostel Bongo and Hedonist Hostel all had working machines. Serbia’s bigger cities are card-friendly, so you don’t need much cash for accommodation.
Thought it’d be all digital, but not quite. Hostel in Belgrade took my Mastercard, but one in Niš said “cash only - internet unstable.” Had to withdraw last minute. I wasn’t mad - just learned to always ask first. Card works in most places, but you still run into small tech issues or service excuses. Keeping some local bills on you is just easier than stressing at check-in.
Some hostels took card, others gave me the classic “our card reader is broken” line. It didn’t seem shady, more like they didn’t want to deal with fees. In Novi Sad, I had to run to an ATM because the machine really was down. If you're hostel-hopping, keep a bit of cash handy, especially if you're arriving late. RSD 2,000-3,000 is usually enough for a night or two.
I stayed at three hostels - two in Belgrade, one in Niš - and all of them accepted card at check-in, but only one didn’t charge a fee for using it. The others either asked for cash or said “machine is down,” which felt a bit routine. I booked online but kept RSD 5,000 in small notes just in case. Most hostels are fine with card, but always ask ahead or prepare for a cash fallback.