Trying to find out if Serbia widely accepts cards in restaurants and shops and ATMs - any suggestions
I brought my Amex thinking I’d rack up some travel points - ended up barely using it. It worked at my hotel in Belgrade and at the airport duty-free, and that’s about it. None of the local restaurants, corner stores, or even bus ticket counters accepted it. Lesson learned: Serbia runs mostly on Visa and Mastercard. I’d say use Amex as backup, not your daily driver.
I tried using my Amex for coworking, SIM cards, groceries... almost every time it got rejected. Belgrade is growing in terms of payment infrastructure, but Amex acceptance is still limited. Some ATMs like Banca Intesa didn’t even process it. If you’ve got a Visa or Mastercard, you’re golden. I ended up linking my Amex to Apple Pay just in case, but honestly, it’s not worth relying on in Serbia.
Used Amex successfully at a few chain hotels and one upscale restaurant in Novi Sad, but day-to-day spots like shops, cafés, and taxis - nope. They don’t accept it. Even at the airport, only some ATMs took it. Most local businesses are set up for Visa and Mastercard, not Amex. I kept my Amex for online bookings and used a Visa debit card for everything else. Way less hassle.
Amex didn’t work for me anywhere - I tried it at a supermarket, a bakery, even a museum café in Belgrade. Always got a headshake or “Visa only.” It wasn’t rude, just like... not a thing. My Visa debit worked fine, and even Mastercard got through in most places. ATMs were hit-or-miss too - I think Komercijalna and Intesa didn’t even show Amex logos. If you’re counting on Amex here, bring backup.