Balkan Flexipass is a frequent-traveller card valid in Balkan countries.
Balkan Flexipass allows travelling unlimited travels during selected days (3-5-7-10-15 days) within 2 months with alliance operators (see below).
Pay only for real travel time
At the tickets office, you fill a form mentioning your name, passport number, birthdate and type of pass (3-5-7-10-15 days), pay the fare and get your pass.
Fill your ticket notebook carefully
While traveling, you fill in the day and month for each day you travel on the first page of the pass (thus only one day will be used from your pass). If you use overnight train, fill in the arrival date, not departure date. If you buy 3 days pass, you’ll have 3 spaces to be filled in (see how first page looks like).
The second page has to be filled as well, everytime you use a train. In this page, you fill in the departure date and time, not the arrival date (see how second page looks like).
Pass covers most of the region
Balkan Flexipass is valid in Romania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey.
Fares varies according to age
Staff behaviours may vary
Filling usage information on pass is supposed to be done by traveler as soon as he/she gets on the train, before ticket control. Otherwise it may be perceived as fraud and penalty may be charged. On the other hand, many travellers reported that train staff was not so strict about this information and was satisfied with seeing a valid pass.
Some clerks may not be familiar with the pass. Being persistent will help.
Not everything is free
Pass is valid for standard carriages. Supplement is charged in case sleeper/couchette is used.
Reservation is be needed to guarantee a seat on main line/international trains where a small reservation fee is charged. No reservation is needed for most of the regional trains.
It’s strongly adviced to determine the route in advance. Not every neighbour countries have international train connections between each other and most of the train services have low frequency.
Some regional trains may be very old and uncomfortable.
Language (English-speaking staff is not very common) and alphabet (three different alphabets are being used in Balkan countries) may be problem during your travel. In advance planning will help.
Operators accepting Balkan Flexipass
ATTICA Group (Ferry operator between Greece and Italy)
Bosnia and Herzegovina Railways
Bulgarian Railways
Greek Railways
Macedonian Railways
Montenegro Railways
Romanian Railways
Regio Trans (Private rail operator in Romania)
Serbian Railways
Turkish Railways
Not easy to buy
Best station to buy Balkan Flexipass is Sirkeci Station, where others may not be familiar with the pass. Please check avaibility of pass at station before having a visit.
Listen to travellers
Don’t buy the Balkan Flexipass by Miquel Hudin
Rail Turkey En 