The Setup: A Rainy New Year’s Day in Belgrade
The moment I realised I am at the wrong station was the moment I had a mini meltdown. Everything had been so meticulously planned. We had spent a beautiful New Year’s Eve and first day of the year in Belgrade. It was rainy and a lot of things were closed. But we still had one nice day before taking a local train at around 6 am to the border with Bulgaria. There we were supposed to hop onto the next train and arriving in Sofia sometime during the late afternoon.
We organised the taxi to the station through the hotel the day before. We could have walked. But, honestly, with luggage, a night walk in the rain for 20 minutes was not something we were considering. Also, the taxi was cheap.
I plan so obsessively because I do like chaos, but only on my own terms. I want travel to feel calm and controlled, even if sometimes the unexpected moments are the most joyful ones. I don’t want it to feel like a disorganized maze. That morning, though, the maze won.
Wrong Station, Right Time (Almost)
What we did not know was: There was a completely new train station in the city center, but also a train station a little bit outside the city. Not too far, but confusing enough. The taxi driver dropped us off. It took us a while to realise the station was completely dark… .After some researching at the station, it became clear. We were wrong! Very wrong! And our train was leaving in 45 minutes.
I cried, a lot, but at some point, the mission mode of my brain took over. Still hiccuping from tears, and fueled by that particular panic only a missed train can bring, I started walking down the road in the hopefully correct direction. I was under no illusion that we could reach the station on time by walking. Yet, getting back to the city was the first step. We did not really have internet. While all the other countries in Eastern Europe that we had passed through allowed the European Network to be used, Serbia did not. We needed to find WiFi to plan our next steps – a taxi to Bulgaria? Or a bus? Maybe there was a later train we could take. Nonetheless, Google Maps worked. Downloaded map be thanked!
The Angels Appear
With every passing car we held our thumbs out. I never had hitchhiked before. On my own I certainly never dared to do this. Strangers? People I did not know? Eww! With Bas behind me, this was probably the best chance we had. And, oh surprise, the second car stopped! The relief! Even getting a little closer to the city would help a lot. Panic mode paused!
We explained to the driver where we wanted to go, using Google Translate, because the language barrier does not give us a break. We relied on hand and feet gestures too. We stepped in, and this angel of a person drove us to the correct station.
I think we thanked him in Russian, English and Georgian. We didn’t know a word of Serbian. This would be the perfect opportunity to suggest learning at least “Thank you!” and “Hello!” in the language of the country you are visiting.
Somehow we ended at the other side of the station. Panicked as we were, with little time left, we were not capable of finding the entrance. Up comes the second angel in human disguise and asks what we were looking for. Perfect English, by the way! We explained and he not only brought us inside but helped us sort the tickets. He even explained how we could buy tickets before the border crossing. Profuse thanks ensued!
With 10 minutes to spare, we finally sank into our train seats – filled with anxious adrenaline, half laughing, half crying!
Why This Story Stuck With Me
What if the whole thing had gone wrong? We would have found a solution for that, too! Planning for things to go wrong – that’s my second nature. So, if you ever end up at the wrong station at 5:30 in the morning, hope for those angels, but prepare for the next steps. One step at a time will get you where you want to go!
By the way, what’s the worst that could have happened? We might have had to change our plan, rearranged transport. Or we might have lost out on the hotel night in Sofia. It did not come to that, but isn’t that an outcome that I could also live with? I think it is.
Here’s a picture of the second train we boarded to bring us to Sofia. It was glorious!
Of course I did not have the mind to take pictures while hurrying through the winter night, or while searching for the entrance of the station. But, honestly, who would have?
Some advice to prep for the unexpected
- Make sure you check if there are multiple stations in a city — Google ‘[City] train station’ plural!
- Download offline maps in advance. They’re a lifesaver, especially where roaming is limited.
- Learn ‘thank you’ in the local language. You might need it more than you think.
- If things go awry, you are allowed to breathe. You are allowed to fall apart for a little bit, before finding the strength to move forward. This is not failure, this is us being human!
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