Rajko Mitic Stadium away guide

London flies direct to Belgrade Nikola Tesla (BEG) in about 2h45, most cheaply from Luton with Wizz Air (Wizz Air). Manchester has no non-stop, so connect through a hub or fly from Luton. From the airport take bus 72 or the A1 minibus into town, then tram 9, 10 or 14 south to the ground. Away fans sit in the Tribuna Jug (South Stand), England allocation blocks 6 and 7 (Football Ground Guide).

Fast facts

Getting there from the UK

Belgrade has its own airport, so from London this is a simple direct hop. From Manchester there is still no scheduled non-stop (EX-YU Aviation), so the real choice is changing at a European hub for speed, or dropping down to London Luton for the cheap Wizz Air direct. Onward from Belgrade airport is the same for everyone: bus 72 (free) or the A1 minibus to the centre, then tram 9, 10 or 14 south to the ground. Here are the alternatives most fans weigh up and roughly what each costs and takes.

Costs and times are estimates and swing with match dates and how early you book (KAYAK).

Getting there from the airport

You arrive at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG), about 18 km west of the centre. Buses leave from stops outside the Arrivals hall on the ground floor (Nomadic Backpacker).

Two main options run into town. Public bus line 72 goes to Zeleni Venac near the city centre, roughly every 30 minutes, taking about 40 minutes and longer in heavy traffic (Nomadic Backpacker). The A1 Airport Express minibus runs between the airport and Trg Slavija (Slavija Square), a main transport hub, roughly every 20 to 30 minutes with a journey time of around 40 minutes. A single ticket costs 400 RSD (about 3.4 EUR), bought on board (Serbia Transfers).

Worth knowing on fares: since 1 January 2025 all standard city and suburban buses, trams and trolleybuses in Belgrade are free to ride, bus 72 included. The only paid routes are the A1 Airport Express (400 RSD) and the E express minibus lines (200 RSD), both paid on board (itimaker). So bus 72 into the centre costs nothing, while the A1 gets you to Slavija Square for a flat 400 RSD. A taxi from the airport to the centre runs roughly 2,000 to 2,500 RSD if you book at the official taxi desk in Arrivals rather than accepting touts.

Getting to the stadium from the centre

The quickest way is a tram. Rajko Mitic Stadium sits about 3.5 km south of the main railway station and city centre, in the Dedinje area of the Savski Venac municipality (The Stadium Guide).

Take tram 9, 10 or 14, all running toward Banjica, and get off at Trg Oslobodenja square shortly after passing the E-75 motorway, then follow the crowd to the ground (The Stadium Guide). Tram 9 departs from the main railway station, tram 10 from the historic centre (for example Cara Dusana street) and tram 14 from Tasmajdan Park. Belgrade has no metro, so these are surface trams (The Stadium Guide).

Trolleybuses 40 and 41 have also served the area, running from Takovska avenue and Trg Studentski square respectively, though Belgrade trolleybus routes have been reorganised recently, so check current services before you travel (The Stadium Guide).

Walking is feasible if you would rather. It is roughly 40 minutes from the railway station or southern city centre, or about 25 minutes from Saint Sava Church, a major landmark south of the centre (The Stadium Guide).

Where to stay

Most away fans base themselves in the central Stari Grad and Vracar districts, around Republic Square, Knez Mihailova and Skadarlija. That keeps you walkable to the bars and restaurants, on the tram lines that run south to the ground, and in the busier, better-lit tourist streets that guides recommend sticking to (Football Ground Guide). Slavija Square is a sensible alternative if you want to be on the A1 airport minibus line.

Away section and turnstiles

Away fans are placed in the Tribuna Jug (South Stand), on the left-hand side behind one of the goals, between Red Star supporters on either side with heavy UEFA-mandated segregation (Football Ground Guide). For England internationals the away allocation has been in blocks six and seven of the South Stand (Football Ground Guide).

Be ready for the sightlines. The pitch is ringed by a running track, so the action feels further away than at a British ground, and the away stand is steep with tightly packed seats (Football Ground Guide).

Atmosphere and matchday advice

The away end is described as one of the most intimidating stands in European football. Home fans regularly set off flares, smoke bombs and fireworks, so the view can get smoky. The home end, the Tribuna Sever (North Stand), holds the Delije, Red Star's hardcore support, and it is loud from long before kick-off (Football Ground Guide).

On safety, guides recommend not wearing club colours or scarves on the way to the ground to avoid trouble with the Delije. The stadium sits in a quiet residential area with little around it, so do your eating and drinking in the centre and travel out together nearer kick-off (The Stadium Guide). Around town, stick to the popular tourist spots near Republic Square and avoid wandering off the beaten track late at night (Football Ground Guide). Belgrade is a large, generally welcoming capital, and the risk on a normal visit is low; the caution is specific to matchday and to visibly identifying as an away fan near the ground.

The ground itself

Officially named Stadion Rajko Mitic, it is universally nicknamed the Marakana after Rio's Maracana because of its former vast capacity (StadiumDB).

It opened on 1 September 1963 with a Yugoslav First League match against Rijeka, won 2-1 by Red Star (Crvena Zvezda) (Crvena Zvezda FK). It was built on the site of an old FK Jugoslavija ground, with the pitch dug 12 metres below the previous level. Original capacity was around 110,000 before conversion to an all-seater reduced it (Crvena Zvezda FK). The record attendance, roughly 96,000 ticketed, came against Ferencvaros in the 1975 Cup Winners' Cup semi-final (Wikipedia).

Where to drink

Belgrade is cheap for beer. Expect roughly 200 to 300 RSD (about £1.50 to £2.20) for a half-litre of draught in a central bar, less in a supermarket (Belgrade Hotspot). Do your drinking in the centre; the ground sits in a quiet residential area with almost nothing around it, and alcohol is not sold near the stadium on matchday (The Stadium Guide).

• Spasicev Pub (Kralja Petra) - a proper sports bar with big screens, cheap food and a stadium-like buzz for big matches. Book a day ahead for a televised game (Belgrade Hotspot).
• The United Pub - central, English-speaking, showing football, an easy landing spot for a first pint near Republic Square.
• Three Carrots - Belgrade's Irish pub, poured Guinness and a mixed local and visitor crowd, handy for away fans wanting somewhere familiar.
• Red Bar (Skadarska 17) - lively spot at the top of Skadarlija with a funky mix of locals and tourists (Belgrade Hotspot).
• Skadarlija - the cobbled bohemian quarter, a strip of taverns (kafanas) with live music, good for a slower evening and a meal alongside the beer.
• Avoid drinking near the ground on the day, and steer clear of any bar flying Delije colours or full of home ultras if you are visibly an away fan. Keep colours off around Dedinje (Football Ground Guide).

Where to eat

Serbian food is meat-forward and cheap. The dishes to try are cevapi (grilled minced-meat fingers in flatbread), pljeskavica (a large stuffed burger), karadjordjeva snicla (a rolled, breaded veal-and-cheese cutlet), sarma (stuffed cabbage rolls) and ajvar (roasted red pepper relish), with burek from a bakery for a cheap breakfast (Beyond Belgrade).

• Tri Sesira, Skadarlija - a Skadarlija institution open since 1864, national dishes and grilled meats with live tavern music, sit-down but not expensive (More Than Belgrade).
• Dva Jelena, Skadarlija - the other landmark kafana on the cobbles, big mixed grill platters and traditional cooking.
• Zavicaj Skadarlija - hearty national cuisine (cevapi, sarma, lamb, homemade bread with ajvar), roughly 1,000 to 1,500 RSD a head (Beyond Belgrade).
• Cevap kod Dekija - a short walk from Skadarlija, generous cevapi portions at budget prices in a relaxed setting (Beyond Belgrade).
• Velika Skadarlija - traditional grills, pljeskavica and salads with a big terrace, an easy sit-down option (Beyond Belgrade).
• For a fast, cheap fix, any pekara (bakery) does burek and any roadside grill does a cevapi roll for a few hundred dinar.

What to do

Two days covers the highlights if you are making a trip of it (Time Out).

• Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park - the historic heart of the city on a cliff above the Sava and Danube confluence, free to walk, with the Military Museum and viewpoints inside (Time Out).
• Temple of Saint Sava - one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world, its white domes dominating the skyline, a 25-minute walk from the ground (Time Out).
• Nikola Tesla Museum - inventions and hands-on demonstrations, including the Tesla coil, dedicated to Serbia's most famous scientist (Time Out).
• Knez Mihailova and Republic Square - the main pedestrian street and the central square, the safe, busy tourist core to base yourself around.
• Skadarlija - the cobbled bohemian quarter of kafanas, live music and grills, good day or night.
• Zemun and the riverside - a former separate town with a distinct feel, the Gardos Tower and a Danube-side walk lined with fish restaurants.
• House of Flowers - Tito's mausoleum and the museum of Yugoslavia, for the history of the country the club was born into.

Common questions

How do you get from Belgrade airport to the stadium?

Take bus 72 (free) or the A1 minibus (400 RSD) from outside Arrivals into the centre, about 40 minutes. From the centre take tram 9, 10 or 14 toward Banjica and get off at Trg Oslobodenja, a short ride south. Allow around an hour and a half door to door, more in matchday traffic (Nomadic Backpacker).

Which airport do you fly into for Red Star Belgrade?

Belgrade Nikola Tesla (BEG), the city's own airport about 18 km from the ground. London flies there direct daily, cheapest from Luton with Wizz Air at around 2h45, plus Air Serbia from Heathrow and Gatwick (Wizz Air).

Is there a direct flight from Manchester to Belgrade?

No. Manchester has no scheduled non-stop to Belgrade, so you connect through a hub such as London, Vienna or Istanbul, or fly out of London Luton for the direct Wizz Air service. Expect a longer, pricier journey than from London (Air Serbia).

Where do away fans sit at Rajko Mitic Stadium?

In the Tribuna Jug (South Stand), behind one goal, with Red Star supporters segregated on either side. For England internationals the allocation has been in blocks six and seven. The pitch has a running track around it, so the view is set back from the action (Football Ground Guide).

What is the away allocation?

It varies by fixture and competition. For England games the visiting section has been blocks six and seven of the South Stand, a slice of a 49,167-capacity ground. Always buy through your own FA or club rather than in the home end (Football Ground Guide).

What time should you get to the ground?

Get out to Dedinje in good time, ideally an hour or more before kick-off, and travel with other away fans. The stadium sits in a quiet residential area with little around it and heavy segregation, so arriving early beats a last-minute scramble through the checks (The Stadium Guide).

Can you drink alcohol inside the stadium?

No. Alcohol is not sold in or near the Marakana on matchday, so do your drinking in the centre before you head out. There is very little in the way of bars around the ground itself (The Stadium Guide).

How much is a beer in Belgrade?

Cheap. A half-litre of draught in a central bar runs roughly 200 to 300 RSD, about £1.50 to £2.20, and less from a supermarket. Belgrade is one of the more affordable European capitals for a session (Belgrade Hotspot).

Is Belgrade safe for away fans?

On a normal visit, yes. It is a large, welcoming capital and the tourist core around Republic Square and Knez Mihailova is fine day and night. The caution is matchday-specific: do not wear colours near the ground, do not wander into home-end bars, and travel out to Dedinje in a group (Football Ground Guide).

Which areas are away-fan friendly?

The central Stari Grad district around Republic Square, Knez Mihailova and Skadarlija is the safe, busy zone with the bars and restaurants. Base yourself there, drink there, and only head out to the residential Dedinje area for the match itself (Football Ground Guide).

Does the match ticket include free local transport?

There is no special matchday ticket deal because you do not need one. Since 1 January 2025 all standard Belgrade trams, buses and trolleybuses are free to ride for everyone, so the trams out to the ground cost nothing regardless of your match ticket (itimaker).

How far is the stadium from the city centre?

About 3.5 km south of the main railway station, in the Dedinje area. That is roughly a 10-minute tram ride on lines 9, 10 or 14, or a 40-minute walk from the station, 25 minutes from the Temple of Saint Sava (The Stadium Guide).

Where should you stay?

Central Stari Grad or Vracar, around Republic Square, Knez Mihailova and Skadarlija. You stay walkable to the bars and food, on the tram lines that run south to the ground, and in the busy tourist streets that guides advise sticking to. Slavija Square works too if you want the A1 airport minibus on your doorstep (Football Ground Guide).