By Bus
Intercity buses are comfortable and reasonably priced. The main hub is Skopje's South Bus Station (Avtobuska Stanica Jug). From there you can reach Ohrid (about 3 hours, ~350 MKD), Bitola (about 3 hours), Tetovo (1 hour), and most other towns. Buy tickets at the station window — online booking is not widely available. Services run frequently on main routes but thin out to once or twice daily on rural routes.
A faster option between Skopje and Ohrid is a shared taxi (kombi): roughly 2 hours and around 500 MKD per person. Ask at the bus station or at the shared taxi rank.
By Car
Renting a car opens up the country considerably. North Macedonia is small — you can drive from Skopje to the Greek border in under two hours. Roads in main corridors are good; secondary roads vary. Fuel is cheaply priced compared to Western Europe. International driving licences are accepted; third-party insurance (green card) is required.
Be cautious on mountain roads, especially in winter when some passes close. The Mavrovo area and the Galichica mountain road above Lake Ohrid are scenic but require care.
By Train
Three train lines radiate from Skopje: to Bitola, to Negotino, and to Kichevo. Trains are slow and infrequent but cheap and often scenic. For most travellers, buses are more practical.
In Cities
Skopje has a city bus network (35–40 MKD per ride) and taxis, which are very cheap by European standards. Agree the fare before you get in, or insist on the meter. Ride-hailing apps such as Bolt are available in Skopje.