Visit the Millennium Cross and Mount Vodno from Skopje by Public Bus

ByChristine Updated On
cable car at mount vodno skopje

Mount Vodno and the Millennium cross provide a striking backdrop to Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia. And a visit to see them both, up close and personal, is an essential part of any trip to the capital. We visited the Millennium Cross by catching a city bus to Sredno Vodno, then taking a cable car to the top, instead of taking one of the popular organised tours. This Guide explains how to visit, taking the public bus, instead of a tour, and what you’ll find when you get there.

Planning a Trip To Mount Vodno? Here’s Where You’ll Find Things

And here’s some more North Macedonia on the One Small Bag if you’re interested.

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The Millennium Cross is definitely huge. It’s twice the size of Christ the Redeemer! The cross is visible in most parts of the city,

central square with mount vodno in the back and the millenium cross. Skopje. North Macedonia
Macedonia Square, Skopje with Mount Vodno and the Millennium Cross in the background

And if you’re wondering what the huge tower is next to the Cross – or why you sometimes see paragliders drifting above the city, we’ll get to that too Before we start, here’s a few facts about the Millennium Cross:

About the Millennium Cross

  • Location: Krstovar Peak, Mount Vodno (1,066 m), just outside Skopje
  • Cross height: 66 m steel structure (around the height of a 20 floor skyscraper)
  • Built: Completed and inaugurated in 2002
  • Purpose: Marked 2,000 years of Christianity in the region
  • Funded by: Macedonian Orthodox Church, Government of North Macedonia, and diaspora donations
  • Designers: Jovan Stefanovski-Žan & Oliver Petrovski
  • Name origin: “Krstovar” means place of the cross – a smaller cross stood here before
  • Extras: Internal lift (2018), visitor facilities (2019)
  • Why visit: Panoramic views of Skopje & the valley, major landmark and symbol of national identity

Route Map To Millennium Cross, Skopje

Here’s a map showing the route from the city centre bus stop.

How to Get to Mount Vodno By Bus

There’s no Uber or Bolt in Skopje. The local city bus makes sense, unless you’d rather flag or book a local taxi.

bus station for city buses in Skopje underneath railway station
Skopje City Buses at the Bus Station under the railway
yellow bus ticket office for skopska card and skopje city bus tickets
Ticket Office for Skopska Card in Yellow Bus
(Recommend using SkopjeBus App Instead)

Skopje City Bus Station & Bus Tickets

I wouldn’t normally write detailed instructions on how to catch a bus! But for this trip, there are a few things which, if you know, it will make the trip much easier.

Head to Skopje’s city bus station beneath the railway station. You’re looking for an outside area with bays for the red city buses plus a yellow bus (which is actually a ticket office). You will be catching Bus 25, which runs up to Sredno Vodno (Middle Vodno). From there you can take the cable car to the top or hike up.

There’s an indoor ticket office and waiting area, underneath the railway station. This is for the longer distance coaches, not the city buses. Don’t try and buy a ticket or wait here for the bus to Mount Vodno.

Buses are not especially frequent, so plan around the timetable:

  • Tuesday to Friday: services leave the city centre at 8:00, 9:20, 10:40, 12:00, 13:20, 14:40 and 16:00.
  • Weekends: there are a few extra runs mid-morning, roughly every 40 minutes.

From Sredno Vodno back to town, the last departure is at 17:00. I’d personally go early so you can catch an earlier bus back to avoid waiting a long time or relying on the last bus turning up.

There’s a new SkopjeBus app (which replaced the old Skopska card). I didn’t use it, but it looks a lot less hassle than trying to get the physical Skopska card (from the yellow bus ticket office). There’s live bus information on the app too.

A single ride is about 40 MKD (roughly €0.65 / £0.55). Remember, you’ll need a separate ticket for the Millennium Cross cable car once at Sredno Vodno.

  • Validate your ticket as you board (tap card or scan in the app).
  • Go early: buses thin out in the afternoon, and the cable car can be delayed by wind or maintenance.
  • If the cable car is closed, you can hike from Sredno Vodno — but allow extra time and bring water.

Why the London buses in Skopje?

At first glance you might think Skopje imported a fleet of vintage Routemasters, but the story is a bit more complicated. After the devastating 1963 earthquake, London donated some of its retired double-deckers to help the city get moving again. Locals loved them, and the red buses became part of Skopje’s character.

Fast forward to 2011: the city commissioned a brand-new fleet from a Chinese manufacturer, deliberately styled to echo those old London icons. They’re not second-hand, just nostalgic replicas. Whether you see them as quirky or kitsch, they’ve become one of Skopje’s more unexpected sights.

Mount Vodno – What To Expect

The bus will stop at Sredno Vodno (middle Vodno) where you should leave the bus. You should find a timetable confirming the return times for the bus at the bus stop.

Around Base Station (Sredo Vodno)

There’s outdoor café terraces at Sredno Vodno with mountain views. There’s a choice of things to eat, mostly snacks, ice-cream and drinks. You’ll find a playpark and picnic areas, toilets and the ticket booth for he cable car. It’s also the start of the hiking trails if you’d rather walk up. Be aware there are more facilities at the bottom of the cable car than the top,

  • at base of mount vodno skopje
    Sredno Vodno area at the cable car base station
  • cable car ticket office at mount vodno
    Cable Car Ticket Booth at the cable car base station

Ticket and information and ride details are covered in the following questions and answers.

Taking The Cable Car To The Top of Mount Vodno

The cable car runs from Sredno Vodno to the summit (Krstovar Peak, 1,066 m). The ride takes around 7 minutes each way, with panoramic views of Skopje as you climb.

  • Typical opening is 10:00–20:00 (summer) and 10:00–17:00 (winter), but hours can vary.
  • Closed on Mondays for maintenance.
  • Services can pause in high winds or bad weather, sometimes without notice.

👉 Always check at the base station before committing to the trip.

  • Return ticket: about 120 MKD (~€2 / £1.70).
  • One-way ticket: about 60 MKD (~€1 / £0.85).
  • Children under a certain age (usually 6) ride free.

Tickets are sold at the Sredno Vodno base station. Cash and card are usually accepted at the counter.

At Sredno Vodno (the bottom of the cable car run) you’ll find kiosks for snacks and drinks, children’s play areas, and benches. At the summit, there are basic facilities (toilets, small café when open) and, of course, the Millennium Cross.

  • Try to go earlier in the day to avoid queues and to give yourself fallback time if there are closures.
  • You can buy a one way ticket if you plan to hike up or down.
  • On clear days, the views are excellent – but haze in summer can limit visibility.
  • Bring an extra layer: it’s often windier and cooler at the top than in the city.

At the Top of Mount Vodno

The cable car arrives at Krstovar Peak near Millennium Cross on Mount Vodno. You are then free to enjoy the view, walk the paths and purchase food, drink and souvenirs if the shop and cafe is open.

  • millennium cross at top with play area plus cafe and shop built into the base
  • top of the cable car mount vodna

There’s a cafe and shop built into the base of the Millennium Cross, although it wasn’t open when we were there (it was March). There’s also a play area, picnic area and souvenir shop. It’s quite some view at the top!

view at top of mount vodno skopje

🌍 Exploring this region?

Here are more ideas and nearby destinations worth adding to your itinerary:
• Best Things to Do in Skopje: Your Comprehensive Travel Guide to Europe’s Most Kitsch Capital
• Visit the Painted Mosque in Tetovo From Skopje by Public Bus
• Best Things to Do in Chișinău: A Complete Guide to Europe’s Least Visited Capital City

That other tower… and those paragliders!

Once you’ve stepped off the cable car and admired the Millennium Cross, a couple of other things are bound to catch your eye. They don’t usually make it into the guidebooks, but here’s the low-down so you don’t have to keep guessing.

  • paragliding on mount vodno north macedonia
    Vodno Communications Tower
  • telecommunication tower mount vodno north macedonia
    Adverts for Paragliding at the Mount Vodno summit

The tall tower that isn’t the Cross

That spiral-shaped structure towering above the ridge on Krstovar Peak is the Vodno Communications Tower, Skopje’s main TV and radio mast. With its circular platforms it looks like it ought to be a viewing deck – and it’s actually taller than the Cross – but it’s strictly off-limits, used only for broadcasting. Worth a photo, but not a visit.

The paragliders taking off

On a breezy day you may spot colourful canopies drifting away from the slopes near the Cross. Tandem paragliding flights run from here, giving you 15–30 minutes of soaring over the Skopje valley before landing down in the fields below. It’s one of the most adventurous ways to experience Vodno, even if most visitors don’t realise it’s an option. You’ll find more information here.

Obviously I can’t take responsibility for your choice to run off a mountain strapped to a stranger, but plenty of people do and love it!

Hiking Up (or down) Mount Vodno

From Sredno Vodno (Middle Vodno) to the Millennium Cross (Krstovar 1,066 m) is a straightforward hike on signed paths. Expect ~60–90 minutes up, ~40–60 minutes down, with ~350–450 m of elevation gain (depending on the path you pick).

cable car at mount vodno skopje and hiking trail at mount vodno
Mount Vodno Cable Car – Hiking Route under the Gondola Shown

Main options

A) Direct “under the gondola” route (most obvious)

  • Start: Sredno Vodno cable-car plaza (look for brown trail signs to Krstovar/Millennium Cross).
  • Path: Wide gravel/jeep track that roughly follows beneath the cable car.
  • Stats (approx): 3–4 km one way, 350–450 m gain, 60–90 mins up.
  • Good for: First-timers; easy to follow; partial shade.

B) Forest path variants (slightly nicer, similar time)

  • Start: Same plaza; take the signed footpath peeling off the road into the trees.
  • Path: Narrower dirt/forest trails that rejoin the main track near the ridge.
  • Stats: Similar distance/time to (A); a bit more shade and prettier underfoot.

C) One-way hike (cable car up, hike down)

  • Plan: Ride up, enjoy the summit, then walk down to Sredno Vodno via A or B.
  • Why: Saves the climb and avoids queues for the return gondola if it’s busy or paused.

D) Longer traverse: Vodno → Matka (for hikers)

  • Plan: From the Millennium Cross, continue west along the ridge and follow signs toward Matka Canyon.
  • Stats (very approximate): 12–15 km, 3–4.5 hours net walking, mostly descending after the ridge.
  • Return: City bus or taxi back from Matka (add time for this). Best started early.

Wayfinding & surface

  • Signage: Brown/white hiking signs and red-white blazes; summit is obvious once you hit the ridge.
  • Surface: Mix of gravel road, packed dirt, occasional loose stones. Trainers with grip are fine in dry weather.
  • Shade: Intermittent — more shade on forest variants than on the jeep track.

Practical tips

  • Start early: Cooler temps, better visibility, and time buffer if the cable car pauses for wind/maintenance.
  • Water & snacks: Limited at the summit; kiosks at Sredno Vodno are your last easy resupply. Carry at least 1 L in summer.
  • Wind & layers: It’s often cooler and breezier on top — a light shell helps.
  • Phones & maps: Download offline maps before you go; mobile signal is generally fine but don’t rely on it.
  • Downhill footing: Gravel can be marbly — take it steady on the descent.

Tours To Mount Vodno

Taking a tour to Mount Vodno can be time efficient, as most of the tours combine trips to other places such as Matka Canyon.

Here’s the pick of some of the trips to Mount Vodno.

More For Your Trip To Skopje

Here’s a few resources to help you plan your trip to North Macedonia or inspire you to visit this characterful capital.

Things to do in Skopje

There’s plenty to do, see, eat and drink in Skopje here’s my Comprehensive Travel Guide to Europe’s Most Kitsch Capital

Where to Stay in Skopje

If you’re looking for places to stay in Skopje you’ll find both apartments and hotel rooms. It’s not an expensive place to stay, so do consider something central.

Beyond Skopje and Mount Vodno, Other Trips You Can Take

Visit the Painted Mosque in Tetovo From Skopje by Public Bus. Details of another trip we made from Skopje without a tour and one I highly recommend.

I also recommend venturing over the border into Kosovo. If you subscribe, you’ll receive details, once I’ve posted them of our independent travel, again by public bus, to/from and around this wonderful country. I only tend to email once a month though, so I won’t be bombarding you!

And more tours, too. If you don’t have a car, they can be a good option.

I hope you found this useful, if you have, let me know. If you’ve been to Skopje, how was your trip? Or are you planning a trip? Let me know in the comments.

If you’ve enjoyed visiting one of the least visited countries and capitals in Europe, here’s some popular posts from the One Small Bag Blog you might also be interested in.

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I’m Christine, part-time IT consultant, long-time explorer, and fan of the “less is more” approach. On One Small Bag, you’ll find tales of travel across Europe with a tiny backpack and often to places you might not have thought of.
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