Read this article to find out how to get to Skopje from Sofia (then back).
Most people will probably arrive in Skopje by plane. However, the route I took was by bus from Sofia. I took the 7 am bus with the Kaleia bus. I booked my ticket through Flixbus. The journey was straightforward enough. Arrive early to show your passport at the bus office then set off at 7 am. The bus there was mostly empty as this was low season so we could sit in any seat. The journey was nice going through some of the Bulgarian mountains and looking at the small villages and towns along the way.
Once we neared the border the road took us up the mountains winding up towards the border crossing. We arrived at about 9.30 am, bags checked, did passport control, and were through at about 10.00 am. It was pretty quick as there weren’t many passengers luckily. Though we stayed on the bus on the Bulgarian side, we had to get off on the Macedonian side when they checked our passports.
Once we were through the drive down into Macedonia was very picturesque. The road goes down the mountains and cuts through a valley with small villages lining the roads. It was enjoyable taking in the rugged scenery. The journey to Skopje took another 2 hours arriving at 11 am (12 pm Bulgarian time).
Read my guide to Skopje here
On the way back I took the 5 pm bus, meaning it was already dark when we left so I couldn’t see much. However, as there were only 6 passengers we were taken in a much smaller bus.
The ride back wasn’t so bad. The border guards didn’t require us to get off the bus this time and we could remain in the warmth while they checked our passports. We were quickly through and sailing on to Sofia.