Getting around Bosnia and Herzegovina: trains, buses, driving and domestic flights

The country has no single transport spine. The rail line that matters to visitors is the Sarajevo–Mostar stretch through the Neretva gorge, and it is the one journey where the train beats the bus on both scenery and comfort. Everything else — Jajce, Travnik, Bihać, Tuzla, Banja Luka, Neum — is bus country, with frequent departures from Sarajevo's main bus station and low fares.

A car changes what you can see rather than how fast you move. It unlocks the Una valley around Bihać, Sutjeska National Park, the mountain villages above Sarajevo such as Lukomir, and the wine and village stops across Herzegovina. If your trip is Sarajevo plus Mostar plus a day tour or two, skip the car: parking in both cities is a hassle and the intercity buses are cheap.

The Sarajevo–Mostar line is the reason to take a train here. It follows the Neretva through a gorge for much of the run, and a daytime departure is worth planning your day around. There are only about two trains a day, so a missed one costs you half a day. Buy at the station rather than online, and check the times the day before you travel — the timetable is not always what a search engine shows.

Beyond that line, the network is thin. There is no fast link from Sarajevo to Banja Luka or Tuzla that competes with the bus, and some services are seasonal or suspended. Treat rail as one good route, not a system.

Buses cover the country. From Sarajevo's main bus station you can reach Mostar, Jajce, Travnik, Tuzla, Banja Luka, Bihać and Neum, usually with several departures a day on the busier routes. Fares are low by European standards, and you pay a small extra fee per bag, in cash, to the driver or at the counter.

Sarajevo has two relevant stations: the main one near the centre and Istočno Sarajevo, in the Republika Srpska part of the city, used by some services heading east. Check which station your ticket names before you set off — turning up at the wrong one is the most common way to miss a bus here. On popular summer routes, buy a day ahead.

Hiring a car is the only way to reach some of the best scenery at your own pace. Rates run about 60–120 KM per day for a small car in high season, and you should confirm that cross-border travel is allowed if you plan to continue into Croatia or Montenegro. Roads between the main towns are good and improving, with new motorway sections on the Sarajevo–Mostar corridor.

Mountain roads are narrow and winding, and local drivers overtake on blind bends. Speed limits are enforced, including by unmarked cars, and headlights must be on at all times. Do not drive off marked roads or tracks in rural areas: landmines remain a real hazard in parts of the country, and signs are not everywhere. In cities, parking is limited and often paid by SMS or app.

Sarajevo is walkable in the centre, and its single tram line runs east–west through the city, useful for reaching the Baščaršija area from further out. Tickets are cheap, but you must buy and validate one — inspectors fine on the spot, and 'I did not know' does not work. From the airport, a bus plus tram takes about 40 minutes for around 1.80–2 KM, while a taxi is 25–35 KM.

Taxis are inexpensive, but meters near the bus station are sometimes 'broken'. Use a licensed taxi or a ride-hailing app, or agree the price before you get in. Mostar and Banja Luka are small enough to walk between the sights, with taxis for the station runs.

There is no national rail or bus pass aimed at visitors, so point-to-point tickets are the norm. If you are not driving, guided day tours are the efficient substitute: the classic Mostar–Blagaj–Kravice–Počitelj circuit runs 70–120 KM per person and is better done from Mostar than from Sarajevo, which adds two hours each way.

For a longer trip, combine a few bases — Sarajevo, Mostar, and one more such as Banja Luka or Bihać — and use buses between them, with tours for the surrounding sights.