Sarajevo to Mostar by train, as suggested by the title of this post, is one of my favourite train journeys ever!
As a rule, I enjoy most train journeys, even those on the London Underground. OK so I rarely travel during rush hour on the underground and so I probably haven’t experienced it at its very worst, but like I said, as a rule trains = good! So good in fact I dare say that they are my favourite mode of transport (honourable mention for segways).
Don’t laugh, but I honestly think my love for trains started as a child, when I used to watch endless episodes of Thomas The Tank Engine. What can I say, the intro music was catchy! Nowadays I consider train journeys a bit of a treat, mainly because in the UK they’re so darn expensive. I might take the odd train to football, or travel conferences/festivals, but if I set out to ‘travel’ the UK, it’s usually by car as somehow the cost of petrol is still cheaper than the price of a train ticket.
Not all train journeys are super expensive though …
Bosnia
So to Bosnia, and the best train journey I’ve ever taken, Sarajevo to Mostar. Bosnia in all honesty didn’t quite go to plan in the beginning, I had ventured to Sarajevo from London with a wanting to snowboard in the mountains which had once hosted the Winter Olympics (1984) … but there was no snow. I managed to fill a couple of days by sightseeing, taking incredible history tours about the sege of Sarajevo, and then come evening eating everything in sight, but there was an element of relief when the time came to board the train down to Mostar.
Mostar during the middle of the week had always been the plan, and at this point it felt good that something was actually going to plan! I was looking forward to seeing the old bridge (Stari Most), and taking a tour of city and learning about its war torn past.
Sarajevo to Mostar by Train
I left my hostel at the ungodly hour of 6am and caught a tram up to the main train station. I was early, I knew that, I’m always early as I hate to be late – go figure. I was so early that I’d even beaten the ticket office in opening, but once they did open I was obviously first in line. With the aid of Google translate and some sign language I was able to purchase my ticket with little fuss, and I then made my way out to the platform.
After about 10 minutes the platform started to fill up, some like me chose to access the platform via the underpass, others just chose the walk across the tracks from the main station building. The train itself was very nearly on time, as it chugged its way into the station. As I said, there were’nt too many people on the platform waiting to board, but those that were fought ferociously to be first on the train. I didn’t understand why until I myself finally managed to board and so those passengers sitting in the private cabins were those that also pushed and shoved their way onto the train first.
Even at this early hour, my travellers brain kicked in and decided that sitting in a cabin would have been a bad idea anyway, had anyone decided that they wanted to to try rob me I would have been cornered. I was therefore more than happy to take up a seat in the open plan carriage with a few others.
The wood panelled carriage itself wasn’t in the best of shape, but it would do nicely for £4. The seats were well worn and stank of stale smoke – the no smoking signs are more like guidelines it would seem – but they were comfy enough. I slumped down in a single seat, dust flying everywhere as I did so, made sure all my important documents and belonging were secure, and then turned my attention to the window.
What came next was 2.5-3 hours of bliss. You can see for yourself in the video below (which is actually going the other way from Mostar to Sarajevo) just how amazing the journey was, and what value you get for your £4. I can’t even get from where I live to central London (45 mins on the underground) for that amount, let alone travel for the best part of 3 hours across country.
I am however ashamed to say that I did nod off and fall asleep about an hour into the journey. I early hour caught up with me, and when combined with the radiator at my feet and the rhythmic motion of the train, my eyelids conceded and fell like a 10 ton weight. Luckily I had the presence of mind to set an alarm on my phone for 10 minutes earlier than the estimated arrival time in Mostar.
Mostar to Sarajevo by Train
I should have felt guilty about visiting the land of nod on that first journey from Sarajevo, but I got over it once I realised I would be making the return journey in just a couple of days time and would have a second bite at the cherry.
Mostar itself was a delight, and I was very sad to leave. It might have been out of season, but my hostel host Miran, was incredible and made my stay in Mostar near perfect. He pressed that I should return one summer and see Mostar under sunlight, I didn’t argue against it.
Despite there being two trains a day back to Sarajevo (just as there are two train from Sarajevo to Mostar), I chose the early train again under orders (no really, ORDERS!) from Miran. He told me that the late train was too late, and that I wouldn’t be able to see anything out of the moving trains windows. So there I was again 6am ish and waiting on another platform, getting ready for the battle royal of boarding a Bosnian train. Once the train pulled in I once again ducked the cabins and got myself another single seat up against the window. Despite having a drink the night before, I actually felt more awake this time around and decided to arm myself with my GoPro, knowing full well that what I could capture through the train window would be magic.
And it was, see …
So that was it, Sarajevo to Mostar, my favourite train journey to date. What did you think?
Sure there are nicer, quicker trains. Trains with more features, comfier seats and which smell less of smoke. But would they have the same charm? … and more importantly would they put on the same show as did the trains from Sarajevo to Mostar and Mostar to Sarajevo?
… for the most part I doubt it.
Sarajevo to Mostar trains
There are two trains a day link Sarajevo and Mostar, and you’ll find all kinds of depature and arrival times for these trains splattered all over the internet.
According to the Bosnia and Herzegovina Federal Railways Web page, the departure times are as per below. Whilst the below is a good guide, I would play it safe by either visiting the either of the stations in advance to check times, or asking reception at your hotel/hostel if they could ring and check for you.
- Sarajevo depart 07:10
- Sarajevo depart 18:18
- Mostar depart 07:06
- Mostar depart 19:12
The cost of a one way trip is 12 BAM which as of Jan 2015 is equal to roughly $7 / £4.50 / €6. Also, whilst I bought my tickets separately, I’ve heard rumours that if you buy a return ticket, you get a better rate.
Other awesome train journeys I’ve taken
In no particular order, these train journeys are also pretty cool!
- Berlin to Prague
- Bangkok to Vientaine (overnight)
- London to Exeter
- Palma to Soller (Mallorca)
- Bucharest to Sofia (overnight)
- London to Paris by Eurostar … but only because you go under the sea which is awesome!
Not so awesome train journeys
I’ve been lucky and admittedly had few really bad train journeys that I can think of. Bangkok to Chang Mai (overnight) was pretty painful, but only because we’d been told the journey would take 14 hours, when in reality it took 18 hours. Thinking ‘any minute now’ for 4 hours is not fun!
Then there was the hooligan train in Poland from Wroclaw to Krakow, which I’ve never actually written about on my blog, owing to a lack of anything visual to provide you with. All you need to know is that spending 4 hours among drum beating, flare yielding, balaclava wearing Polish football ‘fans’ who don’t particularly love English people, is not pleasant. Had I not been so terrified it might have actually been quite impressive what with all the banners and orchestrated noise … but I was terrified and that is one train journey I have no plans to relive in a hurry.
Awesome. Sounds like a good three hours made :)
Do you think Miran wanted you to get on the early train because he couldn’t face spending another day with you? ;)
Ed
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… awkward … but yeah maybe.
Thanks for that buddy, ever so nice of you.
I loved that train journey, it was so stunning! I remember it was a beautiful September morning when I took it and I spent most of the time standing on the corridor, with the window open and just staring at the view! So pretty! If you are in the area again you should also try Belgrade-Bar. It takes the whole day but the views are breathtaking. Some even consider it as the most beautiful train route in the world!
now I’m curious to hear more about the bad Polish train experience… I travel around by train a lot yet it never really happened to me… the company I work for rent trains for football fans going for the games but apparently there’s an enormous fee if they break anything so they are super calm and quiet during the journey ;)
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Kami – I think I remember reading about Belgrade-Bar on seat61.com just recently. Maybe I’ll have a look at that one for the summer.
Haha the Polish train was insane. I have written about it over at Ytravel and in a few interviews, but its hard to convey the scene without any images, and there was no way I was taking photos of these guys! Funny now, terrifying at the time!
As ive always taken buses from Sarajevo to Mostar, i decided to take the train last October for a day trip. I loved the scenery! I slept alot of the ride as i was super tired and sleepy at 6am, but i loved our little cabin room we got, and the hallways to look outside. As i will be travelling alot from Mostar to Sarajevo this summer, i will be using the train more often!
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@Ariana – I had the same problem in keeping my eyes open owing to the early hour, I snoozed for maybe 45 mins. However the parts of the journey I was awake for a loved. Personally I would always choose train over bus where possible, but I’m glad you enjoyed the train too!
Planning to do this in September, looking forward to it.
I take it “London to Exeter” is a total joke ????? Or did you do something that wasn’t from Paddington ?
@Martin – Cool, have a wicked time! Bosnia is great, you’ll love. I’m thinking about heading back next year and combining with a trip to Montenegro.
I’ve heard that London to Exeter is a pretty good journey in a sense that a lot of it is coastal, but I’m not sure if the same track is being used today as last year. Some pretty bad storms tore up some of the line last year (I think it was 2014).
I’m in Sarajevo now, will take the train to Mostar tomorrow morning! Great info about the train ride. Do try the Bernina Express from Chur to Tirano. Amazing scenic view! Even from Venice to Munich is a scenic one.
@Aisyah – Hope you’re having an amazing time. I’ll give those 2 journeys you’ve suggested a look, they sound like fun!
Thanks for the great post! We are planning to travel from Sarajevo to Mostar in October. And thanks to your blog we will definitely choose train over bus.
From Mostar we plan to go to Montenegro, Albania and last but not least to Croatia. Can’t wait!
@Anne – That’s great, glad I could help! Jealous too that you’re heading to Montenegro, that’s a country high on my travel wish list. Enjoy!
Neil – I loved this journey too – actually went from Ploce in Croatia north to Sarajevo. When I read your bio, I thought I was reading mine! I too love travel, football, blogging, work in Finance in London and am pretty clumsy! By the way, I have just brought out a book available on Amazon entitled ‘On The Beaten Track – Travels In Eastern Europe’, which I think you would like – chronicles my travels mainly by train in 25 countries with loads of clumsy moments along the way!
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@Wilbur – Ploce is not a place I have heard of, I’ll have to look that one up. Good to know I’m not alone with my travel and life style :) I’ll be sure to check your book out. Thanks for commenting!
Neil – thanks for the information. I will be doing the same trip in January 2016. Overall, what did you think of the weather at that time of year? I can’t decide if I am crazy for booking Bosnia in January or not but it works best with my schedule as I have 5 trips before the end of 2015.
FYI – I have a similar lifestyle as well – finance, blogging, travel except that I am 18 months into a career break so I left London to travel the world and temporarily live in Eastern Europe.
Thanks
@Wendi – I actually made the trip to go snowboarding in Sarajevo, but there was a complete lack of snow and so I went exploring instead. In Sarajevo and Mostar the weather was dry and cool, colder at night but never uncomfortable. After the initial shock of not being able to do what I set out to do (snowboarding), I actually quite enjoyed visiting in the off season, and hopefully you’ll enjoy it too. I wouldn’t call it a crazy plan at all.
I really need to look up if/when I qualify for a career break too :)
Neil : The trip – a few weeks ago, now – was great,although the dirty windows didn’t help the camera !
Ah, sadly, only about 10 miles of London to Exeter is “coastal”…………………….although it’s very nice, and yes the track was literally washed away in January 2014, an incredible repair job saw it completely rebuilt in about 3 months.
Enjoy (the coastal bits anyway )
Hi Neil…. I stumbled upon your blog while looking up travel ideas in BiH. I am heading to Bosnia for about 5 days in January. Will the cold play a spoilsport? Also, will 2 nights be okay for Mostar?
@Diya – I was actually out there looking for cold and snow (in Jan), but didn’t actually find any until the last day. In general terms, no the winter and cold won’t play spoilsport, the only thing it might stop you doing is swimming, should you visit any of the national parks. Granted a couple fewer places might not be open due to it being out of season, but I still managed just fine and had a great time! 2 nights was all I had in Mostar too, would have loved more, but I saw loads in just that short time.
Thanks Neil for this. I am planning on making this trip in a weeks, so this is very helpful.
I totally agree that London – Exeter St.Davis route is absolutely stunning through the English country side. I encourage anyone that loves trains to try that.
However, what is missing from your list is the most fascinating train ride in the world. Yes – quite a statement, but the Trans-Siberian is one of a kind. Lucky I got to experience that earlier this summer.
Thanks Neil. I am awfully excited about BiH now.
@Diya – I hope you have a great time! When in Mostar, there is a bar/restaurant there called something like ‘the black sheep’. Maybe check that place out if other dining options are limited. I had a really nice evening in there.
@Jay – Yeah fair call. I would really love to do he Trans-Siberian and know a few friends who have. One day! Enjoy your trip to Bosnia.
Hey Neil, stumbled upon your site while exploring transportation options from Sarajevo to Mostar. Seeing that you like train rides so much, I’d recommend the Oslo-Bergen Railway. Definitely one of the most beautiful train rides I’ve ever been on!
@Will – Ah thanks, hadn’t heard of that route before, but will check it out. Oslo seems to have become much more accessible/affordable (via air) lately too :)
So I managed to make it out to Sarajevo in mid December 2015. Unfortunately, the train service to Mostar has been suspended until April 2016 due to upgrade plans.
I took the 2.5 hrs coach service which was very comfortable and affordable ( 7 quid same day return). The first 50 minutes was quite awful due to Sarajevo’s infamous winter smog. It gives Beijing a run for its money really, I do not recommend those with sinuses or asthma attacks to visit during the winter. However, as you ascend through the mountains, you leave all that pollution behind and you begin to witness a breathtaking scenery.
@Jay – thats some great info, thanks for sharing! Shame the train wasn’t running but the coach doesn’t actually sounds too bad as an alternative. Hope you had a great time in Bosnia.
Hi Neil! Thanks for sharing. The train ride from Sarajevo to Mostar seems fascinating… The last train ride my family and I took was from Paris to Frankfurt on TGV. Coming from a country with only one season – tropical, we really enjoyed the spectacular snowy winter view… We would be going to Bosnia this February and would love to take the train from Sarajevo to Mostar. Unfortunately according to ‘Jay’ the train service has been suspended. Too bad, maybe next time…
And Jay, thanks for the info, as well as the advice on the pollution. Can I ask, is the smog really bad in Sarajevo? How can an asthmatic person get by while in Sarajevo. We actually plan to ski in Jahorina as well.
@Adam – I cant say I noticed the smog particularly, maybe I’m just not that observant, or maybe its worse at certain times of the year. I hope it will be OK for you, and I hope there is snow on the mountain too :)
@Adam sorry for the delayed response. I would strongly advice against a visit to Sarajevo in the winter for an asthmatic person. It would be irresponsible at best.
I hear it is a winter problem, so maybe later in the Spring or Summer might be worthwhile. The trains are back on in April they say.
Great post! Exactly the information I needed. Was going to take the bus but you’ve convinced me to go by train! Thank you x
@Adriana – glad I could help :)
Hi Neil, what a great story! In 10 days or so I am planning to take the train from Sarajevo to Mostar. I loved watching your video and can’t wait to go myself! You were very enthousiastic about your hostel owner and that’s always something I’m looking for. Could you maybe tell me the name of the hostel you stayed at in Mostar? And maybe that of the one in Sarajevo if it was any good? Thanks in advance!
@Susan – Hi Susan, I wrote an article on my Sarajevo Hostels which you can read here – http://www.backpacksandbunkbeds.co.uk/hostel-life/sarajevo-hostel-recommendations/ . In Mostar I stayed at ‘Hostel Miran’. All 3 were really great hostel. I hope you have an amazing time!
Thanks for the advice! :)
This is exactly what I was looking for – thanks Neil! I’m only staying in Mostar for a night and Sarajevo for two as I’m tight on time unfortunately. Did you buy these train tickets in advance? I’ve also heard of pickpocketing on the trains – nothing I should be worried about right? :)
Thanks!
Hi Diana, I bought my tickets at the station on the morning of my journey. No problems with pick pockets either, that said I was visiting out of season and my train was relatively empty. I did fall asleep on the train though, and no problems. I would say its no less safe than a train journey in London or elsewhere.
Hi Neil,
Great blog! The train seems amazing and there isn’t any other way I want to get to Mostar from Sarajevo now. I’ve looked online but it seems to make a lot more sense to ask someone who has actually been there – you say the train departs at 7;10am and 6;18pm, I was just wondering if you knew if this was consistent throughout the year? I plan to go in the summer and my plane lands at 10pm but I really want to go on the train to Mostar so yeah DILEMMA
Thank you for any help!
Hi Neil. Great blog! I’m really excited to go onto the train when I’m flying into Sarajevo in July and staying in Mostar. I land at around 11pm and you mentioned above that the train runs in the morning at around 6am and in the evening. Do you think there will still be trains running from Sarajevo that late and if not do they run at similar times everyday? ITS A DILEMMA NEIL!!!
Thank you and i eagerly await your reply!
@Omar – That info was correct at the time of writing, but things could have changed since then. Try contacting the rail operator directly for current times? – http://www.zfbh.ba/zfbhenx/index.php?option=com_contact&Itemid=3
@Omar – I do not think there will be a train as late a 11pm. Best to check the train operators website for the most current times – http://www.zfbh.ba/zfbhenx/index.php?option=com_contact&Itemid=3
This so interesting! i will go Bosna tomorrow and thanks for the useful.information :D
Sarajevo to Mostar. What a ride, never to be forgotten. Thanks for the tips.
Cheers Sharon…
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Damn, we just did this by car, and then I found this – but, now it gives me a great reason to go back.
Hi Neil,
Greetings from Indonesia!
Thanks for the story!
I was searching for a reference for train in Sarajevo, heading to Mostar, and I found your article. It helps me a lot!
I’m so looking forward to my upcoming trip in Balkan :)
@Fransisca Glad I could help :)
ITS VERY HELP FUL AND VERY INFORMATIVE POST.THANK YOU.