The view from the train between Sarajevo & Mostar. Courtesy of Peter Russell. On other pages |
Sarajevo to Mostar by Talgo train
The best way to travel the scenic 129 km (80 miles) between Sarajevo & Mostar is by train, using one of the two impressive air-conditioned Bosnian Talgo trains with morning & late afternoon departures. Just watch the scenery video below to understand why. You can check current times at the Bosnian Railways site www.zfbh.ba.
Update 2024: Check the latest situation, flooding blocked this route in October 2024.
Sarajevo to Mostar is 129 km (80 miles). Sarajevo to Čapljina is 163 km (101 miles).
Čapljina is at the border with Croatia, 37km from Ploče on the Adriatic.
Trains 720, 721, 722 & 723 are modern air-conditioned Bosnian Talgo trains, 1st & 2nd class with cafe-bar, see the photos below.
* Train extended to/from Ploče on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays from 28 June to 1 September 2024.
How much does it cost?
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Sarajevo to Mostar costs 14.10 BAM in 2nd class including reservation.
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Sarajevo to Čapljina costs 17.00 BAM in 2nd class including reservation.
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There's a 20% discount if you buy a round trip ticket.
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€1 = approx 1.9 BAM. £1 = 2.2 BAM. You can check these fares at www.zfbh.ba.
How to buy tickets
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You can buy tickets at the station, there are always places. A seat reservation is required on Talgo trains, you'll be given one with your ticket.
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You can now buy online at www.zfbh.ba, click the UK flag for English.
Booking opens 2 weeks ahead. When you book online you get a reference number but little else, that's all you need to collect the ticket.
Tickets must be collected at the station before you travel, either on the day or in advance. It's reported that Sarajevo ticket office is open 06:00-17:00, so don't try to collect after 5pm.
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Tip: The best river scenery is on the left hand side of the train going from Sarajevo to Mostar, and the right hand side going from Mostar to Sarajevo. You cannot specify a side when you buy your ticket, but reports suggest that in practice people ignore their reserved seats and sit anywhere they like, so just choose a seat on the correct side of the train for the scenery when you board.
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If you buy a round trip ticket, you need to make a seat reservation for the train back at your destination station.
On board the Sarajevo-Mostar Talgo train
After years of using ancient communist-era carriages, Bosnian Railways have invested in smart modern Spanish-designed Talgo trains. Hauled by a full-size electric locomotive, these excellent Talgos are a pleasure to travel in. Each car is significantly smaller than a conventional railway carriage and is articulated to the next car with just one axle (two wheels) beneath each articulation. Lightweight, with a low centre of gravity, these Talgo trains do less damage to the track, too. Photos in this section are courtesy of Steven Clays, Dominique McClean, Joe Grey, Krzysztof Sokol.
Sarajevo station
There is no bureau de change, ATM or left luggage facility at the station. However, there's a left luggage office inside the nearby bus station and an ATM outside the bus station. Left luggage costs 2 BAM per item for the first hour, 1 BAM per item for each following hour. To reach the bus station, walk out of the station and turn right, walk in front of the Post Office and turn right again, and there's the bus station in front of you. There is tram stop right outside the station, and tram number 1 runs in a loop to the centre of the old town and back, passing the Latin Bridge, site of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914. Tickets are available from kiosks at the tram stop, and must be stamped when you board the tram. With thanks to traveller Ivor Morgan.
The scenery
Watch the video
Mostar station
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