Sarajevo Transportation

Leaving Sarajevo for Split in Croatia, we decided to take the train.

Good choice!

It was a great train ride, through wonderful scenery, mountains, the Neretva River Gorge and on through the Neretva Delta to Ploce on the Croation coast.

Leaving dead on time at 6.45am from Sarajevo station, we pulled in to Ploce right on time, at 10.20am as per the timetable. The station was eerily deserted when we arrived, no problems finding the right platform here - there was only the one train waiting along with a handful of passengers.

Bosnia's railways are slowly recovering from the war, all the rolling stock is superannuated European stuff donated by various countries - the carriages on our train were all from Sweden, a little tired maybe but clean and comfortable. With so few passengers - in our entire carriage there were only 3 compartments occupied - us, a threesome of Aussie backpackers and an elderly fellow with his creel and fishing rods - you shouldn't have to worry about not getting a seat!

We rolled out of Sarajevo in the pre-dawn light, the sun only cresting over the mountains behind us when we were quite some way on our journey. The light on the autumn leaves of the mountainside trees was magical. Crossing the mountains via a seemingly endless series of switchbacks, viaducts and tunnels was stunning. Once down from the mountains we travelled the length of the Neretva Gorge, stopping briefly at small stations to pick up workers as we approached Mostar where our backpackers and fisherman left us - now we had the whole carriage to ourselves. A longer stop at Mostar and then we were on our way again, more lovely scenery as the train wound around beside the river, passing the minaret and towers of Pocitelj on the other side of the water before we reached the border.

The briefest of border formalities were conducted on the train and then it was out into the waving green reed beds, channels, vineyards, orchards and market gardens of the delta. Most of the remaining passengers had alighted by the time we arrived in Ploce - the man with the fishing was the only other passenger apart from us.

The bus station is right beside the train station, and with buses between Dubrovnik and Split no more than half an hour apart throughout the day, there was just enough time to walk across to the bank on the other side of the park outside the bus station to get some Croatian currency, buy our ticket and a doorstop of a cheese sandwich for the lunch on the bus, and we were on our way to Split.

Trains are great for the freedom they give you to move around, look back at where you've come from (with all those switchbacks, the views back were as good as those looking forward) and, on such an empty train, spread yourself around. All told, the journey took no longer than the bus would have done and was much more fun I'm sure. So good in fact, we're already planning to do the Zagreb - Sarajevo trip some time.

Practicalities: The fare was 21.90KM. We went to the station the day before we left and bought our tickets, just to suss the place out and allow an extra five minutes in bed in the morning.

Bring cold drinks and food with you. Coffee (thick, black and Bosnian) was available

All the carriages had clean and functioning toilets

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Sarajevo Transportation

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Visiting Sarajevo?

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