Bosnia & Herzegovina: Sarajevo, Mostar, Una National Park, best time to visit and costs 2026

Bosnia & Herzegovina suits you if you want to combine World Heritage, waterfalls and caves in one trip. UNESCO lists five sites in the country, including the Old Bridge in Mostar (since 2005). In Jajce the Pliva falls 20 m into the Vrbas in the middle of the town.

In 2026 it is above all Tuzla airport that is growing: from January to July, 83% more passengers flew there from Germany than in the same period a year earlier (our own analysis). The express trains from Sarajevo via Mostar to Čapljina have been cancelled until further notice since 9 September 2026 (as of 28 September 2026).

The country is a poorer fit if you want to see a lot without a car, because between the towns you often sit for hours on a bus. It gets hot in the south: in Mostar the mean maximum in August is 33.5 °C (average 1991–2020).

Getting there from Germany

In 2025, 403,703 passengers whose last known destination was in Bosnia & Herzegovina boarded flights at the 22 main German airports. That is 44th place of 211 destination countries abroad; passengers changing planes abroad are not counted. Most often they flew to Sarajevo (191,535), then to Banja Luka (102,478), Tuzla (98,740) and Mostar (10,946).

Most departed from Memmingen (118,120), Dortmund (77,293), Frankfurt (70,454) and Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden (39,486). Mostar is served mainly from May to October: in January 2025 there were 80 passengers, in August 2,766. The source is the Federal Statistical Office; totals, ranking and breakdowns are our own analysis.

Sarajevo (SJJ): by bus into the city

According to the Sarajevo Canton Tourist Board, it is 12 km from the airport to the centre. The airport names the Centrotrans bus towards Baščaršija for this. From the airport it does not start until 08:45 at weekends; in the opposite direction the last bus runs daily at 22:30 (timetable without date, as of September 2026).

Tuzla (TZL) and Banja Luka (BNX)

Tuzla airport is about 13 km outside the town in Dubrave Gornje. There are taxi ranks at the terminal; the airport names no bus line (as of September 2026). With 338,132 passengers by 15 July 2026, it had already reached the figure for the whole of the previous year.

Banja Luka airport is 23 km outside, on the motorway towards Gradiška. On days with flights, a shuttle bus run by the Smiljić agency commutes into the town; the operator gives no fare (as of April 2025).

Regions and destinations at a glance

According to the constitution, the country is divided into two entities, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, plus the Brčko District. The constitution prohibits checks at the border between the two entities.

As of September 2026. “—” means: no documented drawback.

From 1993 to 1995, the Tunnel of Hope was the way out of besieged Sarajevo into the rest of the country; it ran under the airport runway. In Butmir you can visit the real entrance and a 25 m original section. Until 31 October it is open from 08:30 to 17:00, from 1 November from 09:00 to 16:00. Admission costs 20.00 KM (as of September 2026).

The Centrotrans bus takes you from Sarajevo to Mostar in 2 h 36 min to 2 h 45 min for 34.00 KM (as of September 2026). After a large fire along the line, the railway ŽFBiH cancelled all Sarajevo–Čapljina express trains from 9 September 2026 and provides no replacement. The railway had not announced by 28 September when they will run again; only weekend trains to Ploče from 25 to 27 September had been announced.

The Trebižat forms the 28 m high Kravica Waterfall near Ljubuški. Adults pay 20 KM all year round, and swimming is allowed at your own risk. It is open from 07:00, in September until 22:00, in October until 19:00 and from November to February until 17:00 (as of September 2026).

Since 2024 the Vjetrenica Cave in the Popovo polje has been a World Heritage Site. Of 7,014 m of passages, 600 m are developed with paths, and inside it is 11.6 °C on annual average. Foreign adults pay 25.00 KM, and long trousers and hiking shoes are recommended (as of September 2026).

In Jajce the platform at the Pliva Waterfall costs 10 KM from 1 May to 30 September, otherwise 5 KM (2026 price list). From May to September it is open from 8:00 to 19:00, in October and November from 10:00 to 17:00, and not at all from December to February (as of September 2026).

The Ćelije entrance to the Štrbački buk in Una National Park is the most used: 8 km from Orašac, partly asphalt, partly gravel. Large coaches are not allowed to drive there, but cars, motorcycles and minibuses up to 35 seats are. You may swim only at marked places and never closer than 50 m to a waterfall (as of September 2026).

Best time to visit

Climate normals 1991–2020 from the German Weather Service's data collection: mean maximum and minimum and precipitation for Sarajevo (630 m) and Mostar (99 m).

May, June and September bring mean maximums of 21.4 to 25.4 °C in Sarajevo and 25.1 to 29.8 °C in Mostar. In Herzegovina it rains most in November and December according to the Federation's weather service, and snow is rare there. In the mountains 40 to 50% of precipitation falls as snow, and snow cover is possible there from November to April.

Getting around the country

Train and bus

Centrotrans, among others, operates long-distance buses from Sarajevo. To Tuzla you travel 2 h 50 min to 3 h 30 min and pay 36.00 KM, to Banja Luka 4 h 55 min for 55.00 KM. To Bihać it takes 5 h 32 min to 6 h 40 min for 70.00 KM (as of September 2026).

According to the 2025/2026 timetable, the Federation railway (ŽFBiH) runs one express train from Sarajevo to Maglaj, plus local trains to Zenica, for example. It gives no fares online (as of 27 September 2026). In Sarajevo's city transport a single journey in Zone A costs 2.20 KM, and with the prepaid CentroCard you pay 5% less (as of September 2026).

Car and roads

According to ADAC, cars may drive at most 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 on country roads, 100 on expressways and 130 km/h on motorways. The alcohol limit is 0.3 per mille, and 0.0 for under-21s and in the first three years of holding a licence. You drive with dipped headlights all year round, including in daytime. Between 1 November and 1 April winter tyres are compulsory, or alternatively summer tyres with at least 4 mm tread depth with snow chains in the car (as of September 2026).

A German driving licence is enough, according to ADAC; for a hire car you check the hire company's conditions beforehand. Radar detectors are forbidden, and fines are often due immediately. According to ADAC, it is better not to drive at night, and because of the danger of mines you stay on paved roads.

You don't need a vignette. There is a toll on sections of the A1, on the E661 from Banja Luka to Gradiška and on the motorway from Banja Luka to Doboj. You pay at the exit, depending on the kilometres driven (as of September 2026).

Money and costs

You pay in convertible marks (KM, ISO code BAM) of 100 fening. The central bank pegs it firmly to the euro, 1 euro equals 1.95583 KM. According to ADAC, you can also get by with euros in many places. You often need cash in the countryside, at markets and in small shops; cards work in supermarkets, larger hotels and restaurants (as of September 2026).

In Sarajevo Canton a festival rate of 4 KM per night applies from 1 to 5 January, in July and August and from 25 to 31 December (decision for 2025). In Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, with Mostar, the government sets the tourist tax anew every year, and children up to 12 pay nothing there (regulation of 12 May 2025).

Practical information

Clocks are the same as in Germany all year round, and the country code is +387. You reach the police on 122, the fire brigade on 123, the ambulance service on 124 and the BIHAMK breakdown assistance on 1282 (as of September 2026).

The EU rule “Roam like at Home” does not apply here. Network operators that have signed a roaming declaration for the EU and Western Balkans are supposed to offer 1 GB for under 14 euros in at least one tariff from 2026 (as of September 2026). So check your tariff beforehand.

In the Federation, 1 and 2 May are public holidays, and authorities and businesses do not work then (as of September 2026).

You will always find up-to-date information on entry, safety and health at the German Foreign Office.

Who Bosnia & Herzegovina is not for

• Anyone who wants to travel by train: The express trains Sarajevo–Mostar have been cancelled since 9 September 2026, and to Bihać you sit on the bus for up to 6 h 40 min.
• Anyone who doesn't cope well with heat: In Mostar the mean maximum is 33.0 °C in July and 33.5 °C in August (1991–2020).
• Anyone travelling in late autumn or winter: Mostar has 188.8 mm of precipitation in November, and in winter fog at Sarajevo airport sometimes delays early flights.
• Anyone who wants to wild camp: According to ADAC, that is generally forbidden.
• Anyone who expects local prices: At the Kravica you pay 20 instead of 10 KM, in the Vjetrenica 25 instead of 18 KM.
• Anyone who surfs a lot on mobile data on the go: The EU roaming rule does not apply here.