Bus? Dubrovnik- Sarajevo/Mostar
 

Hi all,

I'm finishing up a tour in Dubrovnik July 11th, and wanting to get to Mostar and/or Sarajevo.

I looks like I need to book a bus- something I've never done before! Flights and trains I'm a pro, but not buses! Reviews are mixed for the one operator- Globtour. Has anyone used them? Do I need to book now?

I;m thinking it may be easier to go Dubrovnik- Sarajevo directly, then take a day trip by train to Mostar vs Dub-Mostar, spend two nights then head to Sarajevo based solely on train times and check-in times at hotels (and not wanting to lug my backpack around for 4-5 hours!) I know I can't buy train tickets until I am on the ground in Bosnia (let me know if that's incorrect!)

Opinions? Is there an easier way to get from Dub-Sarajevo? Any hotel recs?

The bus between Dubrovnik and Mostar offers absolutely breathtakingly stunning scenery. I don't remember the name of the bus company I used, but it was the only one that operated daily service between the cities at the time. It was comfortable, clean, and convenient. I don't know what it's like today.

I took the train between Mostar and Sarajevo, and would think that sequence makes much more sense than backtracking to Mostar.

And I'm very glad I spent a night in Mostar -- I thought it magical after daytrippers left.

Enjoy!

What's your itinerary, AccidentalTexan? Where are you going after Sarajevo - home? From where, or isn't that set yet?

Had you considered renting a car?

Driving is really easy in Croatia and Bosnia, and it would allow you to see a lot more than just Mostar and Sarajevo, depending on how much time you have. There are some neat towns like Trebinje, Travnik, and Jajce you could explore that aren't very touristy. You could stop in Konjic on the (beautiful) drive between Mostar and Sarajevo. If you were ending your trip elsewhere in Croatia, say in Zagreb or Split, you could rent a car in Dubrovnik and drive through Bosnia then return it in Zagreb or Split (generally much cheaper to do a one-way rental with the car returned in the same country). The Bosnian roads have a poor reputation that is no longer deserved in my opinion (as of 2015) - the main roads I drove were all fine, and some of the scenery is breathtakingly beautiful.

I took the bus from Dubrovnik to Mostar, and then later the bus from Mostar to Sarajevo (I was worried that tunnels might spoil the view from the train, and in any case it left a good bit earlier than the bus).

i have no idea what the bus company was called, I just stopped by the bus station and bought a ticket.

My one regret about driving from Mostar to Sarajevo was NOT taking the train - I drove much of the same route the train takes (opposite side of the river) and I could see the scenery was amazing. I also happen to love trains - and the train journey between Mostar and Sarajevo is highly regarded among train enthusiasts. I even considered the idea of doing both (taking the train and back, then driving) but obviously it wasn't practical. This train trip is actually still on my list of "things to do someday."

My decision to take the train between Sarajevo and Mostar was based solely on timing.

I'm incredibly glad that I didn't try to drive between Mostar and Dubrovnik -- not because of the roads, but because as I driver, I would not have been able to enjoy that spectacular scenery in the way I could on a bus. Oh, some of those views, however fleeting, were jaw droppers!

Used Globtour for a return Split to Mostar last September/October, booked in advance online. The bus was a bit of a dinosaur, but got us there and back.

Inexpensive but clean and friendly accommodation close to Mostar bus station Motel Mozart. Bus station is next to the train station.

Got the 0627 train to Sarajevo. 2.5 hours, and a wonderful trip, felt like being in a dream.

Stayed in an apartment on 'Sniper Alley' for a week in Sarajevo.

Thoroughly enjoyed Bosnia & Herzegovina. Very humbling to see what those people had to endure in the 1990s. The evidence is stark and everywhere you look.

if you are in Mostar for a few days, the Medjugorje is worth a day trip by public bus. We went there as interested sceptics, and left as interested sceptics.

Am in Macedonia at the moment.....Skopje is wonderful. Off to Lake Ohrid today for a week.

Oh yes, lodging! I stayed at a sweet little place in Sarajevo that still gets very good reviews: The Kandilj Pansion. You might check whether it suits your needs:
Pansion Kandilj - Bed and breakfast - Bosnian guest house

The train trip thatAndrew talks about is fabulous - the scenery the highlight of our train travel Budapest through Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina - the pea green river and its valley - gorgeous .

We really enjoyed staying at the Bosnian National Monument Muslibegovic House in Mostar and the Hotel Michele in Sarajevo.

I would also recommend the train trip between Mostar and Sarajevo.

After Sarajevo I was going to head to Slovenia. Prior to Sarajevo is set in stone and not moveable.

I did consider renting a car, but as someone else mentioned, I'd be by myself and wouldn't get to revel at the scenery while driving as much as I would say by train or bus. Plus I can't drive stick!

Driving may not be the best choice for you, but is a practical option. It was for me (I was alone too). It's true that needing to pay extra to rent an automatic would raise the cost of driving, though. Personally, I found driving in Bosnia very easy - and fun. I think a lot of people hear stories or make assumptions and get worried about driving in Bosnia, but I think they are overblown. In your case, you could drive from Dubrovnik to Mostar and Sarajevo and back to Zagreb (maybe stopping at Plitvice Lakes National Park as I did on this drive), then train back to Slovenia. But it depends how much time you'd have or what you are interested in doing. There is much more to Bosnia than just Mostar and Sarajevo, though, and I'm glad I saw so much more than I could ever have seen by just taking the bus between cities.

Buses tend to make me motion sick (trains usually don't, and I'm usually OK when driving a car not riding as a passenger), so I am actually better able to enjoy the scenery while driving than trying to do it on a bus. I know I'm not the only one not crazy about buses - someone else posted recently about her awful bus ride from Dubrovnik to Kotor. But I realize not everyone has trouble riding on a bus - they clearly work fine for some people. I also wanted to stop along the way and take pictures. I can often take pictures out of train windows (on older trains, the windows actually go down) but not really out of a tinted bus window.

Definitely take the bus to Mostar, there are different bus companies on this route. Take the train To Sarajevo.

Definitely take the bus to Mostar, there are a few bus companies offering this route. Take the train to Sarajevo.