Andrew

Yes, the bus to Sarajevo would be much more convenient of course. But the point of the train - old and run down as it is known to be - is that the views are supposed to be spectacular. I've read more than one review of the ride describing it in the most glowing terms.

Taking the train (if I wind up not driving) would also require more planning and maybe even an overnight in Mostar - been there once, don't feel the need to spend another night - but it still might be worth it for the train ride.

thursdaysd

Well, I thought the views from the bus were pretty good....

Andrew

I'm sure the views are great from the bus, but I'm also planning to snap a few pictures if I can. I understand that the train windows open (I have been on a number of old trains like that in this region where the windows open) and that you can move around on the train and take pictures as you wish. I've done that before too. I even sold one of the pictures I shot somewhere on the train between Maribor and Celje, Slovenia.

I don't think I'd have the same flexibility to take pictures that way from a bus.

Of course, driving in my own car would give me the maximum flexibility. But I enjoy trains too, and I think I would miss not having that train experience. On the other hand, if it's pouring rain or something and photo ops would be limited I'd probably just take the bus.

julia_t

I've also taken the bus from Sarajevo to Mostar and back again as I did it on a day trip on my second (non-driving) trip to Sarajevo, and wrote about the journey, my reasons for taking the bus v train, and impressions of the journey, views, etc

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...eturn-trip.cfm

Actually, there was no real rain on my October trip - just cloudy, grey, overcast days while I was in Bosnia. The weather was a lot better later in the week.

And if you do drive north from Sarajevo for an overnight in Travnik, try to detour to Kraljeva Sutjeska - you can read about this enchanting village, the home of medieval Bosnian kings, in the trip report linked above.

Kevina

Rialtogrl, all information is on the bus website I have posted above.

rialtogrl

Thank you Kevina! I see the 7.10 bus there (it does not come up on the Slovenia bus site.)
This is very helpful!

Andrew I may be renting a car and taking it to Rovinj from Ljubljana (about the same time you are traveling.) I will post if it seems like a reasonable drop off fee.)

Andrew

Really? Maybe if it turns out to be the same day you could give me a lift to Rovinj? ;-) Not sure yet which day (or if you'd even want to) - would be 3rd week of April most likely...

rialtogrl

I will go too late for you - April 27. But I will be in Slovenia from around the 22nd on, maybe we can get a drink!

If you end up going on April 27 let me know, I'd be happy to give you a lift. I am still not sure if I will keep my car - I need to call AutoEurope and ask them about the drop off fee. Its on my list of things to do this week.

Andrew

Thanks, rialtogrl - I'll let you know if I'm in Ljubljana at that time! My plans aren't firm yet, however. I'm also considering spending my first few nights in Venice...or starting in Bosnia and doing my trip in the opposite direction. We'll see!

I may come up with a rainy weather option as well. I've been to Ljubljana twice, and the last time the single day there (2 nights) it poured rain all day. I understand rain is likely in April, and if it does rain I may not spend a whole lot more time in town again...

rialtogrl

No worries, I will let you know what I find out from AutoEurope. I'll be in Venice too, 12th to the 20th. When I looked at a rate on AutoEurope for picking up in Italy and dropping in Croatia, it wasn't too bad, but the drop off fee was not included on the quote.

Andrew

Have you checked out EconomyCarRentals.com ? Julia used them, and I've seen other mentions of them so they seem legit. While they seem not to let you drop a car in a different country (but you can drop in a different part of the country, one way), the rates seem ridiculously cheap. In other words, you may pay a whole lot less taking public transportation to Croatia vs. picking up the car in Italy and Slovenia. When comparing prices, I'd probably use EconomyCarRentals and other budget sites for comparison.

For example, I'm getting a quote for an eleven day rental from Rovinj to Zagreb for just under $150 USD TOTAL including everything! That's for an economy car, too larger than a "mini." I'm probably going to sign up for American Express Premium Car Rental Protection - a flat rate of $24.95 per rental. I used it on my last trips over there a few years ago, and while I didn't need to use the coverage, I've read good things from others who have ($0 deductible for damage for example).

rialtogrl

thanks Andrew - I have check out EconomyCarRental before but I have never used them. That IS a really great rate!

Kevina

I would be very surprised if you get a reasonable drop off rate for picking up a car in Slovenia and dropping it off in Croatia. Positives for the bus route are good roads and coaches.

Vttraveler

<<The trains are supposedly very old and not nice but the views breathtaking, on about a three hour trip. So that sounds pretty enticing.>>
This is an accurate description of the train trip between Sarajevo and Mostar as we experienced it a few years ago. Really it is a beautiful trip and you would see much more from the train than from driving a car. Lots of tunnels either way. If you are a train buff, you will be impressed with the engineering feats involved in building the line.

I wrote a long TR of our first visit to Sarajevo in 2010

Andrew

Thanks, Vttraveler! I will check it out when I plan the Sarajevo part of my trip.

I've been mulling over this itinerary I proposed. Although it still seems like a lot of driving for two weeks, I'm thinking what really matters is how difficult or stressful the drives are every day and not how long they are. Nothing could have been easier a few years ago than driving on the A1 highway in Croatia, so a few hours on that should be nothing especially in April. On two lane roads in BiH I might want to plan for shorter driving days with more breaks.

One change I think I'll make is to skip Rab. Although Rab Town looks like a neat place, I've read that the drive down to Rab via the coastal road from Rijeka is not particularly amazing for scenery nor is it a fast road. Looks like I could save a few hours by bypassing the whole Kvarner Gulf area and going from Istria right to Zadar via the fast highways. But I'll try to be flexible and see how I feel.

I might also make do with a single night in Zadar, after an easy drive down from Istria.

So that would give me an extra two nights. Not sure what to do with them yet. In Slovenia, Logarska Dolina has been on my radar on past trips but I never made it out there. I'm expecting rainy weather in Ljubljana in April, but if by chance I luck into nice, sunny weather in Slovenia, maybe I'll rent a car up there for a few extra days and return it down in Koper or nearby, bus down to Rovinj, and pick up another car there.

kja

IME, the roads in Istria are NOT like the A1. The ones I drove on were mostly narrow, twisty things with limited sight-lines and crazy drivers.

"the drive down to Rab via the coastal road from Rijeka is not particularly amazing for scenery" -- true, but I thought it fascinating to see the barren, wind-swept eastern sides of those islands!

Andrew

Exactly - that's why I'd skip some of them and hop on the A1 as soon as possible on the day of departure heading south. I imagine I'll have a day of just exploring the hill towns while staying in Rovinj and will have some narrow roads - that's OK. But I don't want every day to be like that.

rialtogrl

Andrew, Kevina was 100% spot on, renting a car in Italy and dropping it off in Croatia is crazy expensive due to the drop off fee. I'll probably end up renting in Trieste and bringing the car back to Trieste then taking the bus to Rovinj. We'll have to compare notes later as to how we worked all this stuff out!

julia_t

<< I'm thinking what really matters is how difficult or stressful the drives are every day and not how long they are>>

Regarding my October road trip, I was on minor roads moast of the time and didn't find it stressful at all. And remember, I was on the wrong side of the road and the wrong side of the car! Well, OK, perhaps picking up the rental car in the centre of Zagreb city wasn't perhaps the brightest idea I've ever had, talk about baptism of fire! But the rest of it was absolutely fine.

The thing is, there is remarkably little traffic on the roads. The roads themselves are well-maintained with few bumps, potholes, etc. Signage is pretty good. The most traffic you will encounter in Bosnia will be on the main road from Mostar to Sarajevo. From Sarajevo to Travnik and on to Jajce, Banja Luka and the border, not nearly so much.

I tell you, I loved the drive from Jajce to Banja Luka. It was through the deep gorge of the River Vrbas, through tunnels and along the river banks. Some places the river was wide and calm, at others barrow with rapids, and here they hold national white-water rafting competitions. It was spectacular scenery the entire way along.

And Banja Luka itself was a nice little town. I was only there a couple of hours passing through, but the old castle with a riverside restaurant tucked away in the ruined walls was worth a visit.

Andrew

Thanks, Julia! I picked up a car in Zagreb too on my last trip to Croatia, but luckily it was on a Sunday morning, when there was no traffic, so it was very easy driving out of the city.

By "stressful" driving I mean hours driving along sometimes narrow roads, sometimes stuck behind slow trucks, trying to find a place to pass, etc., not necessarily being stuck in heavy traffic. I rented a car in Czech Republic for a few days on a trip in 2012, and while driving there was easy (Moravia and Southern Bohemia), it became kind of a drag by the final day. Part of the problem was poor planning on my part - too many excursion drives that probably should have been grouped together or even avoided. The cumulative effect after a few days was that I was more than ready to drop off the car at the end.

Maybe I'll mostly park the car in Sarajevo for a day or two while I explore the city and take a break from driving. Either way, I have a feeling I'll be ready to drop the car in Zagreb at the end.

I just got the latest edition (almost two years old already) of Tim Clancy's Bradt guide for BiH. Jajce looks amazing. Banja Luka doesn't sound amazing despite your praise for it, but it is a convenient place to stop before Zagreb anyway.