Day Trip from Sarajevo to Mostar – Your Ultimate Guide

Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is one of the most fascinating places to visit in the Balkans. But while you are there, you don’t need to limit yourself to this amazing city only; there are so many more great places in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and you can visit them as day trips from Sarajevo.

The most popular addition to any Bosnia itinerary is the day trip from Sarajevo to Mostar, and I can’t recommend it enough. Mostar is stunning, with the iconic Old Bridge, and you don’t want to miss it. With the location only around 130 km away from the capital, visiting Mostar from Sarajevo is a very easy and fulfilling day trip. 

If you are wondering how to plan such a trip, I’m here to help. I’ve gone on a day trip from Sarajevo to Mostar a few times, and it’s really easy, though there are a few ways to do it. I’m covering them all in this article so you can choose what works best for you. Read on to plan your perfect Sarajevo-to-Mostar day trip.

Why visit Mostar

Most people visiting Mostar come here to see the famous Old Bridge, and that’s a solid reason to consider a trip there. But Mostar is more than just this iconic structure.

The Old Town is very charming and picturesque. Wandering through the colorful bazaar on the slippery stones makes you feel like time has stopped here. The surrounding mountains are beautiful and only add to the overall beauty of the place.

After the recent Balkan War in the 1990s, Mostar has been unofficially divided between Bosniaks and Croats, so discovering the city beyond the old part is like a living history lesson. 

Is one day enough for Mostar?

Even though there are many things to do in Mostar, most of the attractions are close to each other, making it easy to see them all in one day. Further down this post, you can find a map with all the places you can visit in one day, making it easier to plan your trip. 

Unfortunately, Mostar is a very popular day-trip destination, not only from Sarajevo but also from Dubrovnik and Split in Croatia, so the downside is that you will be visiting the place more or less at the same time as others. If you decide to visit Mostar independently, you can work your plan around the busiest time in the Old Town and explore it when the crowds are gone.

How to get from Sarajevo to Mostar (and back)

There are two ways of getting from Sarajevo to Mostar: by train and by bus. Which one you decide to take is up to you. I recommend taking the train one way and bus the other (doesn’t matter which one in which direction) – the views along the way are breathtaking. 

There are two trains per day from Sarajevo to Mostar, departing in the morning (at 7:15) and in the afternoon (at 16:49). Obviously, the first one works best for the day trip from Sarajevo to Mostar as you will arrive at your destination at 09:12.

The ticket costs 14,10 BAM one way (€7,22 / $8,23); there’s a 20% discount if you buy a return ticket. You can buy the ticket at the station even shortly before the departure. 

The return train from Mostar to Sarajevo departs at 17:09 and arrives at the capital at 19:04. However, between June and September, on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays the departure time is changed to 19:56, with the arrival time to Sarajevo at 21:54. If you plan your trip in the summertime, be sure to check the schedule for that day at the website of the Bosnian Railways here.

Buses offer slightly more flexibility when planning a trip from Sarajevo to Mostar, with more connections between the two cities. The first bus departs from the Bosnian capital at 5 in the morning, with further departures at 6:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:30, 12:30, 14:30, 15:30, 18:00, and 19:55. The travel time by bus from Sarajevo to Mostar is around 2,5 hours. 

On the way back, there are buses from Mostar to Sarajevo at 6:00, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:15, 12:50, 15:00, 18:15, 19:10, and 20:00. 

The price depends on the company you choose, but in general, buses are more expensive than trains on the same route. To be on the safe side, you can get your tickets online here. You can also buy them at the bus station before departure, but during peak hours, they might be sold out.

In both cities, Sarajevo and Mostar, the train and bus stations are located next to each other. In Sarajevo, you can get there from Bascarsija (the Old Town) by tram no 1 to the last stop, or any other tram to the stop “Muzej”, from where it’s a short walk to the stations.

In Mostar, it’s an easy, 20-minute walk along Marsala Tita Street from the station to the Old Town. 

What to see in Mostar in one day

Once you get to Mostar, follow the Marsala Tita street to the Old Town. Along the way, you will pass a destroyed Razvitak shopping mall that is worth a closer look for its beautiful bas-reliefs on the facade.

In the Old Town, the biggest highlight is, of course, the Old Bridge. It was originally built in the 16th century, but on November 9th, 1993, during the Balkan War, the bridge was destroyed. Stones from the original structure were used to rebuild the bridge, which was finished in 2004. Be careful when crossing the bridge as it is rather steep and really slippery. 

On both sides of the bridge, you can explore the colorful Old Bazaar – Kujundžiluk. It’s rather small (although there were over 500 workshops here in the past), but it’s the best place in Bosnia and Herzegovina for souvenir shopping. 

You can also wander around the Old Town a bit, with its cobbled streets and charming corners. Be sure to find the Crooked Bridge, built in 1558 as the prototype for the Old Bridge (which was completed eight years later).

To admire the most stunning panorama of Mostar and its surroundings, climb to the minaret of the Koski Mehmed-pasha Mosque. The way up is a bit of a challenge as the staircase is very narrow, but the views you get from the top are worth all the hassle. You can see the 360-degree panorama of Mostar, with the Old Bridge right in front of you. 

There are other good places from where you can admire the iconic Old Bridge – Lučki most bridge (the next bridge on the Neretva river, you can see it from the Old Bridge) and from the riverfront on the left side when facing the bridge. To get close to the river, you need to turn right on the Gojka Vukovića street, near the Konzum store, next to the parking lot and the ruined houses. 

Still in the Old Town, you can stop for lunch or coffee as there are a few good places serving local food. Some of my favorites are Tima – Irma, Restoran Kaldrma, Restaurant Šadrvan, and Restaurant Bella Vista.

To get to know Mostar Old Town better, you can also take this highly-rated private tour. It takes an hour and a half and will take you through all the most important places in this beautiful part of the city. Click here to see the details and book the spot.

Most tourists visiting Mostar focus only on the Old Town, but the rest of the city is interesting, too. From the Old Town, head towards the high bell tower of the Catholic Church. Once you reach the main street, Bulevar, turn right. After a few minutes, you will reach the Spanish Square, with the beautiful gymnasium building (a bit similar to the Town Hall in Sarajevo) and the infamous Sniper Tower.

In the nearby park, you can find a quirky sculpture of Bruce Lee. This area is also packed with really good street art, so if you like it, you are in for a treat. Another reason to see more than just the Old Town in Mostar is the war remnants, which are still a very present testimony of the difficult recent history of the region. 

From here, you can either go to the bus or train station (it’s around a 15-minute walk from the Sniper Tower) or return to the Old Town and enjoy this part of Mostar a bit more. 

If you have enough time, you can also add a short trip to nearby Blagaj (with the Dervish house and spring of the river Buna) to your itinerary. You can get there by the local bus no 10 or, to save time, by taxi. 

Sarajevo to Mostar tours

If you don’t want to navigate public transport, there are also some good tours from Sarajevo to Mostar that you can take. You might not have as much time and flexibility in Mostar, but you will be able to see more places on your day trip, as the tours usually include other places such as Blagaj, Pocitelj (a charming, picturesque settlement with Ottoman architecture), Kravica Waterfall, or Konjic. 

Here are some recommended day tours from Sarajevo to Mostar:

• Mostar & Herzegovina 4 Cities Day-tour from Sarajevo
• Mostar,Kravica Waterfall,Blagaj,Počitelj – Day Tour from Sarajevo
• Sarajevo: Mostar, Konjic, Sufi House, Pocitelj & Kravice Falls
• Sarajevo: Mostar, Konjic, Dervish House, Pocitelj & Kravica Falls

Mostar map for your day there

I created the map with all the places mentioned above, so you can use it for your trip to Mostar. To access the map, click here. You can save it to your Google Maps to use it during your trip.

Final thoughts on visiting Mostar from Sarajevo

As you can see above, taking a day trip from Sarajevo to Mostar is very easy, and you should definitely include it in your itinerary. It will be a day full of beautiful views, interesting places, quirky attractions, and good food. I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

Further reading

I published many articles about Bosnia and Herzegovina that you might find useful when planning your trip there. Here are some of them:

• 17 best places to visit in Bosnia and Herzegovina
• 37 Best Things to Do in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Ostrozac Castle – the Hidden Gem of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina – the Getaway to Una NP
• 25 Amazing Things to Do in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Visit Travnik – the Heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• What to See in Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Visegrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina – See the Iconic Bridge on the Drina
• and more!

If you are looking for articles about a specific destination – check out the map with all the articles I’ve published (and their locations). You can also join my Facebook group about traveling in the Balkans and ask your questions there.

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• Sign up to my newsletter or follow me on Bloglovin to get updates about the new posts
• Join my Facebook group about Eastern Europe, the Balkans and former USSR and connect with fellow travellers and enthusiasts of these regions – just click here!
• I’ve included a few handy links of services and products I personally like and use so you can plan your own trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina too. They are often affiliate links. This means I will get a small commission if you book/purchase anything through my links, at no extra costs for you. Thank you!

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