Sarajevo essentials

Money and cards

The currency is the convertible mark (konvertibilna marka, KM or BAM), fixed to the euro at 1.95583 KM to €1, so 1 KM is roughly 50 euro cents. Euros are sometimes accepted in tourist places, but change is given in marks, so it is simpler to pay in KM.

Cards are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and shops in the city; carry cash for the bazaar, small cafés, taxis, ćevapi grills and the countryside. ATMs are easy to find.

Borders and entry rules

Bosnia and Herzegovina is not in the European Union or the Schengen area, so expect passport checks at its borders, including from Croatia. Citizens of the EU, the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and many other countries can visit without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; check the current rules for your nationality before you travel.

Foreign visitors must be registered at their address; hotels and registered guesthouses do this for you. If you stay privately, ask your host. If you drive a hire car across the border, you need the rental company’s permission and green card insurance.

Arriving

Sarajevo International Airport (SJJ) is at Butmir, about 10 km south-west of the old town. An airport bus runs to the centre in about 30 minutes; taxis take about 20–30 minutes. Use registered taxis and check the meter.

Trains arrive at the railway station, next to the main bus station, about 3 km west of the old town and linked to it by tram. Some buses to and from Serbia and Montenegro use the East Sarajevo bus station at Lukavica.

Getting around

The old town and the centre are best explored on foot, but the hills are steep. Trams run along the valley from Ilidža to a loop around Baščaršija; buy tickets at kiosks or from the driver and validate them on board. Taxis are plentiful and affordable.

The Trebević cable car climbs from Bistrik to the mountain in about ten minutes. Talgo trains run to Konjic, Jablanica and Mostar twice a day; buses cover the rest of the country. For the mountains and smaller towns, a hire car is the most flexible.

Practical tips

The emergency numbers are 122 (police), 123 (fire) and 124 (ambulance). Plugs are types C and F, at 230 V. The official languages are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian, written in Latin and Cyrillic scripts; English is widely spoken by younger people and in hotels.

Dress modestly to visit mosques and churches, and remove your shoes in mosques. Smoking is still common in some cafés and bars. Stick to marked paths in the countryside and mountains.

When to go

May, June, September and October are ideal: warm, green and comfortable for walking. August brings the Sarajevo Film Festival and a lively, crowded city; July and August are hot, especially in Mostar.

Winter is cold and often snowy, with skiing on Jahorina and Bjelašnica from about December to March, snow permitting. Air quality in the valley can be poor on still winter days.

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