In the first episode of this European adventure, I visit the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina and travel on various forms of electric traction, including Trolleybuses, Trams and a Cable Car.

Trams & Trolleybuses are run by KJKP GRAS Sarajevo, a local government body. No official map of the system is available, but this version has been produced privately. The Tram system essentially runs on the north side of the River Miljacka and the Trolleybus system largely on the south although with a couple of branches to the north.
Since this diagram was issued, Trolleybus route 105 has been reintroduced between Trg Austrije (bottom right of map) and Vogosca (to the north west of the city). This route was destroyed during the Bosnian War in 1992 and re-opened in April 2025 after the infrastructure was finally restored.

Public Transport Publicity

Official publicity for public transport in the city is almost non-existent. The main system operator, GRAS, has an almost impenetrable website, whilst Centrotrans, which runs many of the buses, also provides limited information on-line. No official map is produced. Stops generally comprise only a basic shelter with no timetables, route diagrams or even route numbers, although some stops have a sign showing the name.

The only means of orientation was via privately produced system maps, which were not always easy to follow anyway and not necessarily up to date, but at least they provided a basis to work on.

The only places I saw a timetable were in display cases of the kiosks at terminals, where there was sometimes (but not always) a list of departures and even then, not necessarily for all routes serving that location!

Fares

At least fares are cheap, with a single ride costing 1.80 BAM (about 80p) on any trolleybus, tram or bus. There are no machines, tickets being purchased from the driver on boarding.

There is a Day Ticket valid on all forms of transport for 6.30 BAM (about £2.70), but these are not sold on board, only from kiosks at certain stops in the city. I was lucky to find an English speaking official at Dobrinja terminus on Day 1 who directed me to the kiosk and advised the lady on duty to sell me such a ticket.

However, on subsequent days, the other kiosks I went to were either closed or not selling tickets, so I had to revert to paying separately for each ride, although it was not much!

Longer term electronic passes for regular users such as commuters, students and seniors are available, as I saw them being touched on a reader at the driver’s cab by some passengers.

Sarajevo Trolleybuses - An Overview

Routes

Sarajevo’s Trolleybus system is relatively recent, having been introduced in 1984 coinciding with preparations for the Winter Olympics held in the city that year. Much infrastructure was destroyed during the Bosnian War in the mid 90s but was restored afterwards and continues to be so.

At the time I visited, there were 3 main Trolleybus routes in Sarajevo, with others comprising short-workings or providing infrequent “round the corner” links:

102: Otoka - Jezero

103: Dobrinja - Trg Austrije

105: Trg Austrije - Vogosca

The only other route I saw in operation was the 107, a M-F Peaks amalgam of parts of the 102 and 103 betweem Dobrinja and Jezero.

The 101 & 108 routes from Otoka to Trg Austrije / Dobrinja respectively appeared to be suspended (possibly withdrawn), as was the 104 Trg Austrije to Alipasino Polje, although apart from the loss of some direct links, all stops are covered by the other services.

Vehicles

The initial fleet in the 1980s consisted of Czech Skoda Trolleybuses, although following damage during the war, secondhand vehicles were drafted in from other European cities including Solingen, Geneva and Bern.

A major upgrade occurred in 2022, with the arrival of 25 new BKM Holding 43300D models built in Belorussia. These now provide the vast majority of the service.

For the future, 10 new Solaris “Trollino 18” articulated vehicles have been ordered in connection with the re-introduction of route 105 and are due for delivery in 2026.

My first Sarajevo Trolleybus ride was aboard no 69, one of a fleet of 25 Belorussian built BKM Holding 43300D models introduced in 2022. Seen on arrival at the Dobrinja terminus of the 103, not far from the Airport.

*Many of the Trolleybuses are in advertising wraps like this, which is a shame as the standard yellow and black livery looks smart.*

Trolleybus 103 (Dobinja to Austria Square)

Arriving at Sarajevo International Airport on the Ryanair flight from London Stansted, I could have taken the Airport Bus from the terminal to the city centre. However, there was a cheaper and more interesting alternative means of transport nearby, in the form of the 103 Trolleybus route. The outer terminus is at Dobrinjka, which the map showed to be around 1.5km away from the airport. After crossing the main road opposite the terminal and negotiating some back streets of housing, I emerged onto another major thoroughfare where I caught my first glimpse of the trolleybus wires.

However, I became slightly disorientated and, in error, began walking towards the city rather than to the outer terminus. When I realised my mistake, I simply jumped on the first trolleybus coming towards me for the short 10 min trip to the end of the line. This was full and standing, so a slightly uncomfortable ride, but quite short. The vehicle was fleet no 69, a modern BKM articulated trolleybus. Screens are fitted inside these vehicles showing next stop, upcoming stop and time to ultimate destination, with verbal announcements, although these were not working on this example, a not uncommon occurrence!

Dobinja is an outer suburb with housing and a shopping centre, the Bus Station being the terminus for Trolleybus 103 and various bus routes. I noted that the basic bus shelters had no timetables, maps or route numbers displayed, but the nearby kiosk did have a 103 Timetable showing departure times from each end of the route. This told me that the basic service interval was about every 6-8 mins M-S daytimes, every 10-12 mins evenings & Sundays.

I boarded fellow vehicle no 64 for the full run over the route to the city centre. Entrance is supposed to be through the front door, where you show your day ticket to the driver, tap your pass or buy a single ticket. The rear two doors are for alighting only, but I noted several passengers boarding through these. At the start of the journey, we were not that full and the driver called down to anyone not boarding at front to come up and pay. However, as we became busier and filled up with standees, he gave up as it was not possible to see who had jumped on through the exit doors by this point!

After serving the wider modern housing estate roads in the Dobinja area, we progressed along more winding, narrower streets, going up and down hill. As we approached the central area, we progressed along one of the main roads into the city, passing a large sports stadium and a mix of commercial properties and housing. Traffic became busier as we made our way along the south bank of the River Miljacka, finally arriving at the central terminus at Austria Square. A 40 min run, very busy and well used throughout.

The terminus is on the south side of the Latin Bridge over the river, crossing which brought me to the spot where Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was assasinated in 1914, setting off a chain of events which led to the outbreak of World War 1. A replica of the car in which the Archduke and his wife were shot stands in the spot where it happened and there is a small museum adjacent which contains various artifacts relating to the event.

The nearside view of one of the BKM Trolleybuses in standard livery is demonstrated by fleet no 76 at Dobinja Bus Station. Route 103 is the main route between this area near the Airport and the city centre at Trg Austrije (Austria Square).

*Note the basic bus shelter. No route numbers, timetables or maps are displayed at stops on all forms of public transport in Sarajevo, making navigation difficult!*

Trolleybus 105 (Austria Square to Vogosca & back)

Back to Austria Square, where I saw that a new route had started only a few weeks prior to my visit, in April. This was the 105, which had finally been restored after being withdrawn when the infrastructure was destroyed in 1992 during the war. A timetable displayed in a window of the kiosk at the terminus showed the frequency to be a somewhat unusual 13 mins for most of the day on M-F, 18 mins on Sat and 22-23 mins on Sun.

I jumped on the next departure, another BKM vehicle, no 67. It seemed that the route was so new that the destination screens both outside and inside had not yet been programmed on any of the vehicles I saw, with a route number card in the driver’s windscreen showing the two terminals. The 105 follows the 103 a short way along the south side of the river, before swinging a right across a bridge to the north side of the city in parallel with Trolleybus 102 for a while.

Finally, we parted company with the other route and continued out of the city up into the hills, calling at various stops in small suburbs, before a winding greener stretch up to the town of Vogosca. I alighted with everyone else after a 40 min run at the old Bus Station, which I assumed was the terminus. However, I was wrong, as on boarding the next arrival, no 62, we continued for one more stop to another, newer Bus Station, where we terminated. I reboarded after the layover, returning to the outward route via a short terminal loop running parallel to the main road on which we had arrived.

Then it was back downhill the way we had come into the city centre, although I alighted a few stops short of the end at Skendrija, just north of the river, in order to connect with my next route. Next to this stop was a small mosque, one of many in the city that was destroyed during the Bosnian War and subsequently rebuilt. Nearby, a large area of open ground with ruined building walls around the side, which had been turned into a car park.

BKM Trolleybus 67 on Route 105 after arriving in Vogosca, a town in the hills to the north west of Sarajevo. The route was destroyed during the Bosnian War and was only reinstated in April 2025 after 33 years.

*As yet, the electronic destination screens have not been programmed with details of the new route and cards in the windscreen showing the two terminals suffice.*

Trolleybus 102 (City Centre - Jezero - Otoka - Jezero - City Centre)

Crossing the road at the Skenderija stop in the city centre, I transferred to the third of the main all-day Trolleybus routes, the 102. I couldn’t find a timetable for this route, but it appeared to be running at approximately 10 min intervals when I travelled. I joined another BKM vehicle, fleet no 70, with a large crowd for the short ride of about 10 mins up to the northern terminus at Jezero, where there is a turning circle by a row of shops. As is common, the visual “next stops” display inside wasn’t working, although the verbal announcements were!

After the break, I rejoined the same trolleybus for to ride the entire route. Downhill back into the city centre, passing a large leisure centre / stadium and a cemetery which included many Bosnian War victims. Then past a park which includes a tank monument commemorating its capture by the Bosnia Special Forces Unit from the Yugoslav People’s Army in 1992, which has been criticised in some quarters as a symbol of division rather than unity and not exactly promoting reconciliation.

Back in the centre, we encountered severe traffic congestion, the first of my visit, meaning it was a slow run over this section and along the south bank of the river. Proceeding west in tandem with the 103, we eventually swung right on the “branch line” to Otoka via an area of inner city housing. Despite this being the shortest of the main three routes, we took an overly long 45 mins for the trip. At the terminus, the driver took his poles off the wires, parked up and disappeared into the staff canteen, presumably missing a rounder to get back on schedule.

The traffic had caused a long service gap, as it was almost 25 mins before the next trolleybus appeared, although it was worth the wait, as it turned out to be one of the former Swiss HESS vehicles from the late 90s which was transferred here a few years back to replace older high-floor types, fleet no 652. In contrast to the slow slog on the previous journey, the driver of this veteran seemed to be on a mission and we departed immediately without stand time after filling up. A speedy run back through the city on this older vehicle, oozing with atmosphere. Just 30 mins back to Jezero, compared with 45 mins on the previous trip! There was barely time for me to grab a photo at the turning circle, before continuing back on the 10 min ride to the city centre again. This provided an enjoyable ending to my day on the trolleys and it was time to seek out my hotel for the night.

***Ex-Bern Swiss-built HESS Trolleybus 652 seen at the Jezero turning circle on Route 102 to the north of the city centre which I rode to this point.***

*Dating from 1997, whilst 14 of this type were transferred here in 2019-20 as the first low-floor trolleys on the system, this was the only example I saw in service during my visit.*

***Rear end view of BKM Trolleybus no 72 at Drvenija, the first stop westbound on the 103 after leaving the city centre terminus at Austria Square.***

These vehicles are often seen operating in battery mode, although the poles are up in this shot for recharging. The ropes for raising and lowering the poles can be seen together with the retaining hooks on the roof when the poles are down.

Sarajevo Trams - An Overview

History

The Sarajevo Tramway dates from 1885 and was the testing line for the capital of the Austro-Hungarian empire, Vienna. Originally horse-drawn, electric trams first appeared 10 years later. Narrow-gauge Bosnian tracks were replaced by standard-gauge in 1960.

Trackwork and many vehicles were damaged during the Siege of Sarajevo from 1992-95. However, services continued when conditions allowed, despite the danger to drivers and passengers from possible incoming shells and sniper fire.

Post-war, reconstruction occurred, with trams donated from other cities to replace those destroyed, including some from Amsterdam and Cologne.

Routes

The current system consists of a single main route running from west to east along the thin valley in which the city sits, with a long one-way loop at the central end, together with a short branch line to the Railway Station.

The routes I saw in operation were as follows:

1 - City Centre Loop to Railway Station (branch service)

2 - City Centre Loop to Cengic Vila (basically a short-working 3)

3 - City Centre Loop to Ilidza (main route)

The variants shown on the map as routes 4, 5 and 6 were not observed in operation, so may be suspended or withdrawn. In any case, these are either simply short workings of the 3 from either end or an infrequent round-the-corner link to the railway station from the western direction, so no stop is missing a service.

Vehicles

Trams in Sarajevo are an eclectic mix of old and new.

A number of Czech built “Tatra” cars from the 1970s are still in service, as are some former Cologne GT8 trams from the 1960s. A few of the Tatra cars have been rebuilt with a low-floor central section.

The modern “low floor” era is represented by several new Stadler “Tango” trams, of which more later.

Sarajevo still has a number of Soviet era “Tatra” trams in regular all-day operation. Set no 514 dating from 1975 is on Route 1 (City Centre Loop & Railway Station) on the northern part of the circular section.

*The wall mural commemorates the genocidal massacre of more than 8,000 Bosniaks during the Bosnian War in 1995.*

Tram 2 (City Centre to Cendic Vila & back)

Day 2 after a hearty breakfast and I resumed my electric traction travels by switching my attention to the tram network. I began at Bascarsija, adjacent to the old market area popular with tourists for its cafes, shops and stalls selling all sorts of souvenirs and on the long terminal loop through the city centre on the north bank of the river. In theory, this is the inner terminus, but in practice, inbound trams merely stop here and continue outbound around the circuit without stand time. The lady in the kiosk said she wasn’t selling day tickets, so I would have to pay on the bus, although at 1.80 BAM (about 80p) it wasn’t much!

First tram to arrive was no 516, one of the old Soviet era “Tatra” trams from the 1970s, that were once common in many Eastern European cities and which I had ridden many times over the years in places like East Berlin, Prague, Budapest, Riga and Kiev. Certainly very solid vehicles and clearly built to last! This was operating on Route 2, which is essentially a short-working version of the main east-west Route 3. Just a handful on board as we rumbled through the city centre, passing the Catholic Cathedral and the Eternal Flame to the war victims, moving from the narrower streets to wider roads as we progressed.

After this section, we entered the main boulevard with three lanes for normal traffic and a central section reserved for the tram lines. Along this stretch, we passed many tall buildings, including new hotels and commercial premises for large companies, but interspersed with some older properties which still bore bullet holes from the war. This area was known as “Sniper Alley” during the Siege of Sarajevo, where locals frequently had to dodge bullets when proceeding to or from work, school or shopping and where sadly many were killed.

At Cengic Vila, some distance west, we turned onto a separate terminal loop with a final stop, where the journey ended and the driver took his break in the adjacent staff canteen. After a break of around 15 mins, he returned and, taking pity on me, waved me back on board without needing to buy another ticket! Back the way we came until we arrived at the loop section, which in this direction we traversed beside the river on the north bank, past the Latin Bridge and the Town Hall, to the start point at Bascarsija once again. 20 mins on the outward run but 25 min on the return due to the longer section on the loop. It appeared that 2 Tatras were operating on a 30 min frequency on this route.

Another Tatra tram, this time no 516, also now 50 years old, at the Cengic Vila terminus of Route 2 to the west of the city. This is basically a short working of the long east-west Route 3, with a short terminal loop off the main line.

*Like many of the old trams, this is in an all-over advertising wrap. Note the signs to the left and right of the tram showing the name of the stop, which appear at many (but not all) of the stations.*

Tram 3 (City Centre to Ilidza)

Next, I switched to the principal tram route, the 3, which operates along the entire length of the line along the valley. This operates at an impressive 3 min frequency on M-F (all day) and every 5 mins at weekends. Every tram seemed to be full on this very busy service. A mix of old and new vehicles, but next in sequence was one of several German-built GT8 trams from the 1960s, formerly operating in Cologne and moved here in the early 2000s.

I duly boarded 3 car set no 561 and settled in for the westbound trip, initially over the same route as the 2, but continuing further along the long main road out of town, with much new development. At Otoka, we passed the main depot for the system, which had many rusting hulks of old trams in the yard. A couple of stops further on, we called at the large building housing the main TV / Radio Station for the city. Finally, a short stretch through more open country, under the flight path for the runway at the airport, before arriving at the outer terminus of Ilidza. A 45 min trip end to end.

Due to the frequent service, we joined the rear of a “tram queue”, a motley collection of different types. Adjacent, is a large Bus Station, with connecting services to outlying areas. There is also a shopping centre here which was thronged with locals.

***Sarajevo also has a number of former Cologne GT8 trams, including 561, built in 1966 and transferred here in 2004. Seen after my arrival aboard it at the western terminus of route 3 at Ilidza.***

*This is the main east-west route in the city, operating up to every 3 mins on Mon-Fri and every 5 mins at weekends.*

Tram 3 (Ilidza to City Centre)

I had the choice of a number of different types for the return trip, but I opted for no 549, one of a handful of Tatra sets that were rebuilt some years ago with a low-floor centre car and a refurbished interior. It seemed that as one full tram left, the next would draw up to the pick up stop, also fill up and leave a few minutes later. Packed with homegoing shoppers and others travelling into the city centre, we made our way back the way we had come, but took only 40 mins on the return.

A couple of stops on the outer section had screens showing the number of minutes to the next 4 departures, but oddly not on the inner section where there are more routes and such signs would be more useful. Despite a scheduled frequency of 3 mins, it seemed not uncommon for two or three trams to travel close together, but then with a 5-10 min gap. Probably inevitable on a close-headway service like this at busy times.

***My return journey to the city centre on Route 3 was on a rebuilt Tatra set, no 549. Seen on the northern section of the long central loop.***

*A few sets were modified with a low floor central section and have an updated interior.*

Tram 1 (City Centre Loop & Railway Station)

I ended my tour of the tram routes as I had begun, on another old Tatra, no 514, this time on Route 1 to the Railway Station. This is an infrequent route, as it appeared that just one tram was operating, on an approximate 35 min frequency. Not many passengers, as we made our way from the city centre westwards, turning onto the short branch off the main line with just two stops before arriving at the terminus after a mere 15 min ride.

Minimal stand time and then under 20 mins back again, an equally quiet run, although this was during the day. Apparently, the route is only busy at peak times when commuters are connecting to and from trains.

***Tatra tram 514 again, seen at Zeljeznicka Stanica (Railway Station) on Route 1 during my round trip on the route.***

*The terminus is dominated by the Avaz Twist Tower, the HQ of a local newspaper company and the tallest skyscraper in Bosnia.*

New Trams

The tram system in Sarajevo is in process of update, so if you want to ride the older cars, best to go sooner rather than later!

15 new Stadler “Tango” low-floor trams entered service during 2024, appearing on main route 3, the first new trams for the city in 40 years. These were purchased with finance from the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development and are in a smart yellow livery with blue skirt and black relief. They have 79 seats and capacity for 180 passengers.

Another 10 similar trams have been ordered and are due to arrive towards the end of 2025.

Although I didn’t travel on one, set no 003 is one of the 15 new Stadler Tango trams which entered service during 2024, pictured on Route 3 on the city centre loop at Bascarsija. These were financed by the ERBD (European Bank for Reconstruction & Development).

*In the background is one of the many mosques in the city, most of which were reconstructed after the Bosnian War.*

Trebevic Cable Car

The cable car is a gondola lift connecting the old city with the summit of Trebevic mountain (1,160m).

Originally opened in 1959, it was completely destroyed during the Siege of Sarajevo (1992-95), during which time the attackers used the surrounding mountains as a convenient vantage point for firing onto the city below.

The line was rebuilt after the war and reopened in 2018. Operator is J.P. Sarajevo d.o.o.

Summer operating hours were in force when I was there which are 1000 Sats & Suns and 1200 Mon to Fri until 2000. Different hours apply in winter.

The return fare is 30 BAM (about £13) for foreigners, although Bosnian citizens qualify for a reduced rate of 6BAM.

The line length is 2,200m and the journey time each way is around 10 mins.

I boarded one of the gondola cars at the bottom station for a quiet ride to the summit, with excellent views of the city below and the wooded slopes with little houses on the way. At the top, there is a restaurant / cafe with an outdoor terrace, plus a series of hiking trails through the trees, where I saw the remains of the Sarajevo Bobsled Track built for the 1984 Winter Olympics.

After a coffee enjoying views of the surrounding mountains, I returned on another of the continuously running gondola cars. A fitting end to my review of electric passenger transport in Sarajevo.

Watton

Bosnian Wanderings (Part 1): Sarajevo Trolleybuses & Trams

Bosnian Wanderings (Part 2): Sarajevo Buses

Fastracking and Darting About in Kent