Bosnian Wanderings (Part 3): Train from Sarajevo to Mostar

In the final episode of this trilogy, I take one of the “Great European Railway Journeys” from Sarajevo to Mostar, moving from Bosnia to Herzegovina, experiencing a scenic journey through mountains and gorges.

Map of the railway from Sarajevo to Mostar, which continues over the border to Ploce in Croatia, although there is only a limited summer service beyond Capljina.

The map only hints at the complex series of curves in the track which characterise the mountain section east of Konjic. Sarajevo to Mostar is around 80 miles and takes just over 2 hours.

Sarajevo Railway Station, the start point of my journey to Mostar, an example of Soviet “Brutalist” architecture from the late 1940s.

Services are sparse, with only some 18 departures in total from the station each day between about 0600 and 2200.

Sarajevo Railway Station

An early Sunday morning walk through the empty streets of Sarajevo from my hotel brought me to the city’s Railway Station, an austere Communist building dating from reconstruction in 1948.

My aim, to catch the morning train to Mostar, a scenic journey through the mountains, taking just over 2 hours. There are just two regular services a day on the route, leaving at around 0700 and 1700 from each end, but allowing enough time at the destination for a full day’s exploration.

The helpful lady in the Ticket Office sold me a return for just 22.50 BAM, which is the equivalent of just under £10 for a trip of around 80 miles each way - fantastic value - especially compared with a Day Return from my local station in Hertfordshire to London which costs around £25 for about 25 miles.

I then proceeded to Platform 2 for the 0715 train to Mostar, with 4 booked intermediate stops and continuing on to just short of the border with Croatia at Capljina. This was clearly a popular train, as we were awash with tourists of all nationalities, but the long Spanish-manufactured “Talgo” set had plenty of carriages to accomodate all in comfort. I took my comfy seat in a coach adjacent to the buffet car, which was open throughout the trip. These new sets replaced Soviet-era rolling stock as part of an upgrade of the route from 2016 onwards.

At the head of our train, a slightly grubby JZ series 441 electric loco built for Yugoslav Railways and now with ZFBH, the initials of the Bosnia & Herzegovina state-owned railway company. We departed bang on time to the blowing of whistles and the attendance of a seemingly large contingent of platform staff. With services few and far between from Sarajevo, the station has brief periods of high activity interspersed with long sleepy interludes!

Electric loco JZ 441 -913 delivered to Yugoslav Railways with its modern Spanish-built “Talgo” coaches on the 0715 departure to Mostar and Capljina in Platform 2 on Sarajevo Station.

The legend “ZFBH” on the front of the loco stands for “Zeljeznice - Federacije Bosne i Hercegovini” (Railways - Federation Bosnia & Herzegovina).

History of the Sarajevo to Ploce Railway

The railway from Sarajevo to Mostar covers the first section of the longer route to Ploce in Croatia, which is around 120 miles in total. Following the break-up of Yugoslavia after the Cold War, passenger services were suspended for many years south of Caplijna near the Bosnian - Croatian border, but were reintroduced on summer weekends only in 2022.

The line was built during the period of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1891 to the Bosnian gauge of 760mm, the main reason being to connect the interior with the Dalmatian port of Metkovic. Eventually, this port could no longer meet growing needs and an extension to a new one at Ploce was decided upon in the 1920s, although works were slow and not completed until 1942 during the German & Italian occupation. Later damaged by the withdrawal of German forces at the end of WW2, the line was again rebuilt and reopened in Summer 1945.

Modernisation in the 1960s saw conversion of the line to standard gauge in 1966 and diversion of the track in places where parts of the original line were flooded by the construction of a number of hydroelectric dams along the river section. Initially operated with diesel locomotives, electrification was the next stage of the upgrade project and was completed in 1969.

Sarajevo to Konjic

As we departed from Sarajevo, the first section of the route was fairly mundane as we proceeded through the urban surroundings of the city with residential and commercial properties each side of the line. Multiple tracks soon reduced down to one with periodic passing places. The first stop at Hadzici, some miles west marked the first major passing loop, with no platforms or station buildings as such, with a few passengers alighting or boarding by descending or ascending from track level.

After this the route began to become more interesting as the scenery became more countrified and mountainous. There are 99 tunnels between Sarajevo and Mostar and we soon started to encounter them in quick succession, some very short but others quite long taking several minutes to pass through. We began the descent through the Ivan Mountain to the Tresanica river, during which the railway has to descend over 500m through a series of tunnels, bridges and reverse curves. On one section, the river valley passes from the right hand side of the train to the left hand side and then back again!

Originally, the steepest sections of this route were operated as a cog railway, although this was later replaced with normal adhesion worked trains, which were made possible by the complex series of loops to reduce the ruling gradient.

Along with many others, I found myself constantly swapping sides in the train to get the best views, as we descended towards Konjic, the approximate mid-way point in the line and the only intermediate town of any size. This is often where up and down passenger trains cross and the only place with a full size station.

Looping the Loop - 1

The Ivan Mountain between Hadzici and Konjic is 1,534m tall and a major pass between Bosnia and Herzegovina. The railway descends through a series of tunnels and bridges beside the Tresanica river, looping through 180 degrees and back again to lose height.

On the outward trip, the train will soon enter a tunnel and emerge lower down to run over the track below in the opposite direction!

Looping the Loop - 2

Having crossed the bridge at the top of the photo moving right and then looped around to cross the bridge in the middle moving left, the train is now further down the mountain moving right again!

These manoeuvres can be confusing to the passenger’s sense of direction!

Konjic to Mostar

Leaving Konjic, the line continues across the Jablanica Lake, formed artificially in the 1950s after the construction of a hydro-electric dam. The route then passes beside the River Neretva, where both a road and the railway thread their way through a long gorge section with mountains towering above on each side. The left side of the train provides the best views over this section.

Small stations, or really just passing places with halts, are served at Jablanica and Dreznica, before the valley broadens out and the railway crosses the Neretva to approach Mostar, with increasing signs of habitation on approach. I noticed that even the smallest and remotest of passing loops seemed to be staffed with a railway employee visible to wave the train through or stop it with flags, in addition to the normal signalling system.

Between Konjic and Mostar, the railway follows the Jablanica lake and then descends towards the River Neretva, which it continues alongside through a gorge.

The mountainous nature of the terrain is evident in this view taken from the train on this stretch.

Arrival in Mostar

A large number of passengers alighted with me at Mostar, which we reached around 10-15 mins late on the schedule, due to waiting a couple of times in passing loops on the single track section for late-running trains coming the other way.

Mostar Railway Station is another that was rebuilt in Brutalist style during the Communist era, but later than the one at Sarajevo, during the 1960s. The structure is basic and not exactly attractive but not that much different from certain stations of the period in the UK! At least the site provides decent interchange, as the main Bus Station for onward connections to Dubrovnik and other destinations in Herzegovina and Croatia adjoins to the right when facing the frontage.

From the station, I was able to take a 15 min stroll parallel to the river down to the Old Town, where the narrow streets provide a range of cafes to eat and drink, with souvenir shops to browse. It is also possible to book inflatable boat trips on the river as an alternative means of transport.

The most famous attraction in Mostar is the Stari Most (Old Bridge) over the River Neretva, built in the 16th Century during the Ottoman era, destroyed during the Croat-Bosniak War in 1993 then reconstructed afterwards in the original style, reopening in 2004. A small museum in the adjoining ramparts tells the history of the bridge, whilst the local diving club organises dives and jumps from it at certain times of year when the water is at sufficient height. Tourists can join in on payment of a fee but there have been a number of life-changing accidents and deaths over the years from this, so is not for the faint-hearted!

Mostar Railway Station is another Soviet-era edifice, which even the trees, shrubs and fountain can’t make look attractive!

The station is about 15 mins walk from the Old Town.

Stari Most (Old Bridge) is a famous symbol of Mostar. Built in the 16th Century, it was destroyed in 1993 during the Bosnian War but rebuilt in original style afterwards.

The inflatable boats provide an alternative form of transport on the River Neretva, although the more adventurous can dive or jump from the bridge on payment of a small fee!

Return Journey

Late afternoon and I returned to Mostar Station at the end of my day out, where another sizeable crowd awaited the 1709 departure to Sarajevo.

Whilst waiting, I was able to examine a “Talgo” set which was stabled in the adjacent platform and which was eliciting a great deal of interest from certain passengers, who were intrigued by the single articulated wheelsets, designed to reduce weight and hence the wear and tear on the track.

My train eventually arrived a few minutes down and departed about 5 mins later than scheduled.

My return train pulls into Mostar Station on the 1709 departure to Sarajevo, where a good crowd awaits.

This the same loco as on the morning train in the other direction.

Close-up of the “Talgo” cars in Mostar Station, showing the articulated wheel sets that straddle the ends of the carriages.

This system is meant to reduce the wear and tear on the tracks.

Mostar to Sarajevo

My return trip was essentially the reverse of the outward one, although different views were possible in this direction by switching sides of the train. Another scenic run back along the gorge, past the dams.

At the mid-way station of Konjic, there was a scheduled pass with a southbound passenger service, similarly formed with a 441 electric loco and “Talgo” carriage set.

Then up into the mountains on the loop section over the bridges and through the various tunnels once again.

Passing Loops on the line, like the one at Dreznica, are usually manned with an adjacent cabin provided. There is a “station” at Dreznica, a bit further on, back on the single track section, which is a tiny halt with a small platform only long enough for the doors on one carriage to be opened.

In this picture, the expected member of staff appeared to be absent, with his dog deputising!

Back through the mountains on the return trip, this time ascending. We had passed over the section of track below a few minutes previously.

The train will cross this bridge in a few minutes time after looping around 180 degrees and pasing through one of the 99 tunnels between Sarajevo and Mostar.

Journey’s End

We arrived back in Sarajevo around 1920, a slightly faster run than outbound, with no delays on the passing loops in this direction.

It was then a short trek back to my hotel after a long but interesting day of travel!

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Trains that pass in the late afternoon…

We end this review with a study of loco 441-910 on the afternoon down train at Konjic, approximately mid-way between Mostar & Sarajevo, taken from the afternoon up train in the adjacent platform. My train, on the right, will now ascend the mountain section seen ahead via the tunnels, bridges and reverse curves previously illustrated

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The low height of the “Talgo” coaches compared with the locomotives can be appreciated in this view.