140 km, one border and a landscape that changes twice. Compare the bus, a one-way private transfer and a day trip with Počitelj and the Kravice waterfalls, with what each costs and how long it takes.
Mostar is 140 km from Dubrovnik. The road follows the coast, crosses into Bosnia and Herzegovina near Neum or at Nova Sela, then runs up the Neretva valley. Without stops or a queue the drive takes about 2.5 hours; door to door we plan a little over 3 hours, because the border and the summer traffic are part of the trip. There is no train: Dubrovnik has no railway station.
Bus
Direct buses leave from the Gruž station, only a few times a day. The ride takes 3 to 4 hours and tickets cost about 18 to 25 euros per person. It is the cheapest way, and the timetable decides your day: a same-day return by bus leaves very little time in Mostar. Check the current departures with the operator before you plan around them.
Private transfer, one way
A private transfer costs 265 euros for a car with up to 3 passengers and 318 euros for a van with up to 8, per vehicle. You leave when you want, from your own address, and the driver drops you at the edge of the old bazaar, which is closed to cars. It suits anyone moving on from Dubrovnik to Mostar or Sarajevo, and it is worth adding stops. Počitelj and the Kravice waterfalls are the two most often chosen, both close to the road.
Private day trip
If you are coming back to Dubrovnik the same evening, take the day trip instead of two transfers. It lasts about 12 hours, costs 400 euros per vehicle and includes Počitelj and Kravice. The same car and driver stay with you all day, and you see the three places that are hard to combine by bus.
What to see in Mostar
Two to three hours are enough for a first visit:
- Stari Most, the Old Bridge from 1566. It was destroyed in 1993 and rebuilt in 2004 with stone from the same quarries. In summer divers jump from it into the Neretva, more than 20 metres below.
- The Koski Mehmed Pasha mosque, whose minaret has the best view of the bridge.
- The old bazaar, Kujundžiluk, for copper work and a coffee, then lunch on a terrace above the river.
Mostar is busiest in the middle of the day, when the tour coaches are there. If you can stay overnight, the bridge in the evening is a different place.
Stops on the way
- Počitelj: a stone Ottoman village climbing a cliff above the Neretva. Allow 30 to 45 minutes and wear flat shoes.
- Kravice: waterfalls about 25 metres high, where you can swim in summer. Added to a transfer, the stop costs 85 euros.
- Medjugorje: the pilgrimage town is close to the route, and we have a separate guide to it.
The border and the money
- Bosnia and Herzegovina is outside the EU and Schengen. Bring a passport; EU citizens can use a national ID card.
- In season the queue can add half an hour, and we choose the crossing on the day.
- The currency is the convertible mark (KM). Euros are accepted almost everywhere, but change usually comes in marks.
- EU mobile roaming does not apply in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Which one should you take?
- Alone, on a budget, with time to spare: the bus.
- Moving on to Mostar with luggage: the private transfer, with Počitelj or Kravice on the way.
- Back in Dubrovnik the same night: the day trip.