Reise nach Travnik planen

Getting here

Travnik sits about 90 km north-west of Sarajevo — roughly an hour and a half by road, less if the traffic through Zenica is kind. Buses run from Sarajevo, Zenica and Banja Luka; the nearest airport is Sarajevo (SJJ).

Timetables change with the season and the operator. We are collecting current ones from the bus station rather than copying numbers that go stale.

A door-to-door transfer from Sarajevo airport can be booked ahead with Kiwitaxi or GetTransfer, which is the simplest way in if you are landing with bags. Flights into Sarajevo (SJJ) are worth comparing on Aviasales. If you are giving Sarajevo a day on the way through, its museums, walking tours and day trips book ahead — our own guiding is Travnik and Vlašić, which is a different trip.

Getting around

The old town is compact — the fortress, Plava Voda, the čaršija and the museums are all within a fifteen-minute walk of each other, and walking is the sensible way to do it. Vlašić is the exception: that is a drive.

No car? We drive it — a day on Vlašić with somebody who knows which road to take and where the shepherds actually are, from 120 KM a person.

Rather drive yourself? Localrent works with local agencies across the Balkans, and AutoEurope or EconomyBookings cover the international desks at Sarajevo airport. The Vlašić road is fine in an ordinary car in summer; in winter it is not. Trip.com also lists the desks at Sarajevo airport.

Money

The currency is the convertible mark (BAM, written KM). It is pegged to the euro at a fixed rate of 1.95583 KM = €1, so euro conversions are exact rather than approximate. Cards are widely but not universally accepted — carry some cash.

Language

Bosnian, written in Latin script here. English is common among younger people and in tourism; German is widely understood thanks to the diaspora. A few words of Bosnian go a very long way.

If you would rather not rely on it, our guiding is in English, Bosnian, German, Turkish or Arabic — and a concierge day means somebody does the talking for you, in the shops and the kitchens as well as the museums.

Staying connected

Bosnia and Herzegovina is not in the EU, so an EU roaming bundle does not cover it and most visitors find that out at the airport. A local SIM is cheap if you have time to buy one; an eSIM from Airalo or Yesim is working before you land.

Travel insurance is worth the same forethought — EKTA covers the region and will quote for the mountain if you are going up Vlašić.

When to come

Late spring and early autumn are the most comfortable for walking the town. Summer is warm and busiest. Winter is for Vlašić — and the fortress in snow is worth the cold.

How long you need

Half a day covers the fortress, Plava Voda and the old town at a reasonable pace. A full day lets you add the museums and eat properly. Two days if Vlašić is on the list.

Those are walking-alone timings. With a guide a half day covers more, because you are not standing in a square working out where to go next — from 30 KM.