Road tips & info before going on a Road Trip in Bosnia
Quality of Road
Bosnia offers a great infrastructure for cars, which makes a Road Trip in a convertible fun as-well (in other countries the tarmac was sometimes inexistent and I hit the bottom of the car a couple of times). In Bosnia, that wasn’t a problem. All streets had good tarmac, especially the A1 which is a newly built high-way which hugs the wheels of the car.
There’s generally enough signs around to get by, and the towns and cities are listed in English too, which is helpful.
Overtaking on secondary roads, which is where most of the driving is usually done, can sometimes be hard. Long and winding roads in a single lane makes overtaking risky. Having said that, it’s good to slow down a little bit sometimes, and just look around, at cruising speed. Eventually there will be an extra lane where over-taking would be possible, or a nice straight road.
Google maps is updated quite well in Bosnia, and have worked quite reliability (since we download the offline maps – see here to know what I’m talking about).
Scenery during road trip
Driving in Bosnia is amazing. Good road quality, long and windy and with amazing backdrops. The roads pass right next to rivers, shadowed by mountains, over amazing bridges and through long tunnels.
There’s a great ride on both the E661, and the E73 with plenty of places where to stop to just take a stroll, some pictures, and get some rest before you continue exploring the country on the road.
Fuel price
The fuel is very cheap in Bosnia. It goes for €0.85 - €0.90; depending on where you are in the country. Still with those prices, driving is more fun. We didn't use too much fuel here (we only used a tank-full), so make sure that you do not re-fuel in Croatia before entering (keep enough to just cross the border), and fill your tank before heading further North.
Traffic & Speed
The speed limits are actually quite well in this country. When driving with at the speed limit, you get to drive at decent speeds, be prepared for any lager-than-normal bend, and allow your self to admire the beautiful nature that surrounds you.
There isn’t much police presence in the street, which still doesn’t mean that we should ‘race’ in the streets. Excessive speeding is dangerous.
Ease of driving
The drivers in Bosnia are generally more considerate than in other countries further South. They give way (sometimes), do not overtake dangerously, and sometimes even switch on the indicator.
Having said that, we still saw an accident because a tourist-bus just stopped in the middle of a single-lane road so that people could take pictures. So when driving, still be on the lookout for the all-too-common irresponsible motorists.
Resources whilst on the road
Accommodation: there are many signs for camp-sites that you will see whilst driving, even in secondary roads. And there is also the possibility of renting a room through following signs on the streets, but we do not suggest that. We now have technology and its benefits.
Supermarkets are not too common in Bosnia. But when on the road, you will see the occasional grocer / supermarket that will stock you with whatever you need. P.s. we didn’t buy much water from here – there’s plenty of it ever where you go. Heck, we even rafted on drinkable water. Click here to know how.
Petrol stations are not very common. So far, I have never kept less than a quarter of a tank before refuelling; which would be enough for me to find a petrol station here.
Accessibility
Bosnia has good borders with other countries. We didn’t have to go out of our way when coming in from Albania, and or when going out through to Croatia. Queues were minimal, and officials kind-of appreciate that we are from the EU and doesn’t overly inspect our personal identifications.
For more information roaming around Bosnia in 7 days and its itinerary click here
