The train from the capital Sarajevo to Mostar in southern Bosnia-Herzegovina is a dream railway route with a mesmerizing, natural view.
Leaving the station in Sarajevo in the morning, the train lets people feel peaceful and discover the viaduct that connects the mountains on its route, many tunnels, nature and the river view. The Sarajevo-Mostar train route is considered one of the 18 dream routes in the world. The journey takes two hours to reach Mostar, passing the Neretva River, known for its emerald green color, and mountain villages with mesmerizing landscapes. Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), train mechanic İsmet Repuh said that his father and grandfather were both mechanics. He said that the last station is in the town of Capljina and that the train passes through 99 tunnels.
"The train line started operating on July 15 last year for the first time since the Bosnian war (1992-1995). This made both the railway workers and people who love train journeys happy." Along with local people, many tourists make this journey. Repuh stressed: "The most important thing for us is the safety of our passengers. We travel the 160-kilometer route every day. The train will continue to host passengers until the end of next month."Saying the route between Sarajevo and Mostar is the most appealing in Europe, the mechanic reported that a journey on this train provides an opportunity to see the unique, natural beauty of Bosnia-Herzegovina closely. Noting they cannot go too fast, as the rails are old, he said: "The speed of a train is related to its rails. We had the most modern railway equipment before the Bosnian War. However, we lost all of that in those hard times."
Yağmur Özbek from İzmir province in Turkey prefers to go to Mostar by the Bosnian train because of the perfect view. Özbek said that she likes the landscape very much. "The view was breathtaking. You cannot get bored during your journey because the view of the river and other natural beauties are marvelous. You can continuously look outside. It is enjoyable." Leila Mallem of France implied that she was amazed by nature and the view during the journey. She said: "We came to Bosnia-Herzegovina with my sibling. When we searched for a place to visit, we learned that this route is world famous. That is why we chose it for our journey." Mallem added: "I felt like I was in the Alps in France. We liked the culture, food and people of Bosnia-Herzegovina very much." Fumi from Japan said that they were happy to take this train in Sarajevo-Bosnia.
Historical journey on the Sarajevo-Mostar route
The train line between Sarajevo and Mostar dates back to the 1800s. It provided an opportunity to go to European cities, such as Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Paris and, in particular, Istanbul via the Orient Express. The Bosnian War broke out in 1992, the route was closed, and Bosnia-Herzegovinian Railways decided to only use local train lines.With work conducted after the war, the train line, with more than 10 carriages, started to bring passengers to see the unique beauty of Bosnia-Herzegovina on July 15, 2017. It departs at 07:07 a.m. local time every morning. As it is summer season now, it returns to Sarajevo, the first station, from Mostar at 07:54 p.m. The summer season ends, and then starts up again the following April.
