The four options
Mostar is across the border from Dubrovnik, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. You can get there four ways: on a guided day tour, by bus, in a hire car or by private transfer. They differ in how much you see, how much you plan and how long you get in the town.
| Option | Time | Hassle | What you see |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group day tour | 10 to 12 hours out and back | Lowest: transport, border and stops arranged | Mostar plus one or two other stops, with a limited time in each |
| FlixBus | From 3 h 15 each way | Medium: you plan the day, the border and the return | Mostar only, at your own pace |
| Hire car | You decide | Highest: border, insurance paperwork, parking | Anything you can fit, including Kravice, Blagaj or Počitelj |
| Private transfer | You decide | Low to medium: driver handles the border | Mostar and any stops you agree |
We did not find a verified price for a bus ticket or a private transfer, so we give none. Check the operator for a current fare.
Group tour
This is the choice for most people. The operator collects you in Dubrovnik, handles the border and brings you back. The four Dubrovnik trips we compared run 10 to 12 hours, and the small-group van tour is the shortest at 10. The cheapest start from £25 and the dearest of the four from £84 (GetYourGuide, checked 15 October 2026).
The catch is time. Much of the day is on the road, and the tours also stop at Kravice, Počitelj or Međugorje, so Mostar gets only part of it. If you came for the bridge and the lanes, that may feel short. The day tours page compares the options in detail.
Bus
FlixBus lists a minimum journey of 3 h 15 from Dubrovnik to Mostar, with two departures a day, the first listed at 16:00 and the last at 17:15, from Dubrovnik bus station to Mostar East or West stations. The route is about 82 miles. We did not find a clear fare, because the page shows prices inconsistently. Other operators reportedly run the route too (Globtour, Arriva and Centrotrans, per aggregators), with journeys of roughly 3 h 15 to 3 h 45. Border checks add time.
The listed departures are in the afternoon, which points to an overnight stay in Mostar, not a same-day return. That is when the bus works best. Check the live timetable before you commit.
Hire car
A hire car lets you add Kravice, Blagaj or Počitelj on your own schedule. It also brings the most paperwork. Three points from the UK government’s advice:
- A UK driver needs the 1968 International Driving Permit as well as the UK licence to hire or use a vehicle in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Get it before you travel.
- Winter tyre rules apply from November to April.
- Landmines remain from the 1992 to 1995 war in rural and less populated areas. Stay on roads and paved areas.
Hire contracts may restrict taking a car out of the country, and may need extra insurance paperwork. We could not verify a specific rule from a hire company or official page, so confirm with your supplier before you book, in writing.
Private transfer
A private driver takes you to Mostar and, if you agree it, to a stop or two on the way. You avoid the border paperwork of a hire car and the fixed schedule of a group tour. We have not listed prices because we could not verify any. Ask for a quote that states the waiting time in Mostar, the stops, the return time and whether the border is included.
Time and cost compared
Add up the whole day, not just the drive. A tour is slowest in total, at 10 to 12 hours, but it is the only option where you do nothing except turn up. The bus is the quickest way to arrive, at 3 h 15 at best each way, but it leaves you to plan the rest, and as listed it points to a night in town. A hire car gives you the most freedom and the most to organise. A private transfer sits in between: the driver handles the road and the border, while you decide where to stop.
For cost, a tour at the low end starts from £25 a person, which is hard to beat once you count fuel, a driving permit and parking. A hire car or private transfer tends to make sense when several people share it, though we have no verified figures to put on that, so get quotes for your dates.
The border
Croatia is in the EU. Bosnia and Herzegovina is not, and it is not in the Schengen area. Every route above crosses a border each way, so take your passport.
For UK passport holders, GOV.UK says:
- No visa is needed for tourism for up to 90 days in any 6 months.
- The passport must have been issued less than 10 years before you arrive, with a pre-October 2018 exception, and expire at least 90 days after you leave.
- Get an entry and exit stamp. Travelling without an exit stamp can mean a fine.
- Foreign nationals must register with the police within 72 hours. Hotels usually do this for you.
- Anyone aged 17 or under travelling without both parents needs a notarised permission letter.
Other nationalities should check their own government’s advice. We have not verified the rules for EU or US citizens from an official source.
GOV.UK also notes that the EU Entry/Exit System may cause longer waits on journeys to or from the Schengen area. Leave slack in your day, especially for the return to Dubrovnik. We cannot predict queue lengths, and nobody can. A tour with a fixed pick-up time at least puts the delay on the operator.
Neum and the Pelješac Bridge
On the coast road, Neum is a short stretch of Bosnian coast. It cuts Croatia’s Dubrovnik-Neretva County off from the rest of the country. Before the bridge opened, driving between Dubrovnik and the rest of Croatia by road meant crossing it.
The Pelješac Bridge, 2,404 m long, opened to traffic on 26 July 2022. It lets Croatian road traffic skip the Neum crossing. It does not change the trip to Mostar. Road traffic between Dubrovnik and Mostar still crosses the Croatia-Bosnia border.
Which to choose
- One day only, no planning: a tour. See the day tours page.
- You want more than a few hours in Mostar: the bus, plus a night in town. See where to stay and the Mostar itinerary.
- You want several stops on your own timing: a hire car, if the paperwork is fine for you, or a private transfer.
- Travelling with children or limited energy: a private transfer or a small-group tour keeps the day gentler.
The getting there page covers other starting points, and the home page has an overview of Mostar. See the Old Bridge once you arrive.
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