Pristina to Sarajevo

This is not an ideal route if you have flown into the Pristina airport or come in through any of the other border crossings which Serbia considers to be illegitimate. Direct buses run daily at 6:30pm going through Novi Pazar Serbia for those who have crossed into Kosovo from a Serbian border crossing. 

If like me, you entered Kosovo from another border crossing (or flew in) the other option is the daily 7pm bus to Podgorica Montenegro which arrives around 2:30am, sleep for a few hours if you can in the bus station, and then to take the Podgorica to Sarajevo bus departing at 7am. 

The good news is that the ride through Montnegro though slow is a beautiful trip, the road, cut into the mountains on the side of a river offers some incredible views and every five minutes there is another tunnel that looks as if it was chiseled through the mountain by hand. This will arrive in Sarajevo at the smaller bus station on the Serbian part of town around 4pm for a total trip time of ~20 hours. The local bus station is a five minute walk from here and bus 31e Dobrinja - Vjecnica stops just before the national library in the heart of the city. 

 

Sarajevo is a great city and easy to see nearly everything in a two days. The must-sees are the Tunnel Museum - which allowed arms and food to continue flowing into the city while it was under seige during the war and the Sebrenica photo exhibition. The food is great. Kibe Restraunt, a short taxi ride up the hill should not be missed for a great traditional Bosnian meal with a view of the city, and it's hard to go wrong with the various cebap places. The nightlife is more difficult to find, when Sloga has live music it's apparently the place to be. For a more laid back drink (sit in a rocking chair and drink Rakia) - - otherwise known as The Goldfish Bar is popular with tourists and locals alike. 

Both times in Sarajevo I stated at Pansion Lion which is right in the center of old town and run by great people who will help with everything you could possibly need. In my case they ironed a suit and called the bus station to confirm the time of my departing bus, which needless to say made me a fan. Book ahead though, on my first stay I booked a single for E15 - a great deal if you can get it. On the next trip with everything else booked I settled for a bed in their large dorm room for the same rate.