How to Get to Blagaj by Public Transport

If you are wondering if you can get to Blagaj by public transport without the tour, you’re in luck. Blagaj is easy to get to by bus, and I will provide you with all the info you will need!

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Blagaj is a small town near Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, famous for the dervish monastery (Blagaj Tekija) which is beautifully situated on the river. It’s often visited as part of an organised tour that includes the Kravice waterfalls, Pocitelj and of course Blagaj – the so-called Herzegovina tour. But in case you don’t want to spend money on a tour, Blagaj is very easy to get to by bus!

If you are anything like me and don’t like joining organised tours, tagging along with hoards of other travellers and arriving at the destination already overrun by other tours and being told you have to be back in half an hour, you’ve probably already looked for ways to get to Blagaj by public transport.

In that case, you’re in the right place.

It’s very easy to get to Blagaj Blagaj without the tour, namely by local bus and you can arrive as early as you want to avoid crowds.

Towards the end of this post, I’ll also give you some tips on visiting Blagaj. So let’s go!

What is Blagaj Famous For?

Blagaj in Bosnia and Herzegovina is famous for a very picturesquely set Dervish Monastery – Blagaj Tekija built into the rock and situated at the source of the Buna River, which emerges from a cave at the base of a cliff.

The Buna River itself is also quite unusual. The source of the Buna River is a strong karst spring, which means that the river flows partly underground. Karst rivers often disappear underground and then reappear in different places. The water in these rivers is usually very clear and clean because it flows through the rocks and acts like a natural filter.

Blagaj Tekke (also called Tekija) was built over 600 years ago with elements of Ottoman architecture and in Mediterranean style and looks almost the same today as it did then.

It was the home of dervish monks, also known as Sufi dervishes, who belonged to a mystical branch of Islam called Sufism. They’re known for their devotion to spirituality, their pursuit of inner experiences and their various forms of physical and spiritual discipline, but especially for the praise chanting and dervish whirling practised by the Mevlevi order in Turkey.

Is Blagaj Worth Visiting?

Both the monastery and the town of Blagaj are very charming and beautiful, and since they are easily accessible from Mostar, Blagaj is definitely worth visiting.

However, I recommend getting there fairly early to avoid the crowds and arrive before the tours. Especially if you have plans to take pictures.

How Long do You Need to Visit Blagaj?

Blagaj is only a half-hour bus ride from Mostar and is relatively small, so you can easily make a half-day trip out of it.

If you do not plan to hike up to the fortress, I’d say a couple of hours is enough to see Blagaj, visit the monastery, and maybe have a quick meal.

How to Get to Blagaj by Public Transport from Mostar

To get to Blagaj, you can take the local bus #10 from the town centre of Mostar. Please note that the bus does not leave from one of the main bus stations, but it is a local bus that you can take from the Bulevar – the main street that passes by Spanish Square.

Google Maps doesn’t show the bus stop location but I got on the bus somewhere around here. There is another bus stop closer to Spanish Square, around here in front of the yellow building of United World College.

The trip takes about half an hour and the ticket costs 2.10 KM and can be bought from the driver. Blagaj is the last stop.

There is a timetable posted at the stop (the Blagaj bus runs quite frequently), but in my case, it did not arrive on time, so you just have to be patient. The bus leaves roughly every hour.

From the Blagaj bus stop, it’s a nice 15-minute walk to Blagaj Tekke. There is a small supermarket on the other side of the bus stop if you want to stock up on water or snacks.

The bus from Blagaj to Mostar departs from the same stop.

What to Do in Blagaj

On the way to Blaggaj Tekka you will pass many stores with souvenirs, local products and fruits.

Along the river, there are a few restaurants where you can get a coffee, a drink or a meal. I really enjoyed resting in one of these restaurants right by the river and enjoying the view.

When you arrive at the cave, you can visit the monastery for a fee of 10 km or 5 euros.

Since it is a monastery, you must dress respectfully and take off your shoes. In case you didn’t take anything to cover your arms or hair, don’t worry there are complimentary wraps and scarves offered at the entrance.

The house is very beautiful and it’s worth taking time to explore all its rooms like the coffee room, hammam or kitchen.

The best place to take photos of the Blagaj Tekke is on the opposite side of the river. This is also where you will be able to take a boat ride into the cave where the river starts.

Once you are done with this part of Blagaj and you feel like exploring (and walking) you can hike up to the Blagaj Fortress. 

Blagaj Fort already existed during the prehistoric and Roman periods and is set 275 metres (902 ft) above sea level. It is the National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although now only the walls remain it is a great place to hike to for perfect views.

Other Ways of Getting to Blagaj

Apart from getting to Blagaj by public transport you can also get to Blagaj by Taxi or take an organised tour. 

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is always better to call for a licenced taxi so if that’s your plan, ask your hotel and they will be able to order a taxi for you. The regular taxi charge in Bosnia is €1 per 1 km. It is 13km between Mostar and Blagaj so if you can share a taxi this could be quite an affordable ride. 

Another popular way of visiting Blagaj is as a part of an organised Herzegovina tour like this one from Mostar and this one from Dubrovnik. As part of the tour, you will also visit Pocitelj, Kravice Waterfalls and sometimes Medjugorje. 

I hope you found this guide on how to get to Blagaj by public transport helpful and as you can see, visiting Blagaj is an easy half-day trip from Mostar. 

If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below.

Until then enjoy Bosnia and Herzegovina and happy travels!

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Your Balkans Travel Cheatsheet

If you are travelling around the Balkans by bus, Flixbus covers a  lot of the routes but they often cooperate with local operators. It is convenient to book on the Flixbus website if you want to pay for your journey upfront.

If you prefer to pay directly with the local operator, be prepared to pay in cash. To check the timetable BusTicket4.me is the most reliable. But I still recommend only using it for checking the times and purchasing the ticket at the bus station.

In the majority of Balkan countries, you will pay a 1€ (or equivalent in local currency) fee for luggage.

The bus is the best way to travel between Balkan countries but there are a couple of stunning train routes you cannot miss like Sarajevo to Mostar or Belgrade to Bar!

If you are considering renting a car you can browse all rental companies via Expedia!

Always, always triple-check the information you were given, especially when it comes to inter-city travel. Only because one person, in one place says there are no busses, it doesn’t mean it’s true. Triple check.

Only Slovenia is within the Schengen Area so individual visa rules will apply.