History

From 1991 to 1993 there were three railway companies in the territory of Bosnia-Hercegovina. Željeznice Bosne i Hercegovine (Railways of Bosnia and Hercegovina) was one, operating in the Bosnian areas with trains between Visoko and Zavidovići via Zenica and Hadžići toward Jablanica via Konjic.

The second was Željeznice Herceg-Bosne (Railways of Herceg-Bosna), operating in the Croatian areas formerly known as Herceg-Bosna with local trains between Bačevići and Čapljina.

In the rest of the territory the former Yugoslav People's Army controlled railway traffic on behalf of the Serbian Democratic Party, establishing Željeznice Srpske, later called Željeznice Republike Srpske (Railways of the Republic of Srpska).

In 1998 an agreement was made to merge ŽBH and ŽHB into one company called Željeznice Federacije Bosne i Hercegovine, with the operating name of Željeznice Bosne i Hercegovine. ŽRS continues to operate as an independent company.

Overview of Locomotive Classes Permitted to Travel on Certain Relations updated 08/12/2001

Passenger Cars
Freight Wagons

Infrastructure

Signalisation: Signals are either colour light or semaphore. Most are damaged and inoperable, but the colour light signals on the line Sarajevo-Konjic are operable and in use, as well as in the station at Zenica.

Electrification: The mainline Sarajevo-Mostar-Ploče (Croatia) is electrified completely, as is the line Visoko-Zenica-Zavidovići. From Zavidovići to Doboj in Republika Srpska the line is not electrified due to war damage that has yet to be repaired.

On the line Sarajevo-Ploče there are 102 tunnels, the longest of which is over 3000m long.

Stations

Services

Ticket, Sarajevo-Mostar

At present passenger services to and from Tuzla have been suspended; there were and are to be trains between Tuzla and Banovići, Brčko and Doboj. There are local trains on the relations Sarajevo-Konjic, Sarajevo-Visoko, Sarajevo-Kakanj, Visoko-Zenica, Zenica-Zavidoviči, Bihać-Martin Brod and Bihać-Blatna. There is international service on the line Sarajevo-Mostar-Čapljina-Ploče (Croatia), and since the institution of the new Summer 2001 timetable, there is an international fast train on the relation Sarajevo-Doboj-Banja Luka-Zagreb. The four daily returns between Čapljina and Ploče have been suspended, and now there is only the "Bosna Ekspres" from Sarajevo to Ploče with one return trip daily. It is planned to introduce an international fast trains Zagreb-Bihać-Knin in the near future. Domestic trains are second class only (even if the carriage is labelled as first class); the "Bosna Ekspres" runs with both first and second class cars as well as a dining car.

International goods trains run on schedule, most of the cargo is SFOR shipments. These trains run through Brčko and Dobrljin.

ŽBH Official Website

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