How do tolls work on Bosnia's A1 motorway?
In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the A1 motorway is run by the public company JP Autoceste FBiH. BIHAMK, the national automobile club, describes the Bosnian system as closed: you take a magnetic ticket when you join and pay by distance when you leave.
The current prices rest on a Federation decree that took effect on 22 August 2024, according to the operator's price list page. An ordinary rental car is class I: two axles, no taller than 1.3 m at the front axle and registered for up to seven seats. Class Ia is for motorcycles.
In the Republika Srpska entity, motorways are run by a different company, Autoputevi RS, with its own price list. The fares below cover only the Federation's A1 sections nearest Sarajevo.
A1 fares from Sarajevo
These class I amounts come from JP Autoceste FBiH's official PDF price lists for Sarajevo sjever to Zenica sjever and Sarajevo zapad to Bradina, read on 23 September 2026.
| Trip | Direction | Car (class I) | Lost-ticket fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarajevo sjever to Visoko | North | 2.00 KM | 14.00 KM |
| Sarajevo sjever to Kakanj | North | 4.00 KM | 14.00 KM |
| Sarajevo sjever to Zenica jug | North | 6.00 KM | 14.00 KM |
| Sarajevo sjever to Zenica sjever | North | 7.00 KM | 14.00 KM |
| Sarajevo zapad to Tarčin | South-west | 2.50 KM | 7.00 KM |
| Sarajevo zapad to Bradina | South-west | 3.50 KM | 7.00 KM |
The south-western price list stops at Bradina. Beyond it, the route to Mostar continues on the main road, and the operator lists its other tolled sections (Svilaj–Odžak in the north, Čapljina–Ljubuški in the south) separately.
Paying in marks, euros or by card
The price lists state that tolls are charged in convertible marks and euros, but change is given only in marks, at a rate of €1 = 1.80 KM.
Card payment is available through self-service machines in lanes marked ONLY CARD. According to JP Autoceste FBiH, these work around the clock at the Svilaj, Ljubuški, Zenica jug and Tarčin stations for class I and II vehicles. You insert the magnetic ticket, the machine shows the fare, and you tap your bank card.
The electronic tag, called ACC, costs 33 KM and is sold at every toll station, according to the operator's FAQ. There is no discount on the toll itself. Instead, you get 20% extra credit on each top-up, so a tag is not worth buying for one rental.
Worked example: a day trip to Zenica
A car drives from Sarajevo sjever to Zenica sjever and back: 2 × 7.00 KM = 14.00 KM. The driver has only euro notes.
Paying 7.00 KM with a €5 note counts as 9.00 KM at the operator's rate, so the change is 2.00 KM, given in marks. Doing the same on the return leaves 4.00 KM in coins and notes you may not use again. Two options avoid this: carry marks, or leave the motorway at Zenica jug on the way out and pay by card at the ONLY CARD machine there.
Rental terms that change the trip
Here are two published sets of Sarajevo rental terms, read on 23 September 2026. The Enterprise Sarajevo airport branch page gives detailed policies. The Airport Car Rental FAQ is much shorter.
| Point | Enterprise, Sarajevo airport | Airport Car Rental (airport.ba) |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | 21 (mini and economy), 23 (compact and above) | 19, licence held 1 year |
| Licence held | 24 months | 1 year |
| Young driver fee | €17.55 a day, ages 21–22 on compact and above | Not stated |
| Deposit | €300 economy, €500 compact or medium, €1,000 larger; credit card only | None taken, per its FAQ |
| Cross-border | €75 permit; zero-excess cover required; no roadside help abroad | Allowed with notice at pickup |
| Not allowed | Albania, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Romania, Czech Republic, Belarus, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine | Not listed |
Enterprise also asks for an International Driving Permit if your licence is not in a European language or alphabet. Airport Car Rental's own guide page gives slightly different figures from its FAQ, so get the deposit and border terms confirmed in writing when you book.
Which licence you can drive on
Article 188 of the Law on the Basics of Road Traffic Safety lets a foreigner staying temporarily drive on a valid foreign licence or an International Driving Permit issued under the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. Driving in breach of this article carries a 100–300 KM fine. The text is in the consolidated law published by BIHAMK.
Can you take a Sarajevo rental car across the border?
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Albania are all members of the Green Card system. That means insurance cover can be extended across these borders. The rental contract decides where you may actually take the car, and that is where the limits come from.
The coastal road between Split and Dubrovnik runs briefly through Bosnian territory at Neum. A car rented in Croatia needs insurance valid in Bosnia and Herzegovina for that stretch. A car rented in Sarajevo and driven to Dubrovnik needs the rental company's permission for Croatia. Enterprise allows Croatia; Albania is on its excluded list.
Kosovo is not in the Green Card system. The Kosovo Insurance Bureau sells border insurance to vehicles from countries it has no agreement with. Enterprise does not allow its cars into Kosovo at all.
| Plan from Sarajevo | What to arrange at pickup |
|---|---|
| Mostar and the Bosnian coast at Neum | Nothing extra; you stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Day trip to Dubrovnik or Kotor | Declare Croatia or Montenegro, pay the border fee, carry the insurance papers |
| Loop through Serbia | Declare Serbia; ask what happens after a breakdown abroad |
| Albania or Kosovo | Check the contract; Enterprise excludes both |
For the bus alternative to Mostar and the coast, see Sarajevo airport and buses to Mostar and the coast.
What are the speed limits and fines in Bosnia?
Article 44 of the same law sets 50 km/h in towns, 80 km/h on ordinary roads, 100 km/h on expressways and roads reserved for motor vehicles, and 130 km/h on motorways. The JP Autoceste FBiH speed page repeats the 130 km/h motorway limit, with lower limits for buses, trucks and cars towing a caravan or light trailer (80 km/h).
| Over the limit | Fine | Other consequences |
|---|---|---|
| More than 10 up to 20 km/h | 50 KM | Penalty points if it causes a crash |
| More than 20 up to 30 km/h | 100–300 KM | 2 penalty points; driving ban of 1–4 months |
| More than 30 km/h | 400–1,000 KM | 2 penalty points; driving ban of 2–6 months |
These amounts come from Articles 234a, 235 and 237 in the 2019 consolidated text. Check with the rental company or police for any later amendment.
Article 90 requires dipped or daytime running lights whenever you drive, including in daylight.
Worked example: a fine that reaches the rental company
A camera records a rental car at 104 km/h on an 80 km/h road: 24 km/h over. The band is 100–300 KM, and the driver also faces a driving ban in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Because the camera identifies the plate, the notice goes to the owner. The law requires the owner or user to give the police the name of the driver at the time. For a rental car, that means the company passes on your details from the contract. Enterprise's page lists a €25-plus-VAT damage assessment fee but no traffic-fine fee, so ask at the desk what, if anything, it charges for forwarding a fine.
Do you need winter tyres in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
According to BIHAMK, every car must carry winter equipment from 1 November to 1 April, whatever the weather. That means one of three setups:
- winter tyres (M+S or similar) on all wheels
- winter tyres on the driven wheels plus chains ready to fit
- summer tyres with at least 4 mm of tread on all wheels plus chains ready to fit
Roads from Sarajevo to places like Bjelašnica, Jahorina or the Neretva valley climb quickly. If you rent between November and April, ask whether the car has winter tyres on all four wheels, not just chains in the boot. A car on summer tyres and chains meets the law but is much less comfortable on a snowy pass.
Continuing east or south? See Serbian motorway tolls and renting in Belgrade and renting a car and cross-border driving from Tirana.