The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina and covers roughly half of the country, including the capital Sarajevo, Mostar, Jajce, Travnik, Konjic, Bihać and Neum on the Adriatic. Ottoman bazaars and Austro-Hungarian boulevards sit beside Herzegovinian stone villages, emerald rivers and the Bjelašnica and Prenj mountains. Prices are low by European standards, the Convertible Mark (BAM) is pegged to the euro, and Sarajevo and Mostar are connected by a scenic road and a daily train.
The Federation is generally safe for visitors: violent crime is low, and Sarajevo and Mostar are safe at night with normal precautions. Main risks are landmines in rural areas, petty theft and mountain weather.
Current safety advisory
Medium
Level 2 - exercise increased caution (US State Department, updated August 2026), citing crime, landmines and terrorism risk; UK and Canada advise staying on marked paths due to unmarked mines and unexploded ordnance.
Last updated: 2026-08
Official advisories
Guidance from national travel-advisory services.
Level 2: Exercise increased caution
Follow local advice
Essential safety tips
Practical advice that applies everywhere.
Stay on marked paths and paved roads in rural and mountain areas; landmines from 1992-95 remain in some regions. The BHMAC mine-action site is bhmac.org.
Use licensed taxis or the Bolt and inDriver apps; agree the fare before getting into a street taxi.
Watch bags in crowded places such as Baščaršija, Ferhadija and the Stari Most area in Mostar.
Carry a photocopy or phone photo of your passport; the original stays at the hotel safe.
Emergency numbers: police 122, fire 123, ambulance 124, general emergency 112.
Do not drink and drive: the legal limit is 0.03% blood alcohol.
Mountain weather changes fast on Bjelašnica, Prenj and Čvrsnica; carry a rain shell even in summer.
Bring comprehensive travel insurance including medical evacuation; hospitals outside Sarajevo and Mostar are basic.
Common scams to avoid
Recognise and sidestep tourist-targeted scams.
Health considerations
Staying healthy on your trip.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities
- Vaccinations
- Routine vaccines; tick-borne encephalitis in forests
- Hospitals
- Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo, Bolnička 25
- Insurance
- Medical and evacuation insurance recommended
Safety for specific travellers
Tailored advice for different groups.
Solo travellers
Solo travelers report feeling safe in Sarajevo and Mostar; stay in central hotels and use taxis late at night.
Female travellers
Women travelers generally feel safe; dress modestly in rural and religious areas.
Families
Family travel is easy; watch for traffic and cobblestones and use car seats in rentals.
LGBTQ+ travellers
Same-sex relationships are legal but social acceptance is limited; discretion is advised outside Sarajevo.
Emergency contacts
Numbers to know before you go.
- Police
- 122
- Fire
- 123
- Ambulance
- 124
- General
- 112
- Us Embassy
- Hamdije Čemerlića 39, Sarajevo (verify phone on ba.usembassy.gov)
- Mine Action
- bhmac.org