Border Crossings Between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia

The border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia is largely defined by the course of the Drina River, a waterway that has been both a bridge and a barrier throughout history. It was immortalized in Ivo Andrić’s Nobel Prize-winning novel, “The Bridge on the Drina.” This frontier is a place of deep historical significance, having been a frontline during World War I and a place of intense conflict during the Bosnian War of the 1990s. Today, it is a peaceful crossing connecting two closely linked nations. There are several major crossings, with the most historically resonant being at Višegrad, home to the famous Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge described in Andrić’s novel.

Another key crossing is at Karakaj, which connects the cities of Zvornik (Bosnia) and Mali Zvornik (Serbia). Further north, the crossing at Rača is a major commercial hub on the main highway toward Belgrade. The Drina River valley is incredibly scenic, with green, rolling hills and steep gorges. A journey along this border is a trip through a landscape that holds the deep and often tragic stories of the region, a place where history feels very present and powerful.