Dubrovnik to Mostar is 162 km from the airport's rent-a-car point at Dubrovnik Airport to the Old Bridge, about 2 h 55 by routed time, rounded up and without the border. The routed path follows the D8 and the D9, crosses into Bosnia and Herzegovina at Metković-Doljani and continues on the M-17 to Mostar.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is not in the European Union or the Schengen area. A car hired at Dubrovnik Airport needs its rental company's permission to cross, and the police check every traveller and the car on the way out of Croatia and on the way back in.
Can I drive a Croatian hire car to Mostar?
Yes, once permission is arranged. Under the hire terms for Croatia you request permission to travel outside the country by email from the booking help desk, and the price and conditions vary with the length of the trip, the type of car and the rental company's policy. Arrange it before the day, and before booking if the Mostar trip decides which car you want.
The other conditions of the hire still apply across the border. The car may be driven only on paved public roads, fines and tolls are the renter's cost, and a fine that reaches the rental company after the hire is charged to the deposit with an administration cost.
Do I need a green card for Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Not for a Croatian-registered car. The Green Card Bureau of Bosnia and Herzegovina accepts the registration plate of a vehicle from a Multilateral Agreement country, Croatia included, as valid proof of insurance.
Border insurance applies to vehicles from countries outside the green card system, such as the United States, and to member-country vehicles without valid international insurance.
Which border crossing is on the way to Mostar?
The routed path uses Metković-Doljani, which the Croatian police list as an international crossing for passengers. Nova Sela-Bijača, listed for passengers and goods, is the other international crossing the police name for the Mostar direction.
Crossings marked for local border traffic, such as Slano-Orahov Do and Imotica-Duži, are not open to tourists.
| Destination | Km | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Trebinje | 41 | 50 min |
| Mostar | 162 | 2 h 55 |
What checks happen at the border?
The border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina is an external Schengen border. Police check people, their belongings and the vehicle on exit and on entry. Non-EU nationals have their days counted against the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180.
Since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System records non-EU nationals on a short stay each time they cross an external border, taking fingerprints and a facial image in place of a passport stamp. EU citizens and citizens of Schengen-associated countries are not registered in it.
The Croatian Automobile Club names Metković among the busier southern crossings in summer and says waits of several hours are possible at the busiest crossings, especially towards Bosnia and Herzegovina. It advises checking conditions before you set off.
How far is Trebinje from Dubrovnik Airport?
Trebinje is 41 km from the airport and about 50 minutes by routed time, through the Gornji Brgat-Ivanica crossing, which the police list for passengers and goods. Čepikuće-Trebimlja, a passenger crossing, is also listed for Trebinje.
The permission rule is the same as for Mostar. A day to Trebinje still takes the car out of Croatia.
Does the route to Mostar pass through Neum?
The routed path to Mostar crosses at Metković-Doljani. Neum has its own two crossings, Klek-Neum I and Zaton Doli-Neum II, on the old road north, and the Pelješac bridge road towards Split avoids them and stays in Croatia.
What should I check on the car before driving to Mostar?
The mileage line. Some Dubrovnik hire cars have a daily kilometre cap, and Mostar and back is about 325 km of routed distance before any detour. The deposit line matters too, because some companies hold the deposit for 30 to 45 days after the return.
Croatia's legal alcohol limit for ordinary car drivers is 0.5 per mille, and from 1 November to 31 March daytime running lights or dipped headlights are required in the day. If you also plan to cross the Montenegro border at Karasovići, request permission for both countries before the trip.