Tuzla is the third largest city inBosnia and Herzegovina, in one of the most important industrial Bosnian regions. The city was hardly directly targeted by the war, except for an incident near the end of the war, when 72 people were killed by a shell fired into the Old Town during the evening. Nowadays, the city’s economy is still predominantly based around industry, although there has been significant development in tourism in the 21st century.
Travelling to Tuzla is easy from the south, less so from the Republika Srpska orSerbia. Do not trust the bus timetable on the black board in the main bus station, as these times were universally inaccurate!
There are many buses (first M-F at 09:30, Sa Su at 10:00, last at 18:50 - 1-2 per hour) fromSarajevo to Tuzla. Also there are buses (first at 04:00, last at 18:00- 1-2 per hour) from Tuzla to Sarajevo. One-way ticket costs 13-20 BAM (depends on bus company) and journey takes 3 hours.
There are three buses (04:45, 06:30, 16:00) fromMostar to Tuzla. Also there are buses (08:00, 09:30) from Tuzla to Mostar. One-way ticket costs approx. 36 BAM and journey takes 5½ hours.
There are two buses (06:30 and 13:30) fromOsijek to Tuzla. Also there are buses (06:00 and 13:00) from Tuzla to Osijek. Journey takes 3½ hours. Schedule is availablehere.
There is one bus (07:00) fromSplit to Tuzla. Also there are buses (05:30 and 08:00) from Tuzla to Split. Schedule is availablehere. Journey takes 9 hours.
To travel fromBanja Luka, change atDoboj. There are two daily services to Bijeljina, where there are connections to other destinations in RS such as Višegrad, as well as Serbia and Montenegro.There are direct buses fromBelgrade. A journey takes four hours, running three times a day.
From or toSarajevo,Croatia,Slovenia orGermany you can use theSalinea-bus company[dead link] - not all buses are listed on that website.
As of 2025, there are no passenger trains from or to Tuzla; the closest major town with passenger rail service is Doboj.
(updated Jan 2025)
Bosnia has beautiful countryside. The best place to travel is to Osman's old house. It is wonderful.
The first place to visit is the square at the center of the old town. This is the site of the Tuzla Massacre,where 72 young people were killed in 1995. Ask a local to translate the poem carved into the monument. Then walk over to the park where the 72 young people are buried. The old town is very nice and the park is very beautiful.
You should also visit the Pannonica Lakes, whose water is directly supplied from the local wells of salt water. Tuzla's salt has been exploited for centuries and you should visit the Salt square dedicated to this aspect of Tuzla's history.
If you are interested in art, visit some of Tuzla's beautiful art galleries. If you are interested in history, you should see the model of ancient village set near the Pannonica.
(updated Nov 2018)Locally produced wicker craft like baskets or furniture.
All the usual Bosnian dishes are available throughout the town, but international cuisine does not have a high presence. There are also many traditional Bosnian fast food restaurants where you can eatcevapi prepared differently than in Sarajevo.
All these are in the city centre:
The Old Town has numerous cafes and bars.
Buses run very regularly to Lukavac, about 20 minutes away. From here, a ten minute taxi takes you to Lake Modrac, a large lake with a few restaurants. Due to industrial pollution, however, it is not safe to swim in the lake.
A more promising destination is Lake Bistarac. Take a local bus for Lukavac, and get off just before the town. Up a hill lies a clean freshwater lake. There is a minimal entry charge, with a small extra charge for use of the slide into the lake. Stalls and a restaurant serve food.
Kladanj, about 90 minutes away by bus towards Sarajevo, is a small, attractive town with many little restaurants, and small ski-resort nearby.
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