The Tunnel of Hope: visiting from Ilidža
The museum at the Butmir end of the wartime tunnel, about 3.9 km from River Walk.
The Tunnel of Hope (Tunel spasa) is the museum at the Butmir end of the tunnel dug under the runway of Sarajevo Airport in 1993. It is about 3.9 km from River Walk, about 7 minutes by car. Tickets currently cost 20 KM, paid in cash in local currency, and the last entry is half an hour before closing.
In this guide
The story in brief
During the siege of Sarajevo, the airport runway separated the surrounded city from territory held by the Bosnian army. Between March and June 1993 a tunnel was dug by hand beneath the runway, linking Dobrinja on the city side with Butmir. With its covered approach trenches it was about 800 metres long and roughly 1.6 metres high, and food, fuel, humanitarian aid and people passed through it until the end of the war.
What you see
The museum is built around the family house whose cellar was the Butmir entrance. You walk through 25 metres of the original tunnel, then see a film, photographs, equipment and documents from 1993 to 1995. Tall visitors need to stoop inside the tunnel.
Opening hours and tickets
These are the Memorial Centre’s current figures; check its page before you go.
- 1 April to 31 October: 08:30–17:00, last entry 16:30
- 1 November to 31 March: 09:00–16:00, last entry 15:30
- Adults: 20 KM
- Pupils and students: 8 KM
- Children under 6: free
- Audio guide: 3 KM
- Payment in cash, in KM only
Getting there from Ilidža
A taxi from River Walk takes about 7 minutes and comes to about 12 KM on the meter. Arrange your return before the driver leaves: ask them to wait, or order a car through Sarajevo Taxi on 1515 or the mojTaxi app. The walk is about 4 km, about 53 minutes, mostly along roads. No tram runs to Butmir.
From the city centre
From the old town, the museum is on the far side of the city, beyond the airport. Visitors staying in the centre come by taxi or on a guided tour. From Ilidža it fits into a morning or the end of an afternoon, and it combines well with a walk to Vrelo BosneThe springs where the Bosna River begins. Paths and small bridges cross the channels under the trees, with benches and a children’s playground.3.8 km · about 51 min on foot · about 9 min by car on the same day.
How long to allow, and visiting with children
Allow about an hour at the museum. The subject is the siege and the people who lived through it; parents should decide whether it suits their children.
Questions
Where is the Tunnel of Hope?
In Donji Kotorac, in the municipality of Ilidža, on the far side of the airport runway from the terminal. From River Walk it is about 3.9 km, about 7 minutes by car.
How much are tickets for the Sarajevo war tunnel?
Currently 20 KM for adults and 8 KM for pupils and students; children under 6 enter free. An audio guide costs 3 KM.
Can I pay by card at the Tunnel of Hope?
No. The museum takes cash in local currency (KM) only.
What are the opening hours?
From 1 April to 31 October 08:30–17:00, and from 1 November to 31 March 09:00–16:00. The last entry is 30 minutes before closing.
How long does a visit take?
About an hour, including the film and the walk through the preserved section of the tunnel.
Sources and visitor information
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