Is it better to pay taxis in Bosnia and Herzegovina with cash, or do drivers accept cards or payment apps?
My experience was that taxis in Bosnia and Herzegovina generally run on cash. I only saw one driver who offered card payment, and his machine failed halfway through. Luckily I had marks on me. I’d recommend tourists to always plan to pay with cash-it’s the only consistently accepted method. Restaurants, cafes, and hotels in the cities are usually card-friendly, but taxis are still far behind. For convenience, carry smaller bills, since drivers often don’t have much change for larger notes.
When I visited Bosnia and Herzegovina, I relied on taxis quite a bit, and they were almost always cash-only. Even drivers who displayed Visa or Mastercard logos said their machines weren’t working. It seems unreliable at best. Cash in Bosnian marks worked smoothly, and sometimes euros were accepted too, though usually at a worse rate. The fares aren’t high, so keep a stash of small notes for rides. For visitors, the safest option is simply to assume cash is necessary.
I traveled through Sarajevo and Mostar, and taxis were mostly cash-based. One company did accept cards, but out of the six rides I took, only one worked with plastic. For the rest, drivers asked directly for cash. It’s wise to carry local currency, but many drivers will also accept euros if you’re short on marks. The exchange rate isn’t great when paying in euros, though, so I’d recommend withdrawing enough local money. Overall, cards aren’t reliable for taxis here.
In Sarajevo, I discovered that most taxis prefer cash in Bosnian marks. A handful of larger companies had cars with card terminals, but reliability was a big issue. Drivers often said the machine was offline or not working. To avoid stress, I withdrew some cash at the start of my trip. Fares are low compared to Western Europe, so small notes are best. Don’t assume you can swipe a card, even if the sticker is displayed-it’s hit and miss.