Is the Sarajevo Bobsleigh Track safe to walk on?
Walking the track is generally safe during daylight hours if you stay on the concrete path, but visitors must avoid wandering into the deep woods due to the lingering risk of unexploded landmines.
Skip the crowded midday cable car and hike up early to have the decaying 1984 bobsleigh track to yourself. The concrete curves are covered in wild graffiti, but look closer for the pockmarks from sniper bullets—a heavy reminder of the city's siege. Budget two hours for the walk. If you want real context beyond the aesthetic decay, book the 'Story of a Survivor' tour. Wear decent sneakers; the incline will definitely test your cardio.
This brutalist concrete serpent winding through the pine forests of Mount Trebević is perhaps the most visceral symbol of Sarajevo's dual identity as a city of Olympic triumph and wartime tragedy. While many see it as just a backdrop for Instagram photos, the track is a raw, walkable museum where the thrill of the 1984 Winter Games collided with the 1,425-day siege. Walking down the curves, you feel the sheer scale of the engineering, now reclaimed by nature and local street artists. It is an eerie, beautiful, and physically demanding site that offers a perspective on the city’s resilience that you simply cannot get from the cobblestone streets of the Old Town. You are stepping on the same concrete that once hosted world-class athletes, now scarred by tactical holes used by snipers during the war. Getting to the summit is easiest via the Sarajevo Cable Car, which departs from the Bistrik neighborhood; once at the top station, the start of the track is just a five-minute walk away. Most visitors make the mistake of only walking the first few hundred meters, but the full descent takes you nearly two kilometers down the mountain. If you plan to walk the entire length, avoid the late afternoon when the shadows make the path slippery and visibility poor. There is no entrance fee, but you should bring plenty of water as there are no kiosks once you start the descent. Sturdy footwear is non-negotiable because the concrete is uneven, and the surrounding grass often hides debris or steep drops that can catch casual tourists off guard. One of the most overlooked aspects of the site is the connection to the nearby Observatory ruins, which offer a 360-degree view that often surpasses the main cable car viewpoint. To find the best vantage point of the city framed by the track's curves, look for the 'S' bend near the middle section where the forest thins out. Instead of heading straight back to the cable car, follow the forest trails toward the abandoned Bistrik Kula, an old Austro-Hungarian fortress that provides an even deeper layer of historical context. This route allows you to see the military importance of this ridge, explaining why it became such a strategic and deadly position during the 1990s conflict. Winter visits transform the track into a treacherous ice slide, making it dangerous for casual walking but visually stunning when the graffiti pops against the white snow. The best time to experience the track is during the shoulder seasons of May or September when the temperatures are mild enough for the hike back up. Local history buffs suggest visiting early on a weekday to avoid the mountain bikers who sometimes use the concrete curves for high-speed runs. Seeing the track in the morning light provides a clearer view of the bullet pockmarks and the structural damage, serving as a quiet, powerful testament to Sarajevo’s ability to move forward while still honoring its complex and painful past.
Walking the track is generally safe during daylight hours if you stay on the concrete path, but visitors must avoid wandering into the deep woods due to the lingering risk of unexploded landmines.
Take the Sarajevo Cable Car from the Hrvatin station for a scenic ten-minute ride to Mount Trebević, then follow the signs near the top station to reach the start of the track.
There is no admission fee to walk the bobsleigh track as it is a public site, though you will need to pay for the cable car ticket if you choose not to hike.
Professional mountain bikers frequently use the concrete curves for downhill runs, but casual cyclists should avoid this as the surface is extremely narrow, steep, and often covered in debris or moss.
Wear hiking boots or sneakers with excellent grip, as the concrete is often slick with moss and the two-kilometer walk involves steep inclines and uneven surfaces that can easily cause slips.