Sarajevo Tunnel of Hope Tour: Survival and Resilience

The Story of the Tunnel of Hope

By early 1993, Sarajevo was completely encircled, and the only gap was the airport, controlled by the United Nations. In just four months, residents dug an 800-metre tunnel beneath the runway, connecting the Dobrinja neighbourhood to Butmir on free territory.

About 1.6 metres high and one metre wide, the Sarajevo War Tunnel carried food, fuel, medicine and weapons, as well as soldiers and civilians. Around 20 million kilos of supplies are thought to have passed through it. Our guide explains how it was built with shovels and pickaxes, working day and night under fire.

Visiting the Tunnel of Hope Museum

The tunnel's southern entrance lies under the Kolar family house in Butmir, whose owners let their property be used for the war effort. Today the house is a museum with a preserved section of about 25 metres of tunnel, original equipment, photographs and uniforms.

Plan around 45 minutes to an hour inside. The Tunnel of Hope Museum ticket is not included in this tour and is paid at the entrance. For many visitors, walking through the narrow passage is the most moving moment of their visit to Bosnia. Take a moment in the garden outside, where shell damage on the house walls has been left as it was.

Sniper Alley and the City Under Siege

On the way, the tour follows the main boulevard nicknamed Sniper Alley, where residents ran between buildings to avoid gunfire from the hills. You see landmarks such as the yellow Holiday Inn and buildings still marked by shrapnel.

Along the route the guide points out the Sarajevo Roses, concrete scars from mortar shells filled with red resin to mark where people died. Our introductory film, shown before the drive, gives context so every stop makes sense. The boulevard links the Old Town with the western districts, and crossing it was one of the most dangerous parts of daily life during the war. Today trams run along it again, and new glass towers stand beside scarred facades.

Tips for Your Tunnel of Hope Tour

How do you get to the Tunnel of Hope? It lies near Sarajevo airport, about 12 kilometres from the Old Town, and public transport there is slow, so a guided tour with transport is the easiest option.

The museum is open daily, with longer hours in summer; opening hours change by season. Go in the morning to avoid tour groups. The tunnel section is low, so tall visitors must bend, and the stories are emotional, so it suits teenagers and adults best. Since the tour returns you to the centre, it combines well with an afternoon walk through Bascarsija.