Public Transport and Spatial Inequality in Post-Conflict Sarajevo: Governance Challenges and Inclusive Mobility

Abstract

The public transport system of Sarajevo embodies pronounced spatial and socio-economic inequalities shaped by its post-socialist and post-conflict trajectory. This article investigates how fragmented governance and uneven service provision contribute to exclusion, particularly in peripheral urban areas. Based on a mixed-methods research design, including the survey of 150 residents, approximately 40 interviews, participatory mapping, and policy analysis, the study reveals marked disparities between well-connected central districts and inadequately served outskirts. Respondents report prolonged commuting times, unreliable services and economic barriers such as unaffordable fares. Institutional fragmentation across municipal, cantonal and entity levels hinders coordinated planning. Public transport also possesses symbolic significance, with recent tram and trolleybus projects perceived as expressions of reintegration. The article argues for the development of inclusive mobility policies that enhance equity, cohesion and opportunity.