FAQ

No, the Trans Dinarica route will exist in digital format only. Read more here: Trans Dinarica GPS navigation packages: what will they contain and how will they be available

Yes, the general map of the entire Trans Dinarica route across all countries is available free of charge. Each stage is presented with an official pdf map available for free download on the country’s specific map, showing route track, vertical profile, and basic technical info about the length and elevation.

This way, you can see where the route leads and use this to navigate on a bicycle yourself – with some ingenuity and more clicking, of course.

But, to make the life of an adventurer easier, you can buy a navigational pack for the Ride with GPS app. Read more here: Trans Dinarica GPS navigation packages: what will they contain and how will they be available

• GPS track for the whole country.
• Surface data (paved, unpaved).
• Information on the height difference (altitude/climbs).
• Useful POIs (warnings about important route characteristics, accommodations, inns, shops, bicycle workshops, natural and cultural heritage, …).
• Descriptions of individual stages (interesting sites along the way, difficulty of cycling, specifics regarding accommodation …).
• Information about the so-called hubs that you can use for easier logistics (connecting routes to major cities with airports, bus, and rail connections).

In short, the navigation package is informative enough that you should have no problems planning a cycling trip and navigating through an unknown country.

Yes, the navigational package, once purchased, offers the possibility of downloading GPS data and you can use it on other devices (Garmin, Wahoo, …) or applications. You can manually download GPX files from the RWGPS App (just tracks, no POIs or any other Experience content). See some useful info here.

Even without using the RWGPS mobile App for navigation, you can still use the RWGPS Experience on your mobile device as a secondary source of maps, POIs, and itinerary information, all accessible offline. You can find more instructions in your Private Zone once you purchase the Navigation Pack.

Read more here: Trans Dinarica GPS navigation packages: what will they contain and how will they be available

You don’t need a subscription to RWGPS App to use the Navigation packs (Experiences) individually, one country (one QR-code) at a time. You can simply download one Experience and go riding with RWGPS Mobile App. After changing the country, you can download another country etc.

To be able to have several navigation packages (Experiences) accessible from your RWGPS App, without continuous scanning of QR-codes, you can create your own RWGPS account for free (Starter plan). This is not related to Trans Dinarica packages or registration, it means just creating your own and free personal RWGPS account; for an advanced RWGPS App usage, you can also decide for Premium plan/ Subscription, if preferred.

Once logged in to your RWGPS account, you can switch between the Experience pages and the RWGPS account page. That is possible by tapping on the Experiences tab on Home screen of your RWGPS App. You can exit each Experience and return to your account and choose another one (or the same).

You can find some good explanations here on RWGPS support page.

When you purchase a navigation package, you cannot add or upgrade to new packages later under the same registration. Therefore, it’s important to decide which packages (countries) you need before making a purchase. If you need additional packages later, the only option is to create a new registration using a different email address, though this isn’t ideal. We are aware that this is a limitation, and we plan to address it with a platform upgrade by the end of 2024. Thank you for your understanding.

The simple answer is yes, of course the route can also be traveled in the opposite direction, but for comprehensive turn-by-turn guidance and the use of all navigation advantages some clicking will be required. Read more here: Creating your own ‘reverse Trans Dinarica route’ with Ride With GPS App.

After the purchased navigation package expires, a new, updated version will be published and offered to existing subscribers at a reduced price. Additionally, the previous version will remain available for anyone who wishes to continue using it.

Roughly speaking, we can say that about 80% of the entire cycling route is asphalted, but of course the ratio varies from stage to stage. So far, we have also recorded a stage with as much as 99% macadam (that’s in Croatian part of Trans Dinarica).

Let’s add a subjective opinion that you have the feeling that there is more gravel when cycling – which is logical, since you ride slower on macadam. Read more here: How many paved roads and how many macadams can I expect on the Trans Dinarica cycling route?

If you want a short answer which will cover the whole route, the answer is: from May to September. But it’s a bit more complicated (like weather is). Read more here: What time of the year should I cycle the Trans Dinarica? A few words about the weather in the Balkans.

It is good if you are aware of what it means to cycle 1,000 meters of altitude in one day. Sometimes there will be fewer, sometimes even up to twice that amount, but the criteria should be the elevation more than the distance (which is 50 km average). Read more here: How fit do I need to be for the Trans Dinarica? Where are the biggest challenges?

If you travel only the main route in each country with no secondary options, this adds up to 62 stages. If you do one a day, it’s easy to do the math. But add days for rest, sightseeing, possible bike repairs or transport back to the start, etc. Take your time.

Yes, you can find local tourist organizations that will take care of organized Trans Dinarica cycling tours along the route. They commited to sustainability and quality – you can read more here: Guided cycling tours on the Trans Dinarica will be organized by local tourist agencies

We haven’t tried it but given our experience with power sockets on the way and the range of modern e-bikes, cycling the Trans Dinarica with an e-bike shouldn’t be a problem. More here: Cycling the Trans Dinarica with an e-bike? Yes, it’s doable (using common sense)

We didn’t have any issues on the way, the biggest problem is that after you feed a cute stray dog, it can run with you for several kilometers. However, it is necessary to bear in mind that the Trans Dinarica runs in the wilderness, where bears, wolves, and wild boars live, as well as past pastures, where sheep are probably guarded by big dogs, which are there for the purpose of guarding livestock. Read more here: Cycling on Trans Dinarica: What about stray and shepherd dogs and wild animals?

We don’t want to scare you, but we also don’t want to give you false hope that cycling through the Balkans is a Hollywood romantic movie. There will be roads, sometimes better, sometimes worse; sometimes quite busy and sometimes you’ll be riding on lose gravel. There will be stages where you will not encounter a shop or restaurant from morning to evening. Read more about this here: Cycling the Trans Dinarica with kids and bike trailers?

Not everywhere and not always. It is wise to carry some local cash with you for daily needs. Information about local currencies can be found on the country-specific LOGISTICS page.

In most countries, the dishes are predominantly meaty, so the menu will be somewhat, to say the least, limited – especially for vegans. But there is always some kind of salad, bread, homemade olive oil, potatoes… However, we kindly recommend that you try to relax a little about your diet, it will be easier for everyone. From our experience, more non-meat food is available in Slovenia and Albania. More about the food here: Food on Trans Dinarica: strong, meaty, but also fresh and local (tips for hungry cyclists)

Yes. You should be nice, too – and don’t take advantage of their hospitality. Read more here: How hospitable are the locals in the Balkans? THIS much! (Description of three events in a single day)

Not really. In some Muslim-majority countries, you’ll have to go with soft drinks. Cockta, the local decaf cola, is just fine. Not to mention the water that is drinkable everywhere.

Cycling is increasingly popular in the Balkans, but don’t count on a bicycle workshop on every stage. Therefore, keep basic tools and spare parts with you. We marked some the mechanical workshops in the navigation packages.

If you stay on the route, there is no chance for danger from mines. This, however, doesn’t mean that a few areas crossed by the Trans Dinarica have recently suffered from the war of the 1990s. In some parts of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina you will come across red signs “Mine! Zabranjen prolaz!” (Mines! Do not pass!) on the side of the road. Read more here: What’s the situation with mines along the Trans Dinarica?

Unfortunately, no, cycling infrastructure is still under development in the Balkans, in some countries there are many cycling roads, in others less. However, our main goal when creating the route was to find roads with as little traffic as possible, which we mostly succeeded (but not quite every kilometer). Of course, whenever it was possible, we joined the cycle paths.