Practical Information
Alcohol and tobacco
The legal minimum age for buying alcohol and tobacco is 18. It is not abnormal to be asked to show proof of age when making a purchase or entering certain bars or clubs. Attendees are advised to have their passports or IDs with them when purchasing those products.
The legal limit of alcohol concentration in blood for drivers is 0.03%.
Smoking is allowed indoors, with very few exceptions. In such case, there will be a clear sign or warning on the wall or the entrance.
Pack of cigarettes usually costs between 1,5 - 3,0KM ( 0,75 - 1,50€). Average price of 0,5l of beer is 2KM (1€) in shops and 5KM (2,5€) in restaurants and clubs. Though there's a large variety of wine, you can get a good quality wine for an average price of 10KM (5€).
Electricity
Electricity in BiH is 230 V, 50 Hz, for currents up to 16 A. Most, if not all power sockets are German style CEE7/4 Schuko.
Getting to the Venue
Please visit the Travel Information page for logistical travel information from various locations to the venue.
Health
Tap water is piped and is clean and safe to drink.
No vaccinations or immunizations are needed to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Laundry
There are several laundry services near the hotel. Map of the nearest public laundries.
Laundries are closed on Sunday.Bianco & Nero
- Location: Jovana Ducica 23a (inside "Cajavec" complex)
- Working hours: 08:00-16:00 (on Saturday - 07:00-15:00)
- Cost: Washing 1 kg of clothes is 2.5 KM (+tax), Ironing is 1.5 KM (+tax), and washing + ironing 3,00 KM (+tax)
- Contact phone: 00387 51 214 882 / Mobile 00387 65 443 332
A & D
- Location: Vase Pelagica bb (across the street from "Nova Bank")
- Working hours: 07:00-21:00 (on Saturday 08:00 - 20:00)
- Cost: Washing 1 kg of clothes is 3.00 KM (towels, sheets, etc.). If you have less then 1 kg of clothes then pricing is calculated for each individual piece of clothing: pants 5 KM PDV included, t-shirts 1.20 KM PDV included, shirts 1.75 KM PDV included
- Contact phone: 00387 51 303 412
Money
The currency in Bosnia and Herzegovina are the KM (convertible mark). Unfortunately, euro is no longer accepted currency in our coutry. However, there are many ATMs and exchange offices all around the city. ATMs will typically charge 1-2€ for a withdrawal.
There is an ATM in the lobby of Hotel Bosna, and several others nearby.
Sales tax in Banja Luka is always included in the prices you see. The generally-accepted standard rate for tipping in restaurants is 10-20% in the case of satisfactory service. It is customary to tip taxi drivers a comparable amount and bartenders ~1KM (~0,5€) per drink.
At the moment taxicabs do not accept credit cards as a method of payment!
Telephone
To call numbers in Bosnia and Herzegovina from other countries, dial +387.
Mobile (cell) phone networks in BiH use the GSM standard on 900 MHz and 1800 MHz.
The emergency services can be reached by dialing:
Service | Number |
Police | 122 |
Fire Dep | 123 |
Ambulance | 124 |
Time zone
In summer, Banja Luka uses the CEST (UTC/GMT +2, TZ={Europe/Sarajevo,CET}. does not work: TZ=CEST) time zone.
Tourist information
The official Banja Luka tourism website is at http://www.banjaluka-tourism.com/.
Weather
Average temperatures:
Month | Avg. low | Avg. high |
June | 12°C | 25°C |
July | 14°C | 28°C |
August | 13°C | 29°C |
Average yearly weather for Banja Luka
What to Bring
We suggest bringing:
- Passport, visa if required
- Health insurance details
- Directions to your hotel and venue, Banski Dvor
- Plug adapter or converter for "type F" socket
- Ethernet cable, preferably long, if you plan to use wired networking
- Powerstrip/multi-way electrical adaptor
The hotels will provide towels, sheets, blanket, pillow, pillowcase.