What kind of bike do you recommend?
The TBR is a mountain bike race, and although there are no excessive technical difficulties, riding an MTB will allow you to enjoy it fully!
How many people can ride together?
You can ride the Trans Balkan Race solo or in pairs. Rules apply to both categories, but consider pairs as a whole. Members of pairs can share food, equipment, drafting…
Both members of a pair must register for the race and will have a personal tracker.
How do I organize my accommodation before/during/afer the race?
This is, by all means, an unsupported race. You’ll therefore need to arrange your stays before, during, and after the race.
In the Race Manual, we’ll provide some general information to help you organize your stay before the start and at the finish line.
What is the best way to get to the start with my bike?
In 2026, the race starts in Trieste, Italy. Ljubljana (Slovenia) and Trieste (Italy) are the nearest airports.
Trieste Airport has a dedicated train station directly under the terminal. The train connection takes 30 minutes to Trieste Centrale and costs around 5€.
Ljubljana Airport has better connection to Central Europe and the Balkans. It’s a bigger airport, and direct trains to Trieste run several times per day (around 9€).
Both in Slovenia and Italy, it’s also possible to book an airport pick-up with GoOpti (www.goopti.com).
Please check with the railway company for the availability of bike spaces and reservation of tickets. Info on the connection here: https://potniski.sz.si/en/trieste-trieste-airport-ronchi-udine/
How to get back to the start
The 2026 Trans Balkan Race starts in Trieste (Italy) and finishes in Risan (Montenegro). There is no organized transport provided by the race, but riders have several reliable options to return to the start.
By plane
The fastest option is to fly from one of Montenegro’s nearby airports and then connect to Trieste.
Main airports near Risan:
– Tivat (TIV) – 25 km
– Podgorica (TGD) – 90 km
– Dubrovnik (DBV, Croatia) – 60 km (border crossing required!)
From any of these airports, you can fly to:
– Trieste Airport (TRS)
– Ljubljana (LJU)
– Venice Marco Polo (VCE) or Venice Treviso (TSF)
From Venice, Trieste Airport, or Ljubljana, trains and buses to Trieste Centrale run frequently.
By bus
Direct long-distance buses connect Montenegro with Croatia and Slovenia.
Typical route: Kotor / Herceg Novi → Dubrovnik → Split → Zagreb → Ljubljana → Trieste.
Travel times are long (15–24 hours depending on connections), but this is often the cheapest option.
By bike
Some riders choose to cycle back. The Adriatic coast offers a continuous route through Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, and back to Trieste. Expect significant elevation and summer traffic in some sections, especially on the coastal stretch (Jadranska Magistrala).
What if I can’t ride and want to cancel my inscription?
The Trans Balkan Race commits to refunding 80% of the entry fee if a rider withdraws their application before March 1st, 2026.
After March 1st, 2026, the entry fee is non-refundable.
Mandatory documents
– Copy of personal ID or Passport
– Copy of personal insurance (including search&rescue operations, medical expenses, and repatriation)
– Health certificate (template provided by the organization upon registration)
– Signed liability waiver (template provided by the organization upon registra)
Media License
By signing the rider’s agreement for the Trans Balkan Race, you agree to give all commercial rights to any content you produce during the race to Exploro. If you want to use part of those rights for your own projects, you can request a Media License.
What does this mean?
If you want to promote, tag, or thank your sponsors or brands (including your own) through your participation at the Trans Balkan Race, you must obtain a Media License.
How does it work?
The Media License allows you to use race-related content for commercial or sponsored purposes while ensuring fairness for all riders and protecting the support of the official race partners who make the event possible.
Media Licenses start at 50 €. The final price depends on the scope of your project, its distribution, and any partners involved.
To apply for a Media License, contact us at hello@transbalkanrace.com
Press Accreditation
Press Accreditations can be granted to media crews (i.e., a media crew following one or more particular riders throughout the race) presenting a written application with the project details before the end of April. For applications, please reach out to hello@transbalkanrace.com.
The Race Director will assess the need for a Race Official’s presence on each media car.
