Neum is 60 kilometers (37 mi) from Dubrovnik (80 km/50 mi from the Dubrovnik Airport), 70 km (43 mi) from Mostar and Međugorjeand 30 km (19 mi) from Ploče and Metković, both of which have railway stations.
The Neum region cuts Croatia into two non-contiguous parts. This is a result of the Treaty of Karlowitz of 1699. In this treaty the Republic of Ragusa gave the Neum region to the Ottoman Empire to ensure that it would not border on the encroaching Venetian Republic.
The fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina border must be crossed to reach the southernmost region of Croatia has caused the Croatian Government to plan a bridge from Klek to Pelješac to circumvent the area. Since this could potentially violate Bosnia- Herzegovinian rights under the International Law of the Sea, these plans have been put on hold until a mutually satisfactory solution can be reached.
Neum is planned to be a freight port. There are plans to build a real seaport, rail and a motorway and thus the Croatian bridge must have a high clearance according to the view of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The main freight port for Bosnia and Herzegovina today is Ploče (in Croatia) further north, which has a railway to Bosnia-Herzegovina
