Traveling via public transport in Croatia
Most people traveling to Croatia include several different cities in their itineraries, so it’s really important to understand how to get around Croatia to plan things properly.
I’ll start this article by being completely honest: public transport in Croatia is very useful for connecting larger cities, but it is quite slow for exploring more remote and natural places.
If you consider that the country has more than 1.000 islands and countless mainland destinations, it’s easy to understand why you need to plan on how to get around Croatia effectively. Otherwise, you might lose too much time within transfers.
Since we travel to Croatia every year, we created this guide to explain how public transport in Croatia works and give you alternative options for how to get around.
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Public transport available in Croatia
These are all the different modes of transportation available in Croatia. Note that their availability depends on the place, some cities have more options than others.
- Bus – The cheapest and most extensive transport network in the country. A great option for traveling via public transport in Croatia.
- Train – Ideal for international trips when arriving in the country (especially if you start your trip in Zagreb). Local train rides within Croatia are typically very slow.
- Tram – Available only in larger cities like Zagreb, Split, or Rijeka. This is a really good way of getting around town to avoid traffic.
- Ferries – If you will be visiting any island destination in Croatia (and you should!), you’ll have to use the local ferries to get there.
Pro tip: We always use Omio’s transport platform to discover the best transport options from A to B. It also allows us to buy the tickets online since it syncs with multiple companies. If you want to travel by bus, it’s worth checking it out.
How easy is getting around Croatia with public transport?
Before explaining how each of the public transport modes works in Croatia, I first want to take a minute to give our opinion on this.
A lot of people ask us whether traveling around Croatia via public transport is worth it, and I’d say it really depends on your situation!
If you will be staying only within the main cities/destinations, traveling to Croatia via public transport is very easy and doable. It’s also a good option if you will be traveling on a budget and have a flexible schedule.
However, if you have a very tight itinerary, getting around with public transport might slow you down a lot because buses and trains are considerably slower than driving. In this case, I recommend packing fewer things into your itinerary.
I personally think that Croatia is the perfect destination for a road trip. The roads are extremely scenic and you get a lot of flexibility by driving around. So, if you’re on the fence, read our Croatia driving guide to discover more about this.
Read also: The perfect itinerary for a 7-day road trip in Croatia
Getting around Croatia by bus
Buses are the best public transport option for traveling between cities in Croatia. It is also the most affordable transport option as well.
Another positive thing about getting around Croatia by bus is that bus stations are usually centrally located, so it’s quite easy to reach them.
Different routes are served by different companies, so I recommend using Rome2Rio or a platform like Omio to discover the best option for your route.
Flixbus is available for traveling between many popular tourist destinations, including for going to the Plitvice Lakes. This is a great option for travelers.
The biggest downside is that traveling by bus can be quite slow. Depending on where you’ll be traveling, you might need one or two bus changes, so have this in mind when planning your itinerary.
Getting around Croatia by train
Even though most towns in Croatia have a train station, this is not the most effective transport mode because the trains are really slow. Direct routes are rare, so the trains make a lot of local stops between point A and point B.
For example, it would take you less than 4h to drive from Zagreb to Split but it would take you around 8h to do the same trip by train.
That being said, I do believe that a train is a great option for arriving in Zagreb if this will be your first destination in Croatia. I have already traveled by train from Ljubljana and Budapest to Zagreb and they were both really good trips. The train station in Zagreb is very central, which is really convenient for exploring the city.
You can check the official Croatian railway website for local train itineraries and tickets. For international trips, you can also check Omio for the best transport options.
Traveling by ferries in Croatia
Ferries are an essential piece of Croatia’s public transport because they connect the mainland to the islands. There are only two islands in Croatia connected to the mainland by a bridge: Pag and Krk.
To visit all other island destinations, you’ll need to catch a ferry. Most ferries transport both vehicles and passengers, but there are a few passenger-only ferries on specific routes.
There are a few local ferry operators in Croatia. One of the largest companies is called Jadrolinija which connects Split to Hvar.
Most ferry lines have different schedules throughout the year, with limited daily lines during winter due to the down season. If you will need to catch a ferry during your trip, you must check the ferry schedule upfront and plan your trip accordingly.
Ferry tickets can be bought on the spot or online. I highly recommend buying the ferry ticket online so you won’t have to get there early and wait in line to secure your spot. This is even more important if you’ll be traveling during the summer because some routes get really busy!
Read also: Best things to do in Hvar Island
The eSim we recommend!
Don’t have time to read the entire guide? No problem, this is the international eSIM card we always recommend here at Mauka. It’s the one we always use when we travel and the only one that’s never let us down.
Private or shared transfers in Croatia
Instead of traveling with Croatia’s public transport, one alternative option is using transfer services when moving between cities.
Transfer services are quite popular and can be a really comfortable option, especially if you will be traveling with a group or large family.
See below a few options for private transfer in Croatia:
Getting around Croatia by car
Another option is to rent a car for your trip to Croatia.
Since we live in Slovenia, we go to Croatia a few times every year and, even though we have used all the different types of public transport to get around, nothing compares to doing a road trip to the country!
The best thing about Croatia is all the amazing natural places you can find, and only a road trip will give you the flexibility to really discover these hidden places.
We always use Discover Cars when renting cars abroad.
Do you need to rent a car for your trip?
We always use DiscoverCars to rent our car. So far it has proved to be not only the cheapest option but also the most reliable one. We used DiscoverCars to rent our car for our trips through Slovenia, Montenegro, Serbia, Italy, and so many other countries, and we never had any issues. We even convinced all of our friends and family to use it. So that’s why we are also recommending it to you!
Alternative option for getting around Croatia: tours!
The last transport option is to book tours for exploring the different destinations around Croatia. This is actually a great solution if you want to escape Croatia’s public transport because the tours have everything organized for you.
We always use GetYourGuide to find the best tours when traveling abroad.
Check below a few tour options around Croatia:
FAQ – Popular questions about the public transport in Croatia
How much is public transport in Croatia?
The price will vary for each route and transport mode. For example, a train ticket from Zagreb to Split will cost you only € 15 but it takes 8 hours.
- For train ticket prices, check the official website of Croatia’s railways.
- For bus ticket prices, check Omio or Rome2Rio.
- For ferry tickets, check the ferry operator’s website.
How to pay for public transport in Croatia?
Tickets can be bought online with a credit/debit card, or in person at trains and bus stations by cash or card.
For local public transport options, you might be able to buy the ticket directly from the driver but use this only as a last resort and make sure you have enough cash. This option might not be available for all services.
Is there Uber in Croatia?
Yes, Uber has been working in Croatia since 2015 and is a good transport option for getting around the city.
Read our guide about using Uber in Croatia here.
Is there public transport on Croatia’s islands?
Islands are always connected to the mainland or other island destinations via ferries. However, many of them don’t have local public transport because they are small or residential.
Larger islands do have local public transport, which is in most cases operated by buses.
Since this will be different for each location, we recommend checking Google Maps to help you get around.
Read our other guides about Croatia
Organizing your trip
To help you plan your trip to Croatia, we have put together our favorite planning resources:
- Flights: Get affordable flights to Croatia on Skyscanner.com.
- Travel insurance: Make sure you are protected during your trip. We use SafetyWing whenever we are traveling abroad.
- Renting a car: We always use Discover Cars to get the best car deals.
- Accommodation: Find the best hotels and apartments on Booking.com.
- Activities: Get fun ideas of what to do and buy unique activities with Get Your Guide.
- SIM Card: Stay connected during your trip with Airalo.
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