What’s the best way to get to Dubrovnik Croatia, the Adriatic pearl? It’s one of inquiries that has the highest demand on internet search engines.
Being the favorite Adriatic target, located on the southernmost part of Dalmatia, many travelers are looking for information on the best ways to reach Dubrovnik.
Reaching Dubrovnik by some means can be inconvenient, time consuming and expensive. Dubrovnik has some disadvantages due to its geographic position and the lack of some transportation means such as a train.
Driving to Dubrovnik is time consuming as A1 highway between Zagreb and Split, released in 2005, now reaches only to Ploce (the border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina). The missing part to Dubrovnik is still under construction and no one can tell the completion date.
At this moment, driving to Dubrovnik by car will take you approximately 7 hours for 600 km. Read more about Dubrovnik County and importance of Peljesac peninsula bridge, for Croatia, but not for Bosnia-Herzegovina federation!
How To Get To Dubrovnik By Ferry?
Looking at the map just below, it’s normal to assume that reaching Dubrovnik by sea is the best way.
Unfortunately in 2015, the only coastal ferry line from Rijeka (Northern Adriatic), docking to Split, Hvar (Stari Grad), Korcula, Mljet island and Dubrovnik, has been definitely abolished by Jadrolinija state company.
If you are for example traveling from Split to Dubrovnik, there is no car ferry connecting two cities, except passengers fast boats (catamaran). For more info, take a look here!
Regarding international car ferries, getting to Dubrovnik from Italy (Bari) is the only way.
To reach Croatia and its coastline from/to Italy, it is very easy and fast just booking online on OK-Ferry for a low-cost crossing with departures from/to Bari-Dubrovnik.
How To Get To Dubrovnik By Bus
I’m not exaggerating if I say that the bus service in Croatia is excellent one. Buses are very frequent, comfortable and even the smallest villages are covered by bus service.
One of the reasons why buses are so popular in Croatia is that buses are also one of the cheapest way of traveling. All info about the bus schedules, prices from all bus stations in Croatia you can find on Bus Croatia.
Here are some examples of bus services between, Zagreb to Dubrovnik and Split Dubrovnik.
- Bus from Zagreb to Dubrovnik – there are several daily buses from Zagreb main bus station (Zagreb bus Terminal). It takes from 10 to 12 hours on this 600 km long route, with one or two short breaks (for food and drinks). The bus ticket costs 219 Kuna (one way) and 350 Kuna (return ticket)
- Bus from Split to Dubrovnik – To get to Dubrovnik by bus, from main Split bus station (located in Split harbor, next to train station) it will take you about four hours and the one way ticket, cost only 123 Kuna (18 €). For round trip you’ll pay 197 Kuna (25 €).
Flying To Dubrovnik
After all these, cons and pro facts, it seems that taking a flight to Dubrovnik is the fastest and in some cases, the cheapest mean of transportation.
If you flying from Zagreb to Dubrovnik, Croatia Airlines offer very cheap flights, in so called FlyPromo version. For example, flying (60 minutes) from June 6th to June 13th.2015 R/T ticket costs per person € 63 ($ 72).
Use Croatia Airlines plan and book form to book your flight to Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar and Pula.
European Coastal Airlines (ECA; Wikipedia) started running domestic seaplane flights in Croatia in 2014. ECA had plans to connect Split and Dubrovnik, and many other cities and islands. Unfortunately in 2016 Croatian Civil Aviation Agency suspended their license due to supposed safety concerns.
Direct Flights to Dubrovnik
The 2015 summer schedule for flights to and from Dubrovnik Airport is now updated, covering the period from March 29 to October 24. You can download your free copy from here!
Browsing through the new 2015 summer schedule, I have noticed some direct flights that might be of a great interest. These flights regard connection between Croatia and Greece.
Dubrovnik will be connected with Athens with Croatia Airlines and Aegean Airlines from April 14th to October 18th.
