What’s the best way to get to Dubrovnik Croatia, the Adriatic pearl? 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 certain transportation means such as a train.
Let’s take a look at all the means of transportation you can use to reach Dubrovnik.
How to get to Dubrovnik by car
Driving to Dubrovnik is time consuming for many travelers. Traveling from Zagreb to Split by car takes around 4 hours. Driving from Split to Dubrovnik takes about 3.5 hours. But getting from Zagreb to Dubrovnik directly takes about 7 hours, as the distance is approximately 600 kilometers.
You can even rent a car in Zagreb if you want to take the scenic route to Dubrovnik. You can pick it up in Zagreb and drop it off in Dubrovnik. For convenience I added a search widget below which enables you to easily check availability and pricing.
Alternatively you can also hire a private transfer from nearly all destinations to Dubrovnik. You can use the search below to find very affordable deals:
For example a private transfer from Split to Dubrovnik will cost a bit over €200. Your driver can pick you up at Split airport or any other location, and the pricing is far more affordable than hiring a local Split taxi.
Another alternative for a short one-day trip to Dubrovnik are organized tours. You can book a one-day trip from Split to Dubrovnik for example for less than €100 per person, including transportation.
Dubrovnik Discovery Day Trip from Split
Discover the beauty of Dubrovnik, cultural metropolis and the most remarkable medieval walled city in Croatia. Enjoy the scenic coastal route to Dubrovnik and stop at several overlooks for amazing panoramic views of the Dalmatian islands. Gain insight into Dubrovnik's historical importance and see Sponza Palace, St. Blaise Church, limestone Stradun street and much more accompanied by a local tour guide.
How to get to Dubrovnik by ferry
Traveling to Dubrovnik by ferry is very convenient if you’re not a fan of driving. Split to Dubrovnik ferries are readily available, as are several other ports in Croatia.
Local ferry lines:
Jadrolinija, Croatian state ferry company, has ferry routes to and from:
- Dubrovnik – Kolocep – Lopud – Sudurad (Šipan island)
- Dubrovnik – Lopud, Sudurad
- Dubrovnik – Korcula – Hvar – Bol (Brac island) – Split
Keep in mind these are all catamaran connections, meaning they are for foot passengers only. You will not be able to bring vehicles aboard.
Krilo is another company with fast catamaran connections connecting Dubrovnik with these destinations:
- Split
- Pomena (Mljet island)
- Sobra (Mljet island)
- Milna (Brac island)
- Bol (Brac island)
- Hvar
- Korcula
- Makarska
You can find current schedule and pricing of Krilo catamarans here.
International ferry lines:
You can also travel to Croatia via ferry from several port in Italy. However, Dubrovnik is only connected with Italy’s Bari.
You can quickly check other international Italy to Croatia ferry routes and pricing below:
We also have a dedicated article about Italy to Croatia ferries here. Make sure to go through it if you need more information and tips on this.
How To Get To Dubrovnik By Bus
I’m not exaggerating when I say that bus services in Croatia are excellent. Buses are very frequent and comfortable, and even the smallest villages are covered by bus service.
One of the reasons why buses are so popular in Croatia is no doubt because they are one of the cheapest way to travel. All info about the bus schedules, prices from all bus stations in Croatia you can find on Bus Croatia.
Alternatively you can do a quick search through the form below to check live schedules for bus travel between selected destinations:
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). One-way bus ticket costs 219 Kuna (€29) and 350 Kuna (€46).
- 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. One way ticket cost only 123 Kuna (€18), while a round trip will cost you 197 Kuna (€25).
Flying To Dubrovnik
After all the aforementioned ways on how to get to Dubrovnik, taking a flight is the fastest and in some cases the cheapest way to reach it.
If you flying from Zagreb to Dubrovnik, Croatia Airlines (our national carrier) sometimes offers very cheap flights. Flight from Zagreb to Dubrovnik only takes 60 minutes.
Zagreb to Dubrovnik flights
For your convenience you can see live flights feed just below:
Split to Dubrovnik flights
Below are currently available flights from Split to Dubrovnik:
You can check for more flights here, enabling you to search for flights from thousands of airlines and get the best prices.
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
Direct international flights to Dubrovnik are available from many different European cities, and the availability changes every season. More flights are available from April to September.
See live flights currently available from some of the most popular airports. You can also simply click the Dubrovnik image below to change airports and check flights from other destinations.
Since June 2019 and after 30 years, Dubrovnik is finally directly connected with United States. American Airlines introduced a seasonal line between Philadelphia to Dubrovnik, running three times a week.
Flights from Philadelphia to Dubrovnik (PHL-DBV) run in Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays and last 9 hours and 15 minutes. Return flights are on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Mondays, and these take 10 hours and 25 minutes.
The Philadelphia – Dubrovnik flight has been suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, but be sure to check our live flights widgets to see it if may be back on.
Since 2021 there is a direct flight from New York to Dubrovnik ran by Delta Airlines. Additionally, United Airlines runs direct flights from New Jersey (Newark) to Dubrovnik.
The only alternative from North America are flights from Toronto to Zagreb.
What’s the best way to get to Dubrovnik?
Best way to get to Dubrovnik depends on many factors. As you can see there are many different ways to get to Dubrovnik, and you can take your pick from any of the mentioned transportation methods.
Traveling by air is no doubt most convenient for international travelers without vehicles. If you are unable to find a direct flight to Dubrovnik from a certain European origin airport, be sure to consider flying to Zagreb or Split.
In case you find yourself in Zagreb, you can rent a vehicle and drive to Dubrovnik, visiting our fascinatingly beautiful Plitvice Lakes National Park along the way. Our Zagreb to Split travel guide will tell you all about this!
Split city has numerous connections with international airports and ferry ports as well. Split is in my opinion well worth visiting, but I’m anything but objective about it. Our Split to Dubrovnik travel guide will outline tons of different ways to get to and from these two popular Croatian destinations.
What to do in Dubrovnik?
And what happens when you find yourself in Dubrovnik? See our Definitive Dubrovnik Guide to learn a bit more about the city and its attractions. Dubrovnik walls, even though jam packed with tourists in summer, are very much worth seeing. And finally, don’t just settle with the city: explore the amazing Dubrovnik county to discover more about Croatia.
If you are ever in doubt, consider organized tours! Hire a local guide to take you to see some of Croatia’s finest. Here’s what I recommend:
- Konavle valley wine tasting – learn about traditional wine making in Dubrovnik county
- Dubrovnik culinary tour – discover more about local gastronomy
- Šipan island cycling tour – take a boat ride to a 6-hour bicycle tour of Sipan (shipan) island
- Montenegro trip – take a day trip to nearby Montenegro
- Dubrovnik sea kayaking & snorkeling – avoid the crowds and see the other side of Dubrovnik’s walls
- Rafting on Tara – beginner-friendly rafting on Tara is a great idea for those who are more adventurous
- Visit Mljet National Park, Elaphiti islands, or Korcula island
- Take a “King’s Landing” tour – Dubrovnik is one of the most recognizable filming locations for Game of Thrones
You can also find dozens of other day trip ideas from Dubrovnik here.
