Croatia Ferries

Split: the gateway to the islands

Split is the heartbeat of Adriatic ferry travel. From its waterfront harbour, Jadrolinija car ferries and catamarans from Jadrolinija, Krilo and TP Line fan out to the best-known Dalmatian islands: Hvar, Brač, Korčula, Vis and beyond. In summer the port is busy from early morning, and the lines for the car ferries can be long in July and August.

The port is on Gat sv. Duje at the edge of the old town, next to the bus and train stations and a short walk from Diocletian's Palace. It has many piers rather than one terminal, and the berth for a given boat can change by day, so check the departure boards or your ticket.

Car ferry vs catamaran

The central decision in Croatia is whether you need to take a car. If so, the car ferries (trajekt) are your option. They are slower, but they carry vehicles and dock at each island's main vehicle port. If you are travelling on foot, the fast passenger catamarans are quicker, often drop you in the old harbour right in the island's centre, and are the better choice for day trips or short stays.

For Hvar, this means choosing between the catamaran to Hvar Town (50 to 65 minutes) or the car ferry to Stari Grad on the same island (1 hour 50 minutes), the practical choice if you have a car or motorbike.

The main islands from Split

Hvar is the most popular island, drawing visitors with its lavender fields, restaurants and nightlife. The car ferry to Stari Grad runs several times daily all year and is the route for anyone with a vehicle; the catamarans to Hvar Town are the quicker option for foot passengers. See the Split to Hvar ferry.

Brač, home to the famous Zlatni Rat beach at Bol, is a 50-minute car-ferry hop from Split to Supetar. Jadrolinija runs frequent sailings, and in summer catamarans also serve Bol and Milna. It is one of the simplest island day trips from Split.

Korčula is reached from Split by catamaran to Korčula Town in about 2 hours 20 minutes to 3 hours (Krilo, Jadrolinija and TP Line). The car ferry from Split goes to Vela Luka at the western end of the island and takes about 3 hours. From Dubrovnik, catamarans reach Korčula Town in about 2 hours. The old town of Korčula rivals Dubrovnik in compactness, without the crowds.

Vis, the furthest main island, is about 2 hours 20 minutes from Split by Jadrolinija car ferry, or about 1 hour 25 minutes by the summer catamaran. As it has no airport, it sees fewer day trippers, which is much of its appeal.

Dubrovnik connections

Dubrovnik is a separate ferry hub for southern Dalmatia, with boats leaving from the port at Gruž. Jadrolinija's line 807 serves the Elaphiti islands (Koločep, Lopud and Šipan), about an hour to Lopud. Seasonal catamarans from Krilo, TP Line and Jadrolinija run to Mljet and Korčula. These routes from Dubrovnik are passenger services. Drivers reach Mljet on the Jadrolinija car ferry from Prapratno, on the Pelješac peninsula, to Sobra, and reach Korčula from Orebić on the same peninsula.

Zadar and northern Dalmatia

Zadar's car ferries leave from Gaženica port, south of the city centre. Jadrolinija sails to Ugljan (Preko) in 25 minutes, essentially a commuter run, and to Brbinj on Dugi Otok in about 1 hour 40 minutes. Other lines serve the smaller islands out to Mali Lošinj.

Italy–Croatia

Overnight ferries connect Ancona in Italy with Split, a convenient way to combine an Italian and Croatian leg. Jadrolinija and SNAV both run the route; the crossing takes around 10 to 11.5 hours, usually overnight. In 2026 Jadrolinija cancelled its Split–Ancona sailings between 13 May and 2 July because of fuel costs, so check the operator before you plan around it. Jadrolinija also sails Bari–Dubrovnik (May to November, up to four times a week) and a weekly Ancona–Zadar service from late June to early September. If you are driving from western Europe, these crossings can save hundreds of kilometres. See the Ancona to Split ferry.

Booking and operators

Jadrolinija is Croatia's state-owned national operator and runs the bulk of the car-ferry network, along with many catamaran lines. Krilo (the Kapetan Luka shipping company) runs private fast catamarans, with its busiest lines on Split–Hvar, Split–Korčula and the seasonal Split–Dubrovnik coastal run via Brač, Hvar, Korčula and Mljet. TP Line runs state-subsidised catamaran lines, such as Split–Hvar–Vela Luka–Lastovo and Dubrovnik–Mljet–Korčula–Lastovo. On several routes these operators run in competition, so check them all for the best departure time.

Book car-ferry sailings early in summer. Vehicle space is genuinely limited, and showing up without a reservation risks missing your sailing. Catamaran seats for popular routes (Split–Hvar Town especially) also go quickly. Ferryhopper and Direct Ferries list several Croatian operators together, which makes comparing times and prices straightforward. See our guides to Jadrolinija and Krilo, and the Dalmatian coast by ferry itinerary guide.