The Best Ways to Get From Dubrovnik to Split

Many people who visit the stunning coastline of Croatia (us included) will visit both Dubrovnik and Split on their trip. Both cities are incredibly beautiful and well worth visiting.

And the best part? Travelling between these two Croatian coastal cities is not that hard!

The trip from Dubrovnik to Split is one of the most popular stretches in the country so there’s always going to be buses, taxis, and private shuttles that can take you from one city to the other.

In this post, we’ve put together the best ways to get from Dubrovnik to Split – including how we did it when we travelled the Croatian coast for a full month!

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How to get from Dubrovnik to Split 

The trip from Dubrovnik to Split is going to take you anywhere from 50 minutes up to 15 hours (we’d pass on this option). Thankfully there are quite a few (5 we can think of) different ways to get from one city to the other.

We usually go for the more affordable and scenic option, which in Europe is often by train but that’s not the case between Dubrovnik and Split. Trains aren’t that popular here in Croatia and there are no trains between Dubrovnik and Split.

Instead, there are buses, cars, taxis, boats, and planes you can take. When we travelled between Dubrovnik and Split during our month-long Croatian Coast Trip, we took the bus. It was easy, comfortable, and cheap!

Below, we’ve listed out the different options to get between Dubrovnik and Split including the average price and how long it takes so you can select your preferred way of travel.

The bus is the most affordable way to get from Dubrovnik to Split and it doesn’t even take that much longer than going by private hire or taxi. 

We mentioned before that we usually like to take trains but when that’s not an option buses are usually our go-to. Especially when it’s not too much of a hassle and only takes a bit more time than the alternative options. 

The drive by bus is actually quite scenic as well because once you get out of Dubrovnik you drive along the coast for stretches of the trip where you really get to see the beauty of the Dalmatian Coast.

When we took the bus, we actually went through Bosnia and Herzegovina which was super fun! Bosnia and Herzegovina has a small section of the coastline between Dubrovnik and Split so the bus took us across the border and then we had a 15-minute lunch break at a little café (which was super cheap compared to Croatia).

Some buses will go through Bosnia and Herzegovina and some will go on the Pelješac Peninsula instead. It depends on the company.

Taking the bus between Dubrovnik and Split will take around 4 hours total and there are usually multiple departures every day.

Once you get to Split, there are tons of fun things to do! We recommend going on one of the awesome boat tours in Split if you want to explore the ocean around the city.

You’re in Croatia by the sea, so what better way to go from Dubrovnik to Split (or vice-versa) than by ferry?!

We usually can’t take the ferry between a lot of the places we travel around in Europe so it’s quite cool that you can get from Dubrovnik to Split by ferry.

The journey takes about the same time as the bus, around 4.5 hours. You get a completely different experience though!

On this trip, instead of just admiring the sea from a bus window, you get to admire the stunning water while you’re on it! And you get to see some of the beautiful coastline as well.

The water doesn’t get that rocky on this stretch but if you do tend to get seasick it’s still worth taking some tablets! We’ve had some rough ferry experiences in the past because of our weak stomachs. 

You can look at the ferry timetable between Dubrovnik and Split here. 

This is the most convenient way to get between Dubrovnik and Split. You get picked up at your place of accommodation in one city and get dropped off at the doorstep in the other!

It also saves you a bit of time going by taxi or private transfer but you also do pay a bit more for the trip. 

If you are 4 people sharing a ride though, then it really isn’t that expensive for a private hire between Dubrovnik and Split. Of course, if it’s not about the money and just convenience then this is by far the best option. 

It’s a bit of a faster trip than the bus and that’s because you do take the main highway for a good stretch of the trip which does make it faster. 

Yes, you’re going to miss out on a bit of the beautiful Croatian coastline on the drive but you’ll have plenty of options to explore the sea both in Dubrovnik (check out these boat tours from Dubrovnik for inspiration) and in Split!

If you’re a group of 4-8 people and want to get to Split or Dubrovnik as quickly as possible then this is your best option. There are standard Sedan cars for smaller groups and bigger private vans for groups bigger than 4 people.

Sometimes it does make sense to fly. Coming from Canada we tend to drive almost everywhere but coming to Europe that’s a totally different story. 

There are times where it’s way faster and cheaper, especially between different cities in Europe. 

When booking a flight between Dubrovnik and Split the price really going to depend on the day and seasonality…

There are days when taking a flight will make sense but there are also days when you have to fly somewhere else, have a layover and it ends up being a full day (not worth it). 

The flight is probably our least favourite option to take between the two cities both because it actually isn’t faster than taking the bus or a private transfer since the airport is outside of the city – and we all know by now that flying isn’t great for the environment either.

But it’s good to know that the option is there. Maybe on the given day, it’ll make sense for you to fly to Split or Dubrovnik.

Flight tickets are quite affordable at times too so if you get a lucky deal and it’s a quick flight it might be worth taking it. We prefer taking the bus though!

Thankfully there are a ton of different good options between Dubrovnik and Split so you can always decide what works best for you.

We’ve never driven from Dubrovnik to Split but we did rent a car when we did a day trip to Kotor from Dubrovnik.

Driving in Croatia is beautiful and easy if you’re used to European roads. The stretch will be a mix of coastal roads and highway, and you can rent either from the city centre or from Dubrovnik Airport.

Some things to keep in mind to make the car rental cheaper:

• If you book a manual transmission it will be around $20 cheaper per day
• Picking up the car at the airport will make the price a lot cheaper
• Oftentimes, the earlier you book, the better the price you’ll get
• Dropping the car off in a different location than where you pick it up will add an additional cost

Also, please note that you might not be allowed to cross any borders with your car rental.

When we went to Kotor (which is in Montenegro) we had to pay an additional cross-border fee. It will likely be the same for you if you decide to drive through Bosnia and Herzegovina on your way from Dubrovnik to Split.

Having a car can be super convenient but the price can add up. If you do rent a car, make sure you can park at or near your hotel in Split as well to avoid the hassle of finding a car park (which you might have to pay for if it’s not included with your place of accommodation).

You may also like…

• The Best Sea Kayaking Tour in Dubrovnik, Croatia
• 5 Incredible Wine Tasting Experiences Near Dubrovnik
• The Most Beautiful Hike Overlooking Dubrovnik
• 5 of the Best Boat Tours in Split, Croatia

Conclusion on travelling from Dubrovnik to Split

These are five different ways you can get from Dubrovnik to Split. The same thing works for the return journey if you’re planning on exploring the beautiful coastal city of Split before making your way to Dubrovnik.

It is quite easy to get between the two cities and there are plenty of options. It’s one of the busiest stretches on the Dalmatian Coast so there will always be plenty of transportation options between the two.

If you’re looking for inspiration for things to do in the two cities (such as day trips from Dubrovnik, hiking in Dubrovnik or things to do in Split), feel free to reach out to us!

We’ve explored both cities and a good chunk of the coast around there so we’re more than happy to help. You can reach out to us on Instagram @redwhiteadventures or leave a comment below.

Enjoy Croatia and these two beautiful cities!

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