Buses in Croatia
If you’re visiting Croatia and plan to travel without a car, you will most likely have to travel by bus, as intercity buses are the primary mode of transportation along the Adriatic coastline.
For more than 10 Years, I worked with almost all bus companies operating in Croatia and the neighboring countries. Below, I share my best tips about travelling by bus in the region. This includes which bus companies operate on different routes, where to buy tickets and how to get the cheapest ones, and where to find timetables and other stuff that might be helpful to you as a traveler.
Good to Know about Buses in Croatia
Intercity buses are fairly modern; the average age of the fleets serving the most popular destinations is around 5 years. Older buses are found on less-frequented routes.
Most buses have amenities like comfortable seats, curtains or other sun protection, air conditioning, and Wi-Fi.
Onboard toilets cannot be used on domestic and shorter international trips; instead, the buses have one or more stops on the route. Stops are at places with toilets and the possibility to buy refreshments.
Luggage for the hold and toilet visit usually require a cash payment, so bring 10 or 20 euros in cash.
On most intercity buses, you have 2 drivers; the one not driving will sell and inspect tickets.
Bus Companies in Croatia
Croatia has quite a few bus companies. When I started working with them more than 10 years ago, there were more than 30 intercity bus companies; today, there are fewer, but still a considerable number. In the table below, I list the different companies and their most popular routes from a tourist perspective.
I have also added a link to their website, to find the timetables and buy tickets directly from the bus companies.
| Company Name | Website | Popular Routes |
| Arriva – Autotrans | Visit | Whole Istria, Zagreb – Pula, Zagreb- Rijeka Zagreb – Plitvice |
| Prijevoz Knezevic | Visit | Zagreb – Plitvice, Zadar – Plitvice, Split – Plitvice, Split – Krka, Zadar -Krka, Split – Zadar |
| Brioni Pula | Visit | Zagreb – Pula, Zagreb -Rijeka, City buses Pula |
| Cazmatrans | Visit | |
| Promet Makarska | Visit | Split – Dubrovnik, Split – Zagreb, Split – Makarska |
| Croatia Bus | Visit | Split – Mostar |
| Samoborcek | Visit | Zagreb – Dubrovnik, Zagreb – Split |
| Slavonija Bus | Visit | Zagreb – Sibenik, Zagreb – Baska |
| Libertas Dubrovnik | Visit | Dubrovnik – Budva |
| Antonio Tours | Visit | Zadar – Novalja, Split – Novalja |
| AP Varazdin | Visit | Zadar – Split, Zagreb – Plitvice |
| Best Line | Visit | |
| Autoherc Grude | Visit | Split – Mostar |
| Croatia Bus / Flixbus | Visit | Zagreb – Dubrovnik, Split – Dubrovnik |
| Čazmatrans / Flixbus | Visit | Zadar – Split, Split – Dubrovnik |
| Cagalj Tours / Flixbus | Visit | Zagreb – Split |
| Delminium Travel / Flixbus | Visit | Zagreb – Split |
| Flixbus Other Operators | Visit | Lines Germany, Austria, Serbia, Italy |
| Hafet Tours | Visit | Split – Skopje, Split – Tirana |
| Centrotrans Sarajevo | Visit | Split – Mostar, Dubrovnik, Mostar, Split – Sarajevo |
| Promet Sinj | ||
| Hiems | Split – Trogir | |
| Litre Tours | ||
| Prijevoz Francuzevic | Visit | Zadar – Zagreb |
| Presečki Grupa | Visit | |
| Pepeks d.o.o. | Visit | Zagreb – Banja Luka |
| Jelinak d.o.o. | Visit | |
| Lubina-Busfahrten GmbH | Visit | |
| Zelic Reisen | Visit | Line from Switzerland |
| Darojković Promet d.o.o. | Visit |
Bus Companies on Croatian Island
On the islands in Croatia, there is one company operating buses between the main settlements. I have listed the bus company websites to check bus timetables for the most popular islands in Croatia.
Island Hvar:
Buses on Island Hvar are operated by the company Cazmatrans Hvar, which connects Hvar town, the ferry port, and the settlement Stari Grad. They also offer buses to Vrboska, Jelsa, and Sucuraj.
Tickets and Timetables Hvar
There is no online sale of the tickets, but you can see the timetable on the website here; look under the News Tab.
Island Brac:
Buses on Brac Island are operated by the company Arriva, They connect settlements like Supetar, Sutivan, Milna, Bol, Splitska, Postira, Pucisca, Povlja, and Sumartin. The bus stops/stations in Supetar, Bol, Milna, and Sumartin are all located near the ferry port.
Tickets and Timetables Brac
You can buy tickets and see timetables 2 or 3 months ahead on the Arriva website.
Island Korcula:
Buses on Korcula Island are operated by the company Arriva, They connect Korcula Town, Blato, Lumbarda, and Vela Luka. All bus stops are located at the center of the settlements. From Korcula Town, there is also a bus to Dubrovnik, which travels via the ferry from Dominci to Orebic.
Tickets and Timetables Brac
You can buy tickets and see timetables 2 or 3 months ahead on the Arriva website.
Island Solta:
Buses on Solta Island are operated by the company Promet Split, They have smaller buses connecting the ferry port in Rogac with Grohute, Maslanica, Necujam, and Stomorska; the timetables are adapted to ferry arrival and departure.
Tickets and Timetables Solta
You can buy tickets in the Promet Split APP (Only 1 Euro), where you can also see the timetable from each of the settlements.
Island Krk:
Buses on Krk Island are operated by the company Arriva. Buses connect settlements like Krk town, Omisalj, Njvice, Malinska, Vrbnik, and Baska on the Island. From Krk, it is possible to take a bus to Islands Cres and Losinj; these buses travel via the ferry connection Valbiska to Merag.
Tickets and Timetables Krk
You can buy tickets and see timetables 2 or 3 months ahead on the Arriva website.
Island Vis:
Buses on Vis Island are operated by the company Nautički Centar Komiža d.o.o, which operates departures between Vis Town and Komiza.
Tickets and Timetables Vis
There is no online ticket sale, but timetables can be found on various island websites.
Island Cres:
Buses on Cres Island are operated by the company Arriva. Buses connect Merag and Porezine Ferry Port, Cres town, Osor and several smaller settelments. Bus also drive to Island Losinj.
Tickets and Timetables Cres
You can buy tickets and see timetables 2 or 3 months ahead on the Arriva website.
Island Losinj:
Buses on Losinj Island are operated by the company Arriva, The buses connect settlements like Nerezine, Cunski, Mali Losinj, and Veli Losinj.
Tickets and Timetables Losinj
You can buy tickets and see timetables 2 or 3 months ahead on the Arriva website.
Most Popular Bus Routes
Below, I’ve listed the most popular “touristic” bus routes in Croatia. Since many of these routes are operated by multiple companies, I’ve included a column showing which bus operators run on each route. (Note: I’ve excluded platforms that only sell tickets but don’t operate buses, e.g., FlixBus on the Plitvice routes.)
The number in the “Departures” column refers to the daily departures during peak season. At other times of the year, there will be fewer departures per day.
Bus Route | Departures | Operators |
Zagreb – Split | +30 | Arriva, Flixbus, Nomago, Samoborcek, Promet Makarska, AP Varazdin |
Zagreb – Pula | +15 | Brioni Pula, Nomago, Arriva, Fils |
Zagreb – Zadar | +20 | AP Varazdin, Flixbus, Puntamika/Knezevic, Nomago, Samoborcek, Prijevo Francuzevic, Cazmatrans |
Zagreb – Plitvice | 9 | Knezevic, AP Varazdin, Arriva |
Zagreb – Dubrovnik | 8 | Samoborcek, Flixbus |
Zadar – Split | +15 | Antonio Tours, Flixbus, Knezevic, AP Varazdin, Arriva, Promet Makarska, Brioni Pula |
Zadar – Plitvice | 7 | Knezevic, AP Varazdin |
Zadar – Krka (Skradin) | 6 | Knezevic, Promet Makarska |
+10 | Promet Makarska, Flixbus, Nomago, Samoborcek, Arriva | |
Split – Mostar | 5 | Centrotrans, Autoherc Grude, Croatia Bus |
Split – Makarska | +10 | Promet Makarska, Arriva |
Dubrovnik – Budva | 5 | Croatia Bus, Buzur, Libertas Dubrovnik |
Dubrovnik – Kotor | 5 | Croatia Bus, Buzur, Libertas Dubrovnik |
Airport Buses in Croatia
Bus connections from Croatian airports are almost exclusively limited to shuttle services to the nearest larger town. Additionally, there’s the option to travel with city buses from the main road near some airports.
Zagreb Airport Bus
The company Pleso Prijevoz operates frequent shuttle buses to the main bus station in Zagreb — usually, there’s a departure every 30 minutes. Alternatively, you have city bus No. 290, which departs from the main road near the airport.
Split Airport Bus
The shuttle from Split Airport is also operated by Pleso Prijevoz. During the summer season, the bus departs every 30 minutes from 8 AM to 8 PM. Later departures are adjusted to flight arrivals. As I explained in my video about transportation from Split Airport, you can also travel with a public city bus to Split for just 1.5 euros — see details here.
Dubrovnik Airport Bus
The shuttle from Dubrovnik Airport to the city is operated by the company Platanus. In the summer season, there are more than 10 daily departures. City bus lines No. 11, 27, and 38 stop at the main road in front of the airport.
Zadar Airport Bus
The shuttle from Zadar Airport to the city is operated by the company Liburnija. During the summer, there are up to 10 daily departures. There are no public bus stops near the airport. More info here.
Pula Airport Bus
The shuttle from Pula Airport to the city is operated by the airport itself. The timetable is adjusted to flight landings throughout the day. There are no public bus stops near the airport.
Rijeka/Krk Airport Bus
The bus from Rijeka Airport to Rijeka is also operated by the airport. The timetable is coordinated with flight arrivals. There are no public bus stops near the airport.
Tickets and Timetables
Timetables:
Bus timetables can, in most cases, be found on the operators’ websites. Alternatively, the bus station will have timetables posted, and aggregator platforms also provide timetable information.
Timetables are usually published at least 2 months in advance.
The timetables are generally accurate, but during the summer season, delays may occur due to heavy traffic.
Tickets
Most operators now sell tickets online. Alternatively, you can buy your tickets at the bus station or on one of the many aggregator platforms.
How to get the cheapest tickets🤔
As I mentioned above, I’ve been selling bus tickets in this region for more than 10 years, so I have a pretty good idea of how the pricing strategies work for most operators.
The cheapest tickets are usually the early bird tickets, meaning if you book 2 weeks or more in advance, you can often get a better price. If you book 2 months ahead, you can often find tickets with up to 50% discount.
Buying directly from the operator can usually save you 1 or 2 Euros.
A few of the bus companies operating on the popular routes offer discounts on return tickets as well as for students, pensioners, and children. These tickets are, in most cases, only available on their official website or at the bus station.
If you prefer buying shortly before you travel, be aware that some companies using dynamic pricing may have last-minute prices that are 20%, 30%, or even 40% higher than alternatives available at the bus station.
Bus stations in Croatia
In most cities in Croatia, Intercity buses will exclusively depart from a bus station located fairly close to the center. In smaller villages, bus stops are typically located on a main road near the center of town.
As a tourist in Croatia, you will likely have to travel to or from one of these bus stations
Bus station Zagreb:
The bus terminal in Zagreb is the largest bus station in Croatia. It is located about 1.5 km from the city center and is easy to reach by tram or Taxi-App.
- Online Ticket Sale ✅
- Opening hours 05:00 to 24:00
- Waiting room ✅
- Toilets Paid ✅
- Coffee Bar ✅
- Fast Food ✅
- Kiosk ✅
Bus Station Split
The bus terminal in Split is located within walking distance of the city center, the terminal is located next to the train station and the ferry port in Split.
- Online Ticket Sale ✅
- Opening hours 06:00 to 22:00
- Waiting room ✅
- Toilets Paid ✅
- Coffee Bar ✅
- Fast Food ✅
Bus Station Dubrovnik
The bus terminal in Dubrovnik is located in the city part Gruz, 3.5 km from the old town, The terminal can be reached by city bus or taxi-app.
- Online Ticket Sale ✅
- Opening hours 06:30 to 22:00
- Waiting room ✅
- Toilets Paid ✅
- Coffee Bar ✅
- Fast Food ✅
Bus Station Zadar
The bus terminal in Zadar is located 1.5 km from the old town, the terminal can be reached by city bus or taxi-app.
- Online Ticket Sale ✅
- Opening hours 05:30 to 22:00
- Waiting room ✅
- Toilets Paid ✅
- Coffee Bar ✅
- Fast Food ✅
Hi Morten, you have a great YouTube channel & website, very informative. I’m travelling to Ugljan island off Zadar next June to visit my family’s historical home in Sutomiscica. While there I wanted to travel from Preko and explore the island. Is there a bus service on the island of Ugljan that goes from end to the other?
Regards
Boris Mitchell from Australia
Thanks Boris. On Islan Ugljan the buses are operated by Liburnija, you can see timetable for Island Buses here https://liburnija-zadar.hr/en/island-transport/. I am not sure if any of the buses drive end to end, I think you might have to change bus in Preko.