How to Get from Budapest to Croatia (Split, Dubrovnik) by Train or Bus [2024 Update]

It’s very easy to travel from Hungary to Croatia, especially if you’re traveling to or from Budapest. Today, I am here to share the insider scoop on how to get from Budapest to Croatia by train, bus, or car.

Since there is still no direct flight from Budapest to any Croatian city, your best choice for getting from Hungary’s capital to Croatia remains the train, while a bus ride comes in second, in my opinion.

Traveling from Budapest to Croatia by train

Budapest train station

There is at least one direct train connecting Budapest to Croatia’s capital, Zagreb. From there, you can take a connecting train (or bus) to any of the main cities in Croatia, like Split, Pula, Dubrovnik and so on, because they are all connected to the capital.

Traveling by train is my favorite means of transportation in Europe and I took the train from Budapest to Zagreb a few times already over the years with my family, and it was really enjoyable.

I have a complete guide on how to get from Budapest to Zagreb here (by train, bus, car, plane, etc.)

At the moment of writing there is just one direct train from Budapest to Zagreb, leaving daily from the Budapest Deli train station at 3:35 PM and arriving in Zagreb’s train station (Zagreb Glavni kolodvor) at 10 PM.

A one-way ticket for this train, in second class, is around 20 Euros per person. You can find more and book your ticket from the Hungarian railway website by clicking here.

IMPORTANT: I am updating this article during the off-season, but usually during the main season (starting May or June), there are even more direct trains from Budapest to Zagreb.

Make sure to double check the information above (especially departure times) on the MAV Hungary website I shared above.

You can read my article about train travel in Croatia to know exactly what to expect.

Night train from Budapest to Split, Croatia

train from Budapest to Croatia

One of the most popular train routes, though, is a night train from Budapest to Split via Zagreb.

This train is running only in the summer season, usually between mid-June to mid-September. Usually, it has departures on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays from the Budapest Keleti train station.

This line, like the one above, is also handled by the Hungarian Railways (make sure to check out the website here for up to date info).

This night train usually departs at 6:53 PM from the Budapest Keleti train station and arrives at the Split train station at 6:56 AM, the following day.

If you are looking for connections from Croatia’s capital, I recommend reading my previous article sharing how to get from Zagreb to Split.

Are there trains from Budapest to Dubrovnik?

Unfortunately, there are no direct trains from Budapest to Dubrovnik. But once you get from Budapest to Zagreb, there are plenty of connecting options by bus. Dubrovnik has no railway station, so it’s impossible to get there by train!

If you want to find more options, though, you can check out my previous article sharing how to get from Dubrovnik to Split.

Getting from Budapest to Croatia by bus

beautiful Croatian roads
Expect Croatian roads to be beautiful and spectacular.

Luckily, there are a lot of buses connecting Budapest to the Croatian main seaside resorts along the Adriatic coast, as well as all the main cities in the country.

All buses depart from Népliget Bus Station Budapest, which is easily accessible by public transport.

Below, we’ll talk about some of the options you have, but in reality there might be even more available.

Remember that Croatia has invested a lot in building their infrastructure in the past several years, and you’re going to get perfect quality roads if you choose to use the bus (which is usually faster than the train too).

Budapest to Zagreb by bus

The bus from Budapest to Zagreb takes between 4 and 5 hours, and there are various companies that operate on this line.

Usually, I take a Flixbus because they offer various departure times throughout the day.

Budapest to Rijeka, Opatija, Pula, Rovinj and Porec

Volanbusz is a Hungarian company that runs the Adria Express services from Budapest to the main seaside destinations in Croatia’s Istria peninsula.

This is a night bus, usually departing at around 10 PM from Budapest and dropping you off, depending on your final destination, up to 6 AM when it arrives in Porec.

You can check out their offer, as well as the timetable on the official Volanbusz website.

Budapest – Zagreb – Zadar – Sibenik – Trogir – Split – Makarska

Each Friday, Volanbusz with their Dalmatian Express service, offers buses taking you to any of these destinations.

Flixbus also has offers on this route – and there are probably more options if you want to make a stop in Zagreb first.

Also read: Best things to do in Trogir.

Make sure to double check all the data above, as it is subject to change on a yearly basis – but it is good to know that you have options.

Wrapping up

As you can see, a trip from Budapest to Croatia offers a variety of options, each with its own charm and efficiency.

I personally prefer the trains – even though they are usually slower (but not by a lot), but buses are a valid option too, especially if you have a connection from Zagreb afterward.

No matter which one you choose, though, I am sure you will find the number of offers enough and the quality of the rides really good for the low cost.

If you are planning to travel to Croatia from Hungary, which method are you going to choose?

Thanks for sharing this article!