How to Get from Budapest to Split, Croatia by Train, Bus or Plane

Getting from Budapest to Split, Dalmatia’s capital is not difficult and fortunately you have various options available for your trip. Today, I will share the best ways to get from Hungary’s capital to Split, Croatia.

Currently, there are no direct flights from Budapest to Split, as is the case from Budapest to Zagreb or any other city in Croatia. While there are connecting flights, it makes no sense to choose one – instead, get here by train or bus (or rent a car).

If you are traveling from Budapest to Croatia, Zagreb will be the main junction to all Croatian destinations, specially those along the Adriatic coast, like Split, Pula or Dubrovnik.

But since we’re focusing on the former in this article, let’s jump in and check out your options.

Traveling from Budapest to Split by day train & night train

Train travel is my favorite way of getting around in Europe and to Croatia, although in Croatia itself I usually recommend taking a bus as they’re faster.

But train travel has its own share of advantages, and for a long ride like the one from Budapest to Split, you’ll appreciate the extra leg room, the ability to take a toilet break whenever you want and so on. Plus, it’s really cheap!

While there were more options in the past, at the moment of updating this article, we only have one direct train from Budapest to Split, which is also a night train (with regular seats available, if you want them).

The night train ride is around 15 hours long, departing from Budapest’s Déli Pályaudvar station (NOT the main one, Keleti!) at around 7 PM and arriving in Split at around 9:45 AM, the next day.

IMPORTANT: This is a seasonal train! It usually is available from April 29th to October 29th, every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday – but double check the Hungarian Railways website to see the up to date information.

There are multiple connecting trains that would also get you, eventually, to your destination, but most involve more than one change, so I wouldn’t recommend them.

Another option is to take a train to Zagreb, from Budapest (around 6 hours and 30 minutes), and then catch a local bus or a connecting train to Split. The direct train to Zagreb usually arrives at around 10 PM, so not the best timing.

Getting from Budapest to Split by bus

You have a couple of options when it comes to getting to Split by bus, and the bus ride itself is usually shorter than the train ride (as fast as 10 hours).

The easiest way to get from Hungary’s capital to Split in Croatia is by taking one of the many daily FlixBus buses, departing at various intervals. Check out the Flixbus website for more details.

There is also a direct bus operated by Ukrainian company Infobus, leaving at 6 Am from the Nepliget Bus Station and arriving in Split at around 7 PM. This is a direct bus. Find out more on the official website.

Flying from Budapest to Split

Unfortunately, there are no direct flights from Budapest to split. All of the flights available have at least one stop over, like a stop in Zagreb or Vienna or other nearby countries.

In the end, with short connecting times in between flights and more stress involved, I wouldn’t recommend trying to fly from Budapest to Split – but take one of the two routes recommended above.

Traveling by car from Budapest to Zagreb

The distance from Budapest to Split is about 750 Km (466 miles) and if you decide to drive, it will take you from 7 to 8 hours to get there.

This is also an option, but you have to do the driving yourself and potentially worry about a rented car. Therefore, I still believe that the train (ideally the direct night train) or a bus are the better choices.

Do you have any other recommendations for those looking to travel from Budapest to Split? Or maybe some questions? Let me know by commenting below!

Thanks for sharing this article!