Traveling by ferries in Croatia is sometimes only and the most common way to access Croatia’s islands and coastal town.
With 1185 islands along the coast, Croatia ferry network is a cheap and well organized way to get around all major inhabited islands from Northern Adriatic to the southernmost part of the Adriatic coast.
Ferry or catamaran travel is a way of life on Croatia’s coast. Practically it’s the only way to get to the islands, apart from Pag and Krk islands, which are connected to the mainland by bridges.
Discussing the connections by sea from the mainland to the islands, it’s important to distinguish three types of vessels.
The most numerous are ferry ships (carrying cars and passengers), catamaran a fast boat with twin hulls in parallel (only for passengers) and motor ship for short distances to a destination where the car traffic, is prohibited or not advisable.
Planning your travel by a ferry in Croatia, it’s also important to distinguish the sailing schedule that differs by tourist season, usually by low and high season. The low season covers period from January to the mid of May and from mid October to December 31. In this period the number of ferry’s crossing is rather reduced.
In the high season (from mid May to the mid of October), vessels connections are more frequent and sometimes even their number increases. (e.g Split – Supetar ferry, Split – Stari Grad (Hvar) or Brestova (Istria) – Porozina (Cres island).
Ferries in Croatia Map
To help you find all ferries in Croatia along the Croatia’s Adriatic coast, I’ve added some maps with all ferry connections between the mainland and the islands, starting from North Adriatic (Rijeka district), Zadar and Sibenik (Northern Dalmatia), Split (Central Dalmatia) to Dubrovnik (South Dalmatia).
Rijeka district ferries
Valbiska(Krk) – Merag (Cres) – car ferry
Brestova – Porozina (Cres) – car ferry
Prizna – Zigljen (Pag) – car ferry
Valbiska(Krk) – Lopar (Rab) – car ferry
Mali Losinj – Srakane Vele – Unije – Susak – Mali Losinj – ship
Rijeka – Rab – Novalja (Pag) – Catamaran
9308 Rijeka – Mali Losinj – Catamaran
Zadar and Sibenik district
Zadar(Gazenica) – Ist – Olib – Silba – Premuda – Mali Losinj – car Ferry
Zadar(Gazenica) – Preko (Ugljan) – car ferry
Zadar – Preko (Ugljan) – ship
Biograd – Tkon (Pasman) – car ferry
Zadar(Gazenica) – Rivanj – Sestrunj – Zverinac – Molat – car ferry
Zadar(Gazenica) – Brbinj(Dugi otok) – car ferry
Zadar(Gazenica) – Brsanj (Iz) – Rava – Mala Rava – car ferry
Zadar – Molat – Brgulje – Zapuntel – Ist – Catamaran
Zadar – Rivanj – Sestrunj – Zverinac – Bozava – Brbinj – Catamaran
Zadar – Mali Iz- Veli Iz – Mala Rava- Rava – Catamaran
Sibenik – Zlarin – Prvic Luka – Sepurine – Vodice – ship
Sibenik – Zlarin – Kaprije – Zirje – car ferry
Zadar archipelago has been connected, not only by Jadrolinija ships and catamarans. Local Zadar maritime company, G&V Line Iadera runs some local ship and fast catamaran connections:
– High speed line no. 9406 Zadar – Sali (Dugi Otok) – Zaglav (Long Island) – Brsanj (Iz)
– Ship line no. 406 Zadar- Sali (Dugi otok) – Zaglav (Dugi otok) and vice versa
– Ship line no. 405 Rava – Iz – Zadar and vice versa.
Ferries from Split
Split – Supetar (Brac) – car ferry
Makarska – Sumartin (Brac) – car ferry
Split – Stari Grad (Hvar) – car ferry
Drvenik – Sucuraj (Hvar) – car ferry
Split – Rogac (Solta) – car ferry
Ploce – Trpanj (Peljesac) – car ferry
Orebic – Domince (Korcula) – car ferry
Split – Vis – car ferry
Split -Vela Luka (Korcula) – Ubli – car ferry
Split – Trogir – Seget Donji Drvenik – ship
Split – Bol (Brac) – Jelsa (Hvar) – catamaran
Split – Milna (Brac) – Hvar – catamaran
Split – Hvar – Vela Luka (Korcula) – Ubli – catamaran
Split – Hvar – Korcula – Mljet – Dubrovnik – catamaran
Dubrovnik district ferries
Dubrovnik – Kolocep – Lopud – Sudurad (Sipan) – ship
Dubrovnik – Lopud -Sudurad (Sipan) – car ferry (at Lopud vehicles are not permitted)
Prapratno (Peljesac) – Sobra (Mljet) – car ferry
Useful Tips When Booking Local Ferries in Croatia
When planning your ferries in Croatia trip whether on international or local crossings you should calculate two important factors:
- Calculate first the time to get to the ferry port and time you sometimes have to loose waiting in a long vehicles tails to get to the ferry (specially through July and August). It refers only for travelers with a car.
- Calculate carefully the sea crossing time to get to your final destination.
- When booking your car ferry on Jadrolinija website for any local ferry, you want get a reserved place for your car. It means you have to be at embarkation point at least two hours before. (particularly in the period of July and August on some ferry lines from Split (Stari Grad, Supetar).
- In the high season the on-board services on some local lines will not offer the maximum of comfort. Generally, the most comfortable experience is on the international routes as Croatia – Italy – Croatia.
Ferries in Croatia – Main operators
Jadrolinija
This state owned company is the biggest with almost 95% of ferries in Croatia. Founded in 1947 with a name of Jugolinija (Ex Yugoslavia) today has 500 daily departures in the high season that are cut in half in low season.
All local and international car ferries and local catamarans can now be booked online. Click here for online Jadrolinija booking in four languages (Croatian, English, Italian and German. There are Jadrolinija offices in all coastal and island towns that have a ferry connection.
Krilo
This small privately owned shipping company is famous for its excellent fast catamaran connections. Since Jadrolinija in 2014 has abolished Rijeka to Dubrovnik ferry, this small company has introduced very popular (in this moment the only connection), route from Split to Dubrovnik (only passengers).
Starting from April 16th 2018 there is a new tourist high-speed catamaran line Split-Brac (Milna)-Hvar-Korcula-Mljet-Dubrovnik and return.
Small local company ferries in Croatia
Below you’ll find a list of ferries in Croatia run by smaller companies that serve to enhance and fill holes in some areas where Jadrolinija (state company) fails to provide adequate service.
- Bura Line – a small shipping company operating in Split. It runs summer ship connection from Split to Trogir and Ciovo peninsula
- GV Lines – keeps connection with Zadar with nearby Zadar archipelago. This company with their passenger catamaran ‘Nona Ana’ handles very popular connection between Dubrovnik to Elaphiti islands , Mljet, Korcula and Lastovo island.
- Miatours – a small private owned company from Zadar. It keeps some local lines from Zadar to islands Premuda, Silba and Olib.
- Rapska plovidba – a local ferry boat company with its headquarter on the island Rab. The main activity of the company is to connect the island of Rab with the mainland by ferry boats.