Here are some useful tips for your travel to Hvar island and Croatia. The easiest way to Hvar depends on your means of transport, and direction you are coming from.
Generally, if you travel by car, bus or train, you need to reach Split or Drvenik in central Dalmatia, where you can take a ferry to Hvar or catamaran to Hvar (from Split). Ferries Split - Stari Grad (Hvar), and Drvenik Sućuraj take cars.
If you go by plane, the closest local and international airports are Split, Dubrovnik and Brac airport, and then you need to take a local bus, rent a car, or take a taxi to Hvar.
There are also international ferry lines to Hvar (from Italy), and ferry lines along the coast which stop in Hvar.
Regardless of what transportation means you use to come, undoubtedly you will experience a sea journey to Hvar island. When you see Hvar and start to enjoy in its benefits you will know that your journey has paid off.
by car
If you are travelling to Hvar by car, depending on the direction (Austria, Slovenia, Hungary) you need to go through Zagreb to Split or Drvenik with main Croatian highway A1, or along the Croatian coast from Rijeka to Split or Drvenik.
From Split you can take car ferry to Stari Grad on Hvar (105 minutes), or from Drvenik (south of Makarska) to Sućuraj on Hvar island (25 minutes).
The choice of ferry might depend on where is your final destination on Hvar, the price, the frequency of departures and the lenght of crossing.
Stari Grad is closer to Split and Town of Hvar (20 km road). Sućuraj port is more suitable if you are coming from the direction of Drvenik (departure port) and Dubrovnik.
Also, you can take into account the frequency of departures.
Out of season ferry from Split to Stari Grad sails 3-4 times a day and from Drvenik to Sucuraj 6-7 times.
During summer season (july, august), ferry from Split to Stari Grad sails 4-7 times a day and from Drvenik to Sucuraj 12-20 times. Ferries from Italy sail only during summer season.
More info about Hvar ferryboat timetables and ferry lines to Hvar
Croatian auto club
Information about highways, tolls, conditions on roads, maps, location of gas stations, tourist info for travellers on Croatian roads, multilingual - Website
Documents
When arriving in Croatia by car it is requested that you carry a valid driver's license, car registration card and your Green Card (proof of car insurance)
Speed and alcohol limits
Speed limit in settlements is 50 km/h and 80 km/h in out of settlements (unless stated differently). On highways a speed limit is 130 km/h.
At this moment, the maximum permitted level of alcohol in the blood is 0%.
Petrol stations
In Croatia, petrol stations are open from 7 am to 7 pm or 8 pm every day and during the summer until 10 pm.
There are also petrol stations that are opened round the clock in the larger towns and on main international routes all petrol stations sell: Eurosuper 95, Super 98, Normal and Euro Diesel.
In Hvar island, car petrol stations are available in Jelsa and Hvar town, and are opened whole day during season.
Taxi service
This service is available in all cities and tourist places, for Taxi service and transfer in Hvar, and to Hvar from other places in Dalmatia (Split - Hvar, Dubrovnik - Hvar and vice versa) , check UBER, Cammeo, Go Green services
Rent-a-Car
This service is available in all cities, tourist resorts and airports (Split and Dubrovnik airport), and in Jelsa, Stari Grad, Hvar town and Vrboska on Hvar island.
by plane
The closest international airports to Hvar are the ones in Split and Dubrovnik (Dubrovnik is 100km from Drvenik and ferry Drvenik - Sucuraj). From Dubrovnik, frequent bus lines are available to Drvenik or Split, or you can choose taxi or car rental.
Split Airport is situated 30 km from Split ferry station. Transfer of passengers from the Airport is organised by buses, also there is a local bus every 20 minutes and taxis are available during the operating time of Split Airport.
In Split you can choose one of the sea transports to Hvar town, Stari Grad or Jelsa, by catamarans or ferries.
You can find more details on Croatia Airlines website.
Croatia Airlines ticket reservation phone No: +385 62 777 777
Airport Split phone No: + 385 21 203 555
Airport Brač phone No: + 385 21 648 615
International airports
Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Pula, Rijeka, Zadar and Osijek. Only smaller planes (charter) can land at the Brac airport.
Information
| Zagreb | 01 / 6265-222 |
| Split | 021 / 203-555 |
| Dubrovnik | 020 / 773-222 |
| Pula | 052 / 550-900 |
| Rijeka | 051 / 842-132 |
| Zadar | 023 / 313-311 |
| Osijek | 031 / 297-438 |
| Brac | 021 / 648-615 |
| Losinj | 051 / 231-666 |
Croatia Airlines
The national airline company flying to and from Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Copenhagen, London, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, Munich, Paris, Prague, Rome, Sarajevo, Skopje, Vienna, Zurich, Tel Aviv, and, seasonally, to Manchester. Croatia Airlines website.
Other airline companies flaying to Croatia
German Wings, Ryanair, Adria Airways, Aeroflot, Air Bosnia, Austrian Airlines, Air France, Avioimpex, British Airways, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Malev and Swissair.
by ferry
The easiest way to come to the Hvar island wether you come by car, train or plane is from Split and Drvenik (Dalmatia) or Ancona and Pescara(Italy) by ferries or catamarans.
There are also cross - island ferry lines to Hvar from Korcula, Vis and Brac (Dalmatian islands), and coastal boat line from Rijeka to Dubrovnik and vice versa.
For more information about ferryboats to Hvar and ferryboat timetables, please visit our section " Hvar ferries".
Jadrolinija (Info tel. 00385 21 338 333)
The main Croatian ship passenger carrier keeps the majority of the regular, international and domestic ferry and shipping lines. The main office is in Rijeka (051/666-100). Official website
by train
The train station in Split is right across the ferry station in Split, where you can take a ferry to Stari Grad, or catamaran to Jelsa and Hvar city.
Other option is to take a bus to Drvenik, (92 km from Split), where you can take a ferry to Sucuraj on Hvar island.
InterCity trains operate now from Zagreb to Split and back three times a day (with additional connections at night) with duration of 6 hours.
Train departures Zagreb - Split: 06:50, 11:05, 15:10, 21:25, 22:57
Train departures Split - Zagreb: 07:45, 10:55, 14:52, 21:05, 22:20
For details visit HŽnet.
Train station Split phone No: +385 21 338 499.
Train station Split ticket reservation phone No: +385 21 338 582.
The Railway connects all major Croatian cities, except Dubrovnik. Croatia has direct connections with Slovenia, Hungary, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Slovakia, France, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, and indirect connections with almost all other European countries.
Eurocity and Intercity
| EC "Mimara" | Munich - Salzburg - Villach- Ljubljana - Zagreb |
| IC "Croatia" | Vienna- Maribor - Zagreb |
| IC "Kvarner" | Budapest - Zagreb - Rijeka |
| IC "Drava" | Budapest - Cakovec - Ljubljana - Venice |
by bus
Bus lines connect all parts of the country. Regular international bus lines connect Croatia with all neighboring countries, as well as most of middle European and west European countries.
If you are travelling Hvar by bus - there are connections from all bigger cities and places to Split.
Bus departures from Zagreb and Split are frequent (every half hour or every hour).
For details visit Bus station Split and Bus station Zagreb.
Bus station Split phone No: +385 60 327 327.
Split main bus station is right across the ferry port. There you can choose one of the sea transports to Hvar ferry to Stari Grad, or catamaran/hydro-glisser - to Jelsa), or you can continue by bus to Drvenik (92 km from Split), where you can take a ferry to Sucuraj on Hvar island.
When you arrive to Stari Grad ferry station, there are bus connections for Stari Grad town, Hvar town and Jelsa, the tickets are sold in buses.
