How the Ferry Network Works
Croatia's islands are linked to the mainland by two kinds of service. Car ferries (trajekti) carry vehicles and foot passengers and are the lifeline for island residents. Fast passenger catamarans carry foot passengers only and serve the busier tourist routes. Jadrolinija, the state-owned company founded in 1947 and based in Rijeka, runs conventional car ferries, catamarans and the main lines to Italy. Private companies run fast catamarans on tourist routes, chiefly Kapetan Luka-Krilo and TP Line.
Most island lines run all year but with far fewer sailings in winter. Some routes are seasonal, so always check the operator's timetable for your travel date before you plan a connection.
Main Routes and Operators
Split and central Dalmatia. These are the busiest routes.
- Split to Supetar (Brač): year-round, with many sailings a day; the crossing takes roughly 20 to 50 minutes depending on the vessel.
- Split to Hvar: year-round and takes about an hour on the catamarans (Kapetan Luka-Krilo, TP Line and Jadrolinija run them to Hvar Town), with up to around 19 sailings a day in summer and only two or three in the low season. Cars go by Jadrolinija's car ferry to Stari Grad on Hvar.
- Split to Korčula: year-round, roughly 2 hours 20 minutes to 3 hours 40 minutes depending on the service.
- Split to Bol and Milna (Brač) and to Vis are also served; check the operator's timetable for your date.
- TP Line catamaran lines include Dubrovnik – Korčula – Hvar – Milna – Split, Korčula – Hvar – Split and Ubli (Lastovo) – Vela Luka – Hvar – Split. Krilo's lines from Split include Hvar, Korčula, Dubrovnik, Vis and Supetar.
Split to Dubrovnik. Catamarans (Kapetan Luka-Krilo, TP Line and Jadrolinija) link the two cities in roughly 4.5 to 6 hours, mainly from about April to October.
Kvarner, Istria and the north. Kapetan Luka-Krilo runs Pula to Zadar year-round, up to five times a week, and links Pula with the islands of Mali Lošinj, Silba, Unije, Susak and Ilovik.
Zadar archipelago. Jadrolinija's lines from Zadar and Gaženica serve smaller islands such as Ist, Olib, Silba, Premuda, Molat and Rivanj, with timetables that change by season and sometimes by day.
Ferries to Italy
Jadrolinija lists crossings from Split to Ancona, Dubrovnik to Bari, Split to Bari and a fast craft from Zadar to Ancona. Typical durations are about 11 hours for Ancona to Split and about 6.5 to 8 hours for Dubrovnik to Bari, and some of these run only in summer or on a few days a week. SNAV also runs Ancona to Split. When this page was checked in October 2026, Jadrolinija's website stated that its international trips were cancelled until 5 January 2027, so confirm that a service is operating before you plan around it.
Booking and Tickets
Tickets are sold on the operators' own websites and at ports, and through booking platforms such as Ferryhopper. Jadrolinija sells tickets online, and for some of its lines an online ticket guarantees a place on the departure you choose; its site lists which lines. Fares depend on the route, the vessel and the vehicle, so check the current price on the operator's site rather than relying on a printed figure.
If you are bringing a car, book ahead in summer on the busy lines and keep your vehicle documents with you. Rules on vehicle height and weight differ between vessels.
Practical Tips
- Follow the check-in time printed on your ticket or given on the operator's page, and arrive earlier in July and August.
- On catamarans you travel as a foot passenger; if you want a car on the island, use the car ferry or leave it on the mainland.
- Strong wind, especially the bura, can disrupt sailings, so keep some slack in your plans, especially when you have a flight to catch.
- Check the timetable on the day of travel: notices of changes are posted on the operators' sites.
