Croatia Travel Blog

Archive for the ‘Croatia Ferries’ Category

Croatia ferries are an essential means of getting around Croatia and now the schedules for spring 2012 are finally online. Click here to find links to all the local ferry schedules as well as my handy downloadable Dalmatia Ferry Guide which contains all the local ferries between Split and Dubrovnik along with prices and handy booking information.

Jadrolinija is the main operator of Croatia ferries. The state-run ferry company handles all car ferries while a few other local operator  handle passenger ferries. Jadrolinija changes their schedules at least twice a year and the timetables are usually published at the last minute. Why? As the company is state-supported, the government needs to officially approve the schedules. Each year it seems like essential ferry route information languishes on some minister’s desk while thousands of visitors patiently await his/her approval in order to plan their holiday.

Little has changed since the autumn schedules but note that these schedules will change in June. There will be many more ferries in the summer season from Jadrolinija, including the popular coastal car ferry. Check back later for updates!

The editors of Yahoo travel voted the Split to Vis ferry ride the second most beautiful ferry ride in the world (the number one spot went to an Australian ferry line). Think of how many ferries trundle around Greece alone and you can see that it’s quite an honor! The article noted “Among the Adriatic Coast’s thousand islands and 250 miles of ferry routes, this two-and-a-half-hour ride stands out for its exceptional scenery.” The red-roofed buildings of Split recede, you pass little Solta and big Brac before gliding past a sprinkling of islets on your way to Vis Island.

I love the ride and heartily endorse the vote but before you run out and book passage, check the Split-Vis ferry schedules. There are two ferries from Split to Vis: a Split-Vis car ferry and a Split-Hvar-Vis passenger ferry. Throughout most of the year both ferries leave Split in the afternoon and return from Vis in the morning so you’ll have to stay overnight. During the summer months, there’s usually a morning ride out on the car ferry and an afternoon ferry back to Split. It doesn’t leave much time on Vis but you do get the benefit of the scenery. See more on Croatia ferries.

Many is the time I’ve taken the convenient passenger boat that runs daily from Orebic to Korcula. Unlike the car ferry that runs from Orebic to Domince, this boat left you off right in Korcula town, a boon for the carless.

That connection has just been cancelled. The company that runs the line, Mediteranska Plovidba, has gone bankrupt and must sell all its assets, including the boats. The last service is scheduled for 13 November 2011. After that, you must take the car ferry to Domince and then a taxi to Korcula town. Too bad.

Planning to spend autumn on the Dalmatian coast? A fine idea. But if you plan to visit the islands, you’ll need the ferry schedules.

Now available for download is my Dalmatian Ferry Guide in pdf format ready for easy viewing on your netbook, smartphone or other portable device. You get the timetables to all ferries running to the islands between Split and Dubrovnik. Plus you get prices, booking information and practical tips. The schedules are currently valid from October through December 31, 2011 but you get free updates through May 2012.

If you’ve previously downloaded the Summer 2011 schedule, you can update it to the Autumn Schedule for free. A number of routes that ran in the summer are dormant all winter, most notably the coastal ferry from Rijeka to Dubrovnik and the Nona Ana catamaran that connected Dubrovnik to Korcula this summer. So pay attention!

Read more about the Dalmatia Ferry Guide and purchase it here.

 

An interesting article in Croatian Times reports that the high price of Croatian ferries has had a negative impact on Croatian island tourism, particularly in Dalmatia. Hvar, Korcula and Brac are all complaining that this season is worse than last season. And no wonder! It costs €134 for a car with four passengers to ferry from Split to Stari Grad on Hvar. Not so many tourists can or will pay that kind of price. But there are alternatives. Let’s take a look at how to save money on Croatian ferries:

• Do you really need a car? For a few days in Hvar or Korcula Town, you’ll be plenty busy enjoying the local architecture, food, monuments and taking boats to nearby islands.
• If not, go as a foot passenger. The biggest ferry expense is the car, not the passengers. Plus, there are regular passenger boats plying the waters between Split, Hvar, Korcula and Brac. They are much cheaper even than being a passenger on a car ferry.
• Rent a car on the island. Shop around for deals and you’ll find it cheaper to rent a car in town for an island exploration rather than taking one aboard a ferry.
• Take cheaper ferry shuttles. Not all ferries are expensive. For example, it costs about €42 just for the car between Split and Stari Grad on Hvar Island. However, if you drive further south to Drvenik, you can take a car to Sucuraj on Hvar for only €14. Passenger prices are a third less as well.
• Avoid the coastal ferry. On the few routes where it overlaps the local car ferry, the coastal ferry is much more expensive.
• Get my Dalmatia Ferry Guide! With this handy downloadable guide, you get all the ferry routes from the coast to the Dalmatian islands WITH THEIR PRICES. So you can easily compare. More.