Archive for the ‘Croatia Ferries’ Category

Coastal Ferry

Although the coastal ferry schedule has been available for a while, it was awaiting government “confirmation” to make it official.  This happens every year and confirmation never comes before mid-May. So, if you’ve been waiting to book passage for your summer trip, your wait is over. Notice that the ferry runs only twice a week from June  to  September  however which is inconvenient. Also, it’s slow. You could drive from Split to Dubrovnik in three hours, rather than chugging down the coast for 11 hours. But, yes it’s a nice ride. See more information about booking Croatia ferries, or  the coastal ferry.

Or just go directly to booking:

Book the Coastal Ferry

For years there have been two companies handling the Bari to Dubrovnik ferry route. Azzurraline and Jadrolinija once crowded the Adriatic with their ships ferrying passengers between the two ports, especially during the high season. But now there’s only Jadrolinija. I confirmed with Azzurraline that they are officially out of the running this year. Of course, they go other places but not to Croatia. Even Jadrolinija which once ran the Bari-Dubrovnik line all year, now has limited their service to the March to November season. It all comes down to money of course. The rise of low-cost flights has reduced the need for this connection. I also suspect that freight traffic is well served by the Split-Ancona ferry service which does run all year. To get maximum revenue from the Dubrovnik-Bari ferry, Jadrolinija is being very cagey with their scheduling, keeping service infrequent in the off-season and then gradually increasing the number of ferries to take advantage of the greater demand in July and August. The result is a complex schedule so you must check your dates carefully! You can see the 2012 Bari-Dubrovnik ferry schedule, get booking information and even learn a little about your boat here.

Schedules, prices, booking information, tips

Want to island-hop in Croatia this summer? Or are you just waiting for the ferry schedules to plan your holiday in Croatia? All the Split to Dubrovnik local ferry schedules from June 1 to September 30 are now available. The last hold-out was Jadrolinija, Croatia’s national ferry company which has not yet officially published their coastal car ferry schedule. They sent it to me this week though, along with the prices. I’ve also been able to obtain the not-yet-published versions of a few other schedules including the Orebic-Korcula and the Split-Trogir passenger ferry. All these schedules plus prices and booking information are now available for download in my popular Dalmatia Ferry Guide. Over the next week, I’ll be updating all the schedules on Croatia Traveller as well.

Prices

Speaking of prices. . .I’ve noticed substantial increases in the prices for some lines, especially passenger boats run by private companies. Jadrolinija has done a good job holding the line on price increases. In effect, the prices are the same as last year. Some of the smaller companies are making trips to the Croatian islands much more expensive, probably because of this year’s increase in fuel prices. Jadrolinija is state-subsidized which takes some of the pressure off.  Whenever possible, I recommend looking for a Jadrolinija ferry to take you to your destination. See more budget tips for your Croatian holiday.

Island-Hopping

Even with the price increases, island-hopping in Croatia is an incomparable experience. Curiously, it’s easier to day-trip to an island or to island-hop as a foot passenger than it is with a car. Car ferry links between islands are few and far between except for the coastal car ferry which only runs twice a week anyway. The easiest island to visit on a day trip from Split is Brac island with a daily boat that leaves in the morning from Split to Milna and returns in the afternoon. Vis island is a longer trip and can also be reached on a day trip from Split but only in July and August. For island-hopping you can go from Split to Bol on Brac and then to Jelsa on Hvar island (not on the same day) or Split to Hvar and then Korcula island (also not on the same day). There is a Korcula-Dubrovnik connection but only four days a week and only in July and August. And in Dubrovnik, you can do a day trip to Mljet island to visit the National Park (only in summer) or out to the unspoiled Elaphiti Islands.

You can work out all these trips and more in my handy ferry guide!

The catamarans from Venice to Croatia  are a delightful and easy way to augment your Venice trip with a jaunt to Istria or to hop over to Venice from your base in Rovinj, Porec, Pula, Rabac, Umag or Mali Losinj (which is actually in the Kvarner region). Beginning on April 18 and running until October 6, these passenger ferries whisk you over the Adriatic in comfort in a trip that lasts from about 2 1/2 to 4/12 hours. The frequency of the other ferries depends upon the season. The ferries run to some destinations daily in July and August. New this year is a route to Umag but only weekly in the high summer season. See more about ferries to Croatia

 Check the schedules and book online:

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!