Jadrolinija lines
Car Ferries in Croatia
Jadrolinija links the Croatian mainland with the islands, with room for your car on board.
- Lines from Kvarner to southern Dalmatia
- Tickets at the port, online or via app
- Reservations on selected lines only
Guide
Car ferry lines in Croatia
Car ferries in Croatia
Car ferry lines by region
Jadrolinija takes your car from the Croatian coast to the islands, from Cres and Rab in Kvarner down to Korčula, Mljet and Lastovo in the south. How long the crossing takes and whether you reserve a space depends on the line: on the short routes your ticket is valid for any departure on the date printed on it, while on several longer lines your ticket books you a fixed space on a specific ferry.
Kvarner: Cres, Rab and Pag
You can reach the island of Cres with your car on two lines: Brestova - Porozina in the north of the island, a crossing of around 20 minutes, and Valbiska (Krk) - Merag further south in around 25 minutes; in summer Jadrolinija adds extra ferries here. Also from Valbiska on Krk, the Valbiska - Lopar car ferry runs to Rab in around 80 minutes, up to four times a day in summer and twice a day in winter. Jadrolinija offers vehicle reservations on this route: your ticket is valid for the departure you booked.
The short Prizna - Žigljen car ferry crosses to Pag in around 20 minutes, with frequent extra sailings in summer. From Žigljen it is only a few kilometres to Novalja. If you are travelling as a foot passenger by catamaran instead, the Pula - Mali Lošinj - Zadar line runs along the coast of Cres and Lošinj.
Northern Dalmatia: Ugljan, Pašman and Dugi Otok
Car ferries from Zadar leave from the Gaženica ferry port, not the city port. From there, the Zadar (Gaženica) - Ošljak - Preko line takes you to Ugljan in around 25 minutes, with plenty of departures in both summer and winter. The Zadar - Preko service from the city port is a passenger-only line and does not take cars.
The Zadar (Gaženica) - Brbinj car ferry crosses to Dugi Otok in around 1 hour 40 minutes; here the ticket is also your reservation for the departure you choose. You reach the island of Pašman from Biograd, around 30 kilometres from Zadar: the Biograd - Tkon car ferry takes about 20 minutes. As a foot passenger you can get to Dugi Otok by catamaran, see Zadar - Dugi Otok.
Central Dalmatia: Brač, Hvar, Šolta and Vis
From Split the car ferry takes around 50 minutes to Supetar on Brač; your ticket is valid for any departure on the date printed on it. The Split - Stari Grad car ferry to Hvar takes around two hours, and here the ticket is also your reservation: it is only valid for the departure you booked. The car ferries to Šolta, Split - Rogač in around 60 minutes, and to Vis, Split - Vis in around 140 minutes, work the same way.
To reach Hvar without going via Split, start from Drvenik: the Drvenik - Sućuraj car ferry takes you to the eastern tip of the island in around 30 minutes. Another car ferry runs between Makarska and Sumartin on Brač in around 60 minutes, also with reservations.
If you want to get to Brač or Hvar without a car, you will find the catamaran routes on Split - Brač and Split - Hvar.
Southern Dalmatia: Pelješac, Korčula, Mljet and Lastovo
You reach the Pelješac peninsula from Ploče on the car ferry to Trpanj in around an hour; from there you continue by road towards Korčula, Mljet and Dubrovnik. The car ferry to the island of Korčula runs from Orebić on Pelješac to Dominče, just outside Korčula town. You can take your car to Mljet on the Prapratno (Pelješac) - Sobra line in around 45 minutes.
Vela Luka on Korčula and the island of Lastovo can be reached directly from Split: the Split - Vela Luka - Ubli car ferry takes around three hours to Vela Luka and another hour and a half to Ubli on Lastovo. On this line, too, the ticket is your reservation for the departure you booked. Foot passengers have their own catamaran routes to these islands, such as Dubrovnik - Korčula and Dubrovnik - Mljet.
Tickets, reservations and arriving at the port
On most of these lines you buy your vehicle ticket without reserving a space in advance. It is valid for any departure on the date printed on it, as long as there is room on board, and vehicles board in the order they arrive at the port. Jadrolinija recommends arriving 1 to 2 hours before departure, and more in peak season.
On lines with reservations, your ticket secures a space for your vehicle on a specific departure. Of the routes above, this applies to Valbiska - Lopar, Zadar (Gaženica) - Brbinj, Split - Stari Grad, Split - Rogač, Split - Vis, Split - Vela Luka - Ubli and Makarska - Sumartin. With a reservation you need to be at the port 30 minutes before departure in winter; in summer Jadrolinija recommends 60 minutes.
You can buy your ticket at the port ticket office, online from Jadrolinija or in the mJadrolinija app. For a vehicle ticket you always need your vehicle registration document, as the length and category of your car determine the fare. Tickets are only sold on board in exceptional cases, when the ticket office at the port is closed.
Bikes, hire cars and pets
Bikes on the car roof cost nothing extra on the car ferry, but you need to state the extra height when you buy your ticket. A rear-mounted bike rack, on the other hand, counts towards the vehicle length: if it makes your car longer than 5 metres, you need the ticket for vehicles over 5 metres. Luggage on the roof that does not stick out beyond the length of the car is also free of charge.
If you are driving a hire car and don't know the number plate yet when booking online, enter RENTAL instead of the registration number. Pets are welcome: small animals travel free, dogs need a muzzle and lead on board, and larger animals stay on the open deck of the car ferry.
Foot passengers: catamaran instead of car ferry
On several of these routes there is a separate catamaran service for foot passengers alongside the car ferry, which you can book online: to Brač and Hvar from Split, to Korčula and Mljet from Dubrovnik, and to other islands off Zadar. These catamarans are faster than the car ferry but don't take vehicles, and bicycles are not allowed on Jadrolinija's catamarans either. The timetable shows which route suits your island.
Car ferry FAQ
Car ferry FAQs
Do I need a reservation for the car ferry? +
On most car ferry lines in Croatia you don't reserve: you buy your ticket and join the queue at the port with your car, and vehicles board in order of arrival. On some longer lines, however, the ticket is also your reservation for a specific departure, for example Split - Stari Grad to Hvar, Makarska - Sumartin to Brač or Valbiska - Lopar between Krk and Rab. The section on tickets and reservations above lists which lines this applies to.
Where and how do I buy a car ferry ticket? +
Jadrolinija sells tickets at the port ticket office, online on its own website and in the mJadrolinija app. For a vehicle ticket you need your vehicle registration document, because the length and category of your car determine the fare. Find out more about the operator on our Jadrolinija page.
How early do I need to be at the port with my car? +
Without a reservation, Jadrolinija recommends arriving at the port 1 to 2 hours before departure, and more in peak season, because vehicles board in order of arrival. With a reservation you need to be there 30 minutes before departure in winter; in summer Jadrolinija recommends 60 minutes.
Which islands can I reach with my car by car ferry? +
With Jadrolinija you can take your car to Cres, Rab and Pag in Kvarner, Ugljan, Pašman and Dugi Otok near Zadar, Brač, Hvar, Šolta and Vis from Split, and Korčula, Mljet, Lastovo and the Pelješac peninsula in the south, among others. The individual lines and their crossing times are listed in the section above.
Is there also a way to get to these islands without a car? +
Yes, several of these islands are also served by catamarans for foot passengers, for example Brač and Hvar from Split or Korčula and Mljet from Dubrovnik. Note that Jadrolinija does not carry bicycles on its catamarans. The relevant routes are linked further up in the guide.
How much does the car ferry cost? +
The fare depends on the route and the length of your vehicle and is calculated when you buy your ticket directly from Jadrolinija, at the port ticket office or online. The prices page explains what the catamarans and the ferries from Italy cost.
Can I take a motorhome or a car with trailer across? +
Jadrolinija also carries larger vehicles on its car ferries; you enter the dimensions and category when you buy your ticket. A rear-mounted bike rack counts towards the vehicle length.
Heading to the island without a car?
On many of these routes, catamarans for foot passengers also run, and you can book their tickets online.