The three airports most US and UK visitors land at, and the honest price of getting into town: shuttle 9 to 10 euro, public bus 1 to 3 euro, taxi 25 to 60 euro. Where the buses stop, how long they take and when a transfer is worth it.
Checked: 15 September 2026
Croatia's airports are small and the town is never far, so the transfer is rarely worth the 50 to 80 euro that hotels quote. Each of the 3 main airports has a shuttle timed to flights, a public bus that costs almost nothing, and a taxi rank with a roughly fixed price. Card payment works on the shuttles and in taxis; the public buses in Split and Zagreb prefer cash or a ticket bought at the kiosk.
| Airport | Shuttle bus | Public bus | Taxi or app |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split (SPU), 25 km from the Riva | Platanus shuttle to the main bus station, 9 euro, 30 to 40 min, every 30 to 60 min | Line 37 via Kaštela and Solin, about 3 euro, 55 to 60 min | 25 to 40 euro, 30 min |
| Dubrovnik (DBV), 20 km from the Old Town | Platanus shuttle to Pile Gate and the bus station, 10 euro, 15 return, 30 min, after every arrival | Libertas line, about 3 euro, roughly hourly | 45 to 60 euro, 25 min |
| Zagreb (ZAG), 17 km from the main square | Pleso prijevoz to the main bus station, 9 euro, 35 to 40 min, every 30 min | ZET line 290 to Kvaternikov trg, about 1 euro, 45 min | 20 to 30 euro, 25 min |
Split: the shuttle changed operator in 2026
Pleso prijevoz stopped its Split airport route on 1 February 2026 and Platanus runs the official shuttle now, from the stop outside arrivals to the main bus station next to the ferry port. That is the right stop if you are continuing to Hvar, Brač or Vis the same day, and 10 minutes on foot from Diocletian's Palace. The public bus 37 is the budget route but stops everywhere through Kaštela and Solin and has little luggage space. Taxis and Uber or Bolt cars wait at the terminal; 30 euro to the palace is normal, 40 in August.
Dubrovnik: the shuttle goes to Pile Gate
The Dubrovnik shuttle leaves about 30 minutes after each arrival, day and night, and stops first at Pile Gate for the Old Town and then at the bus station in Gruž. Buy the ticket at the kiosk in arrivals or from the driver, 10 euro one way and 15 return, children under 6 free. Taxis are the expensive exception in Croatia here: 45 to 60 euro for the 20 km, because the airport concession fixes the tariff. If your apartment is in Lapad or Babin Kuk, a taxi still makes sense with 3 or 4 people, otherwise take the shuttle to Gruž and a city bus from there.
Zagreb: 1 euro or 9 euro, both fine
Zagreb has the cheapest link of the three. ZET city bus 290 leaves from the stop outside the terminal every 35 minutes, costs about 1 euro with a ticket from the kiosk, and ends at Kvaternikov trg, a tram ride from the main square. The Pleso prijevoz shuttle costs 9 euro, runs every 30 minutes and goes to the main bus station, from where trams 2 and 6 reach the centre in 10 minutes. Taxis and Bolt cars cost 20 to 30 euro to the centre and are the sensible choice after 22:00.
- Zadar, Pula and Rijeka airports also have shuttle buses timed to flights for 5 to 8 euro; Rijeka's airport is on the island of Krk, 30 km from the city.
- Pre-booked transfers make sense for groups of 5 or more, for late-night arrivals in Dubrovnik and for anyone going straight to a small town without a bus link.
- Rental cars: all three airports have the desks in or next to arrivals; in Split some budget brands are 5 minutes away by their own minibus.
The smaller airports
| Airport | Distance | Bus | Taxi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zadar (ZAD), Zemunik | 12 km | shuttle to the old town and bus station, about 5 euro, timed to flights | 20 to 30 euro |
| Pula (PUY) | 6 km | shuttle to the bus station, about 6 euro, after arrivals | 15 to 20 euro |
| Rijeka (RJK), on Krk island | 30 km to Rijeka, 25 km to Krk town | shuttle to Rijeka bus station, about 8 euro, timed to flights; summer buses to Krk and Baška | 45 to 60 euro to Rijeka |
| Osijek (OSI) | 20 km | no regular bus; pre-booked transfer | 25 to 35 euro |
Late arrivals and early departures
The shuttles in Split and Dubrovnik are tied to flights, so a delayed 23:30 landing still finds a bus; Zagreb's Pleso shuttle stops around 22:30 and after that it is bus 290 until midnight or a taxi. For early flights the rule is simple: the first shuttle from the Split bus station leaves about 05:00 and from Dubrovnik's Pile Gate about 04:30, both timed to the first departures, and a taxi booked the evening before costs the same as one hailed in the morning. Uber and Bolt work at all three airports, with pickup points signposted outside arrivals; prices are fixed in the app, which removes the one thing that goes wrong with Dubrovnik taxis.
- Split airport to Trogir: the old town is 5 km away, bus 37 or a taxi for about 15 euro; many visitors sleep in Trogir on the first night and take the ferry to Split the next morning.
- Dubrovnik airport to Cavtat: 5 km in the other direction, taxi 15 to 20 euro; Cavtat is the quiet base with a 45-minute boat to the Old Town.
- Zagreb airport to Plitvice direct: no bus; a pre-booked transfer costs 120 to 160 euro for the car, a rental for the day 40 to 60.
Frequently asked questions
- How much is a taxi from Split airport to the city?
- 25 to 40 euro for the 25 km, about 30 minutes; the Platanus shuttle costs 9 euro to the main bus station.
- Is there a bus from Dubrovnik airport to the Old Town?
- Yes, the Platanus shuttle to Pile Gate for 10 euro, about 30 minutes after every arrival; a taxi costs 45 to 60 euro.
- What is the cheapest way from Zagreb airport to the centre?
- ZET bus 290 for about 1 euro to Kvaternikov trg, then a tram; the shuttle costs 9 euro to the bus station.
Official sources
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