Split to Hvar by ferry: catamaran or car ferry, and which port

Hvar is the island most first-time visitors add to Split, and the crossing is where plans go wrong, because Split serves 2 different ports on the island. Passenger catamarans go straight into Hvar town, the harbour with the Venetian square and the fortress. Car ferries go to Stari Grad on the north coast, 20 km and a bus ride away. If you have no car and are staying in Hvar town, you want the catamaran. If you have a car, or you are staying in Stari Grad, Jelsa or Vrboska, the ferry is the sensible choice.

Buying tickets and the summer sell-out

Catamaran seats are limited and the afternoon boats from Hvar back to Split sell out days ahead in July and August; buy online on the operator's site as soon as your dates are fixed. The car ferry to Stari Grad takes vehicles first come, first served in most of the year, but in high season Jadrolinija lets you reserve a car slot online, and on summer weekends the queue at the Split piers starts 2 hours before departure. Foot passengers never need to worry on the car ferry, there is always space.

What changes after 28 September

Croatian ferries switch to the off-season timetable on 28 September 2026. The Stari Grad ferry drops to 3 or 4 crossings a day, the Jadrolinija catamaran (line 641) ended its 2026 season on 11 October, Krilo keeps a reduced service through the winter, and TP Line's state lines 9604 and 9608 sail between Split and Hvar every day all year, one round trip each. Fares fall to the low-season rate on the car ferry. In October the crossing is calmer and the boats are half empty; in a strong bura the catamarans are the first to be cancelled, so keep a car-ferry option in mind on windy days.

• Arriving in Stari Grad without a car: the island bus meets most ferries and takes 25 minutes to Hvar town for a few euro; a taxi costs 35 to 45 euro.
• The catamaran from Split also calls at Milna on Brač on some sailings; check the stops, not just the destination.
• Luggage is free on both; bicycles go on the car ferry for a small fee and on catamarans only if space allows.

Finding the right boat in the Split port

Split's port is a 400 m strip south of the Riva, and the two Hvar boats leave from opposite ends of it. Catamarans tie up at Obala Lazareta, the quay directly in front of the old town, with the ticket booths of Jadrolinija, Krilo and TP Line in a row along the pavement; be there 30 minutes early in summer because boarding is by queue, not by seat number. Car ferries use the numbered piers further south, past the bus and railway stations, a 10-minute walk with luggage; the Stari Grad ferry usually loads at pier 2 or 3 and the board at the entrance shows the assignment. Walking from the airport shuttle stop at the bus station to either boat takes under 10 minutes.

The first hour on Hvar

Arriving in Hvar town by catamaran, you step off onto the Riva 100 m from the main square; accommodation hosts meet the boat, and the climb to the Fortica starts behind the cathedral, 20 minutes on a shaded path for the view that explains the island. Arriving in Stari Grad by ferry, the port is 1.5 km from the old town: the island bus waits at the ramp and continues to Hvar town in 25 minutes, taxis charge 35 to 45 euro, and the walk into Stari Grad itself along the bay takes 20 minutes. Stari Grad is the older, quieter town, with the Tvrdalj castle of the poet Hektorović and konobas that are half the price of Hvar town; if your ferry lands at midday, eat here before moving on.