How to Get to Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik has no railway, so you'll arrive by air, road or sea. Most visitors fly.

From Dubrovnik Airport

The airport (DBV) is at Čilipi, about 20 km south-east of the city along the coast. The official airport shuttle, run by Platanus, leaves around half an hour after each arrival, from the first flight to the last. It stops first above the Old Town, a short walk down to the gates, and then continues to the main bus station in Gruž. The ride to the Old Town stop takes around half an hour. Buy tickets online or at the counter in the arrivals hall, because they aren't sold on board. Taxis and app-based rides wait outside and take about the same time.

Driving from Split and the north

For decades the coast road ran through Bosnia and Herzegovina at Neum, a short strip of coast that meant two border crossings. Since the Pelješac Bridge opened in 2022, followed by the Ston bypass in 2023, you can stay in Croatia the whole way: take the motorway to Ploče, then the bridge across to the Pelješac peninsula and down past Ston. The bridge is toll-free. From Split the drive takes around three hours. Parking near the Old Town is limited and expensive, so choose a hotel with parking or leave the car in Gruž.

By bus

Long-distance buses from Split, Zagreb and the rest of Croatia, as well as Kotor and Mostar, arrive at Gruž bus station. Many Split services still go through Neum, so keep your passport handy.

By sea

From late spring to early autumn, fast catamarans connect Dubrovnik with Mljet, Korčula, Hvar and Split. Jadrolinija runs an overnight car ferry to Bari in Italy. All leave from the ferry port in Gruž, not the Old Port under the walls.

Getting around the city

Libertas city buses are cheap and frequent. Lines 1A and 1B run from Gruž to Pile Gate, and line 6 links Lapad and Babin Kuk with Pile. Buy tickets at kiosks for a lower fare than paying the driver, or use the Dubrovnik Pass, which includes buses. Inside the Old Town you walk. Taxis gather at Pile and Ploče gates, and boat taxis cross from the Old Port to Lokrum and Cavtat. If you're heading on to Montenegro or Bosnia, read the border advice in our day trips guide, and for a base near the bus station see our where to stay guide.