📷 Our photo · Summer 2021
Dubrovnik is the trip everyone asks about — and the one we'd tell you not to rush. It's four to five hours away, so a there-and-back day is mostly travel. Here's how to do it properly: the catamaran from Split, the drive or the bus, and why one night changes the whole thing.
~4–5 hours from Trogir each way, via Split — it's the far south of Croatia.
Don't day-trip it. Go for one night so the walls and the evening are yours.
The seasonal catamaran from Split for the scenery, or drive for flexibility.
Dubrovnik earns its reputation. But it sits at the very bottom of the country, and from Trogir that's a long way. A return in one day means 9–10 hours of travel for maybe three or four hours in the city — arriving tired as the cruise crowds peak, and leaving before the best part of the day. The fix is simple: make it an overnight.
You really want to see Dubrovnik, you can spare a day and a night, and you'd enjoy the journey itself — the catamaran threads past Hvar, Korčula and Mljet on the way down.
You only have one free day. You'll spend most of it on a boat or in a coach seat. A closer trip — Hvar, Krka or a half-day in Split — gives you far more for the time.
Stay over and you get the walls at opening, before the ships unload, and the Stradun in the evening once the day-trippers have gone. That gap — early morning and late evening — is the Dubrovnik worth coming all this way for.
📷 Our photo · Summer 2021
There's no direct line from Trogir — every option goes through Split first. From there, you choose your way south.
The short hop: about 30–45 minutes by bus (line 37), taxi or car, or a seasonal catamaran. Full detail on our Split to Trogir guide — it works the same in reverse.
The scenic choice. A seasonal high-speed catamaran (Jadrolinija, Kapetan Luka / Krilo) runs the coast in about 4.5 hours, calling at Hvar, Korčula and Mljet. It only sails roughly April/May to October, and arrives at Gruž — about 3 km from the old town.
Driving is ~230 km and 3–3.5 hours since the Pelješac Bridge opened in 2022, keeping the whole route inside Croatia (no Bosnian border stop). The bus is the cheapest, runs all year, and takes around 4–4.5 hours into Gruž.
All times and costs are from Split and meant as a rough guide — always check current timetables, especially the catamaran's season. Prices vary a lot by date.
| Option | Time (from Split) | Rough cost | Runs | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catamaran | ~4.5 hrs | ~€30–50 | Seasonal (≈ Apr/May–Oct) | Scenery & island stops, no driving |
| Hire car | ~3–3.5 hrs | Fuel + tolls; car from ~€30/day | All year | Flexibility, stops (Ston oysters) |
| Bus | ~4–4.5 hrs | ~€15–30 | All year, frequent | Budget & simple, no parking worries |
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Driving down? Compare cars on our Split Airport car rental guide — prices here (affiliate link, free for you).
The nicest way to arrive: you watch the islands slide past instead of a motorway. The catches are that it's seasonal, sails only a couple of times a day, and lands you at Gruž, so you still need a local bus or taxi into the old town. Book ahead in July and August.
You can leave when you like and stop on the way — Ston for oysters and its salt-pan walls is a classic break. But it's 6–7 hours of driving round trip from Split, and parking near Dubrovnik's old town is limited and pricey. Best if you're already renting and want the Pelješac Bridge drive.
Frequent, inexpensive and runs in winter when the boats don't. It's the least scenic option and, like the catamaran, drops you at Gruž rather than the old town — but for value it's hard to beat.
📷 Our photo · Summer 2021
An overnight turns a tiring day into a proper visit: the walls before the cruise ships, dinner in the old town, and the Stradun in the evening light. A bed near the old town also saves the late dash back to Gruž. Compare places — most with free cancellation.
* Affiliate link to Booking.com — free for you; we earn a small commission on a booking. We only suggest staying over because the day trip genuinely isn't worth it otherwise.
📷 Our photo · Summer 2021
The fast catamarans are summer-only — roughly late April to October. Outside that window, it's the bus or driving. Don't plan a boat trip for the shoulder months without confirming it's still sailing.
In July and August the popular departures sell out days ahead. Book directly with the operators (Jadrolinija, Kapetan Luka / Krilo) or a ferry-booking site, and print or save your ticket.
Take the first boat down and a late-afternoon or next-day boat back. That's what makes the overnight work — a full evening and an early morning in the old town, both outside cruise hours.
The catamaran and bus both arrive at Gruž, about 3 km from the old town. Local buses 1a/1b and 3 run in, or grab a taxi — factor it into your timing, especially for the morning walls.
You can, but we wouldn't. It's about four to five hours each way via Split, so a same-day return is 9–10 hours of travel for only a few hours in the city — arriving as the cruise crowds peak. Make it a one-night trip instead.
Reach Split first (30–45 minutes from Trogir), then take the seasonal catamaran, the bus, or drive over the Pelješac Bridge. The catamaran is the most scenic, the bus the cheapest, the car the most flexible.
Yes — a seasonal high-speed catamaran runs Split–Dubrovnik in about 4.5 hours with island stops, usually April/May to October. It docks at Gruž, about 3 km from the old town. Off-season, only the bus or driving are options.
About 230 km by road — roughly 3–3.5 hours by car since the Pelješac Bridge opened in 2022, which keeps the whole drive inside Croatia. The bus takes around 4–4.5 hours.
Take the catamaran down, walk the walls at opening, stay the night, and head back the next day — the one way this long trip is genuinely worth it.
Hi, I'm Ante. My family has been connected to Trogir for many years and we've spent countless summers here. This guide shares the places we genuinely recommend, along with honest advice on what is—and isn't—worth your time.