Zagreb – Dubrovnik

There is no train connection from Zagreb to Dubrovnik. The railway connection in Croatia stops in Split, although there were once plans for expanding it further to Dubrovnik. As the train culture in Croatia did not grow with time, the plans were cancelled until further notice. 

Currently, the only railway route in South Dalmatia is Ploce – Sarajevo, further connecting cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The final stop in Croatia is Metkovic train station. Therefore, the closest train station to Dubrovnik is Ploce, about 2 hours away. 

Taking a bus from Zagreb to Dubrovnik is the most common way to travel this route. There are over 10 departures daily, including several night buses. Tickets start from €19 and the journey lasts approximately 10 hours. Buses depart from the main bus station in Zagreb which is located a 10-minute ride from the city centre. In Dubrovnik, buses arrive at the main bus station located about 4 km from Dubrovnik Old Town.

The fastest option is to travel from Zagreb to Dubrovnik by plane. There are daily direct flights provided by Croatia Airlines. Plane tickets cost significantly more than bus tickets, but buying a ticket in advance or on discounts can save you a lot of money. The journey lasts approximately 1 hour. Find out more information on how to get to and from Zagreb Airport and Dubrovnik Airport

Still, if you want to travel from Zagreb to Dubrovnik by train, the only option is to get from Zagreb to Split by train and further continue by bus or catamaran. Here are both options explained:

By bus

One of the options is to continue from Split to Dubrovnik by bus. There are over 20 daily departures, including several night buses. Tickets start from €10 and the journey lasts approximately 4 hours.

By catamaran

Another option is to travel by catamaran from Split to Dubrovnik. The route is seasonal with two departures per day. Tickets cost around €30. The catamaran drives the following route: Split – Bol – Makarska – Korcula – Mljet – Dubrovnik, the journey takes approximately 5 hours. Split ferry port is located a few minutes from the Old Town, right next to the main bus station and train station, while Dubrovnik ferry port is located about 4 km from the Old Town, next to the main bus station. 

Other popular train routes from Zagreb

Zagreb – Split

Zagreb – Rijeka

Zagreb – Ljubljana

Zagreb – Budapest

Zagreb – Belgrade

Zagreb – Vienna