How to get from Split to Plitvice Lakes

Why visit Plitvice Lakes?

Plitvice Lakes National Park is an emerald beauty in Croatia’s northern mountainous region. The country’s largest national park boasts 16 terraced lakes, cascading waterfalls, and a glorious karst landscape. Visitors can admire this from the numerous trails that wind through the park or on a relaxing boat ride on one of the lakes.

As majestic as the lakes are, they comprise only 1% of the National Park’s land area. The remaining 99% is lush forest, home to a variety of wildlife – brown bears, wolves, and lynx, as well as a huge array of birds and bats. Plitvice Lakes has seven viewing paths around the lakes and four hiking trails. For safety reasons, tourists are not allowed to stray from these routes, and swimming is strictly prohibited.

Not sure which route to take? Our detailed Plitvice Lakes guide will tell you everything you need to know to plan your perfect visit.

Visiting in summer? It’s important to buy your tickets beforehand to skip the long queues at the park. Prices are the same whether you book through GetYourGuide online or at the ticket booths on-site. An entrance ticket to Plitvice Lakes costs €40 ($43) in summer, €23 ($25) in spring and autumn, and €10 ($10.80) in winter.

There are 3 ways to travel the 270 kilometers (168 miles) from Split to Plitvice Lakes. You can choose between the bus, private transfer and day trip. The journey takes 2 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes and the quickest way is by private transfer. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by bus with tickets starting at €23 ($25).

Taking the bus is the cheapest way to travel from Split to Plitvice Lakes. Knezevic - Puntamika operates on this route.

Departure and arrival station

Buses depart from Split Bus Station, between the port and the train station in the city centre.

You will be dropped off at the bus stop in front of the national park’s Entrance 1. The ticket office is near the bus stop, so you can buy your tickets for Plitvice Lakes directly from this entrance if you haven’t bought them in advance.

Given the 270 km distance between Split and Plitvice Lakes, a private transfer is the most expensive option.

An 8-passenger car costs around €285 ($315). Divide the cost, and that’s €36 ($39) per person.

Alongside the extra privacy and convenience, one of the biggest advantages of a private transfer is that you can be picked up from the airport, ferry port, or your hotel in the city centre. You can also be dropped off at any entrance or hotel at the national park.

Travel time is just 2 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes one-way, and you’ll be travelling comfortably, ready to explore Plitvice Lakes!

A convenient option to visit Plitvice Lakes from Split is to join an organised group tour. With this, all you need to do is show up at the meeting place, and everything else will be arranged for you.

Most group tours are around 2 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes, with 6-7 hours of that being the round-trip transportation. This leaves you with about 5 hours at the national park, which is still a good enough time to see a good portion of Plitvice.

A full-day tour of Plitvice National Park costs around €285 ($315). This tour includes a guide, transportation and a boat ride. Entry tickets are not included, but you’ll get to skip the ticket line if you reserve your entrance ticket online.

Several other tours with different inclusions are also available on GetYourGuide:

With everything that Plitvice Lakes National Park has to offer, a day trip might not be enough! We suggest staying at least two days to fully appreciate the park’s wonders.

There are a few hotels conveniently located within walking distance of Entrances 1 and 2. Due to their close proximity to the park, they are often fully booked, so it’s best to reserve a room in advance!

If you want a more unique experience, you can also check the campsites about 5-7 km north of Entrance 1: Campsite Korana and Camping Plitvice. You can pitch your own tent or try their mobile homes! These campsites also offer different activities and free transportation to the national park.

Looking for a more budget-friendly accommodation? Many hostels are located in Jezerce Village, about 2 km away from Entrance 2. To get to the park from Jezerce, you can board a 2-minute bus from Mukinje Bus Stop costing around €2 ($2.20).