Planes, Ferries, & Automobiles (Dubrovnik Transportation)

Words & Pictures by Shaun Troke

To & From The Airport

After reading numerous negative comments on TripAdvisor that Atlas Buses – the most low-budget airport transfer – weren’t that good or reliable, I feared this company would bookend my trip with stressful situations…

To be honest, they were no problem whatsoever!

Purchasing a ticket couldn’t be easier – you can buy you ticket from a manned kiosk inside the arrivals building, or, you can buy one from a little machine outside the building, at the stand where the bus departs.

The bus departed & arrived on time (both to Old Town, and back to the Airport); The bus was never completely packed full of people, allowing more space for yourself; And, the staff were very pleasant, too.

TIP #1: Buy a return ticket. While it’s only 10kn cheaper, it’s one less thing to worry about when it comes to finding change for your return journey (if you’re paying by cash).

TIP #2: Don’t miss the view! When travelling from the Airport, sit on the left side of the bus – you’ll get to see those breathtaking iconic views of Old Town as you nearer to the city.

Getting Around Dubrovnik

Their bus system is a very good one…though, I did have just one problem with it:

It seems that in every bus stop, there is the same poster displaying details for every single bus number/service…

To me, I assumed that this meant ALL of these buses would be arriving at this one stop, which once led to me waiting at one bus stop for almost hour, before realising that the certain bus I was waiting for wasn’t going to come!

If you can, locate a clear Bus Map, either from the Tourist Information Office or look for one inside the bus stop itself (the maps available online aren’t very hi-res, so don’t rely on these)…

You should then be able to clearly work out the route your desired bus will take, and where it will stop

Cost-wise, the best choice would be to purchase a Dubrovnik Card – not only will you be able to enter museums & galleries for free, you’ll have free bus travel, too (read more about this card my Dubrovnik article).

TIP: Don’t rely on Google Maps!

If a destination appears on Google Maps that says it’s a 30min walk, there’s a high chance there’ll also be steep hills and/or steps involved on the route.

On the day I arrived, after the Atlas Bus dropped me off at Pile Gate, I chose to walk from there to Port Gruz – with luggage – not releasing that the first half of the walk would be uphill, in the summer heat!

In hindsight, I should’ve just gotten one of the regular buses.

OR, if your final destination is Port Gruz – or you’re catching a ferry to one of the Elaphiti Islands – Atlas Buses can drop-off & pick-up from the Port Gruz Bus Station, too.

Heading Out To Sea

My knowledge about the Ferries is minor, since I only travelled to the islands of Lopud and Lokrum…

Lopud

If Lopud is your final destination, it’s all very simple to get to:

You take the 30min Atlas Bus journey from the Airport to Port Gruz Bus Station

You take the 55min Ferry to Lopud, that departs Port Gruz 2-5 times a day…

And, coming back, Ferries depart Lopud 2-5 times a day, taking you back to Port Gruz, where you can catch the Atlas Bus to the Airport.

Also, when it’s time for you to leave the island, something you need to know is that the ferry ticket office on Lopud only opens 10mins prior to each departure time.

Lokrum

The main ferry to Lokrum starts sailing at 10am and the last boat back to the Old Port on the mainland is at 7pm.

Boats depart from both places approximately every 30mins.

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4 Replies to “Planes, Ferries, & Automobiles (Dubrovnik Transportation)”

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