Dubrovnik Airport, officially Zračna luka Dubrovnik, is near the village of Čilipi, about 22 kilometres south-east of Dubrovnik. There’s no train or tram, so to get from Dubrovnik Airport to Old Town you’ll need to go by bus or car. The Platanus airport bus leaves from the exit by the arrivals hall once flights have landed and reaches the Old Town in about 30 minutes.
The 10 euro airport bus is the best choice for most people staying in the Old Town, Ploče, Pile or Lapad. If you’re staying in Cavtat, a taxi or a transfer is by far the easiest option, and if there are three or four of you, a taxi or Uber can be worth it. Here you’ll find all the options with prices and journey times, where to get off, and how to carry on to Split and Montenegro.
Contents
Quick overview
- Airport bus (Platanus): 10 euros (around £8), about 30 minutes to the Ploče Gate by the Old Town and about 35 minutes to the bus station in Gruž, leaving roughly 30 minutes after each landing from the first flight to the last.
- City bus (Libertas): routes 11, 27 and 38 pass the airport, but there are only a few departures a day, and none of them run on Sundays.
- Taxi: typically 35 to 50 euros (around £30 to £40) to the Old Town, 30 to 35 minutes without traffic and up to an hour in high season.
- Uber: typically 25 to 40 euros (around £20 to £35), and the price is shown in the app before you book.
- Private transfer: from about 58 euros (around £50) for up to three people to your hotel in Dubrovnik.
- To Cavtat: taxi typically 20 to 30 euros (around £15 to £25), about 15 minutes. The airport bus doesn’t go to Cavtat.
How to find transport at the airport
Dubrovnik Airport is small and easy to find your way around. Once you’ve collected your luggage, you come out into the arrivals hall in Terminal B. This is where you’ll find the Platanus ticket desk, and in the same area are the car hire companies, which have offices in the airport itself.
The airport bus stops just outside the arrivals hall, close to the main entrance. Look for a white post marked “Shuttle bus”, as that’s where the bus stops. The buses are clearly marked with the Platanus logo. Taxis also wait in front of Terminal B, and the taxi price list is on the noticeboard at the entrance to the arrivals hall. This is stated on the airport’s page about taxis and car hire.
If you book an Uber, the app shows you where to meet the driver. If you’ve booked a private transfer, the driver will usually wait in the arrivals hall with a name sign. The airport has gathered information on the airport bus, city buses and directions on its page about transport to and from the airport.
1. Airport bus to the Old Town and the bus station in Gruž
The airport’s official bus is run by the company Platanus. You may come across the name Atlas in older guides, as Atlas used to run the bus, but today the airport refers to Platanus. The bus doesn’t run to a fixed timetable. It leaves about 30 minutes after each landing, from the first flight in the morning to the last in the evening, including weekends and public holidays.
The route has only two stops in Dubrovnik. The first is at the Ploče Gate, one of the main entrances to the Old Town, and the journey there takes about 30 minutes. The bus then continues to the final stop at the bus station in Gruž, which you reach in about 35 minutes. In summer there’s a lot of traffic on the road into town, so allow a little longer in high season.
The bus doesn’t stop at the Pile Gate, even though some guides say it does. Platanus follows flight arrivals, so if your flight is late, you simply take the next bus. Arrival times and the bus’s expected departures are listed in the Platanus timetable, and they can change, especially in spring and autumn, when airlines change their schedules.
Prices and tickets
A single ticket costs 10 euros (around £8), and a return costs 15 euros (around £13), so you save 5 euros if you’re also taking the bus back. Children under 6 travel free. The price is fixed, with no supplements in the evening or in high season.
The ticket is valid on all departures on the day you travel, and one suitcase is included in the price. The staff put it in the luggage hold, so you don’t have to drag it onto the bus. For a solo traveller or a couple, it beats every other option on price.
Where to buy your ticket
You can’t buy a ticket on the bus. Buy it online from Platanus before you travel, or at the Platanus desk in the arrivals hall, where you can pay by card or in cash. Online you get a QR code to show on your phone when you board, so you don’t need to print anything.
In summer the buses fill up quickly, so Platanus recommends buying your ticket in advance in high season. If you’ve bought a return, you’ll also have your ticket ready when you head back to the airport.
Where should you get off?
Ploče Gate (Old Town): Get off at the first stop if you’re staying in the Old Town or in the Ploče area east of the city walls. From the stop, walk to the Ploče Gate and into the Old Town, and the main street, Stradun, leads you on towards the Pile Gate at the other end. Many hotels in the Old Town and Ploče are on steps, so pack light. If you’d like to stay close to the stop, you can see hotels in the Old Town here.
Pile: If you’re staying in Pile by the western entrance to the Old Town, you also get off at the Ploče Gate and walk about 10 minutes through the Old Town along Stradun to the Pile Gate. With a heavy suitcase, it may be easier to take a taxi for the last stretch. If you haven’t chosen a hotel yet, read my guide to where to stay in Dubrovnik, where I go through the Old Town, Ploče and Pile.
Bus station in Gruž: The final stop is by the harbour in Gruž, about 500 metres from the ferry terminal. Get off here if you’re carrying on by ferry or long-distance bus, or if you’re staying in Gruž or on the Lapad peninsula. From the bus station, Libertas city buses run to Lapad, Babin Kuk and Pile, and a ticket bought from the driver costs 2.50 euros (around £2). Departures are listed in the city bus timetable. Lapad has lots of hotels at lower prices than the Old Town, and you can see hotels in Lapad here.
2. City bus from the airport with Libertas
The city’s bus company, Libertas, also serves the airport. According to the airport, routes 11, 27 and 38 run to and from the airport. They’re suburban routes running between Dubrovnik and the villages of Konavle further south-east, namely Molunat, Vitaljina and Gruda, and the airport lies on the way.
The problem is that there are only a few departures a day on each route. Routes 11 and 27 don’t run on Sundays and public holidays, and route 38 only runs on weekdays, mainly to suit school times. The bus therefore rarely fits in with your flight, and it doesn’t stop close to the arrivals hall the way the airport bus does.
The fare from the airport isn’t shown in the Libertas price list, so ask the driver. For comparison, a single ticket on the suburban bus to Cavtat costs 4 euros (around £3.50), and you can see the fares in the Libertas price list. Departures are listed in the timetable for the eastbound routes, which changes between summer and winter.
The city bus is only worth it if you want to save a few euros and have time to wait. The 10 euro airport bus is almost always the best option, and it runs after every landing.
3. Taxi and Uber
Taxis wait in front of Terminal B by the arrivals hall and run for as long as the airport is open. The airport doesn’t publish fixed fares on its website, but the price list is on the noticeboard at the entrance to the arrivals hall. Typically, expect to pay 35 to 50 euros (around £30 to £40) to the Old Town, Ploče or Lapad, depending on the address and the time of day.
Agree the price before you set off and ask for a receipt. The driver is required to issue one, according to the airport. The journey takes 30 to 35 minutes without traffic, but in summer it can take up to an hour. The Old Town is car-free, so the taxi drops you at the Pile Gate or the Ploče Gate, and you walk the last bit from there.
Uber also operates in Dubrovnik. The app shows the price before you book and where to meet the driver. Typically, expect 25 to 40 euros (around £20 to £35) to the centre, but the price rises when demand is high. You can book the ride in advance in the app, as stated by Uber.
If there are three or four of you, four airport bus tickets come to 40 euros (around £35). An Uber or taxi isn’t much more expensive, and it takes you right to the nearest road by your hotel.
4. Private transfer to your hotel
A private transfer is the most convenient option if you land late, travel with children or have a lot of luggage. The driver tracks your flight and waits in the arrivals hall, and the price is agreed in advance, so you avoid queuing for taxis or haggling over the fare.
You can book a private transfer from Dubrovnik Airport to your hotel here. It costs from about 58 euros (around £50) for up to three people and is one of the most reviewed transfers from the airport. The journey takes about 35 minutes to hotels in Dubrovnik.
It’s more expensive than a taxi, but you know exactly what it costs, and you have a car waiting, even when you land in high season, when the taxi queue can be long. Book at least a day ahead, and remember to include your flight number in the booking so the driver can keep track if your flight is delayed.
Bear in mind that the driver can’t drive into the Old Town either. If you’re staying within the city walls, you’ll be dropped at the Pile Gate or the Ploče Gate. Ask your hotel which gate is closest and add it to the booking.
5. From the airport to Cavtat
Cavtat is much closer to the airport than Dubrovnik. The little harbour town is only about 15 minutes’ drive from the terminal, so many people choose to stay here and take the boat into Dubrovnik. The problem is that the Platanus airport bus doesn’t go to Cavtat, and the suburban buses passing the airport don’t go into the town either.
The easiest option is therefore a taxi, which typically costs 20 to 30 euros (around £15 to £25). The price list is at the entrance to the arrivals hall, so check it and agree the price before you set off. You can also book an Uber to Cavtat. If you’d like everything sorted before you leave home, you can book a private transfer from the airport to Cavtat here. It costs from about 39 euros (around £35) for up to four people.
When you’re staying in Cavtat, you can get to Dubrovnik on Libertas route 10, which runs between Dubrovnik and Cavtat roughly once an hour and a little less often on Sundays. A single ticket costs 4 euros (around £3.50). In summer, boats also sail from Cavtat harbour to the old harbour by the Old Town.
Cavtat is quieter and cheaper than Dubrovnik, and you have the beaches and the harbour promenade right on your doorstep. You can see hotels in Cavtat here.
Onward to Split and Montenegro straight from the airport
If you’re not staying in Dubrovnik but travelling on around Croatia, take the airport bus to the final stop at the bus station in Gruž. Long-distance buses to Split leave from here, and the journey usually takes 4 to 5 hours. Tickets typically cost 20 to 30 euros (around £15 to £25), and you can buy them at the bus station or online from the bus company. Bring your passport, as some routes pass through the short Bosnian stretch of coast at Neum.
In summer, catamarans also sail from Gruž harbour to Split, stopping at islands such as Korčula and Hvar. The crossing takes 4.5 to 6 hours and costs about 50 euros (around £40). Jadrolinija sails, among others, the Dubrovnik, Korčula, Hvar, Bol and Split route, and seasons and departures change from year to year, so check them before you travel. If you hire a car at the airport, the drive takes about 3 hours via the Pelješac Bridge and the motorway. Read my guide to where to stay in Split and my overview of the best places to stay in Croatia if you’re travelling around the country.
For Montenegro, the airport is actually a good starting point, as it’s close to the border. The Karasovići and Debeli Brijeg border crossing is south of the airport, and Herceg Novi is only about 30 kilometres away. Buses to Herceg Novi, Kotor and Budva leave from the bus station in Gruž and usually take 2 to 3 hours to Kotor, depending on the queue at the border.
In summer there can be long waits at the border, and Montenegro isn’t in the Schengen Area, so bring your passport. If you hire a car, you’ll need the rental company’s permission in advance to cross the border, and there’s usually a fee. Montenegro also uses the euro. If you’re staying on the other side of the border, read my guide to where to stay in Montenegro.
Getting back to the airport
The airport bus also runs the other way, with departures timed to flight departures from morning to evening. The bus starts at the bus station in Gruž, where it leaves from bay 8 near the entrance. It then stops at the Grawe stop and finally at the cable car stop above the Old Town, which is the stop closest to the Old Town.
From the bus station the journey takes about 35 minutes, from Grawe about 30 minutes and from the cable car stop about 25 minutes. Be at the stop at least 10 minutes before departure, and allow extra time in summer, when there’s heavy traffic out of town. Departures are listed on Platanus’ page about the airport bus.
Tickets can be bought online, at the office at the bus station or at the Platanus office by the cable car, but not on the bus. If you have a return ticket from your arrival, use that. If you’d rather take a taxi or an Uber, book it in good time in high season. If you’d like the car booked before you leave home, you can book a transfer from your hotel to the airport here. It costs from about 50 euros (around £40) for up to eight people.
Which option should you choose?
Here’s my recommendation based on where you’re staying:
Old Town and Ploče: Take the airport bus to the Ploče Gate. It costs 10 euros (around £8), runs after every landing and gets there in about 30 minutes.
Pile: Take the airport bus to the Ploče Gate and walk through the Old Town along Stradun. With a lot of luggage, I’d take a taxi or an Uber straight there.
Lapad and Gruž: Take the airport bus to the bus station in Gruž and change to a city bus towards Lapad or Babin Kuk.
Cavtat: Take a taxi or a private transfer. The journey only takes about 15 minutes.
If there are three or four of you: Four bus tickets cost 40 euros (around £35), so an Uber or taxi doesn’t cost much more and takes you to the door.
If you land late: The airport bus also runs after the last landing of the evening. If in doubt, book a private transfer so you have a car waiting.
If you’re travelling on: Take the airport bus to the bus station in Gruž, where the buses to Split and Montenegro leave from and the ferry port is right next door.
Practical tips for getting from Dubrovnik Airport to Old Town
Buy your bus ticket online in summer. Platanus recommends this itself, as the buses fill up quickly in high season. You can’t buy a ticket on the bus.
Expect traffic in summer. Everyone uses the same road between the airport and Dubrovnik, and in July and August the journey can take twice as long as usual. Leave plenty of time for your return journey.
Pack light for the Old Town. The Old Town is car-free, and many of the streets are steps. No car can take you right to the door, so a suitcase with good wheels makes a big difference.
Choose your hotel based on the connection. The airport bus only stops at the Ploče Gate and the bus station in Gruž. If you’re staying in the Old Town or Ploče, you’re almost there when you get off, and you can see hotels in Ploče here.
Should you hire a car? The car hire companies have offices at the airport, but parking in Dubrovnik is scarce and expensive. Only hire a car if you’re travelling further along the coast or to Montenegro.
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