Getting around Split: public transport, passes and taxis

Split is a walking city with a bus network for the edges and a port for the islands. Match the mode to the trip: feet inside the centre, bus for city hops, boat for islands, taxi or ride-hailing for the airport or a late return.

Diocletian's Palace, the Riva, the fish market and the green market sit close together, and the lanes inside the palace are pedestrian. You do not need a bus or a car for the old town, and driving into it is a mistake: streets are narrow, parking is scarce and much of the core is closed to traffic.

Bačvice beach and the near side of Marjan hill are short walks from the Riva. The far side of Marjan, the zoo and Bene beach are better reached by bus or a longer walk. Comfortable shoes matter more than any ticket here, because the old town is polished stone and gets slippery when wet.

Promet Split runs the city network. Tickets can be bought from a kiosk or newsstand before boarding, or from the driver at a higher price; validate the ticket in the machine on board. A day or multi-day pass pays off if you plan several rides, for example beach in the morning and Poljud or Meje later. Ask at a kiosk for the current range, since prices and pass lengths change.

Useful lines for visitors include buses toward Bačvice and Žnjan for beaches, buses to Poljud stadium, and the airport bus toward Trogir direction. Buses to Trogir and other coastal towns also run from the bus station next to the port. In summer, services are more frequent but buses fill up; off-season timetables thin out, especially in the evening.

Split Airport (SPU) sits between Split and Trogir, roughly 25 km from the centre. The local bus is the cheap option and connects with the city bus station; a taxi or Uber/Bolt is faster and easier with luggage, and the airport shuttle bus is a middle option. Allow extra time in July and August, when the road to the airport and the terminal both get busy.

For day trips, the bus station beside the port handles Trogir, Šibenik, Makarska and further afield, while ferries and catamarans from the same area reach Hvar, Brač, Šolta and Korčula. If you are basing yourself in Split and doing day trips by boat, book summer catamaran seats ahead; they sell out.

Uber and Bolt both work in Split, and metered taxis wait at the bus station, along the Riva and at the airport. For a short hop inside the city, a taxi or ride-hailing car is convenient but often slower than walking in summer traffic. For the airport or a late return from a beach, it is the sensible choice.

Agree the price before getting into an unmetered taxi, and prefer a meter or an app fare. Unlicensed drivers sometimes approach arrivals at the airport and the port; walk to the official rank or order through the app instead. A quoted price up front is your protection.

Budget for a Promet Split single ticket, less from a kiosk than from the driver, and a few euros for a day pass; confirm current prices locally. Taxi and ride-hailing fares are app- or meter-based, so check the quote in the app before you book. Island catamarans start around €8 for the shortest crossings and rise with distance and season. All figures are 2026 estimates and should be confirmed locally.

Split's centre is small, so plan your day around walking and use buses only for the edges. Carry a little cash for kiosk tickets and small taxis, and keep a card for apps and ferries. In summer, start early: buses, boats and roads are all busier from mid-morning, and the heat makes a midday walk less pleasant.

If you are staying outside the centre, check how close your bus stop is before booking, and note the last evening service. For island day trips, the catamaran timetable is the constraint, not the bus. Tap water is safe to drink, so refill a bottle rather than buying water at every stop.