Getting around · Dubrovnik · Croatia
Getting around Dubrovnik
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Miroslav.vajdic, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The Old Town is entirely car-free and best explored on foot. Libertas city buses link the Pile Gate with Ploče, Lapad, Babin Kuk and the Gruž port, and boats connect the Old Port with Lokrum and Cavtat. Not for the city, where parking is scarce and expensive.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- DBV
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
- Travel pass
- Dubrovnik Pass
Ways to get around
Walking
Everything inside the walls is within a ten-minute walk, though side lanes climb steep stairways. Ploče and Pile are a few minutes outside the gates.
Bus
Libertas buses run frequently from the Pile Gate to Lapad, Babin Kuk and Gruž, and to Cavtat; tickets bought from kiosks are cheaper than on board.
Buy a day ticket if you are staying in Lapad or Babin Kuk and will ride back and forth.
Boat
Boats from the Old Port reach Lokrum in about 15 minutes and Cavtat in about 45; Jadrolinija ferries and catamarans from Gruž serve the Elaphiti Islands, Mljet and Korčula.
Taxi
Taxis and ride-hailing apps operate across the city; traffic around Pile and the coast road can be slow in summer.
Ride-hailing is often cheaper than street taxis for airport trips.
Cable car
The cable car from just above the Old Town climbs Mount Srđ in a few minutes and is the easiest way to the summit viewpoint.
Tickets and passes
Dubrovnik Pass
A one-, three- or seven-day card covering the City Walls, several museums including the Rector's Palace, and Libertas bus rides.
From the airport
Dubrovnik Airport is at Čilipi, about 20 km south-east of the Old Town. An airport shuttle bus timed to flights runs to the Pile Gate and the main bus station in Gruž in about 30–40 minutes, and taxis take about 25–30 minutes.
Do you need a car?
Not for the city, where parking is scarce and expensive. A car is useful for Ston and Pelješac, Konavle or a self-drive trip to Montenegro, though buses and tours cover most day trips.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Kotor and the Bay of Kotor | About 2–3 hours each way by road | Bus or organised tour, crossing into Montenegro |
| Mostar | About 3 hours each way | Bus or organised tour, crossing into Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Cavtat | About 30 minutes by bus, 45 by boat | Libertas bus or boat from the Old Port |
| Elaphiti Islands | About 30–60 minutes by ferry | Jadrolinija ferry from Gruž or a boat tour |
| Ston and Mali Ston | About 1 hour by car | Car, bus or tour |
| Mljet National Park | About 1.5–2 hours by catamaran | Catamaran from Gruž |
| Trsteno Arboretum | About 30 minutes by bus | Regional bus towards Split |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Dubrovnik?
Not for the city, where parking is scarce and expensive. A car is useful for Ston and Pelješac, Konavle or a self-drive trip to Montenegro, though buses and tours cover most day trips.
+How do you get from the airport to Dubrovnik?
Dubrovnik Airport is at Čilipi, about 20 km south-east of the Old Town. An airport shuttle bus timed to flights runs to the Pile Gate and the main bus station in Gruž in about 30–40 minutes, and taxis take about 25–30 minutes.
+What is the best way to get around Dubrovnik?
Walking: Everything inside the walls is within a ten-minute walk, though side lanes climb steep stairways. Ploče and Pile are a few minutes outside the gates.