How to get from Venice to Croatia by ferry: lines, tickets

Venice to Croatia by ferry. Is it possible?

Are you visiting Italian Venice, but willing to visit also the opposite side of the Adriatic? Or maybe you are planning to spend your holidays in Croatia, but want to combine it with visiting the beautiful city of Venice?

Yes, it’s possible. Fast ferries from Venice to Croatia operate during the summer months. You can find information about lines, prices, and tickets in this article.

Venice to Croatia by ferry: what is the journey time

Depending on ferry companies and port of arrival, it takes around 3-4 hours to arrive from Venice to Croatia by ferry.

Venice to Croatia, what are the ferry routes and ferry companies?

Ferry companies

There are 2 ferry companies that operate between Venice and Croatia: Adriatic Lines and Venezia Lines.

Ferry routes

Venice lies in northern Italy, on the northern coast of Italy, on the Adriatic coast. So ferries from Venice operate to the northern part of the Croatian coast, to the Istria peninsula. Especially to ports on the western coast of the Istrian peninsula: Umag, Porec, Rovinj, and Pula. In the past, there were also ferry services to Rabac and Mali Losinj.

There is also a ferry from Venice to Piran, a Slovenian coastal city.

The price of a one-way adult ticket starts at around 80 Euro, for a return it’s around 90-100 Euro.

Let’s look at these routes and travel times in detail:

Adriatic Lines

Adriatic Lines operate on the route between Venice and Porec, Rovinj, Pula, and Umag. Travel time is 3 to 3,5 hours. The biggest number of boats operate from Porec. Check here for a detailed timetable from Croatia (you can change names and check it for all cities). Here you can find the timetable from Venice to Croatia.

Note that it’s not a daily ferry, and the timetable changes depending on the month (the last ones are in October).

Venezia Lines Ferries

Venezia Lines operate between Venice and Porec, Rovinj, Pula, and Slovenian Piran. In 2023, they will finish operating at the end of August. Detailed timetable and tickets are here.

Ferries from both companies are passenger ferries.

Liberty Lines

Liberty Lines operate between Trieste and Porec, Rovinj, and Piran. Details here.

​From Venezia to Trieste, it takes around 2 hours by bus.

Ferries Venezia to Croatia: ports

In fact, Porec, Rovinj, Umag, and Piran are not big towns. All have harbours in the city centres. The port in Pula is located below the Arena, Roman Amphitheater.

In Venice, ferries from Croatia arrive at San Basilio Terminal. Be careful not to mix it with Cruise Liner Terminal. San Basilio is located around 500 metres from San Sebastiano Church, at the end of Zattere Area. You can reach it by foot or by water tram (vaporetto).

Is Istria worth visiting?

Yes, absolutely. Istria is very well worth a visit. It’s less popular than Dalmatia and the Croatian towns of Split and Dubrovnik, and it’s just different than Dalmatia. Yet, coastal towns and interior Istria have a lot to offer. In Pula, you can visit the Roman amphitheatre, the third biggest in Europe. In Porec, there is the Euphrasian Basilica from the VI century, which is Unesco World Heritage Site.

Secondly, Interior Istria is also a very interesting Croatian region, one of the few regions in Europe where truffles grow.

I wrote more about regions in Croatia, interesting points to visit and things to do in this blog post.

Is Venice worth visiting?

Honestly, I was wondering if such a chapter in the article at all makes sense. Obviously, Venice is one of the most known and beautiful cities in the world. Called ‘The City on Water’ and ‘The City of Bridges’. It’s also considered one of the most romantic and artistic cities in the world. Piazza San Marco, St. Mark’s Basilica, the Rialto Bridge, the Grand Canal, and a romantic gondola ride, just to name a few of Venice’s attractions.

Undoubtedly, I just wouldn’t be able to say, ‘No, it’s not worth it’. In any case, be ready for crowds, as usually in such touristic places.

If you only have a chance, visit Venice.

However, as a total fan of the Balkans and Croatia in particular I will for sure say to combine it with visiting Croatia! And hopefully, described ferry routes will help you with that.

Other ferry routes from Italy to Croatia

Off-season, there is only one ferry route from Italy to Croatia: Ancona to Split.

During the season (from April to October), there are more ferry routes between Italy and Croatia. Which means you can take a ferry from Ancona to Zadar, from Ancona to Hvar island or from Bari to Dubrovnik. Those 3 are car ferries.

Is there a ferry between Venice and Split or Dubrovnik?

No, at the moment, there is no ferry between Venice and Split or Dubrovnik.

How to get from Venice to Croatia if not by ferry?

Venice to Croatia by plane

Firstly note that Venice has 2 airports: Marco Polo (the closer one) and Treviso Airport.

From Venice, you can fly directly to Dubrovnik airport in high season with EasyJet. Otherwise, you will need to make a change, no more direct flights (in season 2023).

Venice to Croatia by train

There are no direct trains between Venice and Croatia. If you want to travel from Venice to Istria, you would have to take the train to Trieste and change there for a train or bus. Most likely, you would have to go via Ljubljana and then via Zagreb. Basically it takes long time and it’s not really a suitable option. I would recommend taking a look at buses.

Venice to Croatia by bus

There are more direct buses on this route than trains. Generally, travelling by bus in Croatia is quite convenient.

Company Fils has direct buses between Pula and Venezia (via Trieste) and from Medulin and Buzet (so, interior Istria) to Venezia. The company Brioni goes from Pula to Trieste. In addition, company Crnja Tours to Venezia. They also do one-day trips.

You can also browse and book available connections (buses, trains, and ferries) in 1 place via Omio.

Italy and Croatia are both in the Schengen area, so travelling through the border, whatever transport type you choose, is quick and smooth.

Trieste in Croatian is called Trst; hence you can see this name on schedules.

Venice to Croatia One Day Trips

I’m not really a fan of one-day visits to places that need a longer stay. Venice and Istria are such places, it’s just not enough time to see them all well in 1 day. Not to mention, one-day trips are usually very tiring. But if your time is limited and you want to get a grasp and see most important monuments, go for it.

Obviously, there are many companies that organise such trips for 1 day. You have transportation, a bit of visiting, and free time. Crnja Tours or Venezia Lines (trip by ferry) are among them. Day trip ticket can be booked at their websites.

All in all, I think it’s the best option to take the ferry. It’s quick and convenient, and ferry trip is a great holiday option.

Hopefully, this article has helped you organise your journey between Venice and Croatia.

For more Croatia Travel Tips, check out this article.

Searching for accommodation in Venice or Croatia? Here, you can find many options.

Check here for any guided tours and attractions in Venice, and here for Istria.

Check here for reviewing and booking transportation.