How to get from Zadar Airport to Zadar City Centre
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The city of Zadar is the fourth-biggest city in Croatia. It lies in the northern part of Dalmatia, and it’s one of the most popular Croatian tourist destinations, although it is in the shadow of more popular Split or Dubrovnik.
Zadar is a gateway for smaller coastal towns in this part of the Dalmatian region and many Croatian islands. Zadar city is a good destination, even for a citybreak. It has a beach and sea views, but also some interesting monuments.
How to get from Zadar Airport to Zadar City Centre?
You can get there by city bus or private transfer. There are also seasonal shuttle buses to towns around Zadar. All the details are in this blog post.
Additionally, I will also let you know how to get from Zadar Airport to the Zadar Bus Terminal and Port of Zadar. It’s useful information in case you are travelling via Zadar to other coastal towns or islands.
Quick Links to organise your trip to Zadar:
Searching for accommodation in Zadar? Look at Almayer Art&Heritage or Harveys Rooms.
Here, you can compare prices and rent a car.
Here, you can book guided tours and attractions.
Zadar Airport basic information
Zadar Airport’s code is ZAD. It’s the fourth-busiest airport in Croatia, with international and domestic flights, especially during the summer months. During the winter months, there are only domestic flights to Zagreb, with Croatia Airlines, national Croatian airlines. It’s rather a small airport, with one café and restaurant in the terminal building.
There are a few airlines that operate at Zadar Airport, including standard airlines (Croatia Airlines and Lufthansa) and low cost airlines (Ryanair or Easyjet). The biggest number of connections to European destinations is from Ryanair; there were also a few new destinations announced for 2024, for example, Cork, Barcelona, or Oslo. For all the destinations, you can check out this map.
How far is Zadar Airport from Zadar City Centre?
Zadar Airport is 14 km (8.7 miles) from the old town of Zadar. The airport is in the village Zemunik Donji .
How to get from Zadar Airport to Zadar City Centre: Taxi
There is an option to take a taxi service from Split Airport. However, if you are travelling during the summer season, I would encourage you to book a private transfer in advance.
How to get from Zadar Airport to Zadar City Centre: Private Transfer
A pre-booked transfer is probably the most comfortable way to get from Zadar Airport to the city centre of Zadar. Book your airport transfer here.
Rent a car at Zadar Airport
If you are planning to rent a car and use it during your stay in Croatia, you can do it directly at the airport. In the airport building, there are counters for car rental companies. Click here to compare options and rent your car.
How to get from Zadar Airport to Zadar City Centre: Shuttle Bus
At the moment, there is no shuttle bus service from Zadar Airport to Zadar City Centre.
There is a shuttle bus service that goes to Novalja and Pag, two towns on the island of Pag. It’s run by Pleso Prijevoz; it’s the same company that runs buses from airports in other cities as well, for example, in Zagreb or Split. It’s a seasonal service (in the summer).
You can check the schedule and buy tickets on the Pleso website.
How to get from Zadar Airport to Zadar City Centre: Public Bus
There is an option to use public transportation and take a city bus. The bus stop is just in front of the airport terminal. The bus schedule can be found here on the Zadar airport website.
The bus takes you to the Old Town, next to the city walls; you will just need to cross the city gate, and you are in the Old Town. The bus stop is called Zadar Centre – Poluotok (which means peninsula) – Liburnska obala. It’s the last stop on the bus.
It’s the cheapest way, and the price of a one-way ticket is around 5 Euro.
Bus to Bus Station and Ferry Port
The same bus goes from the airport to the bus station and ferry port. Ferry Terminal Gaženica (bus station near CRODUX Petrol station) is the closest stop to the airport. It can be comfortable for you if you are travelling right away to the islands. However, check your ferry departure point before on your ticket, as part of the ferries leave from the catamaran terminal in the centre (Poluotok).
The next stop of the airport bus is the Main Bus Station (in Croatian: Autobusni Kolodvor Zadar). It will be comfortable for you if you travel by bus to other towns on the coast.
The next stop is Zadar City Centre.
From the airport. I’ve taken a shuttle bus, and all went smoothly. From the stop, I could easily walk to my accommodation, Harveys Rooms, which I recommend.
However, I travel with small luggage, so it’s easier for me to take a bus. Choose the option that is the most convenient for you.
Enjoy your time in Zadar; it’s really a beautiful city. Read what you can see and do in Zadar here.
Check out more about Croatia in the Croatian section of the blog:
For example, about Krk Island.
And here, you can read what the best souvenirs to bring from Croatia are.
