How to Get From Zagreb to Split by Train
When we traveled from Budapest to Zagreb we used the FlixBus for the first time. We planned to use it again for our journey to Split but their online ordering wouldn’t accept any of our payment methods. That meant we’d need to go to the bus station to book the tickets. As the train station was only a short distance from our Airbnb apartment, we decide to take the train instead. It turned out to be cheaper, so we were glad we made the change.
The number 6 tram runs from the main square to the train station, so that’s another option if you don’t want to walk.
How to buy train tickets
You can either buy train tickets at the station or online from HZPP, the national railway company of Croatia.
The price of the tickets online was 15.10 EUR per person.
When we bought our tickets at the station we were charged 15.93 EUR per person. I’m not sure why there’s a price difference.
We had quite a lot of trouble booking the tickets at the main station, as the three booking clerks didn’t seem to understand that we wanted tickets for the next day. At one point the said we couldn’t buy any for the next day and sent us to the information counter, where the woman in charge spoke English. She told us we could buy tickets for the next day and sent us back to the booking office.
Even after that, the booking clerk printed tickets for that day. Another clerk than figured out that we wanted them for the next day and re-issued them.
As we were getting an intercity train, seat reservation and mandatory. We got issued with two tickets and one reservation ticket that cover both me and my wife. Rather strangely, the tickets only show the date but not the time of the train. The clerk wrote the time on a scrap of paper.
Zagreb to Split train times
In summer, there are two trains from Zagreb to Split during the day and one overnight train.
From 7 June to 30 September 2023 plus a few other dates, there is a train that leaves Zagreb at 07:03 and arrives in Split at 13:45.
The other train runs every day throughout the year. It leaves Zagreb at 15:19 and arrives in Split at 21:40.
Our train was around 20 minutes late both leaving and arriving.
We’ve read that it’s almost always possible to buy train tickets on the day of travel. We didn’t want to risk that because we’d already booked an Airbnb apartment in Split.
There’s also a sleeper train available in summer that leaves Zagreb at 01.10.
Zagreb station facilities
There are two bakery shops at the station, a small newsagent, and a book seller. There is also an ATM and luggage lockers. However, all the luggage lockers were out of order when we were there.
The train journey
The train was a 2-carriage, modern intercity train. One things we didn’t like about the train was that it didn’t have reclining seats. That means it was difficult to get any sleep and to sit comfortably.
Between the two carriages there was a woman selling cold drinks and snacks. There weren’t any hot drinks available. There also wasn’t any wifi on the train.
Book your hotel in Split
The views from the train for very scenic. I guess they would have been even better in summer.
As the train travels over many hills and mountains, it made both me and my wife feel quite nauseous by the end of the journey. I’m not sure I’d want to get that train again. Maybe next time we’d opt to get a bus.
