Croatia has long been a popular destination for visitors from Poland, but these days, many travellers to Europe might consider visiting both countries as part of a tour of Europe. Last year, a new direct train service launched, connecting the Polish capital city, Warsaw, with Rijeka on the northern Croatian coast. So, here we present you with the best ways of travelling from Poland to Croatia.
Trains from Poland to Croatia
Operated by Polish company PKP Intercity, this summer-only route – on a train named that’s wonderfully named the Adriatic Express – will commence operations on Friday, 26th June. This train will depart Warsaw at 2.04pm, arriving in Rijeka at 10.04am on Saturday, 27th June. (As you can see from the timings, it’s an overnight train!) That’s a total journey time of 2 hours.
But this train isn’t simply a “Warsaw to Croatia” train, no! It, in fact, travels through a number of other important cities and countries, meaning you can also use it to make the connection from another of these places. The train makes stops in Katowice and Rybnik in Poland, Ostrava in Czechia, Vienna and Graz in Austria, Maribor and Ljubljana in Slovenia, before finally crossing the border over into Croatia. (There are also additional stops in all of these countries. I have just listed a few here.)
The first stop in Croatia is at a small village called Sapjane, just over the border with Slovenia. The train will stop here first at 9.08am, then at Opatija Matulj at 9.48am before reaching its destination of Rijeka at 10.04am.
This year, the train will run from Warsaw to Rijeka every day except Saturdays same departure and arrival times as mentioned above.
The return Rijeka to Warsaw journey will operate every day except on Saturdays, with the first depature of the year on Sunday 28th June. This train will depart Rijeka at 7.06pm, arriving in Warsaw the following day at 1.56pm.
Tickets are priced at €44.90 one-way for the most basic option (a non-refundable seat in second class), with a bed in a couchette priced at €89.90 one-way.
Tickets for the train can be bought on the PKP Intercity website.
Other train options for Poland to Croatia
There aren’t any other direct train services from Poland to Croatia. If you do wish to undertake a different train journey to the above (on another day or to another destination), you would likely be looking at two changes of train and travel via Vienna.
Buses from Poland to Croatia
With helpful Europe-wide bus services from companies such as Flixbus, there certainly are buses direct from Poland to Croatia! For example, there are direct services from Warsaw to Zagreb (journey time is 15 to 18 hours) and to Rijeka (17.5 to 20 hours)
There is also a bus that departs Warsaw at 6am that travels to Zagreb (journey time is 18 hours) and then travels on to Split (23 hours) and even Dubrovnik (27 hours)! You’re a brave traveller if you make the journey from Warsaw to Dubrovnik by bus – especially given the number of flights that exist to Dubrovnik! (See the list below.)
There are also direct services from Krakow to Zagreb via Budapest (12 – 13.5 hours), Rovinj/Pula (17 hours), Rijeka, (15.5 hours) Zadar (16 hours), Split (18.5 – 19 hours) and Dubrovnik (22.5 hours). And from Katowice to Zagreb – via Bratislava, Vienna and Graz (11.5 hours), Pula/Rovinj (15.5 hours), Rijeka (13.5 hours), Zadar (15 hours), Split (18 hours) and Dubrovnik (
If you are intending to travel by bus from Poland to Croatia but can’t see any direct services, I would suggest that you make the journey to Zagreb first and then change to another bus. Take a look at the Zagreb Bus Terminal website for timetables and to purchase tickets.
Flights from Poland to Croatia
With the many low-cost airlines that exist, there are plenty of direct flights from Poland to Croatia!
Flights to Zagreb:
- LOT from Warsaw year-round
Flights to Pula:
- Ryanair from Katowice and Poznan
Flights to Rijeka:
- Ryanair from Wroclaw
Flights to Zadar:
- Ryanair from Gdansk, Katowice, Krakow, Poznan, Rzeszow, Warsaw and Wroclaw
Flights to Split:
- Wizzair from Gdansk, Katowice, Krakow, Lublin, Poznan, Warsaw and Wroclaw
Flights to Dubrovnik:
- LOT flights from Warsaw and Krakow
- Ryanair flights from Katowice, Krakow, Poznan, Warsaw new for 2027! and Wroclaw
- Wizzair from Warsaw and Wroclaw
Driving from Poland to Croatia
The one thousand or so kilometre journey between these two countries may sound daunting, but it’s a journey that many holidaymakers undertake during the summer! (The ones not using one of the above methods, that is.)
Should you wish to make the drive, you will likely take a route that involves you driving south in Poland in the direction of Czechia, skirting past Slovakia to go further south into Austria, down into Slovenia and then finally into Croatia. Heading to Zagreb is the best option – direction-wise – as you can then take the motorways to here and then on to destinations on the Croatian coastline.
Via Michelin is a useful resource for road travel planning. The website obviously shows suitable routes, but also estimates travel costs.
Don’t forget to buy a vignette before driving on the motorways in Slovenia!