Getting to Pag is easy as the island is connected to the mainland by bridge at its southern end. Because of this, you can transfer to the island by bus from the nearby major towns of Rijeka and Zadar – and from even further beyond. (Although buses from the north actually travel to the island by ferry rather than by utilising the bridge.) Below are the options for getting to the main towns on the island, Pag Town and Novalja.
There are also a few ferry options available in getting to the island which may be more suitable depending on your start or end point – or perhaps even on your preferred method of travel.
Getting to Pag by bus from Rijeka
There are several daily buses from Rijeka to Novalja and Pag Town (same bus) by Rijeka-based bus company Arriva. Journey time to Novalja is just over three hours; to Pag Town it is approximately three and a half hours.
Getting to Pag by bus from Zadar
Local Pag transport operator Antonio Tours operates daily bus services from Zadar to Pag Town and Novalja. Journey time to Pag Town is one hour; to Novalja it is one and a half hours. Additional routes from Zadar can also be looked up on the Zadar Bus Terminal website.
Getting to Pag by catamaran from Rijeka
There is also a daily, year-round catamaran service from Rijeka to Novalja (that stops on Rab along the way) run by Jadrolinija. Journey time is two and a half hours.
Getting to Pag by bus from Split
There are a couple of bus services a day to both Pag Town (four and a half hour journey) and Novalja (five hours) during the summer months with Antonio Tours and Arriva. You can also look up timetables on the Split Bus Terminal website.
If those connections don’t suit, or you’re travelling in low season, it is best to get a bus from Split to Zadar first and then another to Pag island.
Getting to Pag by bus from Zagreb
There are also a very decent number of daily services from Croatia’s capital to the island. The best information can be found on Zagreb Bus Terminal‘s website which will also show you journey times (these vary) and the operating company of each route.
Other ferries to Pag
Jadrolinija also run a car ferry service from Prizna on the mainland to Zigljen on the eastern side the island. This runs many times a day, year-round, and takes half an hour. This may be the best option to take if you have a car and are travelling to Pag from northern or inland Croatia.
Rapska Plovidba operate a service from Rab Town on the island of Rab to Lun, at the very northern tip of the island. This operates several times a week year round, with daily services during summer.