So you booked your first holiday on island Brač and you are ready to take off, but you have never been on a ferry boat before?
Don’t worry, we have a few tips and tricks so you can feel comfortable on your first ferry ride to island Brač.
Ferry boats are the only way to get you and your vehicle on the island. Although we locals often look at ferry rides as a wasted time, it can be quite a fun and beautiful time on the sea. You can enjoy watching landscapes and islands while seagulls follow you in the sky. If you get lucky enough, maybe you can even spot dolphins jumping from the sea.
Island Hopping from Brač: Exploring the Dalmatian Islands
There are few ferry companies in Croatia but to get to Brač you need Jadrolinija. It is the largest ferry company connecting many Croatian islands to the mainland. The ferry ride takes about one hour and you can check the timetable at www.jadrolinija.hr.
To get to Brač you will need to get to the second-largest Croatian town and largest port - Split. From Split, you can get to all central Dalmatian islands - Brač, Šolta, Hvar, Vis, Korčula and Lastovo. There are also ferry lines from Makarska to island Brač but today we will talk about the ferries from Split to Supetar on the island Brač.
How early do you have to get to Split Port?
It depends. If you are getting to island Brač outside the main tourist season and some major holidays you don’t need more than 15-30 minutes.
The main tourist season starts from June till the end of September. During that period, we recommend getting there at least 45 minutes before taking off. Although at the very peak of the season (mid July - mid August) the rule is to get as early as you can.
During that period, especially on weekends, there are so many people who want to get to islands so there is no regular ferry ride timetable. Ferries just come and go as soon as they are full of cars and passengers. So you probably won't have to wait long for boarding, but it can be messy and crowdy. If you can, we recommend avoiding weekends.
You can buy ferry tickets online but it is valid for any trip on the date you selected and it does not guarantee boarding for the exact time you bought them. So you can just turn up, buy tickets and board the first available ferry.
Queuing for the Ferry in Split
Split is the largest port in Croatia and there can be some traffic jams at the peak of the season, but when you get to the port you will easily find your spot. Parking lanes for each island are well marked and visible and lanes for island Brač are usually the largest and closest to the Jadrolinija ticket office.
When you get to the port, drive directly to your lanes and park your car there. After that, you can walk to the ticket office to buy your tickets. You will find public restrooms, shops and cafes there so you can relax and have a coffee while waiting.
Driving onto the Ferry
The ferry will board cars some 15 minutes before departure, but to be safe be in your car a few minutes earlier. The ferry crew members will guide you to your place on the ferry and at the very entrance they will check your ticket.
When you park your car you will need to get out on passenger decks. Most ferries have two passenger decks, open air and indoor deck. The indoor deck has a bar with snacks and an open-air deck with plastic benches will get you some beautiful views while sailing.
Also, if you are travelling with your dog you can get him on the open-air dock with you. Sit back and enjoy the hour-long ride, take some great photos and post it with #MyIslandBrac.
10 Best Photo Spots on Island Brač
Ferry from Supetar to Split
In the opposite direction, everything is more or less the same. Drive to Supetar port and park your car on the ferry lanes. Go to the ticket office and buy your tickets.
Sometimes during weekends in the peak of the season, there can be really big traffic jams while queuing for the ferry so be patient and prepare some water and snacks.
