Zadar to Plitvice Lakes Day Trip: How to Get There by Bus

If you’re staying in Zadar, Plitvice Lakes National Park is an easy day trip – and you don’t need a car or an organised tour to get there.

We visited Plitvice Lakes independently from Zadar using the public bus during our trip to Croatia in 2017. It was relatively easy to organise and gave us most of the day to explore before catching another bus back to Zadar.

There’s a little more planning involved than simply turning up and going for a walk, though.

You’ll need to think about which entrance to use, which route to follow and how much time to allow to get back to the bus.

In this guide, I’ll share our experience travelling from Zadar to Plitvice Lakes by bus, along with updated information to help you plan the same trip today.

This article may contain affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase after clicking on a link, I may receive a small commission. Read the full disclaimer here.

Getting from Zadar to Plitviče Lakes

Plitvice Lakes National Park is around 130 km from Zadar by road, making it possible to visit independently without hiring a car.

We travelled by bus in 2017, using Bus Croatia to compare the different companies and timetables before catching a morning bus from Zadar Bus Station.

There are still buses between Zadar and Plitvice Lakes today, although timetables and the number of services vary.

FlixBus is one of the companies currently operating the route, with the fastest services taking around 1 hour 30 minutes.

Check both your outbound and return options before booking. It’s no good finding the perfect morning bus from Zadar only to discover the return service doesn’t give you enough time in the park.

I’d also book in advance, particularly during the busy summer months.

When we travelled through the Balkans in 2017, we’d already encountered occasions where there seemed to be more passengers with tickets than available seats, so we made sure we arrived early.

On our bus to Plitvice Lakes, one passenger ended up standing in the aisle for much of the journey. Things may operate differently now, but it’s one of those travel experiences that has stuck with me!

If you don’t want to organise the buses yourself, another option is an organised day tour from Zadar. I’ve included more about those later in this post.

Arriving at Plitvice Lakes

Our bus dropped us beside the main road near Entrance 2. At first, it felt a little like we’d been dropped in the middle of nowhere!

From there, it was a short walk to the entrance area.

Back in 2017, we hadn’t bought our park tickets in advance. We joined a long queue before Simon spotted another ticket sales desk at the Tourist Information Office and returned a couple of minutes later with tickets in hand.

Things work differently now.

Today, I recommend buying your Plitvice Lakes National Park ticket online in advance. You’ll choose your date, entrance and entry time, and visitor numbers are limited.

Make sure you know whether you’ve booked Entrance 1 or Entrance 2. They are around 3 km apart.

Ticket prices vary depending on the season and time of day, so check the current price for your visit rather than relying on prices you find in older blog posts – including the original version of this one!

You can check current ticket prices and book your Plitvice Lakes entry tickets here.

Your ticket also includes use of the park’s electric boats and panoramic vehicles on designated routes.

Which Plitvice Lakes Route Should You Take?

This is one part of our visit I would plan differently if I went back.

We hadn’t researched the walking routes before arriving. We looked at the map near the pier, checked the distances and basically worked it out as we went.

We started by taking the electric boat across the lake and walking one of the longer trails. Later, we used the panoramic vehicle to reach another part of the park and walked another section to see Veliki Slap, the Great Waterfall.

It worked, but with a little more planning we could have made better use of our time.

The Official Plitvice Lakes Routes

Plitvice Lakes has several suggested sightseeing programs, depending on which entrance you use and how much time you have.

If you’re arriving at Entrance 2, as we did, Route H is worth considering for a full-day visit. It takes around 4–6 hours and covers both the Upper and Lower Lakes, including a boat trip, panoramic vehicle ride and the Great Waterfall.

There are shorter and longer options too. Check the official routes before your visit, as weather, water levels and seasonal closures can affect access.

For a day trip from Zadar, remember that your walking time isn’t the only consideration – you still have a bus home to catch.

What Is It Like Walking at Plitvice Lakes?

Much of your day at Plitvice Lakes will be spent on foot.

Many sections follow the park’s famous wooden boardwalks, taking you right beside – and sometimes seemingly right over – the incredibly clear water. Elsewhere, you’ll walk on dirt and gravel paths that can be uneven, narrow or steep.

Comfortable walking shoes are a must.

The scenery changes constantly. One minute you’re beside a calm turquoise lake where you can see fish swimming below the surface; the next you’re following cascading water or looking across forest-covered hills.

And then, of course, there are the waterfalls.

The biggest is Veliki Slap (the Great Waterfall), which drops 78 metres and is one of the highlights of the Lower Lakes. Make sure your route includes it if you particularly want to see it.

Allow more time than the walking distance alone suggests. You’ll stop. A lot.

We certainly did – and judging by the number of photos I came home with, probably more than most!

Boats and Panoramic Vehicles at Plitvice Lakes

Depending on your route, you may use the electric boats and panoramic vehicles to move between different parts of the park.

Don’t assume you’ll be able to turn up and immediately jump aboard.

At one point during our visit, there were too many people waiting for the panoramic vehicle for everyone to fit. We missed the first one and had to wait around 15 minutes for the next.

That wasn’t a big problem in the middle of the day.

It became much more important when we were trying to get back to Entrance 2 for our bus to Zadar.

Allow Plenty of Time to Leave Plitvice Lakes

Depending on where you finish your walk, you may still need to cover some distance or use a boat or panoramic vehicle to get back to the entrance.

We learnt this when it was time to leave.

Clouds had rolled in and a little rain started to fall, seemingly prompting half the park to decide to go home at exactly the same time.

When we reached the pier for the boat back towards Entrance 2, there was a huge queue. We waited more than half an hour before we finally got onto a boat.

Suddenly, our comfortable amount of time before the bus didn’t feel quite so comfortable!

I’d much rather spend an extra half-hour near the entrance than be standing on the wrong side of a lake watching my bus departure time get closer.

The Bus Back to Zadar

In 2017, we hadn’t booked our return ticket because we weren’t sure how long we would want to spend in the park.

We returned to the bus stop near Entrance 2, where there was a small wooden shelter beside the road. Around half an hour before the bus was due, someone arrived at the ticket office and we bought our tickets back to Zadar.

I wouldn’t rely on doing that today.

I’d book the return journey in advance, particularly in summer. It means committing to a departure time, but you’ll know exactly how long you have in the park and won’t be relying on seats being available on the day.

Tips for a Zadar to Plitvice Lakes Day Trip

After doing the trip ourselves, these are the things I’d keep in mind:

Book your park ticket in advance. Make sure your entrance and entry time work with your bus arrival.

Book your buses in advance. I’d secure both directions, particularly during the busy summer months.

Choose your route before you arrive. We made ours up as we went along. It worked, but I’d plan ahead next time.

Wear comfortable shoes. You’ll be walking on boardwalks, gravel and dirt paths, with some uneven and steep sections.

Carry water and some snacks. There are places to buy food and drinks, but bringing your own gives you more flexibility.

Check the weather. Conditions can change quickly, and a lightweight rain jacket is easy to throw into your day bag.

Leave plenty of time to get back to the entrance. Boats and panoramic vehicles can have queues, and you don’t want to miss your bus.

Most importantly, don’t try to see absolutely everything. For a day trip from Zadar, I’d rather enjoy a good section of the park than spend the whole day rushing to tick off every trail.

Day Trip or Stay Overnight at Plitvice Lakes?

So, is a day trip from Zadar enough?

Yes. We had a fantastic day and saw a good amount of the park. If you’re short on time, travelling there and back from Zadar by bus is absolutely doable.

But if I visited again, I’d seriously consider staying overnight near the park.

I’d be able to enter early without first travelling from Zadar, have more flexibility over how long I spent exploring and wouldn’t have to keep one eye on the time for the return bus.

Plitvice Lakes also offers two-day tickets, making an overnight stay worth considering if you want to explore more of the walking routes.

For me, one day was enough to know that I loved Plitvice Lakes.

It just wasn’t enough to see as much of it as I would have liked.

Want to stay overnight? Check accommodation options near Plitvice Lakes National Park here.

Plitvice Lakes Tours from Zadar

If you’d prefer not to worry about bus timetables or getting back to the entrance in time, an organised day tour from Zadar is another option.

There are tours that include transport and, depending on the tour, a guide or guided walk through the park.

Check exactly what’s included before booking. In particular, don’t assume the Plitvice Lakes National Park entrance ticket is included in the advertised price.

You can compare current Plitvice Lakes tours from Zadar here.

Is a Day Trip from Zadar to Plitvice Lakes Worth It?

Our day trip from Zadar to Plitvice Lakes was one of the highlights of our time in Croatia.

Travelling independently by bus worked well. We didn’t need to hire a car or join a tour, and we still had enough time to explore both the Upper and Lower Lakes and see the Great Waterfall.

The biggest thing I’d do differently is plan our route before arriving. I’d also allow an even bigger buffer before the return bus – waiting more than half an hour for a boat when you have a bus to catch isn’t something I’d be keen to repeat!

And if I had an extra night available, I’d stay near Plitvice Lakes. Not because the day trip didn’t work, but because I’d happily have spent much longer exploring.

For more information about Plitviče Lakes National Park visit the official website here.

What about the rest of Croatia? Here is my post on what else we got up to during our visit, including where to sit on the Iron Throne for free in Dubrovnik.

You also might like these posts
Travel Diaries – Bosnia & Herzegovina
Travel Diaries – Turkey
Travel Diaries – Montenegro