Where Do Ferries Go To From Zadar?

Zadar sits on a peninsula on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, with the islands of Ugljan and Dugi Otok a short sail offshore, and its ferry network is one of the reasons the city works so well as a base. Jadrolinija's route pages show car ferries from the Gaženica port to the islands, a summer-only fast catamaran connects Zadar with Ancona in Italy, and the smallest "ferry" of all, the Barkajoli rowing boats, crosses the old harbour in about two minutes. This page from the Zadar Croatia Travel Guide sets out each route, the crossing times the operators publish, and the ports each one leaves from.

Where Do Ferries Go To From Zadar?

Ferries from Zadar go to Preko on the island of Ugljan in roughly 25 to 30 minutes, to Brbinj on Dugi Otok in 1 hour 40 minutes on Jadrolinija line 434, and, in summer only, to Ancona in Italy in about 4 hours on the passenger-only catamaran line 51. Local Barkajoli rowing boats also cross the old harbour in about 1.5 to 2 minutes year-round, weather permitting. The car ferries leave from the Gaženica port, not the Old Town waterfront.

That is the whole scheduled network in one paragraph, and it is worth being clear about it because guides often blur ferries, catamarans and excursion boats into one list. Jadrolinija's route page for the Zadar (Gaženica) to Brbinj service, line 434, gives the 1 hour 40 minute crossing. The Preko crossing to Ugljan is reported at roughly 25 to 30 minutes. Neither figure should be read as a fare: no verified price was found for the Preko route, and the Brbinj fare should be checked on Jadrolinija's own pages when booking.

The Italy connection is newer. The Zadar to Ancona fast catamaran, line 51, is a passenger-only summer service of about 4 hours that ran up to five times a week between 26 June and 6 September 2026, its first season having been extended by demand. The 2027 season has not been announced, so treat it as seasonal and confirm on Jadrolinija's site before planning around it.

Beyond the scheduled ferries, a fleet of excursion boats runs out of Zadar to the Kornati islands and Telašćica, and boat tours of the nearby islets leave from the Old Town waterfront through the season. Those are tours rather than transport, and their prices, durations and ratings are best compared on the operator's live listing rather than in prose here. For a sense of what the islands themselves hold, the island guide for Ugljan covers the choice between the near islands.

Which Islands Can You Reach By Ferry From Zadar?

The two islands with scheduled ferry links from Zadar are Ugljan, reached via the crossing to Preko in roughly 25 to 30 minutes, and Dugi Otok, reached via the Jadrolinija line 434 car ferry from Gaženica to Brbinj in 1 hour 40 minutes. Excursion boats add the Kornati archipelago and Telašćica as day-trip destinations, but those are tour sailings, not scheduled ferries, and bookings are made with the operator.

Ugljan is the everyday island: close enough that the crossing is measured in minutes, and linked closely enough to Zadar life that locals commute across it. Dugi Otok is the bigger commitment and the bigger reward, holding the Sakarun beach, the Telašćica nature park and the cliffs of the island's south end. The line 434 ferry lands at Brbinj, from where the island unfolds by road.

Telašćica itself, on Dugi Otok's south side, charges its own entry fee at the Dolac land entrance, 6 EUR in the winter half of the year and 8 EUR from June to September, according to the park's price page. Kornati works differently again: entry is charged per vessel, by boat length and season, and tickets are bought outside the park, per the park's own 2026 price list. Anyone sailing their own boat there should read the Kornati rules rather than assume the per-person system used at Krka or Plitvice.

For readers weighing the ferry-and-car route against an organised day trip, there is a genuine trade-off: the ferry gives independence on Dugi Otok but ties you to the timetable, while a tour handles the schedule and the park logistics. If the islands are the point of the trip, the question of how many days in Zadar is enough is worth settling first, since each island eats a day.

Is There A Ferry From Zadar To Italy?

Yes, but only in summer and only for foot passengers: the Zadar to Ancona fast catamaran, line 51, crossed the Adriatic in about 4 hours, up to five times a week, and ran from 26 June to 6 September 2026 after its first season was extended by demand. It carries no cars. The 2027 season has not been announced, so the service should be treated as seasonal until Jadrolinija confirms dates.

The details matter more than the headline. The vessel, the Jelena, is passenger-only, so anyone touring Dalmatia with a car cannot use it; the vehicle route to Italy runs from other Croatian ports. The 2026 season was originally set to end on 30 August and was extended to 6 September, which suggests demand held up, but an extension in one year is not a promise of a longer season in the next. Anyone planning a 2027 crossing should watch Jadrolinija's news pages rather than assume the dates.

For a page of practical planning, the Ancona link fills a real gap: it connects Zadar to Italy's Adriatic rail and motorway network without driving north through Slovenia. Before booking anything around it, read the dedicated ferry from Zadar to Italy answer on this site, which goes deeper into the route's mechanics.

Which Zadar Ferry Port Do The Ferries Leave From?

The car ferries and the Ancona catamaran leave from Gaženica, the purpose-built ferry port about 5.2 km, or roughly 10 minutes by car, from the Old Town, while the Barkajoli rowing boats cross the old harbour between the peninsula and the mainland shore. Zadar's bus station sits at Ante Starčevića 1, separate from the ferry port, and the airport is about 8 km from the city by the airport's own how-to-get-here page.

Gaženica is the detail that catches people out. Zadar's ferries did once leave from the edge of the Old Town, but the port moved to Gaženica, and every Jadrolinija island sailing now starts there. On foot, the walk from the peninsula is long enough that the city bus is the sensible option; the station's 2.6 km distance from the Old Town is covered on foot in about 6 minutes by car, but Gaženica is 5.2 km. Anyone arriving by plane should budget for the transfer, which the airport to city centre answer explains in full, including the 5.00 EUR Liburnija shuttle.

The Barkajoli are the other extreme: a handful of traditional rowing boats that cross the old harbour, a distance of about 75 metres, in roughly 1.5 to 2 minutes, year-round when the weather allows. They are a working shortcut between the peninsula and the Borik side of the shore, and something of a local institution besides.

Do You Need A Car On The Zadar Ferries?

No: the Ancona catamaran takes no cars at all, and the island crossings work for foot passengers, with Ugljan's Preko landing walkable into its village and Dugi Otok served by local roads once the ferry berths at Brbinj. A car extends what is reachable on Dugi Otok, Sakarun beach and Telašćica in particular, and the line 434 ferry carries vehicles, so the choice is about range on the island rather than the crossing itself.

For a day on Ugljan, a car is closer to optional. The crossing is short, Preko is small, and the island's shoreline villages string along a road that buses also serve. Dugi Otok rewards wheels: Brbinj sits in the island's middle, Sakarun beach and the Telašćica entrance are a drive from it, and a bicycle or a car turns a rushed day into a workable one. Whether hiring is worth it at all is its own question, addressed elsewhere on this site, but the ferry timetables lean towards overnighting on Dugi Otok if the island is the main event rather than a side trip.

One caution on planning: sailing schedules to the islands thin out outside the summer season, and Jadrolinija publishes its timetables by period rather than as a single annual grid. Check the line 434 timetable for the travel dates in question rather than relying on a summer frequency remembered from a forum thread. The same caution applies in reverse in July and August, when island ferries can fill with vehicles and early boarding matters.

For the fuller picture of what the mainland offers when the ferries feel like too much logistics, the list of what Zadar is famous for includes the Sea Organ and the Greeting to the Sun, both free, both on the peninsula the ferries sail past.

Common Questions About Zadar Ferries

Where do ferries go to from Zadar?

Ferries from Zadar go to Preko on Ugljan in roughly 25 to 30 minutes, to Brbinj on Dugi Otok in 1 hour 40 minutes on line 434, and, in summer only, to Ancona in Italy in about 4 hours. Barkajoli rowing boats also cross the old harbour year-round, weather permitting.

Is there a ferry from Zadar to Ancona?

Yes, a passenger-only fast catamaran, line 51, ran the route in about 4 hours, up to five times a week, from 26 June to 6 September 2026. The 2027 season has not been announced, so confirm with Jadrolinija before planning around it.

Which port do Zadar's ferries leave from?

The car ferries and the Ancona catamaran leave from the Gaženica ferry port, about 5.2 km from the Old Town. The Barkajoli rowing boats cross the old harbour on the peninsula itself.

How long is the ferry from Zadar to Dugi Otok?

The Jadrolinija line 434 car ferry from Zadar (Gaženica) to Brbinj on Dugi Otok takes 1 hour 40 minutes, per the operator's route page. Check the seasonal timetable before travel.

Can you take a car on the Zadar ferries?

The island car ferries carry vehicles; the Ancona catamaran is passenger-only. A car is most useful on Dugi Otok, where Sakarun beach and Telašćica are a drive from the Brbinj landing.

How much does the Barkajoli boat cost?

No official price list was found for the roughly two-minute crossing.