How do you get from Venice to Zagreb by bus or train?

Venice to Zagreb at a glance

Last checked 27 October 2026. Fares are approximate; dollar figures convert at our committed exchange-rate snapshot.

Planning more legs? Use the route finder.

Direct bus: FlixBus and others

FlixBus lists about 9 Venice to Zagreb rides a day in 2026, with the quickest taking about 5 hours 50 minutes and fares from about €20 (≈ $22); aggregators also show Itabus on the route at times. Overnight departures (the first leaves just before 2 am) get you to Zagreb in the early morning.

Departure points vary by service, so check your ticket. The main ones are Venezia Tronchetto (beside the People Mover, one stop from Piazzale Roma), Piazzale Roma, Venezia Mestre train station and the ATVO stop in Mestre; some buses also call at Marco Polo Airport. FlixBus warns that its Venezia Stazione FS stop is unavailable from 7 October to 31 December, with a replacement stop at Via Ca' Marcello 15 behind Mestre station. All buses arrive at Zagreb's main bus station on Avenija Marina Držića, about 2 km from Ban Jelačić Square and linked by tram.

Book on the FlixBus app or site, or via Omio. Fares rise as the bus fills, so book a week or more ahead in summer. One hold bag is usually included; check size limits.

Train via Trieste and Ljubljana

There is no through train and no through ticket, so you build it from three legs. Venice Santa Lucia to Trieste Centrale runs roughly hourly on Trenitalia regional trains, about 2 hours for about €16 (≈ $17.8). From Trieste only two trains a day run to Ljubljana in 2026: you change at Villa Opicina, the border station above Trieste, and the Slovenian train reaches Ljubljana about 3 hours after leaving Trieste. Using the 2026 times, the morning connection leaves Venice at 06:39 and reaches Ljubljana at 12:05; the Trieste to Villa Opicina leg is about €4 (≈ $4.5) and Villa Opicina to Ljubljana about €8 (≈ $8.9), bought on board, so carry euros in cash.

From Ljubljana to Zagreb, Slovenian Railways (SŽ) and HŽPP run several trains a day in the timetable valid from 14 June 2026, taking roughly 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 50 minutes for a fixed €9 (≈ $10.0) one way in 2nd class. Add it up and the morning connection gets to Zagreb in the late afternoon or evening, about 8 to 9 hours of travel including the change.

None of these regional trains needs a reservation, and Interrail and Eurail passes are valid. The historic Trieste to Opicina tram is an alternative to the first change, but it was out of service from January 2026 with a planned restart in July 2026, so check whether it is running.

Make it two days: stop in Ljubljana

The train only beats the bus if you use it to see somewhere. A night in Ljubljana, which is roughly halfway, turns a long day into two short ones: Venice to Ljubljana in the morning, then Ljubljana to Zagreb the next day. FlixBus also runs Venice to Ljubljana and Ljubljana to Zagreb, so you can do the same split by bus.

Trieste is the other natural stop: it has the Venice train every hour and buses on to Zagreb. Our route went the other way round: we spent 2 days in Verona, 4 in Bologna and 3 in Venice from late July to 3 August 2023, then 4 days in Zagreb. Our Italy itinerary covers the Italian end.

Driving and border checks

By car, Venice to Zagreb is roughly 400 km through Slovenia via Ljubljana, about 4.5 to 5 hours. Slovenian motorways require an e-vignette bought before you join them; Italy and Croatia charge tolls by distance. One-way rentals from Italy to Croatia carry a large drop-off fee, so check before you book.

Italy, Slovenia and Croatia are all in the Schengen Area, so there is no routine passport control. However, Italy has temporary checks at its land border with Slovenia from 19 June to 18 December 2026, so carry your passport or EU ID on the bus. Slovenia ended its own checks at the Croatian border on 11 June 2026. The EU Entry/Exit System does not apply here because these are internal Schengen borders; it applies when you first enter the Schengen Area. Check whether you need a visa for Croatia.

Tips for the journey

• Reach the bus early from the historic centre: from most of Venice, Tronchetto and Piazzale Roma mean a vaporetto or a walk to the north-west edge; allow 30 to 45 minutes with luggage. Mestre stops need the train or bus over the causeway.

• Day-trippers to Venice pay the access fee on certain dates, but if you are staying overnight you are exempt; see our Venice entry fee guide.

• Cash: carry a few euros for the Villa Opicina to Ljubljana ticket; conductors may not take cards.

• Weekend summer traffic at the Slovenian motorway sections can add an hour to bus times; take an early departure if you have plans in Zagreb.

• In Zagreb, start with where to stay in Zagreb, how many days in Zagreb and our Zagreb guide. Heading on to the coast, see Zagreb to Split. Coming from Germany first? Read Munich to Venice.

Frequently asked questions