Tomorrow: Split, Brac and Hvar in one day by ferry
Two islands in one day from Split is only possible if you read the Jadrolinija timetable backwards — from the last ferry to the first coffee.
The last ferry to Split is not waiting for anyone, and that's the only sentence you need to remember before stepping into the trunk of the queue on the Split waterfront. Island hopping in the central Adriatic is not about getting up at dawn — it is about someone thinking that they will reach Brač and Hvar, and then realizing at five in the afternoon that the catamaran to the town of Hvar accepts only pedestrians, and their car is stuck in the Old Town on the other side of the island.
That's why the plan is madebackwards. First you find when the last return is, and only then do you think of breakfast.
Why is the timetable read from the end?
Jadrolinija from Split operates two types of vessels and that's where the catch is.Ferries(car ferry) accept cars and are slower;catamaransare faster, but only for passengers without a vehicle. If you drive a car tomorrow, Hvar is for youOld Town, not the town of Hvar — the ferry port is about 20 km from the town itself, along a hill and a tunnel.
For one day with a car, you realistically choose one island as the main one. For two islands on the same day, leave your car in the parking lot in Split and travel like a pedestrian — then fast catamarans and the town of Hvar will open up to you directly.
| Line | The guy | Duration | Car |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split–Supetar (Brač) | the ferry | ~50 min | yes |
| Split–Stari Grad (Hvar) | the ferry | ~2 h | yes |
| Split–Hvar (city) | catamaran | ~1 h | no |
| Split–Milna–Hvar–Vela Luka | catamaran | varies | no |
The line to Supetar is busy in the summer — more than ten departures a day, often every hour during peak hours. Stari Grad is less frequent, four to six times a day, and that's where a mistake is made: you miss the afternoon one and wait three hours.
First you find when the last return is, and only then do you think of breakfast.
Two scenarios for tomorrow
Scenario A — pawn, two islands
Early catamaran to the town of Hvar (~1 h), three-four hours for coffee on the waterfront, fish and jumping into the sea below the Fortica fortress. In the afternoon by catamaran that connects Hvar and Brač or back via Split — check if the day has a direct connection, because not every day. This is the pace we drove last summer: hard, but fits both islands.
Scenario B — car, one island thoroughly
Ferry to Supetar at 8, then by car across the interior of Brac to Bol and Zlatni Rat, lunch in a tavern above Pučišće, and return by afternoon ferry before the queue grows. Brač with a car works because the pier is close to the town; Hvar with a car is punishing because it is far.
If this is part of a wider coastal plan, look at how that logic continues indriving along the Adriatic highwayand insections for a lowered roof. And if Hvar and Brač leave an appetite for more islands,Vis asks for three days, not one.
What really loses people
In summer, car tickets are sold out for the popular afternoon returns — Supetar is known to be full already in the morning for the evening. Buy both shifts in advance via Jadrolinija's app or the counter, and come on boardat least 45 minutes earlierwith a car. As a pedestrian, you are more flexible, but catamarans have a limited number of places and do not accept over capacity.
Questions & answers
short and to the point- Can I visit both Hvar and Brač from Split in one day?
- Yes, but only as a pedestrian by fast catamarans — the town of Hvar is ~1 h, and return connections are made on the same day. With a car, it is realistically an island.
- Does the catamaran for Hvar accept a car?
- No. The Split-Hvar catamaran carries only passengers without vehicles. To get to Hvar by car, you take the ferry to Stari Grad, which is about 20 km from the town of Hvar.
- How long is the ferry from Split to Brač?
- The Split-Supetar ferry takes about 50 minutes and in the summer there are more than ten departures a day, often every hour during peak hours.
