Getting to Makarska Riviera from Split Airport

Split Airport sits 100 kilometres north of Makarska. The drive takes 1 hour 15 minutes when traffic cooperates — longer when it doesn't, which is most afternoons in July and August.

Private Transfers

Pre-booked transfers cost €100–130 for up to four passengers with luggage. The driver meets you at arrivals with a name card, loads your bags, and delivers you to your hotel door. No shared rides, no waiting for other passengers to be dropped off first.

Simply Adria, Mr.Shuttle, and Suntransfers are the established operators. Book at least 48 hours ahead in summer — drivers get claimed fast when multiple flights land within an hour of each other.

Most operators run until midnight. After that, expect a €20–30 surcharge for late pickups. Confirm this when you book if your flight lands after 22:00.

Rental Cars

All major agencies (Europcar, Sixt, Hertz) have desks in the arrivals hall, open 07:00–23:00. Local firms undercut them by €10–15 per day but the fleet is older and English-language support thinner.

The route is simple: take the A1 motorway south toward Dubrovnik, then exit at Makarska when the road reaches the coast. The motorway is modern — carved through mountains with long tunnels and high viaducts — and well signposted. Traffic between 10:00 and 18:00 in summer slows to a crawl near the Omiš tunnel where the road narrows to two lanes.

Petrol stations appear every 30–40 kilometres. Fuel costs around €1.50 per litre. Most stations take cards; keep €20 cash for smaller independent pumps.

Parking in Makarska's old town costs €2–3 per hour June to September, and spaces are gone by 10:00. Hotels outside the centre usually include free parking — verify this before booking if you're planning to rent.

Buses

No direct bus runs from the airport to Makarska. You need to reach Split's main bus terminal first — either by local shuttle or taxi (20–30 minutes, €30–40 by taxi).

From the terminal, buses to Makarska run roughly every 90 minutes, 06:00–21:00. Journey time is 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on stops. Tickets cost €8–12.

Do the arithmetic: airport taxi €35, bus ticket €10, waiting time 30–60 minutes. Total €45 and three hours door-to-door minimum. A private transfer for four people is €100. The bus works if you're solo, on a strict budget, and unbothered by waiting. For three or more passengers, it saves nothing.

Taxis

Taxis from the airport rank charge €140–180 to Makarska. The fare depends on the driver and how well you negotiate. There's no meter for long-distance runs.

Agree the price before loading luggage. Drivers quote higher for late-night runs and when they see you're foreign. You could book a private transfer for €100–130 and skip this conversation entirely.

Timing Matters

Flights landing between 14:00 and 17:00 in July or August put you straight into beach traffic heading back north from Makarska. The A1 jams near Omiš and Brela as day-trippers return to Split. Add 30 minutes.

Early morning arrivals (before 10:00) and evening flights (after 19:00) move freely. You'll make Makarska in the advertised time.

What We'd Do

Book a transfer. The cost splits four ways to €25–33 per person — less than the bus route once you factor in the Split taxi. You arrive at your hotel door in under 90 minutes instead of three hours and two connections.

Solo travellers on a budget: take the bus. Everyone else: pay the €100 and start your holiday at the airport exit, not at Split's bus station.