Split Airport to Murter
About 95 km north-west of SPU; there is no direct bus, so it is a transfer (from around โฌ140), a hire car, or a coach to Vodice and a local connection.
An island joined to the mainland by a short bridge at Tisno, with four villages, a marina at Betina and the Kornati archipelago โ 89 mostly uninhabited islands โ beginning just offshore.
Every way to get there
Our verdict: for Murter, a private transfer is the easiest door-to-door option (from โฌ120). Travelling light on a budget? The bus is cheapest (from โฌ10) but slower, with a change in the city.
What it costs for your group
The bus is charged per person, while a taxi or private transfer is one price for the whole car โ so the more of you there are, the better door-to-door value looks.
| Group | Bus (per person) | Private transfer | Best value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo ยท 1 traveller | โฌ10 | โฌ120 | Bus |
| Couple ยท 2 travellers | โฌ20 | โฌ120 | Bus |
| Family of 4 ยท 4 travellers | โฌ40 | โฌ120 | Bus |
Which option should you choose?
| If your priority isโฆ | Our pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest price | Bus | From โฌ10, though slower with a change in the city. |
| Speed & comfort | Private transfer | Door-to-door, fixed price, a driver waiting for you. |
| A group of 3โ4 | Transfer or taxi | One flat fare splits cheaper than several bus tickets. |
| A late-night arrival | Transfer or taxi | Both run 24/7 when buses and the tram have stopped. |
By transport mode
Private transfer
The usual choice for charter crews and families, since the public route needs two changes. Give the village โ Murter, Betina, Jezera and Tisno are spread along the island and up to twenty minutes apart.
Where to catch it: An hour and twenty by motorway and then the coast road through Pirovac and Tisno. Because Murter is bridged rather than ferried, a car reaches your door in one ride.
Best for families, groups & late arrivalsCar rental
Worth knowing: the Tisno bridge opens for boats once a day in summer, stopping road traffic for a while. It is brief and predictable, and it is the only thing between you and the island.
Where to catch it: A1 motorway north, then the D59 towards Pirovac and the D121 through Tisno and over the bridge.
Best for travellers who want to exploreBus / shuttle
Close to three hours with two changes and thin at weekends. It works on a budget and it is not the way to arrive with a week's provisions for a boat.
Where to catch it: No direct service exists. Line 37 from the airport towards Trogir and ล ibenik, then a coastal coach to Vodice or Tisno, then a local bus onto the island.
Best for solo & budget travellersTaxi
Zadar Airport is 60 km from Murter against Split's 95 โ if you are still choosing flights, the shorter transfer is worth pricing.
Where to catch it: Ninety-five kilometres, so agree the whole fare before setting off rather than relying on a meter.
Best for small groups in a hurryMurter & Split in photos
Buying tickets in Split
Croatia uses the euro. City bus line 37 (Trogir-Split) stops on the main road near the airport and reaches central Split in about 55-60 minutes for roughly โฌ3, paid in cash to the driver, with limited luggage space. Faster is the official Platanus airport shuttle to the city bus/ferry terminal, bookable at the counter or online (Pleso Transport stopped serving Split in early 2026). Have euros ready for the local bus, as the driver sells tickets onboard for cash only.
Taxi scams & safety in Split
Use the official taxi rank; metered fares to the centre usually run about โฌ25-35, but confirm the meter is running or agree the price before departing to avoid an inflated flat quote. Decline drivers soliciting inside the terminal. Croatia allows ride-hailing, so Uber and Bolt operate at Split Airport, with pickup in the parking area in front of the terminal and typical fares around โฌ25-40, often giving a clearer upfront price than a rank taxi. Watch for added luggage fees.
Getting from SPU to Murter
Murter is an island that does not feel like one. A short bridge at Tisno joins it to the mainland, so a car reaches your door in a single ride with no ferry timetable to work around โ which, on a coast where almost every island means a boat, is the practical reason a great many people choose it. Ninety-five kilometres from Split Airport and about eighty minutes by road.
The bridge opens once a day
In summer the Tisno bridge swings open for boats once daily, stopping road traffic for a while. It is brief, it is predictable, and it is the only thing standing between the mainland and the island. Worth knowing if you are timing an arrival or a departure tightly.
There is no direct bus
This is the honest position. Promet Split line 37 runs from the airport towards Trogir, and from there a coastal coach reaches Vodice or Tisno, and from there a local bus goes onto the island. Close to three hours with two changes, thin at weekends, and around fifteen euros. It works on a budget and it is not the way to arrive with a week's provisions for a boat.
What most people do instead
A pre-booked transfer at โฌ120 to โฌ165 for the vehicle, eighty minutes, door to door. For charter crews and families that is the standard arrangement, and it is worth naming the village rather than the island โ Murter, Betina, Jezera and Tisno are spread along the coast and up to twenty minutes apart.
Consider Zadar instead
Zadar Airport is sixty kilometres from Murter against Split's ninety-five. If you are still booking flights, that is a materially shorter and cheaper transfer for the same destination. A good many people arrive via Split simply because it has more flights, which is a reasonable trade but worth making deliberately.
The Kornati
Eighty-nine mostly uninhabited islands of bare karst begin just offshore, and Murter is their traditional base โ the land was historically owned by Murter families who farmed olives and kept sheep on it. Day boats leave from the harbour and the national park charges an entry fee per vessel.
Betina and the wooden boats
The village of Betina has built wooden boats for centuries and has a museum devoted to the gajeta, the traditional Dalmatian sailing craft. The tradition is on the UNESCO intangible heritage list and there are still yards working.
The marina
Marina Betina and the ACI marina at Jezera make Murter a substantial charter base, and Saturday is changeover day here as everywhere on this coast. Roads fill, supermarkets empty, and transfer availability tightens from mid-morning.
Slanica and the beaches
Slanica bay near Murter town is the main sandy beach and gets busy. The island's quieter swimming is in the coves along the western side and out towards Kosirina, where there is a campsite and shallow water.
The Garden Festival legacy
Tisno, at the bridge, hosted a run of well-known electronic music festivals for years and the site still runs events through the summer. If you are booking a quiet family week in July, checking the festival calendar is not a bad idea in either direction.
With a car
ล ibenik is forty minutes, Krka's waterfalls an hour, Vodice twenty-five minutes and Zadar an hour north. The island itself is small enough to cover on foot or by bicycle once you are based on it.
Why people come back
Murter is a working island with four villages, boatyards and olive terraces rather than a resort, and it is bridged rather than ferried. That combination โ genuine island character with mainland convenience โ is rarer on this coast than it sounds, and it is why the same families return each year.
The road, in detail
The A1 motorway north from the airport, then the D59 towards Pirovac and the D121 through Tisno and over the bridge. It is a straightforward drive and the last stretch along the coast is the pleasant part. Mobile coverage is reliable throughout, unlike some of the island roads further north.
