Dubrovnik to Split drive

Which route should I take from Dubrovnik to Split?

The fastest routed path runs north on the D8 coast road, turns onto the Pelješac bridge access roads, crosses the bridge and returns to the D8 before joining the A1 motorway near Ploče. It stays in Croatia the whole way and passes no border.

The older route stays on the coast road through Neum, where a stretch of about 9 km belongs to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Both ends of that stretch are official road border crossings, Klek-Neum I and Zaton Doli-Neum II, so the Neum road means an exit check and an entry check at the external border of the Schengen area.

Is there a toll on the Pelješac bridge?

No. The Croatian Government's concession decision for the bridge gives the road company no right to charge a toll, and the Government confirmed in July 2021 that none would be charged.

The bridge opened in July 2022, and the Ston bypass completed its access roads in April 2023. Since then the drive from Dubrovnik to the rest of mainland Croatia no longer needs the Neum corridor.

What happens if I drive through Neum?

You leave Croatia and the Schengen area at one crossing and come back at the other. Croatia's crossings into Bosnia and Herzegovina are external borders, where every traveller is checked on exit and on entry, together with the vehicle. EU and Swiss citizens are checked too.

For non-EU nationals on a short stay, the EU Entry/Exit System has been fully operational since 10 April 2026 and registers each crossing of an external border, so the two Neum crossings count as an exit and an entry.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina green card bureau accepts Croatian number plates as proof of insurance. Permission to drive the rental car outside Croatia is a separate matter, arranged by email with the booking help desk before the trip, and the terms for Croatia say prices and conditions vary.

Where does the motorway start?

The A1 motorway from Zagreb and Split is open southwards only as far as the Ploče interchange and the Karamatići toll station. South of that there is no motorway: the D8 and the Pelješac bridge access roads carry the traffic, and the bridge roads join the D8 at Duboka.

On the A1 you take a toll ticket at the entry plaza and pay at the exit, in euros, by card where accepted, or with an ENC device. Croatia has no vignette. Lose the ticket, or arrive more than 24 hours after entry without proof of a reason, and the charge is double the toll for the longest route on the motorway from your exit.

What road rules apply on the way?

From 1 November to 31 March, cars must drive with daytime running lights or dipped headlights on during the day. In any tunnel, dipped headlights must be on all year, and stopping, reversing and U-turns are banned inside it.

The general alcohol limit for car drivers is 0.5 g/kg. A car must carry a warning triangle, a first-aid kit and a reflective vest, which the driver wears when working beside the car on the road.

How busy are the borders in summer?

The Croatian Automobile Club (HAK) warns that heavy traffic and waits of several hours are possible at the busiest crossings in the summer season, and it lists Metković and Karasovići among the busier southern ones. It advises checking current conditions before travelling. On the bridge route to Split there is no crossing to queue at.

Can I leave the rental car in Split?

Yes, on cars that offer it. Choose Split as the drop-off in the search; the cars returned for that route show their own deposit, card rule and cancellation terms. Zagreb, Zadar and Pula also returned one-way cars from Dubrovnik.

The car must come back with the fuel level it left with, and fuel, tolls and parking on the way are the renter's to pay. Any unpaid toll invoiced to the rental company later is taken from the deposit held on the rental car.