How to get to Brač from Split: ferry to Supetar or catamaran to Bol

Brač is close to Split, and the real choice is the port you land at. Take Jadrolinija's car ferry to Supetar, 50 minutes by its line page, if you bring a car or want a flexible arrival. Take a catamaran to Supetar, Bol or Milna if you travel on foot and want a shorter crossing. The Brač Island travel guide explains what each town offers, and the Croatia guide shows where the island fits in a longer trip.

Three operators matter here. Jadrolinija runs the car ferry and a catamaran line to Bol. Krilo runs passenger catamarans to Supetar and to Milna on routes that continue to Hvar and Vis. On the Makarska side, Jadrolinija runs a ferry to Sumartin. Each operator publishes its own timetable, and Jadrolinija states that it guarantees the accuracy of its data only on its own website and that sailing schedules are subject to change. Krilo adds that passengers should be at the boarding point at least 15 minutes before departure. Treat any timetable in a guide as a pattern, and check the operator's page for your date.

The main decision is the landing port. Supetar is the main ferry town on the north coast. Bol is on the south coast, beside Zlatni rat. Milna is a sheltered harbor on the west. Pick the port with the base in mind, and read where to stay on Brač before you book the crossing.

Jadrolinija's line 631 runs from Split to Supetar. The line page says the trip takes 50 minutes and lists a year-round sailing schedule and a price list. It also says a ticket purchased for the line is valid for any departure on the date printed on the travel ticket, which makes it flexible: if you miss a boat, you can take the next one that day. This is the route for cars, luggage-heavy trips and travelers who do not know their arrival time.

The ferry lands in Supetar, the largest town on the island, so the first night can be in town without a long drive. If your base is Bol or Milna, plan the drive across the island after you land. Krilo calls Supetar the largest settlement on the island and its main ferry port, so shops and restaurants are near the quay, which helps on arrival.

In July and August, expect queues for cars, and arrive early at the Split terminal. Check the operator's rules on vehicles and arrival times before you rely on a last-minute crossing with a car. For foot passengers, the ferry is slower than the catamaran but steady in rough water.

Passenger catamarans are faster and land you in the town you want. Krilo's destination page lists Supetar at about 25 minutes from Split, and posted a new sailing schedule for the Split to Supetar route from 1 October 2026, so check the current timetable if you travel after that date. Krilo also lists Milna on the west coast at about 30 minutes from Split, on a route that continues to Hvar and Vis.

For Bol, Jadrolinija's catamaran line 9603 runs Split, Bol, Stari Grad and Jelsa. The line page says Bol is reached in 1 hour and 5 minutes from Split and that a fast-ship ticket is tied to the departure time you select, so it also reserves your place. Krilo lists Bol as a destination at about 55 minutes. The difference is small, and both can change with the season, so rely on the timetable for your date.

The trade-off with catamarans is flexibility. A ticket tied to a departure cannot be used on a later boat, and a missed sailing may mean buying again. Wind can also delay or cancel fast boats, and Krilo's support center lists a question on cancellations due to weather. If you must arrive on a specific day, such as for a flight or a booking, take an earlier sailing and keep the ticket rules in mind.

Use the base you plan to sleep in as the guide. For Bol and a beach stay, take the Bol catamaran, which saves a long drive. For Supetar and a family stay or a car trip, take the car ferry. For Milna, take the catamaran toward Hvar and Vis, or the car ferry and drive. If you are visiting several bases in one trip, land at the one that fits the first night and drive from there.

There is a quieter option for travelers coming from the south. Jadrolinija's line 638 links Sumartin on the eastern end of Brač with Makarska in 60 minutes. The line page calls Sumartin a picturesque village and a starting point for discovering the island. A ticket on the line also means a reservation for the chosen departure. If you travel along the coast from Makarska, this is a way to reach Brač without going back to Split. See the Makarska guide for the other side of the crossing.

If you land at Split and want to see more than one island, check the Hvar travel guide, because the same catamaran lines connect Brač with Hvar. A trip that uses Bol and then Hvar by catamaran is a simple way to combine two islands.

The Sumartin to Makarska ferry is a useful link on a coastal itinerary. The sailing takes 60 minutes according to Jadrolinija, and the ticket is also a reservation. Use it if you stay on the Makarska Riviera and want an island day, or if you want to move from the mainland to the island without returning to Split.

Sumartin itself is small. From there, Bol and Supetar are both a drive away, so allow time for it. If you plan to use the ferry in summer, book a car space early, and in winter check whether the line runs on your date, since the timetable and frequency change with the season. The Bol guide explains what to do once you reach the south coast.

Brač has its own small airport, which publishes departures, arrivals and a seasonal timetable on its website. Most visitors still fly to Split and take a boat, since Split has far more flights and connections. If you plan to use the island airport, check its timetable for your dates before building the trip around it.

By car, the only way onto Brač is by ferry, because there is no bridge. Drive to Split or Makarska, board a Jadrolinija car ferry and plan the first-night drive across the island. If you drive from Dubrovnik, the Pelješac Bridge lets you bypass Bosnia's Neum corridor on the way north. The older coastal road through Neum is a Schengen external border crossing, so carry your passport on that route, and non-EU visitors can read EES explained first.

The table below summarizes the options. Times are as listed by the operators and can change by season.

Leave slack on days that matter. Wind can disrupt catamarans, and a missed boat can cost an evening. If you have a flight out of Split the day you leave, take the earliest crossing the day before, or choose the more robust ferry. A travel insurance policy with cancellation and delay cover costs little against a lost night.

The most common mistake is landing at the wrong port for your base. A catamaran to Supetar and a room in Bol leaves you with a long evening drive or taxi. The second is assuming a car can board a catamaran. Check the operator's rules on vehicles before you plan a drive-on route. The third is trusting last year's timetable: Krilo's new Split to Supetar schedule from 1 October 2026 shows how often they change. The fourth is arriving at the boarding point too late, since Krilo asks passengers to be there at least 15 minutes before departure. The fifth is buying a departure-tied ticket for an uncertain arrival time. Favor the Jadrolinija ferry when your plans are loose.

A last tip is to compare the total door-to-door cost, not only the ticket. A cheap car ferry plus a long drive may cost more in time than a catamaran into the town you want, and a catamaran plus a taxi may cost more in money than a ferry plus a drive.

Skip the catamaran if you are prone to seasickness or need a flexible arrival time, and read Krilo's support answers on luggage and bicycles first if you carry bulky gear. Choose the ferry instead, which is steadier and takes vehicles, even though it lands at Supetar. Skip the ferry if your base is Bol and you have no car, since the drive from Supetar adds time and cost.

Skip the Makarska crossing if you plan to stay only one night on the island. With 175 km of coast, one night leaves little time after the boat. In that case, take the shortest route from Split and book at least two nights, or follow the Brač in 3 days plan.

Carry some euros for small ports, kiosks and beach bars, though ticket offices and apps take cards. Set up your phone before you travel: an eSIM for Croatia gives you data for ferry apps, ticket codes and maps as soon as you land. Plan the wider route with the getting around Europe guide, which covers buses, rail and ferries across the region.

Croatia follows Schengen rules and uses the euro. For stay-length counting, see the Schengen 90/180 rule, and check your passport in the visa checker.