Split is the long way south: about 780 km by road from Budapest Airport, down through Zagreb and along the Croatian motorway to the Dalmatian coast. At the end of it is one of Europe’s most remarkable towns, built into and around a Roman emperor’s palace, with a palm-lined seafront and ferries to the islands.
It’s a full day’s travel whichever way you do it. There is no year-round direct train, the buses take ten hours or more with a change, and a taxi has no published fare. This guide lays out every option with real times and prices from the operators’ own sites, so you can decide whether to go in one go, break the trip in Zagreb, or let a driver take the strain.
Budapest Airport → Split at a glance
| Distance | About 780 km by road (approx.) |
| Drive time | About 8 hours by road, without stops (approx.) |
| Fastest public transport | FlixBus from Budapest Kelenföld: 10 h 10 min with one change (after getting into the city) |
| Direct train | Summer only: MÁV’s Adria InterCity night train ran 3 July – 4 October 2026 |
| Private transfer | From €773 one-way per vehicle (Standard Car, up to 3 passengers), from Budapest Airport |
| Border | Schengen, no routine passport control |
| Last checked | 14 Nov 2026 |
Budapest Airport to Split: every option compared
| Option | Route | Journey time | Changes | One-way price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private transfer | Arrivals hall → any Split address | About 8 h by road, plus stops | None | From €773 per vehicle (Standard Car, 1–3 people); Standard Minivan €924 (up to 4) |
| FlixBus | Népliget or Kelenföld → Split | 10 h 10 min – 11 h 05 min, plus getting into the city | 1 | From €36.48 per person |
| Train, off-season | IC 204 to Zagreb (overnight), then Zagreb 13:49 → Split 21:47 | Two days | 1 + overnight stay | From €42 per person incl. reservation (hotel extra) |
| Train, summer | Adria InterCity night train Budapest → Split | Overnight | None from Budapest | From €46 per berth (MÁV) |
| Taxi | Airport → Split | By road, as above | None | No published fare |
Bus and train prices are the cheapest fares the operators showed on 14 Nov 2026 for late November and early December 2026 travel; they change with demand and booking date. Private-transfer prices come from the Pickup Hungary booking engine on the same day.
Arriving at Budapest Airport: getting to the train or bus
Every public-transport option to Croatia starts in the city, not at the terminal, so your first leg is a local one. All flights arrive at Terminal 2 (2A and 2B).
- To the train (Ferihegy station): take bus 200E from the terminal to Ferihegy vasútállomás, then a MÁV train to Budapest-Nyugati, about 30 minutes (Budapest Airport). Domestic tickets are sold 24/7 at the machines on the Ferihegy platform; there are no train tickets at Terminal 2.
- To the city centre: the 100E Airport Express bus runs around the clock to Kálvin tér and Deák Ferenc tér, with a special single ticket of 2,500 HUF that you can pay by bank card on board. Ordinary BKK tickets are not valid on it.
- To Kőbánya-Kispest: bus 200E runs day and night to the M3 metro at Kőbánya-Kispest (at night it continues to Határ út).
Meeting your Pickup Hungary driver
With a private transfer you skip all of the above. Meet & greet and flight tracking are included, and your driver waits if your flight is delayed. You walk out of arrivals, meet your English-speaking driver and go straight to the car.
Your options, one by one
Private transfer: one car, all the way to the coast
Your driver meets you in arrivals and drives you all the way to your Split address, about 780 km and roughly eight hours of driving, plus the stops you want. The price is per vehicle. On 14 Nov 2026 the Pickup Hungary booking engine priced Budapest Airport → Split at €773 one-way for a Standard Car (up to 3 passengers), €905 for a Comfort Car and €924 for a Standard Minivan (up to 4). Bigger groups: ask for a quote on the transfer page. Free cancellation and the first child seat free are included.
Prefer to do it in two days? Stop over in Zagreb, halfway down: see our Budapest Airport to Zagreb guide, or book the Budapest → Zagreb transfer with a stop at Lake Balaton for the first leg.
- Book online on the Budapest → Split transfer page: pick the vehicle and give your flight number.
- We track your flight. If it’s delayed, your driver waits.
- Meet & greet in the arrivals hall; your driver helps with luggage.
- Drive south via Zagreb and the Croatian motorway, with breaks along the way.
- Drop-off at your hotel, apartment or the ferry port in Split.
Train: summer night train, or two days off-season
MÁV runs a direct night train, the Adria InterCity, between Budapest and Split in summer only. In 2026 it ran from 3 July to 4 October, with berths from €46 per person according to MÁV; the 2027 dates had not been published when we checked.
Outside that season there is no through train. The MÁV journey planner offered the direct IC 204 from Budapest-Déli (15:35) to Zagreb (22:03), a night in Zagreb, and the next day’s train from Zagreb at 13:49 arriving in Split at 21:47, from €42 per person including the seat reservation, for a 25 November start. That’s two days and a hotel night, so it only makes sense if you want to see Zagreb anyway.
Bus: FlixBus with one change
FlixBus connects Budapest Népliget and Kelenföld with Split, with one change. On the dates we checked there were two departure times a day: around 08:00 from Népliget (08:25 from Kelenföld) arriving in Split at 18:35, and 17:55 from Népliget (18:20 from Kelenföld) arriving at 05:00 the next morning. Journey times were 10 h 10 min to 11 h 05 min, from €36.48 (2 December 2026). To reach Népliget from the airport, take bus 200E to Kőbánya-Kispest and the M3 metro; for Kelenföld, the 100E to Kálvin tér and the M4 metro.
FlixBus showed no connection from its Budapest Airport stop to Split on our test date, so plan to start in the city.
Taxi
Budapest taxis charge the official metered fare, which is the same for every licensed company, and since August 2026 trips starting at the airport add an airport base fare of HUF 2,100 (BKK). BKK publishes no fixed fare to Split, so a taxi over the border is a price you have to agree with the company before you set off. We haven’t listed a figure because there is no official one to quote.
Border, money and roads in Croatia
- Border: Croatia fully joined Schengen on 1 January 2023, and checks at the land border with Hungary were lifted that day (European Commission). Carry your passport or ID card anyway.
- Money: Croatia has used the euro since 1 January 2023 (European Central Bank). The kuna is gone, so you don’t need to change money for Croatia.
- If you drive yourself: Croatian motorways are tolled by distance, paid at toll plazas in cash, by card or with an ENC tag (Hrvatske autoceste). A private transfer driver handles the roads for you.
What to see when you arrive in Split
Split’s old town and its Roman palace are a UNESCO World Heritage site, inscribed in 1979 (UNESCO). The Split Tourist Board has opening times and events.
Diocletian’s Palace and the Peristyle
Roman emperor Diocletian built his palace here between the late 3rd and early 4th centuries AD, and the town grew up inside its walls. The Peristyle, the colonnaded central court, is its heart. Don’t miss: walking the lanes inside the palace walls, where people still live and work.
| Built | Late 3rd – early 4th century AD (UNESCO) |
| UNESCO | Inscribed 1979 |
| Official | visitsplit.com |
The cathedral bell tower view
The cathedral was built in the Middle Ages, reusing materials from Diocletian’s mausoleum (UNESCO). Climb the bell tower for the view over the red roofs, the harbour and the Marjan hill. Don’t miss: the view of the harbour from the top.
| Area | Old town, inside the palace |
| Official | visitsplit.com |
The Riva promenade
The palm-lined seafront runs along the palace’s south wall, with café terraces facing the harbour. It’s where Split comes out in the evening. Don’t miss: a sunset drink facing the harbour.
| Area | Seafront, below the palace |
| Official | visitsplit.com |
Frequently asked questions
How far is Split from Budapest Airport?
About 780 km by road, roughly 8 hours’ driving without stops.
Is there a direct train from Budapest to Split?
Only in summer: MÁV’s Adria InterCity night train ran from 3 July to 4 October 2026, with berths from €46. Off-season you take the direct train to Zagreb, stay overnight and continue the next day (from €42 including reservation when we checked on 14 Nov 2026).
How long does the bus take from Budapest to Split?
FlixBus took 10 h 10 min to 11 h 05 min with one change on the dates we checked, from €36.48 per person, departing from Népliget or Kelenföld in Budapest.
How much is a private transfer from Budapest Airport to Split?
From €773 one-way per vehicle for a Standard Car (up to 3 passengers), €905 for a Comfort Car and €924 for a Standard Minivan (up to 4), per the Pickup Hungary booking engine on 14 Nov 2026.
Is there a passport check at the Hungary–Croatia border?
No routine checks: Croatia joined Schengen on 1 January 2023 and land-border checks were lifted that day. Carry your passport or ID card anyway.
Can I stop in Zagreb on the way?
Yes. Zagreb is on the way, so you can break the trip there for a night, by train, by bus or with a private driver.
Split is a long way from Budapest, but it’s worth every kilometre. If you’d rather arrive with energy left for the Riva than after a day of changes, a private transfer takes you from the arrivals hall to your door in one go.
From Budapest arrivals to the Adriatic
Fixed price per vehicle, meet & greet and flight tracking included.
See prices & bookPhoto credits: cover (Split harbour): Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Peristyle: Photo: TimeTravelRome, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Bell tower view: Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Riva: Photo: dronepicr, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors.
