The honest headline: the Zagreb–Split train is getting new trains before it gets faster. Six hybrid electro-diesel units, built by KONČAR for HŽ Putnički prijevoz (HŽPP, Croatian Railways’ passenger arm), are being built, on an announced delivery schedule of a first train in July 2026 and one per month until the rolling stock is fully renewed by the end of the year. From the 2027 timetable the plan is three daily departures each way, up from a single daytime train outside summer. The ride still takes about seven hours. The journey-time cuts come as track upgrades finish, not from the new trains alone.
The new trains coming to the Zagreb–Split line
The €57.3 million order, financed by a European Investment Bank loan, was unveiled in March 2026 by transport minister Oleg Butković and KONČAR president Gordan Kolak. Each unit runs electric between Zagreb and Oštarije, then diesel over the unelectrified mountains to Split. That’s the hybrid part. Top speed 160 km/h, 150 seats, Wi-Fi, power outlets, bike spaces. They replace the tilting InterCity sets that have worked this 429 km rail connection since 2004. Five more units, delivered in 2027, will serve Osijek, Rijeka and Pula — part of a renewal approaching 70 new trains across Croatia’s rail network, a wholesale refresh of passenger rail.
Zagreb to Split train times right now
Until the timetable changes in mid-December, this is the current service (checked 27 Aug 2026 on hzpp.hr):
- Day train, summer only: Zagreb 07:08 → Split 14:09, about 7 hours.
- Day train, year-round: 13:49 → 21:47, about 8 hours, older locomotive-hauled carriages.
- Night train: in summer it starts in Osijek, passes Zagreb after midnight and reaches Split at 08:49; off-season it runs one night a week, 22:06 → 06:53. A sleeper berth adds €9–25.
Returns leave Split at 07:54 and 14:10. Expect a new pattern from December.
Tickets and how to book
A full-fare second-class one-way costs about €28, advance fares start around €15, and seat reservations are required at €1.06 (checked 27 Aug 2026). Buy train tickets on hzpp.hr. The official website opens sales two months out, or at the ticket office, slightly dearer. Eurail and Interrail passes are valid; you still pay the reservation. Summer sleeper berths sell out; day trains rarely do.
Train vs bus vs driving vs flying
- Bus: fastest and most frequent. FlixBus alone runs 17 daily trips, the quickest about 4 h 5 min, from around €18 (checked 27 Aug 2026).
- Driving: about four hours on the A1, plus €26.40 in tolls (checked 27 Aug 2026). Wins if you want stops: see Plitvice tickets in 2027 or the new Krka swimming rules.
- Flying: under an hour airborne, but airport overhead means it rarely wins door to door.
- Train: slowest, cheapest booked ahead, and easily the most relaxed.
Is the train ride scenic?
Genuinely, yes. The railway climbs from Karlovac into the Lika karst, skirts Dinara’s limestone near Knin, then drops to the Adriatic with Kaštela Bay filling the window. The bus mostly sees motorway.
What this means for your itinerary
The sensible 2027 play: travel by train down and base in Split — the station sits on the harbour, five minutes from Diocletian’s Palace, and a first-evening walking tour of the palace (4.7★, ~1,000 reviews, about €12) beats a museum on tired legs. From Split everything connects: catamarans for island hopping without sailing, the ferry or bus onward to Dubrovnik, and quieter plans via Croatia in October and November. Once three departures a day exist, the train becomes a repositioning move rather than an all-day event.
FAQ
Is there a direct train from Zagreb to Split?
Yes. Day and night trains run direct, no changes, the whole 429 km.
Will there be new trains connecting Zagreb and Split in 2027?
Yes. The six KONČAR hybrids are scheduled to enter service through late 2026, with three daily departures planned from the 2027 timetable. Journey times for the new units haven’t been published yet.
How much does a train ticket from Zagreb to Split cost?
About €28 full fare, advance fares from about €15, plus the €1.06 reservation; sleepers add €9–25 (checked 27 Aug 2026).
What is the best way to travel from Zagreb to Split?
Bus for speed, car for stops, train for comfort and scenery; the night train saves a hotel night.
The short version
New modern trains, more departures from the 2027 timetable, same seven-ish hours for now, fares from about €15 in advance. Take the bus to be quick; take the train to see the Croatia between the two cities.
