Getting here
From Zadar's bus station it's one bus and about €13. Land at the airport and it's two buses, closer to €18, because you need the shuttle into town first. No car, nothing to book ahead. Below is where to catch each one and where to buy the tickets so you don't overpay.
About €13 per person one way if you're starting at Zadar bus station, and roughly €18 if you're coming off a flight and need the airport shuttle first. Either way the bus is the cheapest way to cover this route, and in summer it's often the least stressful one too, because you're not hunting for parking at the other end.
| Leg | Price |
|---|---|
| Zadar Airport to Zadar bus station | about €5 |
| Zadar bus station to Novalja | from €13 |
| Airport to Novalja, one person, one way | about €18 |
Fares checked August 2026. Bus prices move with the season, so treat these as the shape of the cost rather than a quote.
Leg one
A shuttle bus links the airport with Zadar's main bus station for about €5, leaving roughly every 45 minutes. You don't need to book it in advance.
Worth checking the timetable before you fly rather than after you land, because the last departure of the evening is the one that decides whether a late arrival still works. The airport publishes the current times on its own site.
Airport shuttle timetableLeg two
Antonio Tours runs this route with more than ten departures a day in season, and a ticket costs around €13. Book it directly with them. The resale apps list the same seats with a booking fee stacked on top.
Prefer paper and a human? Their kiosk inside Zadar bus station sits right in front of gate 10, and you can buy there on the day. That's the better option if your flight lands late and you'd rather see the remaining departures with your own eyes before committing.
Zadar
Novalja
Opens Antonio Tours' own timetable in a new tab, with your date already filled in.
Save a few euro
Some third-party booking apps add €5 to €6 per piece of luggage at checkout. Skip it. Bring the bag to the bus, hand it to the driver, and it goes into the cargo bay underneath at no charge.
On a family of four that fee is most of a second ticket, which is the whole reason we mention it.
The last few kilometres
The bus drops you in Novalja, and we're up the coast in Stara Novalja, a short hop north. Local buses, Bolt and street taxis all cover it, with costs and quirks laid out on our getting-around page.
Message us before you book if the connection looks tight. We'd much rather help you work out the timings in advance than have you standing at a bus station wondering.
Guests
Verified Airbnb reviews, 2017–2025.About these reviews →
Very nice hosts — they greeted us every day with a smile and were so accommodating with all our questions. The apartment is near the beach, in a quiet part of town. We used the kitchen and terrace a lot for our meals. Everything was in perfect order. Thank you.
A wonderful holiday has come to an end! It was a beautiful stay with such attentive hosts (Miroslav and family) who always had an ear for us, no matter what we asked. He even handled the communication for us when booking a trial dive for my granddaughter. As helpful as anyone could hope for. If we ever come back to Croatia, we already know where we'll be staying 😉 Happy to come back any time — we really enjoyed our time here. Thank you for the lovely stay 🙏
A lovely place to stay. Especially if you're heading to Sonus festival!
Bobinac Garden is two family-run apartments sharing one Dalmatian garden in Stara Novalja, 50 metres from the sea. Have a look at both, then decide.
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