Split has quietly upgraded one of the most important transport hubs on the Adriatic. The Port Authority of Split has completed a €20.4 million reconstruction of the old Jadranribolov building on the harbour breakwater, turning it into a modern terminal for international passenger traffic — and it should make life easier for anyone heading to Croatia's islands.
The practical upshot is a smarter split (pun intended) of port duties. International services, including the Schengen border crossing, move into the new terminal. That frees up roughly 14,000 square metres at Gat svetog Duje (St Duje Pier), which will now be dedicated entirely to domestic ferries — the boats that carry locals, commuters and summer visitors to islands like Hvar, Brač and Šolta. The existing terminal building continues to handle domestic passenger traffic too.
Why does this matter for travellers? Anyone who has passed through Split in July or August knows the summer crush at the port, with vehicles and foot passengers queuing in the heat. Separating international and domestic flows should speed up boarding, reduce congestion, and give ferry operators better conditions — a real benefit during peak season when sailings are packed and connections are tight.
There's a bonus for non-passengers as well. Atop the new terminal sits a public rooftop space called Lungomare, with seating, a children's playground, a small outdoor exercise zone and a telescope at its highest point offering panoramic views over Split. It turns a working piece of port infrastructure into somewhere you can linger before or after a sailing — worth knowing if you've got an hour to kill between ferries.
The funding tells you how seriously Croatia is taking its ports: around €6.8 million came from EU grants under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, roughly €12 million from the state budget, with the Port Authority of Split chipping in the rest. Split Mayor Tomislav Šuta highlighted the value for residents and island communities, who depend on reliable domestic maritime links year-round — a reminder that these ferries are lifelines, not just tourist services.
For anyone planning an island-hopping holiday, this is good news at exactly the right time. Split is the main jumping-off point for the central Dalmatian islands, and smoother operations at the port mean less friction on the days that matter most. Arrive earlier in high summer, keep an eye on ferry schedules, and if the queues get long, head up to Lungomare and watch the harbour from the roof.
