Getting to Dubrovnik Old Town
From Your Cruise Ship (2025 guide)

Last updated: May 2025

Looking to learn about getting to Dubrovnik Old town from the cruise port? I have done it numerous times myself so in this article I will tell you about all the options: taking a cruise line organized transfer bus, local buses, walking, taxis and organized shore excursions!

In my experience, Dubrovnik, Croatia often ends up being the highlight of many a cruise vacation.

That’s why, no matter how you decide to get to the Dubrovnik Old Town, you simply have to get there!

And I’ll tell you how to do that.

Where do cruise ships arrive in Dubrovnik?

Three different things can happen when it comes to getting to Dubrovnik. Your cruise ship could...

1) Dock at the new port of Dubrovnik, called Gruz

At the beginning of 2010, the construction work on expanding the new port of Gruz was finally finished.

From then on, even the biggest cruise ships were able to dock at the Gruz port, and it’s able to accommodate a few of them at the same time.

If you are an experienced cruiser, you probably know that docking is a much more favoured option when it comes to getting off the ship in ports of call.

You simply choose the time you want to get off and walk off the ship.

Dubrovnik is impressive both inside and outside the walls. Find out how to get here from your cruise dock!

2) Anchor in front of the Old Town of Dubrovnik

Anchoring is the least favourite option with cruisers, as it involves a little bit of a wait to get on the little tender boats that will take you ashore.

Still, depending on the organization onboard the ship, it can run very smoothly and you can often times enjoy great destination vistas as you approach the shoreline in a small tender boat.

Considering the number of cruise ships that can visit Dubrovnik at the same time, which can amount to more than 5 on some days… for some cruise ships anchoring and tendering will be inevitable.

Get out on the open deck with your camera and enjoy the view… the Old Town will almost be in the palm of your hand!

On the other side, there is the little island of Lokrum, a peaceful and lush oasis for those who want to enjoy a day of swimming.

Your tender boats will drop you right in the Old harbour from where you are only a few steps away from Stradun, the main street of Dubrovnik, cafes, museums and shops!

3) Anchor in front of the Gruz port 

In this case your ship will anchor 2,5 km northwest of the Old Town of Dubrovnik.

A five-minute tender boat ride will take you to the new, recently reconstructed port of Gruz standing in the shade of the big white suspension bridge.

From here you will still need to get some kind of land transportation to the Old Town. For more info on that read the docking instructions below.

The Old Port of Dubrovnik

Getting to Dubrovnik from Gruz cruise port

If your ship is docking in Dubrovnik, it will always be in the port of Gruz.

This port is 2.5 km away from the Old town of Dubrovnik, so consider the following options when it comes to getting to the famous Dubrovnik attractions:

1. Cruise line shuttle bus to Dubrovnik

Many cruise lines will offer this service straight to Pile Gate, the main entrance to the Old town of Dubrovnik, where the pedestrian area starts.

The ride takes about 10-15 minutes, depending on traffic.

The shuttle service is run by the Dubrovnik Port Authority and is available during the cruise season, which lasts from April to October.

The shuttle bus runs on a regular schedule, approximately every 30 minutes, though this frequency may vary depending on the number of cruise ships in port .

The shuttle bus service is not free, and a one-way ticket costs around 2 Euro per person.

Pile Gate is where you will catch the shuttle bus to get back to the cruise ship, too. 

All ships that tender/dock in Gruz will have their bus drop offs here, so also make sure you get on the right bus for the right cruise ship when coming back. Altough they all go to the same place - the port.

Most cruise lines will have organized a staff member to wait for the cruisers there and keep them organized in a line.

Due to the crowds and long intervals in which buses show up to pick up the guests, it can get very crazy and stressful there.

So either be very patient or choose to take one of the last buses, as usually most people will have departed earlier in fear of missing the ship. As long as you catch that last bus, you’ll be fine! ☺

2. Taxi from Gruz port to Dubrovnik town

There are always taxis available right in front of the cruise ship.

They will charge you about   € 10 - 13 to Pile Gate, which is where you enter the Old Town.

Split between up to 4 people it’s actually quite an affordable, quick and hassle-free way of getting to Dubrovnik Old town.

But you are left to yourself when exploring the town.

There are also ride-sharing services like Bolt and Uber available in Dubrovnik!

What's also good about it is you can pay electronically. It would be about 16-18 euros. However, with the port shuttles and very inexpensive local buses on hand, not many people will use this option.

3. Local public bus to the Old town of Dubrovnik

There is a local bus station on the main street in front of the cruise terminal and you can take getting to Dubrovnik into your own hands.

You will find it next to the little newspaper/magazine stall.

Just remember you will need some euros to purchase the bus ticket.

Here's the steps to get you to town:

• Get your local bus ticket in the nearby news-stand or on the bus. 

• Look for buses #1, #1A or #1B. 
• Get on the bus through the front door only and validate the ticket in the little machine by the driver.
• You will get off at the last stop which is right in front of the Pile gate, which is the entrance into the Old town of Dubrovnik.

From there, getting around Dubrovnik is very easy – you will most likely spend all day inside the walled Old town which is a pedestrian only area and you will not need any other means of transportation.

With all these options, you won’t have any problems getting to Dubrovnik Old Town and enjoying your day there! 

4. Taking organized shore excursions to Dubrovnik Old town

If this is your first visit to Dubrovnik, make sure you choose one of the tours that will take you to the Old Town and give you some time off here to walk around and explore Dubrovnik attractions! Really, this is where you want to spend your day!

But keep in mind that there are many charming places around Dubrovnik, worth seeing, too:

• Cavtat - a little seaside town with a lively promenade, cafe and restaurant scene - it offers a unique mix of history, culture and natural beauty. It's only 20km away. 
• Trsteno is a a small village located about 20 kilometers northwest of Dubrovnik, Croatia. It is famous for its beautiful arboretum, which is one of the oldest and most renowned in the region.The Trsteno Arboretum was founded in the late 15th century.

Those shore excursions will in general also drop you off at the Old town of Dubrovnik and give you time to explore around and even go back to the ship with the port shuttle bus.

That is why below I am giving you a mix of options! Some of the shore excursions are to Dubrovnik Old Town, while others include other dreamy places around it. And don't forget Dubrovnik is the setting where many Game of Thrones scenes and there are some really exciting tours for fans, too!

5. Can you walk to Dubrovnik from the port?

Technically, it is possible to walk from the port of Gruž to Dubrovnik center. However, remember that your day in port is very short, and you would lose a lot of time walking.

Also, you would be entirely exhausted by the time you get there due to the heat and long distance.

The distance is 2.5 km (1.5 miles) and it takes 30-40 minutes following the main coast along the coast to get from Gruž to the Old town.

Bonus: your Dubrovnik cruise port map

By following this guide on getting to Dubrovnik, you will be able to make an informed decision on choose the best means of transport for your day in the Jewel of the Mediterranean.

Get your own Dubrovnik Guide in PDF!

With over seven years working aboard cruise ships as a port guide and shopper assistant, I’ve helped thousands of passengers get the best from their days ashore in Dubrovnik. Now, I want to make you Med confident!

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