Dubrovnik – Zadar
There is no train between Dubrovnik and Zadar. The railway connection in Croatia stops in Split, although there were once plans for expanding it further to Dubrovnik.
Currently, the only railway route in South Dalmatia is Ploce – Sarajevo, further connecting cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The final stop in Croatia is Metkovic train station. Therefore, the closest train station to Dubrovnik is Ploce, about 2 hours away.
A much more convenient way of travelling is taking a bus from Dubrovnik to Zadar as it significantly saves some money and time. There are up to 9 daily departures, tickets start from €27 and the journey takes around 8 hours.
In general, all those who like to travel by train at least part of the route can travel from Dubrovnik to Zadar by train only from Split to Knin. In order to get from Dubrovnik to Split, you can choose a bus or catamaran.
Once in Knin, you will always be transferred to Zadar by bus. There is a direct train line from Split to Knin, but in certain cases, there is a possibility you’ll need to change trains at Perkovic train station. This change does not mean you have to buy separate train tickets.
To conclude, travelling by train from Dubrovnik to Zadar is nearly impossible and takes a lot more time and effort compared to buses.