Switzerland to Croatia Train

Train from Switzerland to Croatia is one of the ways of travelling between these two countries. All trains depart from Zurich and arrive in Zagreb from where you can continue by train to some other Croatian cities. There are direct trains and trains that require multiple changes. The route is operated by Swiss Federal Railways.

Below is the detailed guide for each popular train route from Switzerland to Croatia.

Zurich – Zagreb

Train from Zurich to Zagreb is the only train connection between Switzerland and Croatia. There is up to 1 direct daily departure operated by EuroNight (EN) train (a night train). These trains are 2nd class only, they are equipped with couchette and sleeping cars and the reservations are compulsory. The journey on this direct train takes up to 15 hours. 

The train goes via Innsbruck (Austria) and Maribor (Slovenia) but stops only for boarding and alighting. 

There are also up to 6 daily departures that require a train change. Usually, there are up to 3 train changes, but on some departures, you would need to change the train up to 11 times, which obviously makes no sense. Some of the trains make a stop in Vienna or Graz (sometimes Salzburg and Villach) and then Ljubljana, Celje or Zidani Most. These routes are usually operated by EuroCity (EC) trains, Railjet Xpress (RJX) trains and Railjet (RJ) trains. 

The waiting time between the trains varies between several minutes and a few hours. Accordingly, the total journey takes about 14 to 22 hours. 

NOTE: Schedules change throughout the year, so it is important to check the exact date of departure. 

Tickets

The price of the tickets depends on the type of car you pick. The price for a railway passenger coach starts from around €30. The price of a couchette starts from about €50 and the sleeping car price starts from about €70. 

If looking for an alternative travelling option, then taking a bus from Zurich to Zagreb might be a more convenient option. There are up to 3 daily departures, most of them being night buses. Tickets start from €107 and the journey takes approximately 13 hours. 

Zurich – Dubrovnik

There is no train from Zurich to Dubrovnik. Getting from Zurich by train is possible only to Split (changing a train in Zagreb). The railway in Croatia stops in Split so there is no further train connection to Dubrovnik.

Anyway, if for some reason you want to travel from Zurich to Dubrovnik by using the train as much as possible, here is how to do it:

• First, you will need to travel from Zurich to Zagreb, as described in the section above. 
• You can continue by train from Zagreb to Split.
• Once in Split, consider alternative ways of getting to Dubrovnik, as there is no further train connection. 

An estimated total travelling time is around 24-25 hours, not including the waiting time in between. An estimated total price of all tickets is not under €70-90.

Of course, there is an alternative option of travelling this route by taking a bus from Zurich to Dubrovnik.

Map of the Swiss Railway