The Ancona to Split ferry leaves at 19:30 and takes about 11 hours 30 minutes, arriving in Split early the next morning. SNAV operates the sailing, with cabins sold separately from deck passage; foot passengers pay from about €32 and cars from about €40. Frequency is seasonal, roughly four crossings a week in summer and about one a week in winter. Jadrolinija has suspended its international routes until 5 January 2027, so SNAV is currently the only option.
An overnight ferry is a different animal from a day crossing: the ticket is really a bed, the timetable is really a booking window, and the alternative to a cabin is a night on a bench.
Ancona–Split is also the most fragile route we cover. It runs a handful of times a week in summer and about once a week in winter, and this winter it has lost the second operator entirely.
- Jadrolinija has cancelled all international sailings until 5 January 2027. The Split–Ancona Dalmacija option does not exist this winter, leaving SNAV as the only operator.
- Ancona's ticket office is 1.4 km from the boarding quays, and you must take the free Linea 20 shuttle. Turning up at the quay gate with a booking is not enough.
- The 19:30 departure is the only one on sale, so there is no later boat if you miss check-in, and no second operator to fall back on.
- The cheap €32.10 fare is a seat or deck ticket for an 11h 30m night crossing. A cabin costs extra and should be booked with the ticket, not on board.
- Ancona Centrale is about 2 km from the port, and the shuttle plus check-in can take 45 to 60 minutes before you reach the ship.
Step by step: the day of the crossing
Ancona's port is not a walk-on terminal: you check in at the ticket office, then take a shuttle to the boarding quay. Build that into the timeline.
- T-3 hHave an early dinner in Ancona and repack so that everything you need overnight is in one small bag. The car deck is closed for the crossing.
- T-90 minCheck in at the Ancona ticket office (1.4 km from the quays), show passport/ID and collect boarding passes.
- T-75 minTake the free Linea 20 shuttle from the ticket office to the boarding quay; drivers follow signs to Facility 2A/2B.
- T-30 minBoard the Aurelia, find your cabin or seat, and note the breakfast/arrival announcement time.
- On arrivalDisembark at Split's City Port around 07:00, clear border control, and walk into the old town or to the bus/ferry terminal for onward connections.
The boarding quay is about 1.4 km from the ticket office, reached by a free port shuttle. Leave enough margin that a missed shuttle does not become a missed ship.
Which operator should you choose?
One active operator this winter. Jadrolinija's Dalmacija is out of service on international routes until January 2027, which removes the usual alternative.
| Operator | Crossing | Sailings | Foot passengers | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SNAV The only operator on the route this winter, with cabins and aircraft-style seats. |
11h 30m | about 4 a week in summer, 1 in winter | Yes | Yes |
Book the return leg at the same time. With one weekly sailing in winter, a return that depends on buying the second ticket later is a gamble.
What the crossing costs
The passage fare and the bed are separate products. Deck passage is cheapest; a private cabin changes the price substantially.
| Ticket | Typical price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Foot passenger, one way | from €32.10 | Lowest standard adult fare, November 2026 |
| Car + passengers, one way | from €40 | Lowest standard car fare, November 2026 |
Compare a cabin against a hotel night in Ancona or Split. On this route the overnight crossing is often the cheaper option, and it saves a day of travel.
The ports: where you actually board
Ancona is a commercial port with a shuttle; Split's city port is a short walk from the old town.
Port of Ancona, ticket office/passenger terminal, boarding quays 1.4 km away
Ancona's port authority runs a single passenger terminal arrangement: check-in at the ticket office, then a free shuttle to the boarding quay. After check-in, vehicles follow signs for Facility 2A or 2B depending on destination. The ticket office is 1.4 km from the embarkation quays, and the free 'Linea 20' shuttle connects Molo S. Maria with the ticket office and back.
Getting there: By train: Ancona Centrale is about 2 km from the port; local transport connects to the Linea 20 shuttle terminus, and on arrival the new urban line 10 runs from Molo S. Maria to the railway station (change at Piazza Kennedy). By car: A14, exit Ancona Nord or Ancona Sud, following signs for Porto/Imbarchi to the ticket office. Allow extra time for the shuttle plus check-in on a Friday or Saturday in summer.
City Port of Split (Gradska luka), international berths on the outer breakwater (Vanjski gat)
The Port of Split Authority describes Split as the largest passenger port in Croatia, with the City Port basin in the centre of Split. Berths for ships in international traffic were built on the outer side of the breakwater, so long-haul arrivals dock at the Vanjski gat rather than at the inner ferry berths used by the island lines.
Getting there: The City Port is in central Split, a short walk from the old town and Diocletian's Palace and close to the bus station and ferry terminal complex; the port authority treats the City Port basin as the centre-of-town passenger area. For onward island hopping, Jadrolinija's local ferries and catamarans leave from the same basin (berths 1–12, Gat sv. Petra, Gat sv. Duje and the Trajektna luka piers).
Split's international berths are on the outer breakwater of the City Port, not in the domestic ferry basin. Follow the signs for international traffic rather than the Jadrolinija domestic terminal.
Cars, pets and luggage
By car: At the ticket office/vehicle checkpoint at least 90 minutes before the 19:30 sailing; after check-in follow signs for Facility 2A or 2B
Pets: SNAV sells private and shared cabins, and pet-friendly cabins may be available, confirm when booking. Pets do not stay on the vehicle deck for an eleven-hour crossing.
Luggage: Luggage stays with you in the cabin or lounge for the whole crossing. SNAV's general conditions apply; check them before packing oversized bags.
Season and timetable: A summer route with a thin winter skeleton: about four sailings a week in summer and roughly one a week for the rest of the year.
Alternatives worth comparing
There is no same-day sea fallback this winter. These are the realistic alternatives when the sailing is full or cancelled.
Ancona → Starigrad (Hvar) with SNAV, then a local catamaran or bus to Split
SNAV also sells Ancona–Starigrad and Ancona–Split–Zadar variants, which can put you on Hvar or in Zadar instead. Useful when the direct Split sailing is full.
Ancona → Split with Jadrolinija's Dalmacija (normally overnight)
Jadrolinija normally runs this crossing overnight, but it has suspended all international routes until 5 January 2027.
Split → Ancona with SNAV (reverse direction) as a return strategy
The same operator runs the return leg, so booking the round trip at once is the way to secure a place on both overnight sailings in winter.
Before you book: checklist
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Ancona to Split ferry?
11h 30m on SNAV's Aurelia, leaving at 19:30 and arriving in Split around 07:00 the next morning.
Is it an overnight crossing?
Yes. The only scheduled departure is 19:30, so you sleep on board. Private and shared cabins are sold alongside aircraft-style seats.
How often does it run?
Seasonally: about four crossings a week in summer and roughly one a week for the rest of the year.
Can I still book Jadrolinija's Split–Ancona ferry?
Not at the moment. Jadrolinija has cancelled all international routes until 5 January 2027 because of a technical issue with the ferry Dalmacija.
Sources
- Jadrolinija, International routes (Split–Ancona with Dalmacija)
- Jadrolinija, Notice to passengers: cancellation of international routes until 5 January 2027
- Autorità di Sistema Portuale del Mare Adriatico Centrale, Come raggiungerci (Ancona)
- Port of Split Authority, official site (City Port, international berths, berth plan)
- SNAV, Ancona–Split route page