Which airport to fly from if you live in or visit the Neretva valley, how long the road takes, what a transfer costs and what to see once you are here.
Metković lies in the Neretva valley, almost exactly between two airports. Dubrovnik and Split are similar distances away, and the choice usually comes down to which one has your flight. Galaxy Transfer is based in this valley, so these are the roads we know best.
Dubrovnik Airport
- About 140 km and 2 hours 10 minutes, over the Pelješac bridge and through Ston. There is no border on this route.
- 230 euros for a car with up to 3 passengers, 250 euros for a van with up to 8.
Split Airport
- About 150 km and 1 hour 45 minutes, on the A1 motorway. No border here either.
- 250 euros for a car with up to 3 passengers, 280 euros for a van with up to 8.
The same prices apply from Opuzen, Ploče, Klek, Duboka and Raba. The price is per vehicle and includes fuel and tolls.
How early should you leave?
Give us your flight number and we time the pick-up so that you are at the airport two and a half hours before departure, or two hours with hand luggage only. Arriving, the driver waits in the arrivals hall with your name on a sign and tracks the flight, and the first 60 minutes of waiting after landing are free. Rides between 22:00 and 06:00 carry a night surcharge, shown before you pay.
Can you get there by bus?
Coaches run from Metković towards both Dubrovnik and Split, but they end at the city bus stations, not at the airports. You would then need the airport shuttle or a taxi for the last part, and your flight time has to fit the timetable. For one person with a morning flight the transfer is expensive, so compare the two. For two or more people, or with early or late flights, the transfer is usually the simpler answer.
What to see in the valley
- Narona, in Vid, 4 km from Metković: a Roman city whose museum, built over the temple of Augustus, was the first in-situ museum in Croatia.
- The river by boat: guided trips on the Norin and the channels of the delta, with birdlife and water lilies. The Natural History Museum in Metković explains what you are looking at.
- Maraton lađa: the race of traditional Neretva boats, held on the second Saturday of August.
- Mandarins: the orchards are harvested in autumn, and the roadside stalls fill up along the valley.
From here to Mostar and beyond
Metković sits right on the Bosnian border. Mostar is about an hour up the valley and Medjugorje is closer still, so the valley works as a base for both. Those trips do cross the border, so bring a passport or, for EU citizens, an ID card.
Book from Metković, 230 € →