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Transport from Rijeka, Croatia to Venice, Marco Polo

We booked our rental car for drop off in Rijeka, Croatia because it looked like the biggest city in Istria. Unfortunately, not finding much other than a super early bus to Trieste then a train. We could switch our drop off for Pula or Rovinj for a small fee. The ferry out of Pula does not run on Thursdays, our day to travel. Any suggestions?

Posted by
2119 posts

We did this several years ago. There were several daily (and very comfortable) buses to Trieste, and then frequent trains to Venice.

You can look up the bus schedule for your transit date here, and use Trenitalia for the trains.

Posted by
5687 posts

Are you stopping in Rovinj at all? It is really a beautiful little town, but I'm not sure about bus connections from there up to Trieste or Venice.

Posted by
3 posts

Thank you for the suggestions.
So this is what we decided to do. ..in case anyone in the future has this same situation.
The only bus out of Rijeka to Trieste leaves at 7:30am. (About the same departure time for a bus out of Rovinj or Umag.) Which meant staying a night in Rijeka.
Our hotel helped us find a tour boat from Pula to Venice for 520 Kuna. A little steep, but about on par with the cost of a bus and train to Venice, but much quicker. We ate the cost of returning the car to a different location and stayed our last night at a less expensive pension to offset the cost.

Posted by
43 posts

I'm not sure by what you've written if you've already committed to this plan.
We dropped our car in Rijeka in May '14, then took a bus to lovely Roving and stayed there several days. The bus to Rovnij goes through Pula. We then took a ferry from Rovinj (there is also a ferry from Pula) to Venice. It was a very comfortable way to get to Venice. The ferry only runs certain days of the week so you need to be sure you work around their shoulder season schedule.
On the way to Croatia, we took a plane to Trieste and a bus to Rijeka where we picked up our rental car from Fleet. New car and helpful staff.

Posted by
167 posts

I think you have solved the problem and are home by now, but for the sake of others I should recommend Venezialines website as it is the major fast ferry between Pula, Rovinj and Venice all summer. Shoulder season is tricky, and it no longer runs in these rough seas of October, but the VIP Lounge upstairs is worth the upgrade cost, and gives you better views than the crowded main deck of airplane style seating. Venice Marco Polo Airport has an express bus to Venice Piazzale Roma, and you catch the vaporetto to the Stazione Marittime where the fast ferries dock. And the same in reverse. Arriving in Pula (Roman amphitheatre visible from the boat) and Rovinj are both magical and memorable experiences. It is possible to reach Rovinj in 24 hours from the West Coast using the Venice route. Book ahead. Why not include a Venezialines boat approach to Venice on your way back - you get a few hours in Venice each way, typically. Out of season, of course you will line up at the confusing bus depot with everyone else.