Short answer: for summer 2026, FlixBus is running direct coaches from 10 Polish cities to 19 Croatian destinations on the Adriatic, with Warsaw–Rijeka served twice daily at fares from PLN 149.99 and a shortest end-to-end journey time of 17 h 30 min. The seasonal lines run through the N986 / 986 / N1282 / N1283 service numbers and open up Split, Dubrovnik, Zadar, Pula, Krk and the rest of the Croatian coast to one-stop connections via Warsaw, Kraków and Wrocław.
Poland and Croatia are already one of central Europe's strongest tourism corridors — 1.24 million Polish travellers visited Croatia in 2025 — and FlixBus is leaning into that demand with the densest coach programme it has ever run between the two countries. The new lines complement the year-round N917 and N919 services to Trieste, Rijeka and Pula, so most destinations are reachable all year, with extra frequencies and Adriatic extensions in summer.
What FlixBus is launching on the Poland–Croatia corridor
The new summer 2026 lines are mostly seasonal — running from mid-June through mid-September — and all of them feed into the year-round hubs of Zagreb, Rijeka and Pula, which FlixBus already serves 365 days a year. The main new lines are:
- Line 986 (seasonal). Warsaw → Kraków → Budapest → Zagreb → Split → Dubrovnik.
- Line N986 (seasonal). Warsaw → Kraków → Budapest → Zagreb → Rijeka, with two daily departures in each direction in peak season.
- Line N1282 (seasonal). Warsaw → Katowice → Zagreb → Krk island.
- Line N1283 (seasonal). Kraków → Katowice → Zagreb → Zadar → Split.
- Line N917 (year-round). Kraków → Wrocław → Vienna → Ljubljana → Trieste → Pula.
- Line N919 (year-round). Wrocław → Vienna → Graz → Ljubljana → Rijeka.
The Polish departure cities on the new seasonal network are Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, Katowice, Kielce and Radom, with onward connections to the rest of the country via the FlixBus domestic Polish network.
The 19 Croatian destinations FlixBus is opening up
Croatia's coach market was deregulated in late 2024, and FlixBus has used the new rules to expand its domestic Croatian network to 130+ destinations. That dense domestic mesh is what makes the Polish summer lines work: a single international coach from Warsaw connects to almost anywhere on the Croatian coast via a short change in Zagreb, Split or Rijeka. The 19 Adriatic cities directly reachable on the new lines are:
| Major hubs | Coastal and island towns | | --- | --- | | Zagreb (capital, year-round) | Split, Zadar, Rijeka, Pula (year-round) | | | Dubrovnik, Makarska, Šibenik, Trogir | | | Omiš, Rovinj, Vodice, Ploče, Podgora | | | Baška Voda, Biograd na Moru | | | Krk island, Baška, Malinska |
Frequencies on the domestic trunk lines have been boosted in parallel — Zagreb–Rijeka–Pula now runs 17 times a day (with 6 daily extensions to Pula), Zagreb–Varaždin–Čakovec also runs 17 times a day, and Zagreb–Osijek runs 8 times a day.
Warsaw–Rijeka from PLN 149.99, with luggage and Wi-Fi included
Pricing is the headline. Sample fares for summer 2026, one-way per person, with one piece of hand baggage (7 kg) and one checked bag (20 kg) included:
- Warsaw → Rijeka: from PLN 149.99.
- Warsaw → Dubrovnik (mid-summer sample): around PLN 335 with a change in Zagreb.
- Kraków → Split: from PLN 169.99 on line N1283.
The standard Warsaw–Rijeka timetable in peak season is:
- Departure 1. Warsaw West 13:00 → Rijeka 06:30 (next day).
- Departure 2. Warsaw West 17:30 → Rijeka 13:30 (next day).
All FlixBus long-distance coaches on the corridor come with air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, power outlets at every seat, and a toilet. Roughly 60% of the fleet carries bicycle racks on the back — useful if you are planning a cycling holiday on the Istrian or Dalmatian coast once you arrive. Tickets are bookable up to 12 months in advance on flixbus.com, which is unusually long for a coach operator and lets you lock in the cheapest seats early.
How the new FlixBus lines compare to the train
The new bus lines arrive just as PKP Intercity has launched its own direct Warsaw–Rijeka daytime train (introduced in June 2025), so travellers now have a genuine modal choice on the corridor. The trade-offs are:
- FlixBus Warsaw–Rijeka. From PLN 149.99, 17 h 30 min, two daily departures in peak season, Zagreb stop included, bike racks available.
- PKP Intercity Warsaw–Rijeka (rail). Around 22 hours end-to-end with a scheduled change in Budapest, more generous seating, no luggage weight limit but bikes must be booked separately and space is limited.
For a full picture of bus, train, carpool and flight options across the whole Poland–Croatia corridor, the easiest move is to compare all modes on Gopaxo — that way you see which one is genuinely cheapest on your specific date, not just at the headline price. For the official timetable and luggage policy, the FlixBus carrier page is the most reliable reference.
Practical tips for booking the new FlixBus Poland–Croatia lines
A few habits save real money on a long international coach corridor like this one:
- Book 4–6 weeks ahead. The PLN 149.99 launch fare is a limited-availability bucket; on the Warsaw–Rijeka line, the cheapest seats on the busy Friday-evening departure usually sell out by early July.
- Pick the right Polish departure city. Kraków and Wrocław are significantly closer to the Croatian border, so a Kraków–Rijeka journey is around 3 hours shorter than Warsaw–Rijeka, and a few dozen zloty cheaper.
- Combine modes for the last leg. FlixBus runs dense domestic Croatian services into Split, Zadar and Dubrovnik from the Zagreb hub. Buying a Warsaw–Zagreb international ticket and a separate Zagreb–Split domestic ticket is sometimes cheaper than a single through booking in midsummer.
- Travel with a bike on the right line. Only about 60% of coaches carry bike racks; if you are planning to cycle, filter the search by bike-friendly departures on the FlixBus app before committing.
- Keep an eye on the Paris–Berlin and Adriatic competitors. For broader context on multimodal summer 2026 deals, our FlixBus Portugal–Spain summer 2026 guide covers the other major FlixBus launch of the season, and our Ouigo low-cost trains summer 2026 roundup covers the parallel rail deals you can stack with a FlixBus leg on a longer route.
In short
- FlixBus is running 10 Polish cities to 19 Croatian destinations on the Adriatic for summer 2026, with two daily Warsaw–Rijeka coaches at fares from PLN 149.99.
- The seasonal network runs on lines 986, N986, N1282, N1283; the year-round N917 and N919 lines cover Trieste, Pula and Rijeka all year.
- Domestic trunk frequencies in Croatia have been boosted — 17 daily coaches on Zagreb–Rijeka–Pula and 8 daily on Zagreb–Osijek — so almost any Adriatic town is reachable with one change.
- Standard fares include 1 × 7 kg hand baggage + 1 × 20 kg checked bag, Wi-Fi, power outlets, air conditioning; around 60% of the fleet carries bike racks.
- The lines run in parallel with PKP Intercity's direct Warsaw–Rijeka rail service introduced in 2025, giving travellers a real modal choice on the corridor.
- Always compare all modes on Gopaxo before committing — the cheapest seat on paper is not always the cheapest once you add a change of station or a transfer.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the FlixBus Warsaw–Rijeka ticket cost?
The new summer 2026 fare starts at PLN 149.99 one-way on the Warsaw–Rijeka direct line, with a second daily departure on the same route. Prices rise as the cheapest seats sell out, so booking 4–6 weeks ahead is the easiest way to lock in the launch fare.
Which Croatian cities does the new FlixBus service from Poland reach?
The seasonal network covers 19 Croatian destinations on the Adriatic, including Split, Dubrovnik, Zadar, Rijeka, Pula, Makarska, Šibenik, Trogir, Omiš, Rovinj, Krk and a dozen smaller towns. Year-round lines also reach Trieste in Italy via the N917 service.
When does the FlixBus Poland–Croatia summer line run?
The seasonal 986 / N986 / N1282 / N1283 lines run from mid-June through mid-September 2026, with peak frequencies in July and August. The year-round N917 (Kraków/Wrocław–Vienna–Ljubljana–Trieste–Pula) and N919 (Wrocław–Vienna–Graz–Ljubljana–Rijeka) run every week of the year.
Can I take a bicycle on the FlixBus Poland–Croatia service?
Yes — around 60% of the FlixBus long-distance fleet on the corridor carries bicycle racks at the back of the coach. Bike spaces are limited and must be booked in advance through the FlixBus app or website, with a small surcharge per bike per journey.
Is FlixBus or the train cheaper from Poland to Croatia?
For a single traveller, FlixBus from PLN 149.99 on Warsaw–Rijeka is typically cheaper than the equivalent PKP Intercity rail ticket in midsummer, especially on a walk-up fare. The trade-off is journey time (around 17 h 30 min by coach versus roughly 22 hours on the direct train with a change in Budapest). For a fair like-for-like on your specific date, compare all modes on Gopaxo before you book.
A 19-city Adriatic network is a step change for Polish summer travel, and it lines up neatly with the deregulated Croatian coach market to put small coastal towns within a single change of Zagreb, Split or Rijeka. Lock in the PLN 149.99 launch fare early, travel mid-week where you can, and let Gopaxo line up the bus, train, carpool and flight alternatives before you commit.
