While many tourist cities have one official city card that combines admission to major attractions, public transport and additional discounts, the situation in Split is somewhat more complicated.
Visitors are offered three products with similar names that can easily confuse someone coming to the city for the first time: SplitCard, Split City Card and Split City Pass. All three offer certain benefits or savings during a stay in Split, but they do not work in the same way.
SplitCard is the only official tourist card issued by the Split Tourist Board. It is free for visitors who meet the minimum-stay requirement and includes free admission to several museums and galleries, along with a range of discounts.
Split City Card is a privately operated free card that offers discounts with selected tourism, hospitality and other service providers in Split.
Split City Pass is a commercial digital platform through which users purchase packages of vouchers and discounts for various tourism services.
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› Getting and collecting SplitCard
› What does SplitCard include?
What is SplitCard?
SplitCard is the only official tourist card for the city of Split and is issued by the Split Tourist Board.
It is valid for 72 hours from the time it is collected and provides free admission to several museums and galleries, as well as discounts at a range of cultural institutions, travel agencies, restaurants, shops and other service providers.
Unlike traditional city passes in some other destinations, SplitCard does not include public transport or free admission to all of Split’s best-known attractions.
Who can get SplitCard?
SplitCard cannot be purchased. It is issued free of charge to visitors who meet the minimum-stay requirement in Split.
From April until the end of October, visitors must stay in Split for at least five nights. From November until the end of March, a stay of at least two nights is sufficient.
The requirement applies regardless of the type of accommodation. When collecting the card, visitors must show a booking confirmation or another document proving the length of their stay.
Where to collect SplitCard?
The card can be collected from one of three tourist information centres:
TIC Peristil
Peristil bb, Split
TIC Riva
Obala hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 9, Split
TIC Stobreč
Svetog Lovre 4, Stobreč
As the card is valid for 72 hours, it is best to collect it shortly before your first planned visit to an included museum, gallery or attraction.
What does SplitCard include?
SplitCard currently provides free admission to Emanuel Vidović Gallery, Ethnographic Museum Split and Natural History Museum Split.
In addition to free admission, SplitCard provides discounts at numerous cultural institutions, travel agencies, tour operators, restaurants, shops and other participating businesses.
50% discount
A 50% discount is currently available for:
- Archaeological Museum in Split
- Tusculum in Salona
- Croatian Maritime Museum
30% discount
A 30% discount is available for:
- Meštrović Gallery and Kaštelet
- selected excursions on the panoramic bus
25% discount
A 25% discount is available for:
- Diocletian’s Palace Substructures
- activities including bowling, darts and billiards
20% discount
A 20% discount is available for selected cultural and tourism services, including:
- Split City Puppet Theatre
- Split City Youth Theatre
- Croatian National Theatre in Split
- tailor shop
- selected car rental companies
- certain guided tours and excursions
- Museum of Illusions
- Diocletian’s Dream
With some partners, the discount applies only to selected tours, dates or payment methods, so the conditions should be checked before booking.
10% discount
A 10% discount is available with a range of partners, including:
- Game of Thrones Museum
- selected boat excursions
- boat, sailing boat, catamaran and scooter rentals
- certain restaurants
- shops, galleries and souvenir stores
With some partners, the discount applies only to cash payments, selected products or purchases made directly at a specified location.
Does SplitCard include public transport?
No. SplitCard does not include city buses, transport from Split Airport or ferry services.
This is one of the main differences between SplitCard and some city card or city pass products in other destinations, which may include public transport. Visitors to Split must pay all transport costs separately.
Does SplitCard include admission to the bell tower and Palace Substructures?
SplitCard currently does not provide free admission to the Cathedral of Saint Domnius or its bell tower, nor to Diocletian’s Palace Substructures. However, cardholders receive a discount on admission to the Palace Substructures, while tickets for the other attractions must generally be purchased separately.
Bear in mind that much of Split’s historic centre and the open areas of Diocletian’s Palace can be explored without a ticket. Admission is charged only for certain museums, religious buildings, underground spaces and other attractions.
Is SplitCard worth it?
SplitCard is generally worthwhile for anyone who qualifies for the free card and plans to visit at least one or two of the included museums or galleries.
Because the card is free, there is no real financial risk. Its main disadvantages are that it must be collected in person from a tourist information centre and that it does not include public transport or free admission to all major attractions.
It is particularly useful for visitors who want to explore several museums and galleries in Split and use discounts on selected attractions, guided tours, excursions, restaurants and other tourism services.
What is Split City Card?
Split City Card is not an official card issued by the Split Tourist Board. It is a privately operated free discount card for selected partners.
The card is valid for three days. To obtain it, users must register online free of charge, after which they receive a confirmation email. The card is then collected in person from one of the designated locations by showing the confirmation.
What does Split City Card include?
Split City Card mainly offers discounts on tourism and hospitality services. The card also includes access to a free app for a self-guided walking tour of Split.
It is important to understand that the term “free city card” does not mean free admission to the main attractions. The card itself is free, but it is primarily used to obtain discounts from participating private businesses.
Split City Card does not provide access to official city services or attractions as part of a single package.
Is Split City Card worth it?
Because the card is free, it may be worthwhile for visitors who already plan to use one or more of the participating services.
What is Split City Pass?
Split City Pass is a privately operated commercial platform through which users purchase digital discount vouchers.
Unlike SplitCard and Split City Card, this service is not free. After purchasing a selected package, users choose the discounts they want to activate, and the vouchers are delivered to a digital wallet on their mobile phone.
How much does Split City Pass cost?
According to information published on the Split City Pass website, discount packages are available at prices ranging from €10 to €30.
Prices, promotions and the number of participating partners may change, so they should be checked immediately before purchase.
What does Split City Pass include?
Users can choose discounts for a variety of services, including restaurants, tourism excursions and other activities.
The platform states that it includes more than 50 participating locations and that some discounts may be as high as 50%.
How does Split City Pass work?
The pass is purchased online, where users can choose between several packages offering different discounts. The vouchers are digital and users show the relevant coupon to the participating business before paying for or using the service.
Before activating an offer, it is important to check whether the discount applies to the entire bill or only to a specific service, whether advance booking is required, how long the voucher remains valid and whether it can be used by one person or several people.
Is Split City Pass worth it?
Split City Pass may be worthwhile only if you already know which offers you intend to use.
Before purchasing it, calculate the actual savings on specific restaurants, excursions or activities. For example, if a package costs €15, the discounts you plan to use should save you more than that amount in total.
Which tourist card in Split should you choose?
For most visitors who meet the minimum-stay requirement, SplitCard is the best place to start. It is free, officially issued and provides genuine free admission to several museums, along with additional discounts.
Split City Card may be a useful extra if you collect it free of charge and plan to use one of the participating excursions, restaurants or activities.
Split City Pass may provide savings on selected activities and services, but it is not a universal tourist card or a replacement for individual admission tickets.
Bear in mind that none of these cards includes public transport or provides free admission to all of Split’s main attractions as part of one package. Before deciding, check the current benefits and compare them with your own travel plans.
