June 11, 2019 - The new Split metro officially began operations from Kopilica station to the Split ferry port on Tuesday. While the metro was originally scheduled to depart on its first trip at 10:11 am this morning, it left three minutes late, at 10:14. The trip, however, did only take the take four minutes from Kopilica to the ferry port, as all announcements said previously, reports Dalmatinski portal.
The inaugural ride was hosted by representatives of HŽ Infrastructure and HŽ Passenger Transport together with representatives of the City of Split. The first train ride was attended by Split mayor Andro Krstulović Opara, along with his deputies and many media representatives.
Recall, a ticket for the new metro will be valid for 75 minutes, during which passengers can also travel on the Promet buses. The ticket for the first zone will cost 11 kuna. The metro will drive every 20 minutes and take only four minutes each way.
Recall, Deputy Mayor Neno Vela originally announced the new metro to begin on June 9. This new traffic measure will unload and load tour bus passengers at the new Kopilica station and facilitate travel into the city center. Namely, passengers can travel for 11 kuna via the metro from the Municipal Rail Station in Kopilica to the Split Ferry Port.
The new measure also encourages buses outside of the congested city center to relieve summer traffic. We announced last month that if tour buses did want to load and unload their passengers at the terminals at the Tourist Palace in the city center, they are limited to 15 minutes and will walk out with empty pockets. Namely, the buses who wish to bring their tourists to the Riva will have to pay 800 kuna (400 for unloading passengers, 400 for loading). Until now, they've paid 50 kuna. Kopilica, on the other hand, will boast a parking lot for 48 tour buses, and the daily parking fee for buses will cost 120 kuna (the same parking fee as Dračevac).
"The organization of the Main Railway Station in Kopilica and the introduction of the city metro in the service of public transport is expected to reduce the pressure of vehicles, especially tourist buses at the center of the city. Passengers can get to the center in just four minutes with the new metro and by using a single ticket that is valid for the train and bus, issued by the hour. City trains on the route from Kopilica - Ferry Port and vice versa will travel every 20 minutes,” reads the correspondence sent to the travel agencies, which is signed by Deputy Mayor Nino Vela.
The announcement added that these measures are being introduced so that the “arrival of tourists in the destination is as pleasant as possible, and so that they do not waste time standing in queues, but also to make sure that the local population feels less pressure of tourist flows."
This new traffic measure if just part of it, as one-way traffic will also be introduced at the Split Ferry Port on June 17.
To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
