Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia is open 365 days a year. You visit it on foot along trails and boardwalks, with an electric boat on Lake Kozjak and a panoramic train included in the ticket. In 2026, the adult day ticket costs €10 from January to March and in November–December, €23 in April, May and October, and €40 from June to September (€25 after 4 pm in June–August, after 3 pm in September). This page brings together the official prices and hours, the park’s eight visiting programs, the rules to follow and a calculation of the daylight available after the reduced-rate time.
Plitvice fits easily into a Croatian road trip: see our guide to visiting Croatia, our page on the best time to visit Croatia and our guides to Zagreb and Zadar, the two cities the D429 road comes from as it runs past the park entrances.
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Plitvice Lakes: key facts
- Adult day ticket 2026: €10 (1 Jan–31 Mar and 1 Nov–31 Dec), €23 (April, May, October), €40 (June–September, rate A) or €25 (rate B, after 4 pm in June–August, after 3 pm in September) — checked 27 October 2026 on np-plitvicka-jezera.hr
- Free: children under 7, holders of a disability card of at least 50% and their companion
- Included: electric boat and panoramic train depending on the program chosen, visitor insurance, VAT
- Hours posted on 27 October 2026: entrances 7 am–5 pm, ticket sales until 2 pm, car parks 7 am–6 pm; they change with the season — checked 27 October 2026 on np-plitvicka-jezera.hr
- Buying tickets: official online shop or the receptions at Entrances 1, 2 and Flora; the park advises buying in advance
- Not allowed: swimming, drones, cycling, fires, camping, leaving the marked trails; dogs on a leash
Why visit Plitvice Lakes?
Plitvice is one of the oldest and largest national parks in Croatia, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 (Wikipedia). The lakes are arranged in two groups, the Lower Lakes and the Upper Lakes, linked by waterfalls; the Great Waterfall (Veliki slap) is presented by the park as the largest waterfall in Plitvice and in Croatia. According to the park, the ticket gives access to 22 km (14 mi) of trails around the lakes and 36 km (22 mi) of hiking trails.
2026 prices and tickets
| Day ticket | 1 Jan–31 Mar and 1 Nov–31 Dec | April, May, October | June–Sept. (A) | June–Sept. (B) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | €10 | €23 | €40 | €25 |
| Student (valid card) | €6 | €14 | €25 | €15 |
| Child aged 7 to 18 | €4 | €6 | €15 | €9 |
| Child under 7 | Free | Free | Free | Free |
A two-day ticket exists (adult: €15, €39 or €60 depending on the period), valid for two consecutive days starting on the day of purchase. The park reserves the right to change its prices. Student and disability discounts apply only on presentation of a valid card. Keep your ticket until you leave the park and show it on request.
Official ticket, day trip or guided visit?
The official ticket is sold in the park’s online shop or at the entrances. Day trips from Zagreb, Split or Zadar, sold by agencies and platforms, add transport and sometimes a guide. Check whether the entry ticket is included, which visiting program is followed (A, B, C…), how much time you get on site and the guide’s qualifications. The park states that guides without the specific protected-area exam and without a ministry certificate may not guide in the park, and that their cards are checked.
Opening hours and getting there
The park is open all year, but its hours change with the season; during the colder half of the year, most restaurants close and only the Jezero hotel takes guests. Hours posted on 27 October 2026:
| Service | Hours |
|---|---|
| Entrances 1 (Rastovača), 2 (Hladovina) and Flora | 7 am–5 pm |
| Ticket sales | until 2 pm |
| Car parks at Entrances 1 and 2 | 7 am–6 pm |
| Electric boat P2-P3 | 8 am–3:30 pm, every 30 min |
| Electric boat P3-P2 | 8:30 am–4 pm, every 30 min |
| Panoramic train St2-St3 | 7:30 am–4 pm, every 30 min |
- By road: D429 from Zagreb or Zadar (the two main entrances are on this road), D52 from Otočac and the A1 motorway.
- Parking: paid, at Entrances 1 and 2, with bus stops nearby.
- Bus: lines between inland Croatia and the coast on the D429 (timetables at Zagreb bus station) and the local Likaline network.
- Weather: highly changeable conditions; some trails may close temporarily and traffic may be stopped, according to the park.
Which visiting program should you choose?
| Program | Starts at | Duration | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Entrance 1 | 2–3 h | 3.5 km (2 mi) |
| B | Entrance 1 | 3–4 h | 4 km (2 mi) |
| C | Entrance 1 | 4–6 h | 8 km (5 mi) |
| E | Entrance 2 | 2–3 h | 5.1 km (3 mi) |
| F | Entrance 2 | 3–4 h | 4.6 km (3 mi) |
| H | Entrance 2 | 4–6 h | 8.9 km (6 mi) |
| K1 | Entrance 1 | 6–8 h | 16.5 km (10 mi) |
| K2 | Entrance 2 | not stated | 17.5 km (11 mi) |
- If you are short on time: A (Lower Lakes and the Great Waterfall) or E (Upper Lakes, boat and train).
- To see both groups of lakes: C from Entrance 1 or H from Entrance 2.
- To walk all day: K1 or K2.
- Late arrival: compare the program’s duration with the time of the last boat or train (table above).
Best time to visit Plitvice
Prices follow the season: the full rate applies from June to September. We do not have official climate normals for a station inside the park: for the weather, see our page on the best time to visit Croatia and check the park’s alerts the day before.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | Adult ticket 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:31 am | 4:42 pm | 9 h 10 min | €10 |
| February | 6:58 am | 5:25 pm | 10 h 26 min | €10 |
| March | 6:10 am | 6:03 pm | 11 h 52 min | €10 |
| April | 6:13 am | 7:42 pm | 13 h 29 min | €23 |
| May | 5:29 am | 8:19 pm | 14 h 50 min | €23 |
| June | 5:10 am | 8:45 pm | 15 h 35 min | €40 / €25 |
| July | 5:25 am | 8:41 pm | 15 h 16 min | €40 / €25 |
| August | 5:59 am | 8:04 pm | 14 h 05 min | €40 / €25 |
| September | 6:35 am | 7:09 pm | 12 h 33 min | €40 / €25 |
| October | 7:12 am | 6:13 pm | 11 h 01 min | €23 |
| November | 6:54 am | 4:29 pm | 9 h 35 min | €10 |
| December | 7:28 am | 4:16 pm | 8 h 49 min | €10 |
Destination de Voyage calculation: from June to August, the reduced rate applies after 4 pm; in mid-July, the sun sets at 8:41 pm. That leaves several hours of daylight, but the entrances, boats and trains have their own summer hours: check them for your date before counting on rate B.
Park rules and common mistakes
Under the national park’s regulations, it is forbidden to damage trees and rocks, pick plants, litter, leave the marked trails, disturb or feed animals, swim, light fires, camp, cycle and use drones. Dogs must stay on a leash, including on boats and trains.
- Arriving after ticket sales end (2 pm on 27 October 2026).
- Planning to change money on site: the exchange offices are closed at the entrances.
- Swimming in a lake: not allowed.
- Choosing a program that is too long for your arrival time.
- Throwing away your ticket: it must be kept until you leave.
- Ignoring the weather: trails and traffic can be interrupted.
Entry requirements
See entry requirements for Croatia for passport, visa and safety information for the whole country.
What to see nearby
From Plitvice, the Dalmatian coast is within reach: see our guides to Zadar and Split, or head north to Zagreb.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Plitvice Lakes cost in 2026?
Adult day ticket: €10 in the low season, €23 in April, May and October, €40 from June to September (€25 after 4 pm in June–August, after 3 pm in September).
Are the boat and train included?
Yes: the electric boat and the panoramic train are included depending on the visiting program chosen.
Should you buy tickets in advance?
The park recommends it; tickets are sold in its online shop or at Entrances 1, 2 and Flora.
Can you swim at Plitvice?
No, swimming is banned throughout the national park.
How long does a visit to Plitvice take?
From 2–3 hours (programs A and E) to 6–8 hours (K1), according to the park.
Are dogs allowed?
Yes, on a leash at all times, including on boats and trains.
Our sources
- Plitvice Lakes National Park (np-plitvicka-jezera.hr): Prices, Opening hours, Visiting programs, Code of conduct and How to get to the park pages, consulted on 27 October 2026
- Wikipedia (EN), « Plitvice Lakes National Park » article (UNESCO listing 1979, coordinates), consulted on 27 October 2026
- Astronomical calculations: NOAA solar algorithm, applied by Destination de Voyage to the coordinates of the lakes (15th of each month, year 2027, clear horizon)
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026. Prices, hours and access conditions may change: check the official website before you go.
