We're planning on spending around a week based on Hvar, after a week in Dubrovnik. We'd be leaving from Split, then returning to Split, and then flying home to the states from there, via Frankfurt.

My problem is trying to plan around the ferry schedule, which I believe becomes more limited after Oct. 2 or 3. Last year's schedule shows the ferry from Split to Hvar runs only on Thursdays and Fridays, and from Hvar to Split only on Mondays and Thursdays. I've emailed Jadrolinija to ask if that schedule holds every year, but have not heard back from them. In the meantime, I need to arrange for accommodations and can't do that without knowing the durn ferry schedule. Can any old hands tell me whether the ferry schedule is the same in low season each year?

Jadrolinija's coastal service from Rijeka to Dubrovnik runs twice weekly out of season. These ships call at Split and at Stari Grad on Hvar island, but there are local ferries, normally two or three times a day between Split and Stari Grad. These are shown on www.jadrlinija.hr under local ferries for the Split district.

Sorry, the web address is www.jadrolinija.hr

Thanks, Geoff. The site is telling me "there are no results for the searched period," which I think basically confirms what I have been told, which is that they won't have an official low-season schedule for 2006 until the summer. So . . . do you know that the daily local ferries between Split and Hvar usually run through October?

Jadrolinija's web site has the schedule for this winter. Click on "sailing schedule", then "Table - low season". The route to Hvar is listed under "District of Split". Throughout the winter, there are three sailings a day, generally at 0830, 1400 and 1930 from Split, and at 0530, 1100 and 1700 from Stari Grad; the service is slightly reduced at weekends. There are additional sailings to Hvar town on some days shown on the schedules for the Split-Ubli and Split-Vis routes. The schedule next winter will be very similar, unless Hvar island is depopulated by some cataclysm: the ferry is used by the people who live on the island.

That's what I was hoping to hear! Thanks so much, Geoff.

Geoff....have been trying to contact Jad. for some time now to book a passage for the two of us and our car from Dubrovnik to Bari and can't seem to get past their info. pages...any suggestions? Thanks, Bob