Penguins Bike

Day 31 - All train stations in Croatia seem abandoned - Prosika, Croatia to Split, Croatia

David

July 21, 2026 - biked 56 km (35 mi), train'd 70 km (44 mi) - biked 1287 km (800 mi) total

Our goal today is to bike into Šibenik, then take the train to Split to skip ahead and not have to do the very busy roads into Split, then have a rest day tomorrow!

Woke up with a huge ass spider on my bike.
GPS looking out behind us today as we are to ride the D8.
First evidence Split is real.
I again foolishly decided to take a gravel shortcut. Has a nice town view, though.
After walking our bikes again up a steep rocky road, it vanishes into the sea. We will have to find another way.
We routed around through a walking path in an olive grove and would have come out here. Then a man literally rode his bike out of the sea to greet us and said the rest of the way was shallow and we should bike in the water. We walked our bikes on the seagrass on the shore instead.
Starting to see some roadside fruit stands. Lubenice continues to be our favorite fruit.
Continuing the great fight against the scourge of swimwear.
Water stop in Vodice was at a market! We got grapes.
Also starting to see more roadside shrines.
Another gravel road. This was the official EuroVelo 8 so was possible.
A last little section on the hated D8 over this bridge.
But it had a great view!
Sarah just went for it. I was too scared after being run off the road twice yesterday, and walked on the utility sidewalk.
Sometimes you get to ride in the gutter. The alternative is worse.
Šibenik is cute hill town!
This station is abandoned. No trains, people, or any building not converted in graffiti or abandoned construction scaffolding.
We aren't allowed to wheel our bikes on the train, so we have to bag them. Mine is so big I have to take my front fork out and strap it to the side.
But somehow a train appears! We rush to load our bags.
Then rush to load our bikes.
Then negotiate with the conductor to let our bagged bikes on as "oversize luggage" and we're off. In the future, if you're taking the train from Šhibenik to Perković, you'll have to bag your bike, and even then you'll need to argue about it.
Turns out there was one guy in the abandoned station.
This guy is cranking the crossing gates by hand.
Back drivers cab.
Turns out it has a little kitchen!
We have one transfer.
New train is nicer.
Split in the distance. Epic hill views on the way. Second most beautiful train we've taken. Definitely slowest.
The train station in Split, the second biggest city in Croatia, also looks abandoned.
In Split, sidewalks are just for parking.
We get to a cute rental apartment.
In Europe, you do not need stair guards.
With a balcony view!
We finally opened our Istrian wine and made a pasta dinner.