So if you only plan on passing through Neum in order to reach Dubrovnik, you don't need to pay a cross-border fee. ), Awesome Things to Do in Split, Croatia (+5 Unusual Ones! You would need a local sim card with some credit on it, but once you have that, it is easy-peasy you just need to send an SMS to a specific number (associated with your parking space) with your license plate as text, and the money will be withdrawn from your phone balance! We will not have rental car in Hvar. My husband and I are planning a 10 day trip to Croatia in June and were trying to figure out our itinerary. Never be in rush, take all the time you need, but make sure you check for any damage no matter how small it might be. GET DETAILED INFO ABOUT DRIVING IN CROATIA HERE! Frankaboutcroatia.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Do you know if you can also drive car rentals into albania and kosovo? Some blogs suggest staying out of old town, in Lappad for exemple. Thank you so much for supporting this project! There are a few situations that we can think of where you'll be better off without a car. There are over 20 car hire locations in Croatia, and the most popular city is Dubrovnik. Can you tell me if there are any restrictions from the rental car companies about this countries and which one is the best for this type of trips? Hi Frank, We are planning a trip to Croatia and related areas with the kids aged 4 and 7, they are good travellers. Costing just 124 on average for a week's rental and fuel, those looking for an adventure on wheels could roam around the tropical southeast Asian country for over eight . Youll need to compare international and local car rental companies like Alamo, Budget, Europcar, Fleet, Hertz, Last Minute Rent a Car, Sixt, and Thrifty and visit many local sites, search for the discount codes for each of them and compare! Hello This time Im driving up the coast and back but of course will have to transit Bosnia I suspect they will claim we need to buy it but I plan to refuse. However, if youre not afraid of a little cold, and dont want to hit the tourist hotspots, winter just might be the perfect time to head to the coast of Croatia. You can arrange different pick-up and drop-off locations. Where are you coming from to Plitvice? This is the most scenic road in Croatia. and another question on if not driving car so easy to commute to one city to another city ? Renting a car from Zagreb can cost almost double the price of renting a car from Dubrovnik or Zadar. But you'll need to pay a young driver's surcharge. great blog you and your wife is running here, I am also an expat living in Croatia where i run a few websites, i was wondering if you could contact me on E-mail. It might sound obvious, but in order to find a cheap car rental, youll need to book well in advance as this lowers the prices dramatically! You need to be over 25 to rent a car in Ireland via most rental companies. Zdravo, traveller (thats Hello in Croatian!). Hidden additional fees that you werent aware of can leave you way over budget after your road trip. RELATED READ: 8 Things You Should Know About Plitvice Lakes, Croatia. Is there a company that will let us pick up in Zagreb and drop off in Split? Also, Nova rent a car Croatia has been voted the best rental car company in Croatia to work for. Luckily Croatia has plenty of ferry routes that can transport you and your car, so you can continue your road-trip! I am aware that Kosovo is a no-go by rental car, but I wasn`t aware that Albania and Macedonia could be an issue? Are there camping grounds? We have CHASE credit cards and full coverage on our card now. Hi, Frank: We are travelling in may 2018: Hi Frank, Supply and demand. I got an offer for VW Golf for 75 a day; only to find that same car on the Rentalcars website for 50 . The A1 motorway connects Zagreb with Ploce to the south; The A6 motorway connects Zagreb with Rijeka to the west, The A8 motorway connects Rijeka with Kanfanar in Istria (this road is mostly a 4-lane motorway although there are still a few sections with a single-carriageway road), The A9 motorway connects Pula with the Slovenian border via Kanfanar, The A3 motorway connects the Slovenian border to the west with the Serbian border to the east via Zagreb. Parking can be a pain in most European cities and some old Croatian towns are no exception there are very few free parking spaces and you will most likely not find them in touristy places. Hi Frank, fellow Canadians here, looking to rent a car to go from Split to Plitvice Lakes, then on to Rijeka where we will drop it off 2 days later. Reviews online are mixed but reviews are mixed for every car rental company so was hoping to hear from someone personally. Unfortunately, Im foreign is not going to help you much if youre pulled over for not following the laws of the road. So, I hope you liked my post, traveler! So you do not need to buy additional insurance, even if some companies insist that you should buy it. RentalCars will then compare all the available cars and give you the prices for the city you are arriving in. While in low season you perhaps can just show up at the airport and find a car to rent, this isn't the case in high and shoulder season. We are heading over in October.. to the lokva rogocznica area I believe, looking forward to getting out and about. It does not matter what country you are renting your car in, before driving the car out of the lot, its important to do a few checks: NOTE: Do not forget to refill your tank when returning the car. You'll be able to take in the sights, travel off the beaten path, see more in less time, and have the freedom to stop wherever and whenever you feel. I also noted you would recommend a car for families. Major car hire chains exist in Croatia, as do local companies. International drivers licence isnt required unless your national one is written in letters other than latin. Thanks for the blog. They pre-charge your card for an insane amount of money and, when you return it, they always find something wrong so they can keep some of the money they've pre-charged. Ask beforehand how much this will cost you as car rental companies sometimes charge extra for this service. Can spouses drive a car rented in Croatia for free or do I need to purchase the extra driver for my husband? My wife and I will be in Rovinj the third week in May after a visit to Italy, we are planning to rent a car in Venice and driving to Rovinj and touring Istria for several days. Do you know where can I parking the car and how much a diary? weve mentioned that automatic transmission needs to be required in advance and it costs extra. That said, we all should use common sense in any country we travel to, things like locking the door before you leave and not leaving an expensive laptop in the front seat would definitely help. We offer deals on extras, child seats, GPS, additional driver and insurance packages to help you have an safe . I used your suggestion of rentalcars.com. So how much can you expect to pay to rent a car in Croatia? If you'd like to see many places in Croatia in a short time, you'll need a car. Prices have risen so high about 88 percent from a year ago that rental cars are now one of the key factors driving the biggest rise in inflation since 2008. I'm going on a road trip from San Francisco to New York in a month and I was checking several car rental companies. If your credit card comes with full coverage for a car rental, you must wonder whether you need to purchase additional insurance when renting a car. Weve been looking on carrentals.com, but arent sure about the rules. As for the way Croats drive they might seem a bit too hasty for some foreign drivers, but other than that, they are very polite, so no worries there! But, if you take extra insurance with a car hire company in Croatia then the amount authorized on your credit card is much lower, and usually amounts to the rental cost + 200 for any additional costs, like for example parking tickets, late drop-off, or if the fuel tank isn't full. Drop Off. We use Oryx for long-term car rental, and so far we had a good experience with them. There are very few companies doing cross-country rentals, and the fees are just way too high. Copyright 2023 | Built on Wordpress using Generatepress Theme | Web Hosting by WPX Hosting, Where to go in Croatia: 16 Places Not To Miss, Driving in Croatia: All You Need to Know Before You Go, Travel Croatia on Budget: Money-saving Tips. It is one of the largest car rental providers in Croatia. If you look for a cheap car rental in Croatia, we recommend using brokers like Rentalcars or similar websites. 2) We were also told for our week long rental which I had already paid for insurance through Expedia, that we would really need to buy two additional insurances (one was car body, the other for tire damage) or they could charge us for small scratches etc. Adriagate. Contacts | t: ++385 99 733 0862 | Website. Hope this helps! Here are a few tips for driving in the cold: If youre driving inland during winter, youre likely to encounter snow at some point. The winters there are a lot milder than inland and the coast will be very quiet as many of the locals go on holiday from October to March. But, in my opinion, Google maps are the best and the cheapest navigation solution in Croatia. PRO TIP 1: Also, take into consideration that renting a manual car is almost half the price of renting an automatic. Hertz. Shop around! We've rented a car from Vetura a couple of times in the past and would recommend them if you are in Istria. There's specific requirements. I`ve heard that border crossings can be a challenge from Croatia to Monte Negro, from Serbia to everywhere and so on. Another Croatian car rental company with offices all over Croatia. In some cases it may be better to rent a car from a company situated near your hotel and pick up the car only once youve settled in. For more, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter. This post might also contain affiliate links to other sites, like accommodation or activities. PRO TIP: Many car rental companies will try to upsell you extra insurance saying that you need it to cross the border. Most start at around 70. Although looks are great, there are a few other things you should take into consideration when choosing a rental car: READ MORE: Where to Stay in Rovinj, Croatia (and Why!). Renting a car in Croatia can also be the most economical way to travel through the country depending on the time of year you visit, the number of people in your group, and how long in advance you book your Croatia car rental. Things to Check Before You Rent a Your Car 7. Hi Keshala, yes, there is an additional fee for taking a car hire to the islands. Headlights should also be used at night and when visibility is less than 100 meters, Winter tires are required from November to March, however, your car rental company should sort this out before you hire the vehicle. Learn how your comment data is processed. Just be sure there is enough space for all your passengers and their luggage and you should be good to go! Thanks! it might be true. thanks for stopping by. Regards. I will stay in old town. Dropoff options (Enterprise rental) are Lucko or Airport. Do you have any good companies that youve personally used in the city and not the airport of Dubrovnik? Why Hire a Car in Croatia 1. If you prefer an automatic transmission, you'll need to book your car well in advance, and you'll pay extra. My son would need the car to get back to the airport in Zagreb. I dont have any personal experience renting with Sixt, but I dont think Sixt is worse (or better) than others. Thanks for sharing the info of traveling through Croatia. They have many highways and the views you can catch from a simple 10 km road trip are stunning! NOTE: When renting a car, you have to return it with a full tank of gas or youll be subject to additional charges (which add up to a lot more than the price of a tank of fuel). We will be traveling around 3 weeks and will also travel to Slovenia. For the purpose of writing this post, Ive checked prices on various car rental companies' websites, and for almost all dates I randomly picked I found cheaper deals on the Rentalcars website. Do Croatian companies have offices in Hungary/Italy/Slovenia? It is safe to rent a car in Croatia. Also, do you know if its possible to rent cars starting in Korcula? So, if you dont want to take the risk, extra insurance just for this will be about 15-20 EUR extra. Additional Fees for Car Rentals in Croatia, 6. I read on another website that an international drivers license is required for a car rental? Another thing to consider is traffic and limited parking in the town centers. Hi, would you know if car rentals can charge you an island fee? So many awesome places in Croatia, I hope you are staying for a long time! You generally don't need to worry about driving in Croatia as the road infrastructure is great here. Observe speed limits, dont use your phone while driving, wear a seatbelt at all times, and have dipped headlights on 24/7 during the winter (October through March). In this post, youll find all you need to know about car rental in Croatia, from reasons to rent, recommended types of vehicles, car rental companies, and rates, to our best car rental tips and deals. If youre going to be on the road for hours, youre going to need to know the rules of the road and other crucial driving tips to get by. So if you do need to book at the last minute, don't worry too much. Holidaymakers face sky-high car hire prices this summer as rental firms struggle to meet renewed demand. We are a family of 10 planning a renting and returning 2 cars in Croatia. Any car in Croatia need to be insured, and green card (needed for traveling to non-EU countries like Montenegro and Bosnia) comes with the basic car insurance. The only way to reach Dubrovnik from Ploce is to drive along national road D8, also known as Jadranska magistrala (Adriatic coastal road). Do you have any experience renting a car from the company Sixt? In this case, you should point it out to them before you take the vehicle so that youre not held responsible, Familiarize yourself with the car. The earlier you book your vehicle, the better rate you will have. Neum is a coastal town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I created Miss Tourist travel blog to help you organise the perfect holiday. But it's not worth $1,200. Before the pandemic, rental agencies had a good number of cars available. Waze works miracles! while if you were to use a small local company, it might just ignore your claims. When it comes to insurance your credit card typically covers it your US insurance company does not. You only need an international driver license if your driver license is not written with Latin letters. Currently, the lowest age any rental company charges is 60 years old. This is really the question of hard negotiation with car rental companies, as they prefer (of course!) Some information on this site isn't maybe completely accurate at the moment, due to the changed circumstances caused by coronavirus pandemic. Hi Ringob, 3. Would appreciate your thoughts/tips, and if you have any other advice Id be very grateful. They are brokers and work with all major car rental companies in Croatia. Im curious what your experience is and if youd recommend this company. Yes, they do. Location matters. Do you know what the deal is? By the way, Croatia has loooots of road webcams, so it would be hard to trick the system in any way. Prices have increased accordingly. If you pay for full coverage directly with the car rental company, they won't even bother to check the car for possible damages. Cheers It may be more than a little stressful trying to figure it out after youve departed, Make sure that your drivers license is with you and valid for at least the next 6 months. If you are planning to do a longer road trip and you are thinking of going to other EU countries by car, the green card insurance will also be enough (oh, the beauty of the EU!). This is a bucket list trip. 4. Maybe you can rent it there and then drop it off in Zagreb. How much does a car rental in Croatia cost? Just last summer, a friend asked me to negotiate a deal on a car rental in Dubrovnik. Thanks so much!! You can get international drivers licence in AAA office for about $30. We created this blog to help you plan your perfect trip to Croatia. I am told that should my son decide to leave earlier than I plan to (4/18-4/28/19) Id still have to pay the full contracted price. and the rental car rates are not getting any lower, trust me! Take into consideration the number of people that will be traveling in the car, and the amount of luggage each of them will bring. Don't forget that prices change dynamically with the demand. We are planning the same, Hi Frank so glad I found your site! If you need this service, you will need to arrange this directly with the car rental company. Booking within a week of your trip will likely cost you more. Opting for car hire in Croatia is your best option for travelling quickly and comfortably to the country's hidden reaches. If you prefer to book directly with a car rental company, as opposed to renting through a broker, you'll find all major international car rental companies in Croatia. Thanks for the notes. Renting a car in a foreign country is a puzzle so this has given me extra ideas on how I will go about it. How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Car in Croatia? Our best car rental in Croatia advice and tips, Different pick-up and drop-off location for car hire in Croatia, Insurance: Full coverage on a credit card, What kind of drivers license I need to rent a car in Croatia. Better safe than sorry! The combination of Covid and global car manufacturing shortages has created a perfect storm in the car hire industry. You will then need to claim this cost with your insurer (in this case, your credit card company). However, car rental in many places is still surprisingly cheap. No matter what time of year you decide to go, there is a range of exciting and invigorating experiences you can have along the way. Last week of June our family (mum, dad & two teens) have a quick trip to Croatia from NZ for our sons sport. Do not power up hills. Hi Morten, Thank you for such good information. Just take a look at the above picture wouldnt you want to rent a car and drive along that beautiful coastline? However, we will keep the information as it is, and updated for the time when the travel to Croatia returns to normal. 3. any issue regarding crossing over into Slovenia with a car rented in Croatia? Any suggestions? Because I feel that if it is 17 per ferry ride then we were overcharged perhaps? This will save you a lot of hassles along the way! They try to charge extra. . Since you wont have a car on the island of Hvar (if I understood well), you can travel from Hvar Town, and Stari Grad. 6 years ago Save Most companies charge a one-way fee for a short hire. It should have been arranged in advance (IMO). If something happens on the road (I am sure you will be just fine the roads are great and the drivers are polite! Although I dont know of any issues crossing the border with a rental car from Croatia to Monte Negro. So, youll only need to apply for an international drivers license if your current drivers license is not written in Latin letters. I also listed 2 prices for high and low season, so youre prepared no matter what time of year youre traveling! This fee covers any damage that can occur onboard the ferry. Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links on this page might be affiliate links, which means that at absolutely no extra cost for you we will earn a small commission for a sale generated through the website. Youll also experience less traffic than in the summer months (July and August) which makes a road trip a lot more pleasant! PRICE: HRK 200 (US $29.5) HRK 220 (US $32) per day. My questions 1) Is there any actual regulation relating to your statement that rental car agencies are NOT supposed to charge for the green card (to cross international boundaries). Note: Drivers from the UK need a full driving licence, their driving licence code, proof of address like a bank statement and photo ID to rent a . Queues at borders can be long, particularly in high season (July, August), from my experience I would count an hour between Croatia and Bosnia in Neum, and another hour at Croatia-Montenegro border. As I mentioned before, you can request one from the car rental company for a small extra fee, No drinking and driving is permitted in Croatia! 2. I recommend using an economy car that doesnt guzzle petrol but provides plenty of comforts. Thank you. At the time of writing the cheapest compact car for 2 weeks in August at Almeria is 44% (or 330) cheaper in Spain than it is at Murcia. Although many small villages have basic facilities, like a grocery store, a bar, and a restaurant, you will need to drive to the closest town if you need an ATM machine, pharmacy, fresh meat or fish, or large supermarket. The only thing you need when crossing the border is the green card a proof that your car has a minimum level of insurance required to be in Bosnia. To. In high season, expect to pay around 60 a day for a mini-size car, and 70 per day for an economy-size car. There shouldnt be any problems if you choose a company that allows border crossing, such as RentalCars. Make sure you do have sufficient funds on your card, and extra money left for your trip. With all this variability in mind, the average price to rent a car has typically been expected at between 50 to 100 dollars per day.1 However, recent events have caused an upswing in that average. Aaaand, last but not least, plan for some waiting time at the border, they might have a line (you will have 2 border controls actually one into Bosnia and one after entering Croatia again). As mentioned before, if youre under the age of 22, or over the age of 70, youll be eligible for additional fees (about 25 EUR per day surcharge). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. For the latest news how coronavirus influences travel in Croatia, and what measurements we are taking, check our Visiting Croatia in times of Covid-19 post. We LOVE your website! Its possible to arrange it, but youll pay extra. I keep reading good reviews about Last Minute Car Rental, but something seems amiss with it being significantly cheaper and the reviews not being very plentiful. to charge you extra for crossing from Croatia into Bosnia or Montenegro. I think that the rental companies are among those businesses who were highly financed/leveraged for their stock by the car firms/banks. And the latter has good reviews. colleen. This part of Bosnia actually separates Croatian territory into two parts, separating the Dubrovnik region from the rest of Croatia. Any recommendations or providers you would suggest? Here are fare examples for the most popular highways: Hint: if you are going on the weekend when the traffic is bad, you can also take an older smaller but prettier road timewise it will take you the same long, but its charming! A bit concerned about the large damage deposits charged to our credit card. Contacts | t: +385 98 983 6950 | e: [emailprotected] |Website. Things to Check Before You Rent a Your Car, BONUS Best Car Types for Driving in Croatia, Some practical info on driving in Croatia, 8 Things You Should Know About Plitvice Lakes, Croatia, Where to Stay in Rovinj, Croatia (and Why! Very insightful and in depth post. Car rental companies also offer additional equipment to rent like GPS, WiFi hot spot packages, child and baby seats, an extra driver, etc. We always use Rentalcars.com when searching for and booking a car online, and we highly recommend using this site. Renting a smaller, compact car is more practical. If not, you better get it renewed before your trip or the car wont be released to you, If you are traveling with a child that is under 18 kg (30 lbs), youll need to ask the rental company for a baby seat. Thanks and congatulations for your blog. Hour. Best Car Rental Companies 4. The only downside is you may not be in the mood for a swim as it gets rather cold, and many of the tourist attractions and hotels will be closed for the winter (though beautiful Plitvice National Park is open during the winter, which is awesome, totally recommended!). Thats why Ive created this guide to help you make informed Croatia car hire decisions. Were a Canadian-Croatian couple living in and exploring Croatia. And now it is time to start booking a rental car for the road-trip of a lifetime! You really dont have to have it but I always do just in case since it clearly says Croatia is member. If I were to rent a car, I want to confirm that my US State (Wisconsin) license will be enough. I have an Indian Driving License but no IDP. and how difficult to find in tourist spots? I would like to rent a car in Venice and drop off in Dubrovnik. Report inappropriate content ratheniska ireland Level Contributor 146 posts 3. However, if you leave it too late you can miss out," he says. Central Office Contacts | a: Trg J. Rakovca 2, Porec | t: +385 52 434 700 | m: +385 91 206 3070 | e: [emailprotected]| Website. UPDATE: In big cities you can now pay for your parking via SMS, how cool is that? The simple answer is No! Most big chain companies dont even offer that option, and the ones that do charge a lot of money for it and it can only be arranged by advance request. Do many companies deliver cars to hotels or is it just pick ups from main towns and airports? I have a question regarding car hire companies.. which company is the best to use in split airport? So i wonder whether they charge the additional costs as well when i just use the Croatia Bosnia corridor in order to visit Dubrovnik? The same goes for any extra equipment you might need (like baby seats, or WiFi router). Both countries are non-EU, and roaming charges are huge. Return car to the same location. Thank you :). I am interested to know what the parking is like if you do use a rental car, especially in the bigger towns/cities. Intercity buses are a convenient, frequent, fast, and cheap way to go from one town to another. What route do you recommend taking? The most expensive month in which to hire a car is August with prices for for a Compact class) starting at 45.06. In fact, snow can be pretty heavy during the winter in Croatia! . However, in the case of accident, you will be directly charged by car rental company for any damages. This concerns me; heaven forbid I hurt someone in an accident and they want to sue!! Do you know a car company that will do this? There's plenty to consider and we'll demystify car rental insurance in Ireland below. Luckily for us road-trippers, there are an abundance of gas stations throughout Croatia. Four- and six-lane motorways connect the country from North to South, West, and East. The views are gorgeous! Paid parking (marked as P with a blue background) is quite easy to find and it usually costs anywhere between 1 and 2 EUR per hour (parking machines usually accept only coins and in kunas, the local currency). Some companies can charge triple the price for gas, so better do it yourself in advance. . Hi Lyla, If you are below 21 years of age, you'll still be able to rent a car in Croatia. When planning your road-trip, use this site to schedule which stations youll need to stop at along the way. Here are 4 car types I recommend for different types of vacations: RECOMMENDED CAR TYPE: If youre going to be doing a lot of long-distance traveling between cities and seeing a lot of open roads, youll need something comfortable with room for plenty of luggage.