Well be making an overnight stop at Velika Kladusa in Bosnia on our way. Chris Brown, editor of Auto Rental News, an industry publication, says MirrorTrip could eventually solve the car rental drop-off problem. I recall seeing a comment on another website regarding a requirement the the credit card have raised/embossed characters. 2. if yes, can it be done through the rental company? There's specific requirements. RELATED READ: 8 Things You Should Know About Plitvice Lakes, Croatia. We created this blog to help you plan your perfect trip to Croatia. The combination of Covid and global car manufacturing shortages has created a perfect storm in the car hire industry. And here are our reasons why! Oh, and dont forget about Split and Plitvice! While the basic insurance covers you for driving on the Croatian islands, it actually doesn't cover the possible damage that can occur on the ferry itself during the crossing. Needless to say, our friends returned the car a day earlier in a similar condition and they have never charged them anything. Hope this helps! Having a difficult time seeing if this is even possible. In certain instances, rental companies offer discounts if you hire at the last minute, but this is a risky move as prices might increase due to demand so I dont recommend it. It isn't common, but be prudent and mindful, and don't leave your stuff in sight. My son would need the car to get back to the airport in Zagreb. Get a quote for 3 days. 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. If you don't want to take a chance, this extra insurance will cost you around 20 per rental. NOTE: If you are planning to cross the border through the city of Neum, you do NOT need to pay any cross-border fee. This is a bucket list trip. What I cant ascertain from the websites is if we can take the car into Italy and costs of going through the border. A few questions: how much the parking costs and how easy is it to find it depends on the season, the city, distance to the center, etc. We like the idea of driving ourselves so we can explore a little going both ways to Rovinj. I`m trying to find a car rental company that allows border crossings to as many Balkan countries as possible. But it's not worth $1,200. thanks for stopping by. Make sure you do have sufficient funds on your card, and extra money left for your trip. There are a few standard legal limits when driving in Croatia. Which car rental company will be best for you depends on what youre wanting to do with your rental car. Yulia is traveling the world for over 12 years now and she LOVES to share her tips from around the world with the others! Here are the average prices that you can expect to pay to rent a car in Croatia for a day. What will be the name of the town where ferry will take us and car rentals will be available. Youll also need a suitable car for the job! We want to rent a car in Zagreb, than go to Bosnia, Albania, Montenegro, Macedonia and Serbia. Any suggestions to keep a 5 five year old will be appreciated. I highly recommend investigating this option before signing any insurance papers that the car rental company gives you. Vetura is a regional car rental company based in Porec, and with offices in all major Istrian coastal towns. An international driver's license is only mandatory in the case when your national driver's license isn't written in Latin letters (for example, if it's written in Cyrillic, or in Chinese characters). Thanks so much!! If you only plan to stay in big towns like Zagreb, Split, or Dubrovnik, you'll probably be better off without a car. The telephone number is 987. But I dont have a credit card. Learn how your comment data is processed. Here are the very few rental companies that charge a senior driver fee in some countries. We are going to Croatia next month. The average price to hire a car in Croatia is just 56.80 per day, whilst the most expensive hire car in Croatia is a Mercedes GLE car for a (premium) class from Green motion costing 658.20 per day. If they treat their employees well, the employees must treat the customers well. Enjoy your driving in Croatia! Of course, car rental companies write their rules and can insist to either play by their rules or rent a car somewhere else. Supply and demand. I'm going on a road trip from San Francisco to New York in a month and I was checking several car rental companies. (Norwegian citizens, by the way), Sorry for all the questions, any reply would be greatly appreciated :). Do rental companies have an extra charge to take a car onto a ferry connecting to islands like Hvar and Korcula? And the latter has good reviews. If you have rented cars abroad before, you probably know that most car hire companies offer an insurance policy to go along with the car, but these are generally very overpriced and sometimes cost more than hiring the car. . ATTENTION: Youll be able to rent a car as long as youre 18 years or older, but will be subject to extra charges if youre younger than 22 or older than 70. The first time they absolutely claimed we had to pay for the green card (and we were going from Dubrovnik to both Bosnia and Montenegro so we bought it). We are travelling in may 2018: Hi Frank, A one-way car rental fee amounts to as much as 120 per rental. Better safe than sorry! So, I hope you liked my post, traveler! Also, do you know if its possible to rent cars starting in Korcula? to charge you extra for crossing from Croatia into Bosnia or Montenegro. Any suggestions for an automatic rental car size that will fit 4 adults and 4 suitcases? i would like to rent a car in split; what is the closest rental car pickup/dropoff location to the downtown area? Make sure the driver is in full control at all times, Its important to drive slowly when there is ice or snow on the roads to compensate for the lack of traction your tires will have on the road, Make sure youre accelerating and decelerating slowly. 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. Hi Mercedes, They all come at an additional cost. Are you wanting to road trip across Croatia or do you need to look for car hire companies that allow cross-border travel? In Victoria, the increase was 38 per cent, and in Tasmania, a whopping 92 per cent. Prices have increased accordingly. Great Post very informative! Thankyou for sharing this amazing information. You also need a valid driving licence (more on requirements in the guide below) and a valid ID. Whether you want to cruise along the rugged coastline or drive deep into Croatia's pine forests, with easy access to the whole of the country the only issue is deciding where to go first Travel Information This is more difficult than it might seem. If you are going from Split to Dubrovnik or the other way around by car, you will need to cross a tiny strip of land that is not in Croatia. Be sure to ask the rental company whether the car you want to hire has a GPS. However, the minimum age for renting a car in Croatia is 21. You'll absolutely need a car in Croatia if you decide to stay in any small coastal village, like our village Komarna. They also have a smartphone app with all the rest stops in the country-check it out on their website! I used your suggestion of rentalcars.com. Do not forget the ticket you receive upon entering the toll! In Croatia, you drive on the right-hand side of the road and pass on the left, Just like every other country in the world, seat-belts are mandatory so be sure to buckle up each time you get in the car before heading onto the roads, Children under the age of 12 are not allowed to sit in the front passenger seat, Children from the ages of 2-5 must be in a suitable childs seat. Depending on the length of time rented, daily rates ranged from $41 to $75. During the planning phase of the trip, Tim checks the rates for the major companies and chooses the one with the best price. If you had any questions about hiring a car in Croatia, I hope Ive cleared them all up for you! Elise. Hi Your information has been invaluable. Also try a quote to Split airport rater than the city centre as there tends to be more competition there. Make sure you ask the rental company what kind of fuel your rental car takes. Is the insurance for the ferry and how is that charged? It's certainly worth trying especially during the low-demand periods. This fee covers any damage that can occur onboard the ferry. If I were to rent a car, I want to confirm that my US State (Wisconsin) license will be enough. Thanks for the blog. However, we will keep the information as it is, and updated for the time when the travel to Croatia returns to normal. I am trying to decide between buses or a rental car for my family of 3 (2 adults and a 3 year old). 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 . What would you suggest? Thank you. Places to visit in the car this Easter with the family! We fly into and out of Zagreb. If you decide on a winter road trip in Croatia, my best advice is to stick to the coastal towns. We are a family of 10 planning a renting and returning 2 cars in Croatia. Expect to pay anywhere between 15 and 20 more a day for an automatic transmission. In the UK and USA liability coverage is in the millions, however there is little or no PLI offered in Croatia. Without extra insurance, you as a customer are partly liable for any damage. Both countries are non-EU, and roaming charges are huge. If you prefer an automatic transmission, you'll need to book your car well in advance, and you'll pay extra. In Croatia, you can encounter the same kind of situations when renting a car as you would encounter in other European countries. insist that the car rental company gives you this paper. There are plenty of companies that offer short term insurance for rented cars, and many of these come in at a much more reasonable price! Hour. Some companies don't charge any extras for taking a car across the border to another EU member state, as well as to Switzerland and the UK. you dont need to purchase additional insurance if your credit card provides the coverage. Hello I also listed 2 prices for high and low season, so youre prepared no matter what time of year youre traveling! Croatia: 547: 549: 76: . A meal at McDonalds starts at around 10 euros for the most basic budget version, if someone is earning 20-30 euros an hour they're considered very lowly paid. However according to their rental conditions of Oryx and another Croation car rental company they claim they are allowed to add up to 70 euros additional costs when you take the car outside a EU country. A big portion of your traveling budget is going to go towards fuel if youre taking a road trip. However, car rental in many places is still surprisingly cheap. 2. You generally don't need to worry about driving in Croatia as the road infrastructure is great here. Within the final 48 hours, prices almost always go up. If you pay for full coverage directly with the car rental company, they won't even bother to check the car for possible damages. Thanks for the great blog/information! 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). Car hire in Croatia is essential in these situations. Nobody told us that we should vacuum the car ourselves. Driver aged between 26 - 69. If you are not used to manual ones, it will be worth your while to learn how to drive a manual or take someone along who can drive a manual car, as it will save you a pretty penny! So i wonder whether they charge the additional costs as well when i just use the Croatia Bosnia corridor in order to visit Dubrovnik? 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, you will need to pay a cross-border fee. PRO TIP: If crossing through Bosnia or Montenegro, do not forget to switch off the internet on your mobile both countries are not part of the EU and the roaming charges are really high! Do you know a car company that will do this? Currently, the lowest age any rental company charges is 60 years old. What do you think of these two issues? Hi, would you know if car rentals can charge you an island fee? Car hire in Croatia starts from just 8.20 per day for a (economy) class car from Budget. Each was for 100 Euro; we bought one for the car body. GET DETAILED INFO ABOUT DRIVING IN CROATIA HERE! In the low season, for the same cars, you'll pay 20 and 25 respectively. You can then individually check the reviews for each car rental company. Cheers! I wondered about driving from Zagreb to Trieste we could base ourselves for two nights, leave the car their and just do a day train trip to Venice. I am interested to know what the parking is like if you do use a rental car, especially in the bigger towns/cities. Thanks! Youll feel much more independent without feeling like you need to rely on anyone else. They also have a free smartphone app with real-time information about road conditions, congestion, and live webcams. However, I would take this cost as definitely one of the costs worth negotiating about with the car rental companys representative. Picking up the car, and getting on the road, Further reading: more Croatia car rentaland other traveltips, Ultimate Packing List For Vacation In Croatia, Croatia Travel Budget: How Much Money You'll Need In Croatia, Where To Have Local, Cheap And Delicious Meals In Croatia, How To Choose Your Destination In Croatia, A Complete Guide To Accommodation In Croatia, cross-border fee for EU countries, UK, and Switzerland: 20 , cross-border fee for Montenegro, Bosnia, and other non-EU countries: 50 , pickup and return out of working hours: 30 . Things to Consider When Renting a Car in Croatia 5. For Dubrovnik, the best is to leave the car somewhere in Lapad, or Gruz, and use public transport or explore on foot. This article was super helpful. Contacts | t: ++385 99 733 0862 | Website. And now it is time to start booking a rental car for the road-trip of a lifetime! Parking in Dubrovnik is extremely expensive (50-75 kn per hour). And they also work offline (if previously downloaded). If you only want to go with the automatic one, try to secure it as much in advance as possible there are not that many on the market and they get sold out fast. If you're around this age, it's worth checking the terms and conditions when you book the car to make sure you get the best deal for you. Check that there is a full tank of gas in the car before you leave, as that is the policy with rental cars. 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. The cheapest months to pick up your car hire in Croatia are February and January . Hello,Frank and Vera.Nice information.Thanks.We are a family of four,none of us can drive.We are looking for a car to take us from Split to Dubrovnik stopping at Mostar (to save a day and a day trip)but all I find is that I can save money only if one person skips as a silly rule that car or van can have only 3 persons or less or next 8 persons or less paying exorbitant amounts.Please point me to some cheaper alternatives.My time is also limited for me to allow me to travel by bus. So, any rentals going are getting higher rates. If you need this service, you will need to arrange this directly with the car rental company. If you have a question, it is always best to drop it in below in the comments this way other readers can benefit from the answer as well! That must be a bit exaggerated, no? Below is a list of some of the car hire agencies in Croatia. Thanks in advance. Contacts (Zagreb Airport) | a: Rudolfa Fizira 21, Zagreb | t: +385 1 6219 900 | e: [emailprotected]. Keep cold-weather gear, a blanket, as well as food and drinks in the car when youre driving. For drivers over the age of 25 the legal blood alcohol level limit is 0.05% as long as you dont get into an accident, Using a mobile phone while driving is illegal unless you have a hands-free device, Between the end of October and the end of March, dipped headlights should be used during daylight hours. I think you will be better taking a ferry to Rovinj, and renting a car there. Ive never been to Croatia but it is definitely on my destination list. So, if you dont want to take the risk, extra insurance just for this will be about 15-20 EUR extra. Motorway A1 going south only reaches as far as Ploce. 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. No issues crossing over to Slovenia with a car rental Croatia as Slovenia is a member of EU. If I want to spend a night in Mostar with a rental car, would they charge me more? Thank you :). So how much can you expect to pay to rent a car in Croatia? 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). Of course, every company charges different rates, so youll have to do a lot of comparing to find the best and least expensive car hire. 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. Mid- and full-size cars make a good choice if you plan on traveling long distances, as they provide more room. Some companies can charge triple the price for gas, so better do it yourself in advance. What route do you recommend taking? Take into consideration the fact that Croatia has many narrow village streets and tiny back roads that will be extremely difficult to navigate with a big car. The cheapest month to hire a car in Croatia is January with prices starting at 13.26 for an Economy class cars. You really dont have to have it but I always do just in case since it clearly says Croatia is member. Additional Fees for Car Rentals in Croatia, 6. We are travelling on a budget, dont have a lot of time and we will be spending the main part of the trip in Umag. Campings in Croatia are awesome, well-equipped, and youll find them all along the coast. My wife and I are driving our own car from Italy into Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzgovina and are wondering how we get a green card to show that we have the required insurance.We would very much like to hear from you. Sometimes our readers like to know if they can pick up a rental car in one country, and then drop it off in another country. And then you will need to claim it with your credit card company. 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. Hello. Thanks. How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Car in Croatia? They'll do the same when you return the car (unless you are fully covered, in which case they don't really care.).