why is car hire so expensive in croatia why is car hire so expensive in croatia

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. Driving the next day driving to Umag. Last week of June our family (mum, dad & two teens) have a quick trip to Croatia from NZ for our sons sport. Some subjects we've already covered above, but nevertheless, we'll summarise our best Croatia car rental advice and tips below. 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! 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. I just dropped you a word via email. The same is true about breaking into the car to steal your belongings. To recap on this one, Croatia is probably one of the easiest countries with the most rewarding views to drive through in Europe! Again, tools like AutoEurope and RentalCars can help you figure out the logistics of your trip a whole lot easier. I still dont understand why this happens, but it apparently happens all the time. If you don't want to take a chance, this extra insurance will cost you around 20 per rental. For drivers under the age of 25, the blood alcohol level limit is 0% while driving. You better make sure to book your car rental in Croatia well ahead. I was surprised to find out that car rental companies charge extra for taking a car on a ferry. I definitely recommend renting a car. If true is that still current? This will save you a lot of hassles along the way! Are there any discounts on the public buses for a 3 year old? Some companies can charge triple the price for gas, so better do it yourself in advance. If you only intend to cross into Bosnia in Neum then you don't need to pay a cross-border fee. ATTENTION: We all know that the views are marvelous and you want to snap some pictures for your memories, but PLEASE make sure you move your car to the side and you are not blocking the road, ok? I have A question. We always book our rental car in advance. 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 are quite knowledgeable about travel in Croatia. Its possible to arrange it, but youll pay extra. Copyright 2014-2023 MissTourist | All Rights Reserved |. 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. I recommend driving a mini Fiat 500 or a Fiat Punto as they can easily navigate the tiny back roads without any hassle. Travellers will be paying on average 317 to rent a compact family car (e.g. 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. Car rental companies also offer additional equipment to rent like GPS, WiFi hot spot packages, child and baby seats, an extra driver, etc. We are going to Croatia next month. So, youll only need to apply for an international drivers license if your current drivers license is not written in Latin letters. Looking for inexpensive means for two adults and one child. Although most of Croatia is navigable by road, there are certain places you may need to use a ferry. Learn how your comment data is processed. This part of Bosnia actually separates Croatian territory into two parts, separating the Dubrovnik region from the rest of Croatia. I know it will be a busy season when I am in Croatia. Search Fifty-five percent of executives are very or extremely concerned about labour shortages, according to KPMG. RentalCars will then compare all the available cars and give you the prices for the city you are arriving in. So many awesome places in Croatia, I hope you are staying for a long time! Do you have any good companies that youve personally used in the city and not the airport of Dubrovnik? colleen. The simple answer is No! If I were to rent a car, I want to confirm that my US State (Wisconsin) license will be enough. CLICK HERE FOR THE BEST CAR RENTAL DEALS IN CROATIA! Can you drive a rental car from Croatia to Bosnia, Montenegro, or any other European country? Below is a list of some of the car hire agencies in Croatia. Basically, it is only possible between a limited number of countries, towns, and branch offices, usually when and where one car rental company has a partner company in another country. Here are the very few rental companies that charge a senior driver fee in some countries. Even for the high season, you can secure a mini-size car for as low as 45 a day if you book 6 or more months in advance. The most expensive month in which to hire a car is August with prices for for a Compact class) starting at 45.06. However, if you feel like having an international drivers license, its easy to obtain, and it costs little. Is a cross-Balkan road trip futile? I will be visiting Croatia and Bosnia in late June and checked with the Bosnia embassy in my country regarding the requirement for IDP. Zip car charges rental rates per hour, in many cases starting at $11 per hour, or daily rates starting at . If you decide to cover that with public transport, it will take a longer time, and sometimes travel isn't straightforward. Some of these car rental tips are specific to Croatia, so be sure to pay careful attention so there are no unexpected surprises on your trip! I think we need to head there straight from Zagreb and rental car seems to be our best option (quickest and flexibility). Car rental companies belong to this group of businesses. If you had any questions about hiring a car in Croatia, I hope Ive cleared them all up for you! 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. The combination of Covid and global car manufacturing shortages has created a perfect storm in the car hire industry. This is especially true for periods of high demand (June through September). Make sure you arent in a rush when returning your car. Komarna is perfectly located to make day trips to Dubrovnik, the Peljesac peninsula, island Hvar, Brac, Korcula, and Mljet, and even a couple of sights in neighboring Bosnia, like Mostar and Kravica Waterfalls. how much is gas in and around Zagreb through Dubrovnik in the high season of travel? Any suggestions? However, if you don't succeed, then expect to pay around 50 per rental or 10 per day depending on the company. A few questions: Rory Sexton, managing director at Zest Car Rental, agrees, adding that prices tend to align with demand. 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. The speeds are measured in kilometers per hour and your rental car will reflect that, too. 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 . Get an assistant to tell you where the lights, aircon, indicators, and other controls are so you dont have to figure it all out on your own. So, again, to have your car rental sitting in a parking lot makes no sense. You should count tolls into your budget however, the fees are a lot lower than in many other countries. 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. PRO TIP: Make sure you have winter tires on your car rental-they are mandatory from mid- November to mid-April! Her blog MissTourist.com is created with the purpose to inspire people to travel more and to share her advice of how to travel "smart". Be aware that if you take a road trip from the north of Croatia down to Dubrovnik, there is a small area of land that is Bosnia and it does count as a border crossing. Insurance4CarHire has some of the best independent insurance prices and offers very comprehensive coverage! 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. Oryx is a company based in Zagreb but with offices all over Croatia. I would like to rent a car in Venice and drop off in Dubrovnik. They have many highways and the views you can catch from a simple 10 km road trip are stunning! 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. Four- and six-lane motorways connect the country from North to South, West, and East. Campings in Croatia are awesome, well-equipped, and youll find them all along the coast. It takes extra time to price out five companies, but prices can vary widely depending on . Be sure to adjust the wing mirrors, rearview mirror and the seat to your liking before leaving on your journey. Why is Spain car hire so expensive? Read full disclaimer here. Return car to the same location. Whether you need to purchase additional insurance for crossing the border into Bosnia and/ or Montenegro with your rental car is the biggest debate on the internet regarding car rental in Croatia. Major car hire chains exist in Croatia, as do local companies. The earlier you book your vehicle, the better rate you will have. 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. 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. If you worry about car rental companies trying to screw you, well, I understand you completely. Mid- and full-size cars make a good choice if you plan on traveling long distances, as they provide more room. 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. 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). I dont have any personal experience renting with Sixt, but I dont think Sixt is worse (or better) than others. Home / Croatia Travel Tips / Car Rental in Croatia: All You Need to Know About Renting a Car in Croatia. Considering the fact that there are plenty of small towns with narrow cobbled streets in Croatia, the best advice I can give is the smaller the better! So how much can you expect to pay to rent a car in Croatia? 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! Would I be better off taking the ferry to Rovinji and renting the car there and dropping off in Dubrovnik? Any recommendations or providers you would suggest? You can get international drivers licence in AAA office for about $30. I am concerned reading the reviews of car rental places in Split. As for the car rental company, we always use Rentalcars.com. Do not forget the ticket you receive upon entering the toll! Ive never been to Croatia but it is definitely on my destination list. Are you looking for cheap car hire in Croatia? Hidden additional fees that you werent aware of can leave you way over budget after your road trip. It can come in handy in big towns, like Zagreb, Split, or Dubrovnik. 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. Just last summer, a friend asked me to negotiate a deal on a car rental in Dubrovnik. Im curious what your experience is and if youd recommend this company. It happened to us just this past winter in Spain. Decide what's the purpose of your trip, and how many places would you like to see during your visit, and you'll have a better idea of whether you need to rent a car in Croatia. Very informative! 2. if yes, can it be done through the rental company? But it's not worth $1,200. 3. Car rental companies don't keep enough cars with automatic transmissions. You want to have enough time to do paperwork, and inspect the car (to avoid any hidden charges for sudden damages). Top car rental brands. But its just a bad luck, for the most time car rental goes fine. it might be true. In order to rent a car in Croatia, youll need a valid drivers license from your home country; an international driving licence is only required if your license is not written with Latin letters (for example, if it is in Chinese or Cyrillic). . 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. I also listed 2 prices for high and low season, so youre prepared no matter what time of year youre traveling! I am happy to see you are interested in visiting Croatia, one of my favourite countries! Were a Canadian-Croatian couple living in and exploring Croatia. This also means that rental prices increase dramatically in these two summer months. 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. I am positive is has to do with the illiquidity of the lending market ie banks lending to companies. It's worth booking online even a few hours before you go to pick the car up. I thinks the electronic payment system is too much hustle for a short stay in Croatia we have some traffic jams at the toll booths, however they are not excessive nor they happen often. If youre going to be traveling long distances, make sure the car is equipped with cruise control. 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. Is this essential (I will be using the ferries a lot) as the Full Protection seems pretty comprehensive? Compare car hire in Croatia and find the cheapest prices from all major brands. If you dont want to pay the extra charges (it can get quite costly, actually) youll need to bring a baby seat with you, In my opinion, the GPS option is completely unnecessary as Google maps works great in the country and it is available offline if previously downloaded. But I prefer to use a comparison aggregator like CarRentals or AutoEurope to do the hard work for me (they are basically a Skyscanner for cars-they will check all the prices for your dates for all the car rental companies in the area). While Croatia is a small country, it's also pretty long. 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. Planning our summertime visit for July!! The roads are in perfect condition and the views are breathtaking! 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. From. Most have offices in the larger Croatian towns and at airports. UPDATE: In big cities you can now pay for your parking via SMS, how cool is that? The big bang brands (Hertz, Europcar, Avis.) Hope this helps! Just take a look at the above picture wouldnt you want to rent a car and drive along that beautiful coastline? Contacts | t: ++385 99 733 0862 | Website. Is it anything to worry about, have you heard of ant issues getting it back? Roadtripping is an amazing experience, especially if you're on vacation or headed toward a destination you're particularly excited about (like a Jonas Brothers concert, to give a hypothetical example). 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. Summer can be quite a bit more expensive, unfortunately. Do you know what the deal is? What do you think about? Neum is a coastal town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I will be coming from Venice. I used your suggestion of rentalcars.com. From what I can tell, it offers the most competitive prices. We are a family of 10 planning a renting and returning 2 cars in Croatia. There is also this app it operates in over 60 Croatian cities, can help you find the closest parking to your location and you can also pay for the spot online, too! They also have a free smartphone app with real-time information about road conditions, congestion, and live webcams. In my opinion, the best time to road-trip through Croatia is from May to June or from September to October. This is the most scenic road in Croatia. More on that below in the text. We are planning the same, Hi Frank so glad I found your site! The major rental car companies in Europe are Avis, Hertz, Budget, Europcar, and Sixt. You only need an international driver license if your driver license is not written with Latin letters. To. We've rented a car from Vetura a couple of times in the past and would recommend them if you are in Istria. What would you suggest? Car Sell-Off. With our secure online booking system you can search the cheapest prices online for Car Hire Croatia. If you are asking in terms of car robberies and other theft-related things, you should not be worrying it is very safe there! Even for the high season, you can secure a mini-size car for as low as 45 a day if you book 6 or more months in advance. In my humble opinion, Croatia is one of the most beautiful destinations to travel through by car! Split is the best place. I am trying to decide between buses or a rental car for my family of 3 (2 adults and a 3 year old). A one-way car rental fee amounts to as much as 120 per rental. You didnt mention my main concern about renting a carautomatic transmission. Best time to hire a car. A 16 country study of car hire costs worldwide reveals that the USA and Turkey are the cheapest places to hire a car this summer, and Portugal and Italy are the most expensive. Dropoff options (Enterprise rental) are Lucko or Airport. 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!). Do you have any advice about this issue? A multilane motorway crosses the country from east to west, and south to north. GET DETAILED INFO ABOUT DRIVING IN CROATIA HERE! The cool part about price comparison companies is that you can be sure you are protected by the reseller if something goes wrong. Parking in popular destinations in Croatia can be a real hustle, and it costs money. But I find it strange they have charged you afterwards. We share here the best information about traveling to and in Croatia, including destination guides, travel tips, activities, accommodation, and the best places to eat and visit.