Cheap Car Hire in Croatia

Travel around Croatia with a rental car

Croatia is a wonderful and unique miniature country located in the Balkans in the middle of mountains, forests and the sea. This is a pearl country with a rich history, nature, unique cuisine and cities, located on the Adriatic coast. But besides these, there are other treasures. Every year this country pleases tourists with this. Croatia can be visited almost at any time of the year, but it is better near the coast due to the warm and unique Mediterranean climate.

Since the country is quite tiny - only 56,600 km², you can comfortably travel both by public transport and by car. In Croatia, relatively low prices for car rental.

About renting a car in Croatia.

As already mentioned, Croatia is better travel in a rented car. You will be more comfortable and more convenient, you have the right to choose where to stay.

What do you need to provide to the rental company? First of all, these are international or national driving licenses, a bank card (best of all, a credit card), an experience of 2 years, age of 21 years, a voucher (if the reservation is made online). In some companies, the age is required from 25 years. Therefore, carefully read the terms of the lease.

Rent a car in advance: via the Internet or by phone. In the high season, free cars are simply not to be found. The main places for renting cars: airports and railway stations. Upon receipt of the car, be sure to check it for defects. Pay attention to fuel policy.

What is worth seeing.

Croatia is very rich in beautiful nature and culture. Therefore, you can easily find a place to your liking. You should start, of course, with the capital of Croatia - Zagreb. The city was founded at the end of the 11th century, therefore, lovers of medieval architecture, you are here! Of the sights, of course, there are Zagreb Cathedral, Mimar Museum, Medvedgrad, City Gate and Lotrsczak Tower, Basilica Sacred Heart of Jesus, Maksimir Park. The largest ski resort Sljeme is also located here.

The Croatian capital is located in the center of the country, so there are two options for where to go further: to the east or to west.

In the west is the coast of the Adriatic Sea - the pearl of Croatia. Visit cities such as Dubrovnik, Zadar , Split, Rijeka, Pula. These cities are based on typical Mediterranean architecture.

On the way to these cities, you can see beautiful Croatian forests. They are located in the Plitvice Lakes National Park. It is located about 100 km from Zagreb. Unique nature, isolation from the bustle of the city… What else do you need for happiness?

In the east of the country there are the cities of Slavonski Brod, Osijek, Virovitica. They are less fabulous, but also worthy of attention.

How to rent a car without a franchise.

A franchise is the amount of your liability to the rental company. What does it mean? Let's say the contract says that your deductible was 1000€. If you caused damage to the car for a smaller amount (than 1000€), then damage money will be taken from you. But when you have harmed more than 1000€, then this money will not be taken from you. There are situations when tourists do not want to pay for a franchise. Basically, this is done by inexperienced and insecure motorists. Below is just a way for such drivers to get rid of this.

To get rid of the deductible (your responsibility), you need to buy full insurance. In general, the standard rental includes: a franchise, a deposit (a deposit that will be returned after the rental if the car was returned without damage) and mandatory CDW insurance. But full (sometimes additional) insurance will be called SCDW. It provides many benefits, but the price must be paid accordingly. SCDW insures against many unpleasant situations. But some are not covered, so read the contract carefully. And now let's move on to companies that provide a car rental service without a franchise.

Companies providing this service.

One such company is the Spanish Okmobility. In Zagreb, at the local airport, you can rent cars of different comfort classes. It all starts with the middle class "Medium". This is a Peugeot 208. This is a fairly comfortable car with 5 doors. In the period from 9 to 16 May, such a car can be rented for 180-365 €, depending on the supplements. Receipt - at 11:00 at the Zagreb airport. Additives are shown in the screenshot below.

The next class is SUV crossovers. They are represented by cars: Peugeot 2008, Peugeot 3008, Volkswagen Tiguan and Volkswagen T-cross. Such cars can be rented for 225-350 euros for a standard rate. The additives below are shown using the Peugeot 3008 as an example. From cars - Peugeot Traveler Long, Mercedes Clase V, Peugeot Rifter, Kia Ceed SW or similar. The cost is 488-2045 € for the same period. Tariff - Premium.

If you want to take an inexpensive and less comfortable car, then take the “Compact” class. It is represented by the following cars: Peugeot 308, Volkswagen Golf or similar. The price for the same period of time is 379-396 for the “Smart” tariff.

But if you want to get to the sea, for example, to Dubrovnik, there is also a company “Okmobility” at the local airport. Machines are presented as above. But instead of Kia Ceed there is Toyota Corolla. And there is no minivan from Mercedes-Benz at all - there is Peugeut. From May 8th to May 20th, the price will be 590 euros for the “Standart” fare for Toyota Corolla.

Peculiarities of traffic rules in Croatia.

When you travel to another country, you definitely need to take into account the peculiarities of traffic rules. If you have chosen comfort and are traveling around this beautiful country by car, then you should know that Croatia is no exception. Although the rules of the road differ little from Europe, there is its own originality and chips. You also need to pay attention to the character of local drivers. Naturally, there are toll roads in the country, the driver must be sober, with an international driver's license. Croatia is a country with right-hand traffic. In general, the rules are similar to other European countries. Main features:

• ban on the use of radar detectors;
• permissible blood alcohol content for persons is 0.5 ppm;
• children under 3 must be transported in the front seat in special seats with their backs to the movement with the airbag deactivated in a special seat;
• children from 3 to 5 years old are transported in the rear seats in special restraint systems;
• children from 5 years are transported in the back seat in special seats;
• talking on the phone while driving is possible only on speakerphone;
• dipped headlights must always be on from the last Sunday in October until the last Sunday Martha. The rest of the time - only in poor visibility, in a tunnel or at night.

In Croatia, fines for traffic violations are relatively high. For example, for drunk driving, the sanction ranges from 132 to 2000 €. For an unfastened seat belt - 66 €. For the use of radar detectors - 264 €. Of course, this is less than in Spain or France, but also unpleasant.

About the speed limit.

Carefully study the speed limit in Croatia. Its observance will save you from unnecessary expenses and nerves. The main points are presented below. Be aware that there are many control systems on the roads. Driving regulations:

• maximum speed in towns and cities — 50 km/h;
• outside cities and towns — 90 km/h;
• on highways — 110 km/h;
• on toll highways — from 60 km/h to 130 km/h.

About roads.

Croatia has both toll roads and free roads.

• Croatian free roads mainly pass through settlements, through fields and mountains, near beaches, restaurants and cafes. These roads are the most picturesque, as traffic is slow on them. Driving along them, you will see all the Croatian nature and history.
• Toll roads in Croatia are mostly motorways. They are in excellent condition and good quality. They are owned by three owners: Hrvatske autoceste, Bina Istra and Autocesta Zagreb - Macelj. The price will depend on the type of vehicle and distance. Most of the tracks belong to “Hrvatske autoceste”. Payment is made by credit card or cash. You need to take a ticket at the entrance, and pay at the exit.

Croatian drivers.

Drivers in Croatia are quite emotional. They love to overtake and are looking for all sorts of loopholes to do it. Even on narrow and steep mountain roads. So stay as close to the lane as possible. This will save you from unnecessary nerves.

How to rent an electric car.

In Europe The electric vehicle industry is developing very well. The most popular are, of course, Tesla, Audi e-tron and Mercedes EQS, Nissan Leaf, but mostly the creation of Elon Musk. In Croatia, there are few electric car rental offices - there are more of them in neighboring Hungary. In Zagreb at the address: Radnička cesta 80 Zagreb Tower, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia. This is the local “Rent-a-Tesla”. They can rent Tesla Model S, Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model Y. Tesla Model 3 is available in 2 trim levels: Dual motor and Standard+. The price for the first set is 160€, for the second - 130€. Tesla Model S and Tesla Model Y cost between 260€ and 195€, respectively. Please note that you need to rent a Tesla Model S for a minimum of 7 days, and for the rest - a minimum of 3 days.

About electric filling stations.

Croatia has a very developed system of electric filling stations. Most of them are located in large cities and tourist centers: Zagreb, Split, Zadar, Dubrovnik.

Good to know

Monthly price chart. Approximate prices for 7 days rental

The most popular cars in Croatia

Fiat 500

Fiat 500

4x

2x

€13 / Day

Citroen C1

Citroen C1

4x

2x

€14 / Day

Ford Fiesta

Ford Fiesta

4x

2x

€18 / Day

Ford Focus

Ford Focus

5x

3x

€23 / Day

Opel Astra Estate

Opel Astra Estate

5x

4x

€28 / Day

Audi A4

Audi A4

5x

3x

€32 / Day

BMW X1

BMW X1

4x

3x

€33 / Day

Ford Foxus Estate

Ford Foxus Estate

5x

4x

€33 / Day

Mercedes C Class

Mercedes C Class

5x

3x

€43 / Day

BMW 5 series

BMW 5 series

4x

3x

€45 / Day

Ford Tourneo

Ford Tourneo

8x

4x

€55 / Day

BMW 4 Cabrio

BMW 4 Cabrio

4x

2x

€65 / Day

Audi A6

Audi A6

5x

3x

€70 / Day

Audi A5 Cabrio

Audi A5 Cabrio

4x

3x

€75 / Day

Mercedes Vito

Mercedes Vito

9x

4x

€80 / Day

Documents required for car rental

Driving license

Credit card

Voucher

Passport

Car rental tips in Croatia