Less cars, less working capital, expected lower demand. PRO TIP: When driving in cities, both big and small, try to avoid the rush hours the traffic is absolutely crazy then! 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. Cheap Car Hire in Croatia | TravelSupermarket I used your suggestion of rentalcars.com. Were sorting details for trip to Croatia Sept/Oct which involves rental car drop-off in Zagreb (using your recommended Rentalcars.com) at end of our trip. Insurance4CarHire has some of the best independent insurance prices and offers very comprehensive coverage! Smaller cars also have a much better fuel efficiency which will save you money along the way! It's extremely important that you inspect the car before picking it up, take photos, and discuss any damages you see with a car rental representative. I definitely recommend renting a car. Unfortunately, Im foreign is not going to help you much if youre pulled over for not following the laws of the road. This is not true the green card is enough. Australian car rental prices: Cost soars due to car shortage caused by Since roads in Croatia are great, well-marked, and easy to navigate, GPS is not really necessary to have. Most start at around 70. What are my options? The cool part about price comparison companies is that you can be sure you are protected by the reseller if something goes wrong. So, any rentals going are getting higher rates. I am interested to know what the parking is like if you do use a rental car, especially in the bigger towns/cities. How much does it cost to hire a car in Croatia? A Land Rover Discovery or an off-road Jeep is the perfect car for the job. Be it coastline, waterfalls, lakes or some stunning landscape, you will want to see it in your own time, not from a window of a bus. Copyright 2014-2023 MissTourist | All Rights Reserved |. Happy exploring! To my knowledge, majority of bus companies offer up to 80% discount for kids up to 3 years old. Save on luxury, economy and family car hire. 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. Any concerns regarding credit card physical appearance? 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. Is it anything to worry about, have you heard of ant issues getting it back? Can you drive a rental car from Croatia to Bosnia, Montenegro, or any other European country? In June, it was about 88% more expensive to rent a car or truck than during the same time last year, contributing to the inflation hitting US consumer prices, according to newly . The cost of renting a car in Thailand, the cheapest country to hire a vehicle in, equals just 11% of the cost of renting a car in Iceland, the most expensive destination. Things to Check Before You Rent a Your Car 7. I dont have any personal experience renting with Sixt, but I dont think Sixt is worse (or better) than others. Zip car charges rental rates per hour, in many cases starting at $11 per hour, or daily rates starting at . Croats might break some speed limit rules here and there, but I do not recommend you follow their example as locals they know all the ins and outs, where speed cameras are located and all the other tricks. Places to visit in the car this Easter with the family! . (Norwegian citizens, by the way), Sorry for all the questions, any reply would be greatly appreciated :). If their prices are the most competitive, just go with it. I was told I could call back to the Sixt office where I live to extend the rental. There's plenty to consider and we'll demystify car rental insurance in Ireland below. Car hire in Croatia starts from just 8.20 per day for a (economy) class car from Budget. In Croatia, you can encounter the same kind of situations when renting a car as you would encounter in other European countries. 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. Thank Yulia for the wonderful advice. Holidaymakers face sky-high car hire prices this summer as rental firms struggle to meet renewed demand. Campings in Croatia are awesome, well-equipped, and youll find them all along the coast. The rates go up as the demand increases and as the inventory decreases. So I know it is very dificulty parking in Dubrovnick. Weve been looking on carrentals.com, but arent sure about the rules. There are over 20 car hire locations in Croatia, and the most popular city is Dubrovnik. Report inappropriate content ratheniska ireland Level Contributor 146 posts 3. If true is that still current? I have noted that you say drivers license of our country is sufficient to allow us to drive in Croatia. Mid- and full-size cars make a good choice if you plan on traveling long distances, as they provide more room. However, if you don't succeed, then expect to pay around 50 per rental or 10 per day depending on the company. The comparison aggregator can sort by car type, price, and a variety of other options so that youre not left sifting through results for hours. I am positive is has to do with the illiquidity of the lending market ie banks lending to companies. Car rental companies also offer additional equipment to rent like GPS, WiFi hot spot packages, child and baby seats, an extra driver, etc. My husband and I are planning a 10 day trip to Croatia in June and were trying to figure out our itinerary. Do you know if you can also drive car rentals into albania and kosovo? EasyRent. 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. Hi! Hiring a car in Croatia gives you the freedom to travel as you please and make impromptu stops along the way, without having to hassle with a tour guide! This will help you out a lot, especially when driving on the highways! We want to rent a car in Croatia, but take that car into Montenegro, and then leave from Montenegro. I have read that these could be bought at the nearest gas station as you enter each country, but to be on the safer side(to avoid penalty fines) we would like to buy them before we enter each country if possible. This means that the earlier you book your car, the less you will pay. 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". And if you head south youll end up driving on this road sooner or later. Each was for 100 Euro; we bought one for the car body. This will save you a lot of hassles along the way! You bring both US drivers licence and international with you. Majority of hotels provide parking (often free of charge in small coastal towns). Car Hire in Croatia - Cheap Rental Deals | easyCar.com In general, a car rental that might cost $30-80 per day might be a lot cheaper to rent by the week.) 3. Italy revealed as the most expensive location to hire a car If you go on your Croatian road-trip, be sure to get in touch with me on Instagram or just follow the rest of my travels. PRO TIP 2: Oh, and dont forget to double check if the car is equipped with functioning AC this is something you will definitely need during a hot Croatian summer! The cheapest month to hire a car in Croatia is January with prices starting at 13.26 for an Economy class cars. We returned a car a week ago and just got charged 42 for being on an island. 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). I recommend using an economy car that doesnt guzzle petrol but provides plenty of comforts. . Well be making an overnight stop at Velika Kladusa in Bosnia on our way. Here you can check the updated rates for all the highways in the country (in English!). Needless to say, our friends returned the car a day earlier in a similar condition and they have never charged them anything. Will I not be able to pick up the car even if I have enough money in my bank account on my debit card? RECOMMENDED CAR TYPE: If you want to take full advantage of your vehicle and drive it through the many small villages and their back streets, youll need a small vehicle (especially if you are not planning on going far distances). For example, the road distance from Umag, in the northwest to Dubrovnik in the southeast is over 700 km. Hi Noah, If you need this service, you will need to arrange this directly with the car rental company. AIR Awareness Outreach; AIR Business Lunch & Learn; AIR Community of Kindness; AIR Dogs: Paws For Minds AIR Hero AIR & NJAMHAA Conference 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. 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! Now that you have a better idea of how youre going to get around this amazing country, you should start looking into the best places to visit 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. Thanks Peter. NOTE: In most cases, your car insurance does NOT include possible damages that can happen on the ferry. You can get international drivers licence in AAA office for about $30. Re: Car hire seems very expensive! So, what do I do with my car when I arrive at a destination? Would I be better off taking the ferry to Rovinji and renting the car there and dropping off in Dubrovnik? But I find it strange they have charged you afterwards. They charge an extra insurance for taking a car on the ferry. Why is Spain car hire so expensive? One of the most important parts of renting a car in the land of Game of Thrones is finding a price that will suit your budget. If you are thinking of renting a car in one country and returning it in another, think twice because it actually might be more complicated than you would expect. The same goes for picking up or dropping off the car out of office hours. Make sure the size of the car is appropriate. from Zagreb to Split is about 200 kunas (~US $30). CLICK HERE FOR THE BEST CAR RENTAL DEALS IN CROATIA! I still have a question So I have a valid Canadian Drivers license and dont need the International Driving Permit to drive in Croatia Hi, Frank: Can it be avoided with our own rental car insurance proof? We also have a couple of nationwide companies. It is safe to rent a car in Croatia. This fee covers any damage that can occur onboard the ferry. D8 (ex. 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. Holidaymakers face sky-high car hire rates abroad now more than double Thanks for sharing the info of traveling through Croatia. 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! Or, that's what car rental companies will try to make you do. Its a good idea to familiarise yourself with these limits, but as a rule, always keep your eyes peeled for speed limit signs that will guide you according to the appropriate speed limit. In the country I live in, it was recommended by the Sixt office that it would be better to set up the contract for fewer days so I wont be stuck with the entire bill. But its just a bad luck, for the most time car rental goes fine. Having a difficult time seeing if this is even possible. GET DETAILED INFO ABOUT DRIVING IN CROATIA HERE! What is the best way to take a ferry from Hvar to mainland, where we can pick a rental car for further driving into Plitvice lakes, Rovinj etc. Parking in popular destinations in Croatia can be a real hustle, and it costs money. 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. Because your insurance covers it all. We haven't yet rented through Nova, but we see lots of their cars on the roads here. usa - Why is car rental in the US so much cheaper when booking from Thank you! 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). Some blogs suggest staying out of old town, in Lappad for exemple. Additional Fees for Car Rentals in Croatia 6. I dont want them telling us we need to return the car if we arent ready. 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. 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 . Also, if you are a US citizen, check Bonzah, they offer pretty good prices too! 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. Be sure to factor these costs into your budget! However, I would take this cost as definitely one of the costs worth negotiating about with the car rental companys representative. Parking in Dubrovnik is extremely expensive (50-75 kn per hour). Dubrovnik is the only exemption. Youll feel much more independent without feeling like you need to rely on anyone else. Summer can be quite a bit more expensive, unfortunately. Thank you. Am I still permitted to drive in Croatia and Bosnia? Croatia is an absolutely incredible place to go on a road trip! 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! I always suggest you follow the rules and let the locals pass if they really want to. Elise. Before we even start talking about WHAT you should know before learning everything about car rentals in Croatia, let me make it super clear WHY I think it is the best way to travel in that country: The only problem is, renting a car in a foreign country can be tricky! Book early to secure the best rate (same for the extra services you might need such as GPS navigator, baby seat etc.). Have you heard of them and are they okay? And now it is time to start booking a rental car for the road-trip of a lifetime! They all come at an additional cost. We always use Rentalcars.com when searching for and booking a car online, and we highly recommend using this site. They are brokers and work with all major car rental companies in Croatia. Driver aged between 26 - 69. 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. Contacts | t: ++385 99 733 0862 | Website. Below is a list of some of the car hire agencies in Croatia. This is a bucket list trip. This also means that rental prices increase dramatically in these two summer months. 4. Im curious what your experience is and if youd recommend this company. There are very few companies doing cross-country rentals, and the fees are just way too high. I was advised that IDP is required. and another question on if not driving car so easy to commute to one city to another city ? 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! 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. 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. You also need a valid driving licence (more on requirements in the guide below) and a valid ID. Maybe you can rent it there and then drop it off in Zagreb. The combination of Covid and global car manufacturing shortages has created a perfect storm in the car hire industry. Fifty-five percent of executives are very or extremely concerned about labour shortages, according to KPMG. That was how much Hotwire told me it would cost to rent a car for a three-day weekend when I searched last month. For 5 passengers and 5 pieces of baggage(3 big, 2 small) we were considering a station wagon like Renault Clio Estate or Seat Leon Estate. Why are Car Rental Cars so Expensive? - Now from Nationwide Why is Car Hire So Expensive in Tasmania? | Uber Carshare As I mentioned earlier, I recommend looking at RentalsCars.com so you can filter your options to find the best deals for whatever your plans are. you ask. PRO TIP: Make sure you have winter tires on your car rental-they are mandatory from mid- November to mid-April! New research shows that the cost of hiring a car abroad has shot up by an average 125%. As for the car rental company, we always use Rentalcars.com. Supply and demand. But I would rather think no. However, the minimum age for renting a car in Croatia is 21. 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. Why have car hire prices leapt up since the Covid Crisis? My family and I plan to visit Croatia from March 26- April 4. Where to pick up your car. It simply gives you much more flexibility. Is this easy to do? 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. If you pay for full coverage directly with the car rental company, they won't even bother to check the car for possible damages. Because I feel that if it is 17 per ferry ride then we were overcharged perhaps? 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. In a whiplash-inducing turn of. NOTE: If you are planning to cross the border through the city of Neum, you do NOT need to pay any cross-border fee. Just like with many other services in Croatia (accommodation, tours, activities, etc), the car rental business is very seasonal. Thanks in advance for your reply, were looking forward to experiencing Croatia! Youll be able to travel off the beaten track and see sights that many tourists miss! I have a question re car rental concerning Personal Liability Insurance. 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! Im happy to hear this, thank you! You mentioned that you should be able to drive a croatian car rental into Bosnia and Montenegro with no further insurance other than a green card. The cheapest months to pick up your car hire in Croatia are February and January . Drop Off. A credit card is mandatory when renting a car in Croatia. I just dropped you a word via email. 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. And if its not on your itinerary already, be sure to add the incredible Istria region to your Croatian bucket list. One of the reasons that car rentals are so expensive is that car rental agencies sold off most of their cars during the COVID-19 pandemic. But its always good to have all the info just in case, right? When's the cheapest time to book your rental car? you dont need to purchase additional insurance if your credit card provides the coverage. There's specific requirements. Opting for car hire in Croatia is your best option for travelling quickly and comfortably to the country's hidden reaches. Car hire seems very expensive! - Croatia Message Board - Tripadvisor I will be visiting Croatia and Bosnia in late June and checked with the Bosnia embassy in my country regarding the requirement for IDP. Rental Car Shortage: Why Are Car Rental Prices so High? | Money you will need to pay either by credit card or cash. They have many highways and the views you can catch from a simple 10 km road trip are stunning! 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. I think you will be better taking a ferry to Rovinj, and renting a car there. Portugal is the most expensive country in Europe to hire a car, according to new research. You better make sure to book your car rental in Croatia well ahead. Car Rental Prices Are Up. What Are The Alternatives? 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. Do Croatian companies have offices in Hungary/Italy/Slovenia? I am happy to see you are interested in visiting Croatia, one of my favourite countries! The only way to reach Dubrovnik from Ploce is to drive along national road D8, also known as Jadranska magistrala (Adriatic coastal road). During these times the weather is sunny and warm, which means youll be able to stop off at the best beaches and lakes for a refreshing swim. This will be for August 2019 dates. Would I need an international driver license? This is especially true for periods of high demand (June through September). You can see the updated list of speed cameras here. We intend to be there for a 3 week period this Sept. An IDP international Driving Permit (google!). A multilane motorway crosses the country from east to west, and south to north. 2. Are there any issues you see in the two border crossings or other issues with our plan to travel by car versus public transportation to Rovinj? We will not have rental car in Hvar. 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. and how difficult to find in tourist spots? Home / Croatia Travel Tips / Car Rental in Croatia: All You Need to Know About Renting a Car 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. and the rental car rates are not getting any lower, trust me! Having the convenience of your own transportation makes a huge difference when traveling in Croatia! But to experience all those places and take advantage of Komarna's awesome location, you'll need a car. 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. Thanks. Dont even ask why this is the case, as it makes no sense to me. Can spouses drive a car rented in Croatia for free or do I need to purchase the extra driver for my husband? Thanks for the blog. First, you need to check with your credit card company if you are covered for renting a car in Croatia. Book online today with the world's biggest online car rental service. 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. Since you wont have a car on the island of Hvar (if I understood well), you can travel from Hvar Town, and Stari Grad. My Husband and I shall be travelling to Croatia next week for the first time . To recap on this one, Croatia is probably one of the easiest countries with the most rewarding views to drive through in Europe! Car Hire Croatia - Book Cheap Car Rental Croatia | Rhino Dinka imunovia 2A, 21000, Split, Croatia? The minimum driving age in Croatia is 18. There are many others throughout the country, but those are the ones with the heftiest toll fees. A bit concerned about the large damage deposits charged to our credit card. I`m trying to find a car rental company that allows border crossings to as many Balkan countries as possible. It can come in handy in big towns, like Zagreb, Split, or Dubrovnik. The major rental car companies in Europe are Avis, Hertz, Budget, Europcar, and Sixt. Most have offices in the larger Croatian towns and at airports. So if you only plan on passing through Neum in order to reach Dubrovnik, you don't need to pay a cross-border fee. However, car rental in many places is still surprisingly cheap. Every car company has different rules when it comes to cross-country car hire, and they approach every rental individually.