Hope this message finds you well. I am contacting you since I am planning to travel to Croatia in July. Preparing for the trip, I am planning to visit the islands. The idea is to travel from Split to Brac, from there to Hvar, from Hvar to Korcula and follow to Orebic in order to finish in Dubrovnik.
Looking for the ferry lines I am not sure if travelling by car will be possible, visiting all the islands using ferries between them.
Could you please help me with this? It will be great to have the ferry line company connections. I see a lot of catamarans but not sure about the car.
Regarding the option of leaving the car in Split, and then using catamarans for foot passenger transportation, so it is possible for us to do: Split – Brac – Hvar – Korcula – Dubrovnik, using foot passenger catamarans? If yes, that seems a great alternative.
When visiting the islands, do you know if it is an extended option to hire a motorbike, quad or similar on each island? That will help us to have more mobility. We did something similar in Greece and if yes, that’s everything solved.
Thanks in advance for your time.
U.
Yes, what you have found is correct – there are very, very few car ferries that travel from island to island, making island hopping in Croatia by car a little tricky. For the region you’re visiting, you can see what car ferries exist on this Jadrolinija map (the car ferries being shown in blue), the company that operates them.
If you were using foot-passenger only catamarans then yes, you would be able to hop Split – Brac – Hvar – Korcula – Dubrovnik.
If you do want to visit the different islands you mention with a car, you will almost always have to return to the mainland after each island e.g. Split to Supetar on Brac, then back to Split; then Split to Stari Grad on Hvar, then either back to Split to go to Vela Luka on Korcula OR drive to eastern Hvar (Sucuraj) to take the ferry to Drvenik and then drive down the coast and up the Peljesac Peninsula to get the car ferry from Orebic to Korcula.
It obviously depends how much time you have for your trip overall as to whether you’d mind this extra travel time (going back to the mainland after each island).
(Note: the above regarding car ferries has been the case for the past few years, it is nothing to do with the coronavirus pandemic.)
From this year, it is now possible to make a booking for a car ferry for a particular time (before you were not guaranteed a time on the day of travel) for some car ferry routes. However, in peak summer, it is still advisable to get to the port 60 minutes before departure time.
So I would suggest to you to consider how much exploring by car you wish to do on each island – do you really need a car for all of them? Perhaps you could visit some islands on a day (or two) trip from Split / another island by catamaran and leave your car behind? Or not rent a car initially, do some day (or two) trips and then return to Split and rent a car for the second half/part of your trip?
Yes, you can definitely do Split – Brac – Hvar – Korcula – Dubrovnik by catamaran. Jadrolinija basically does this exact line – timetable here.
Alternatively, Kapetan Luka has a catamaran that sails Split – Milna (Brac) – Hvar Town – Korcula Town – Pomena (Mljet) – Dubrovnik, timetable here. Additionally, they also have another catamaran that sails Split – Bol (Brac) – Makarska – Korcula Town – Sobra (Mljet) – Dubrovnik, timetable here.
You can of course use the different catamarans AND utilise others too – for example, Jadrolinija have another Split – Bol catamaran (timetable here) that you may prefer to use for that portion of your journey, maybe it departs at a slightly better time for you.
There is no “flexi-ticket”, “hop-on/hop-off ticket” for these long-range catamarans or similar – you will need to buy tickets for each leg that you do. So this is why it does not matter if you e.g. do Split to Bol to Hvar with Jadrolinija, then Hvar to Korcula with Kapetan Luka, then Korcula to Dubrovnik with Jadrolinija again.
What I would suggest is that you go on both companies’ websites and look up timetables via their ‘book tickets’ facility and then see what catamarans are the most suitable for you.
Just to confuse matters a bit more 🙂 there is also a company called TP Line that operates a Korcula – Dubrovnik catamaran in July and August that you could also use. (Timetable here.)
To answer your other questions – yes, you would definitely be able to hire (more likely) a moped, bike or even a small car on each island to explore for a few hours/a day. Some locations would offer a quad bike e.g. this company on Brac.
Enjoy your island adventures in Croatia!
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/island-hopping-by-car.jpg539800annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2021-04-30 11:21:142021-05-12 19:55:10Travel Question: Island-Hopping in Croatia by Car
Now that we are in spring 2021, we thought we would start a new post on the rate of coronavirus cases in Croatia, as well as the new restrictions in the country – or rather (fingers crossed!), the lifting of them and any other relevant news.
Latest update Today, 11th May 2021, 876 new cases have been announced. There are presently 7,745 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (1,979 active cases), followed by Zagreb county (848 active cases) and then Primorje-Gorski Kotar (712 active cases). Sadly, there have been 7,549 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 7th May 2021, 1,435 new cases have been announced. There are presently 11,265 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (2,839 active cases), followed by Zagreb county (1,269 active cases) and then Split-Dalmatia county (1,077 active cases). Sadly, there have been 7,388 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 29th April 2021, 2,439 new cases have been announced. There are presently 14,878 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,273 active cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (1,751 active cases) and then Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (1,630 active cases). Sadly, there have been 7,001 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 23rd April 2021, 2,529 new cases have been announced. There are presently 16,168 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,456 active cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,110 active cases) and then Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (1,935 active cases). Sadly, there have been 6,784 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 19th April 2021, 410 new cases have been announced. There are presently 13,812 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (2,961 active cases), followed by Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (1,932 active cases) and then Split-Dalmatia county (1,842 active cases). Sadly, there have been 6,601 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 14th April 2021, 3,099 new cases have been announced. There are presently 13,880 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (2,998 active cases), followed by Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (2,154 active cases) and then Split-Dalmatia county (1,992 active cases). Sadly, there have been 6,399 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 1st April 2021, 2,422 new cases have been announced. There are presently 12,448 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (2,454 active cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,229 active cases), and then the City of Zagreb (2,135 cases). Sadly, there have been 5,967 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 24th March 2021, 1,891 new cases have been announced. There are presently 7,600 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (1,607 active cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (1,326 active cases), and then the City of Zagreb (1,206 cases). Sadly, there have been 5,828 deaths in total in Croatia. There has been a 32% increase in cases in one week.
Updated Today, 16th March 2021, 691 new cases have been announced. There are presently 4,475 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (848 active cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (738 active cases), and then the City of Zagreb (644 cases). Sadly, there have been 5,697 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 10th March 2021, 962 new cases have been announced. There are presently 3,981 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in Split-Dalmatia county (716 active cases), followed by Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (586 active cases) and then the City of Zagreb (513 cases). Sadly, there have been 5,625 deaths in total in Croatia. This presents about a 25% increase on the number of cases from last week.
Updated Today, 2nd March 2021, 394 new cases have been announced. There are presently 2,893 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in Split-Dalmatia county (489 active cases), followed by the City of Zagreb (391 cases) and Dubrovnik-Neretva county (304 active cases). Sadly, there have been 5,548 deaths in total in Croatia. There was a definite downward trend in coronavirus cases in Croatia up to about mid-February, although since then there has been a slight increase.
News and data on coronavirus Cases in Croatia
The Koronavirus.hr website (in English) publishes daily updates about new case numbers in the country at around 10.30am (Croatian time) each day. That same website also displays a map that shows active cases by county, as well as the total number of cases since the pandemic began.
To compare Croatia’s figures to the rest of the EU, take a look at the website of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). This website shows the 14-day cumulative number of cases per 100,000 for all EU countries.
Coronavirus vaccinations in Croatia
Latest update As of 8th May, 835,320 people in Croatia have received the first vaccine dose, and 243,440 have received both doses. This means that 25% of the adult population of Croatia has received the first dose, with 6% having received both doses. You can see the rate of vaccination in Croatia compared to other European countries on the Our World in Health website.
Updated As of 7th May, 796,909 people in Croatia have received the first vaccine dose, and 228,792 have received both doses.
Updated As of 23rd April, 438,706 people in Croatia have received the first vaccine dose, and 152,906 have received both doses. (A further 2,360 have received the vaccination, but it unknown which dose this was.)
Updated As of 19th April, 412,143 people in Croatia have received the first vaccine dose, and 139,647 have received both doses. (A further 2,093 have received the vaccination, but it unknown which dose this was.)
Updated As of 1st April, 296,411 people in Croatia have received the first vaccine dose, and 89,313 have received both doses. (A further 1,462 have received the vaccination, but it unknown which dose this was.)
Updated As of 21st March, 232,000 people in Croatia have received the first vaccine dose, and 79,000 have received both doses.
As of 1st March 2021, just over 150,000 people in Croatia have received the first dose of a vaccine against coronavirus. There has been a delay in people receiving the vaccine due to supply (as with other countries in the EU).
Current Restrictions in Croatia
The current coronavirus restrictions in Croatia that must be adhered to:
Latest update As of 1st April, due to the increasing number of cases, some additional restrictions have been introduced (further to the below):
Indoor sports training is banned (apart from for elite/professional athletes)
Kids indoor playrooms/studios are restricted
Split-Dalmatia and Sibenik-Knin counties only: Outdoor terraces of cafes/restaurants must close at 8pm each day
Split-Dalmatia and Sibenik-Knin counties only: Face masks must be worn in outdoor spaces with high foot traffic flow e.g. markets
The main regulations you must adhere to in Croatia are:
Face masks must be worn in all indoor spaces
Face masks must be worn outdoors in situations where social distancing cannot be maintained (and it is recommended that face masks be worn anyway in outdoor situations)
You must wear face masks in commercial indoor spaces e.g. shops
You must wear face masks on all forms of public transport (buses, ferries, catamarans, trains, trams, taxis)
As of 1st March 2021, cafes can open their outdoor terraces to serve customers – tables must be 3m apart and chairs must be 1.5m apart; there are limits on customer numbers
Otherwise, restaurants and cafes can offer delivery 24 hours a day
Sale of alcohol is banned between the hours of 10pm and 6am
Hotel restaurants can remain open only to serve hotel guests
Public gatherings are limited to a maximum of 25 people
Public transport – including inter-city transport – must limit passengers to 40% of capacity
As of 15th February 2021, gyms and fitness centres reopened
Cinemas, theatres, museums and galleries are allowed to remain open, with limits to visitor numbers per sq. m.
Latest update As of 1st April 2021, new border regulations have been introduced.
The main regulations (which you can see on the Ministry of the Interior website), state that unless you are travelling from a green zone with the EU (as shown on the ECDC Map), you can enter Croatia if you have one of the following:
a negative PCR or rapid antigen test result undertaken in the previous 48 hours (at the point of entry); if you have presented a negative rapid antigen test result and are staying in Croatia for longer than 10 days, you must repeat the test within 10 days from the date of your first test
a vaccination certificate showing you have received the second dose of a vaccine more than 14 days before entry into Croatia (or a vaccination certificate showing you have received a single dose – in the case of single-dose vaccines – more than 14 days before entry into Croatia)
a certificate showing you have previously been infected with covid and had a positive PCR or rapid antigen test result in the previous 180 days only (and valid from on the 11th day after your positive test result)
if you don’t have one of the above, you must obtain a PCR or rapid antigen test immediately after arriving in Croatia (at your own expense) and to isolate until you obtain a negative test result – if do not do this, you must isolate for 10 days
If you are lucky enough to be travelling from a green zone in the EU, you do not need to present/do any of the above when entering Croatia.
The above applies to EU/EEA nationals and non-EU nationals if they are travelling from the EU/EEA. HOWEVER, according to the Ministry of the Interior, third-country nationals (which UK citizens now are!) can visit if you are:
travelling for tourist reasons and have a certificate of paid accommodation in a hotel, camp, private renter or rented vessel and other forms of tourist accommodation
Which covers most visitors to Croatia!
These restrictions mean that anyone travelling from an EU/EEA country (regardless of citizenship) must present proof at the border of a negative covid PCR test taken in the previous 48 hours unless you are travelling from a green region/country (as shown on the ECDC Map). If you are an EU/EEA citizen travelling from another country, you must also show proof of a negative covid PCR test taken in the previous 48 hours to enter Croatia. In either case, if you cannot show proof of a negative test, you must isolate in Croatia for 10 days. Non-EU/EEA citizens are not currently permitted to enter the country, although there are exceptions in all cases.
There are some exceptions to the above rules (eg. healthcare works do not need to present a negative test etc). To see all regulations regarding entry into Croatia, take a look at the Ministry of the Interior website.
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/coronavirus-cases-in-croatia.jpg533800annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2021-03-02 22:03:132021-05-11 12:15:44Coronavirus Cases in Croatia – Spring 2021 Update
There appears to be light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic. As well as vaccination programmes taking place at a swift pace in many countries around the world, now that we are in spring, countries are also planning for the end of lockdowns and the lifting of restrictions. But the big question on everyone’s lips is – will (foreign) holidays be possible this summer? Certainly after the 12 months plus that everyone’s gone through, a pleasant, relaxing and warm summer holiday would fit the bill for many people. (This is especially true for those that have had a really tough time of it, either with illness or as key workers.) So, is it possible to visit Croatia in summer 2021?
Here, we’ll bring together the latest information – updated regularly – about visiting Croatia in summer 2021, with flight and holiday news, travel and local restrictions (and the lifting of these) and more.
Travel Restrictions in Summer 2021
There are two parts to this story – restrictions on foreign travel by your own country, and restrictions in place for Croatia.
For example, as it stands for the UK, holidays abroad should be allowed from 17th May. (See Covid: When can I go on holiday in the UK or travel abroad?, BBC News, 23rd February 2021) But it is unknown at the moment what and if any kind of quarantine will be required when returning to the UK.
Latest update The UK is indeed allowing people to travel abroad for holidays from 17th May. The UK has also announced which countries are on its green light travel list…and Croatia is not presently one of them. That means that anyone travelling to Croatia for a holiday would need to self-isolate for 10 days at home on their return. (It is possible to “test to release” on day 5 of your return.)
Updated The UK is now suggesting that people can think about booking summer holidays. The earliest date that people could travel abroad is the 17th May. There is to be a traffic light system with countries designed as green, amber and red; the different colours indicate what UK travellers will need to do (not isolate, isolate at home, or isolate in a hotel) upon returning home. The first list of countries and the ‘traffic light’ that they will be is to be announced on 10th May.
Border Entry Regulations for Croatia
Latest update New regulations on entering Croatia were introduced as of 1st April.
a negative PCR or rapid antigen test result undertaken in the previous 48 hours (at the point of entry); if you have presented a negative rapid antigen test result and are staying in Croatia for longer than 10 days, you must repeat the test within 10 days from the date of your first test
a vaccination certificate showing you have received the second dose of a vaccine more than 14 days before entry into Croatia (or a vaccination certificate showing you have received a single dose – in the case of single-dose vaccines – more than 14 days before entry into Croatia)
a certificate showing you have previously been infected with covid and had a positive PCR or rapid antigen test result in the previous 180 days only (and valid from on the 11th day after your positive test result)
if you don’t have one of the above, you must obtain a PCR or rapid antigen test immediately after arriving in Croatia (at your own expense) and to isolate until you obtain a negative test result – if do not do this, you must isolate for 10 days
However, if you are travelling from a green zone in the EU (as shown on the ECDC Map), you do not need to present/do any of the above when entering Croatia.
The above applies to EU/EEA nationals and non-EU nationals if they are travelling from the EU/EEA. HOWEVER, according to the Ministry of the Interior, third-country nationals (which UK citizens now are!) can visit if you are:
travelling for tourist reasons and have a certificate of paid accommodation in a hotel, camp, private renter or rented vessel and other forms of tourist accommodation
Updated A meeting between the Croatian Minister of Tourism and Sports, Nikolina Brnjac, and the British Ambassador to Croatia, Andrew Dalgleish, saw Ms Brnjac state that Croatia “would be ready to receive tourists from the UK as soon as epidemiological rules in their home country allow it”. (See: When can I visit Croatia? Latest news as the country promises to welcome Britons by May, Daily Telegraph, 19th March 2021) This would suggest UK citizens could visit Croatia from 17th May.
Will any kind of ‘vaccination passport’ be in place for Croatia? There has not been any firm confirmation on this either way, but it is thought that Croatia is reluctant to introduce this. (Again, to encourage holidaymakers to visit.)
Updated The EU – of which Croatia is, of course, a member – looks set to introduce digital travel certificates for its citizens this summer. The UK is still considering whether or not to do the same.
Local Restrictions in Croatia
At present, there are still quite stringent local restrictions in place in Croatia – see the list on our Coronavirus Situation in Croatia page.
Flights to Croatia Summer 2021
The vast majority of flights from the UK & Ireland to Croatia that usually operate each year are planned to do so again for summer 2021. The start of the operating timetable for some routes has been pushed back – e.g. instead of flights starting at the end of March/early April, they will do so in May/June. This is to be expected, really, as foreign travel in spring and Easter time – normally a popular time of year to go away – is not yet permitted. (Foreign travel from the UK is expected to be allowed from 17th May.)
Newest updateDelta has also announced a brand transatlantic route for summer 2021, from New York-JFK Airport to Dubrovnik. The route will start on 2nd July, operating four times a week (on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays). With United’s flights below, this now means Dubrovnik will be connected to New York with 7 flights a week this summer!
UpdatedUnited has announced a brand new transatlantic route for summer 2021, from New York-Newark Airport direct to Dubrovnik. Flights will commence on 8th July, operating three times a week (on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays) until 3rd October.
UpdatedRyanair has announced new routes for summer 2021 – from Liverpool, Newcastle and Edinburgh to Zadar. (They will also have a new, daily route from London Stansted to Zagreb from 1st September.)
For flights from further afield…there’s bad news, unfortunately. Although more and more transcontinental routes direct to Croatia – from the Middle East, Asia and North America – emerged, pre-pandemic, the majority have been cancelled for 2021. We hope to see them resume in future.
Croatia Travel Updates
Here is some information related to travelling to or in Croatia that visitors may find helpful for summer 2021.
Updated Croatia is to subsidise (by 50%) the cost of covid tests for tourists and those who need to get tested once in the country. Additionally, in Zagreb, special testing centres have been set up for visitors – you can find more info on the Zagreb Tourist Board website.
UpdatedJadrolinija has announced that passengers can make changes to their tickets on international sailings (Ancona – Zadar, Ancona – Split and Bari – Dubrovnik) for free up to one day before the sailing date. Tickets can be rebooked onto another sailing within the next 12 months.
UpdatedJadrolinija has also announced that those who purchase tickets on certain car ferry lines now WILL have a guaranteed reservation at a particular time – even in summer. (Previously, a ticket did not guarantee a sailing time on the date booked, and travellers still needed to queue up at the port several hours beforehand.) You can see the full list of lines this applies to on Jadrolinija‘s website; in summer, you do still need to be at the port 60 minutes prior to departure.
Booking Holidays to Croatia for Summer 2021
Many tour operators and holiday companies seem to be operating “full steam ahead” when it comes to selling holidays for summer 2021 – for Croatia, and elsewhere! That’s understandable from their perspective, but we would always advise making sure you have comprehensive travel insurance in place should you need to re-arrange or cancel your holiday. (Either due to illness or due to changes in rules on travelling.)
Other Info
If you’re visiting Croatia in summer 2021 from the UK, make sure you check out our advice on Visiting Croatia Post Brexit to see what changes there now are seeing as the UK has left the EU!
Happy travels for 2021, everyone, and do keep safe!
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/visiting-croatia-summer-2021.jpg533800annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2021-02-23 17:24:112021-05-11 13:40:05Visiting Croatia in Summer 2021
We are here – over four and a half years after Britain voted to leave the EU, the country is finally, officially, no-going-back-now, doing it. (Well, it actually officially left in January 2020 but what with the transition period to the end of the year, there wasn’t much of a difference.) But what does Britain leaving the EU mean for Brits travelling to Croatia in 2021? Here we’ll a look at the changes to visiting Croatia post Brexit.
Entering Croatia Post Brexit
Updated Due to covid restrictions, as of 13th January 2021, anyone travelling from the UK to Croatia must present proof of a negative covid test at the border AND self-isolate for 14 days.
The most significant change – albeit a temporary one – is that British travellers may actually be banned from entering the EU after 1st January 2021. This is of course due to coronavirus restrictions in place preventing travellers from outside the bloc travelling to it, apart from a few countries with low coronavirus rates. However, a last-minute exemption for Brits may be decided by the powers that be – keep an eye out for news of this.
Croatia, at present, has slightly different covid-related border regulations. The country has allowed non-EU travellers into the country for the whole of 2020. (Obviously, normal visa regulations do apply.)
As of 30th November 2020, it requires all travellers entering the country (even Croatian citizens) to show proof of a negative PCR covid test that is not older than 48 hours. The exception to this is anyone travelling from a green region or country (as denoted by the ECDC map) within the EU. (At present, there are no green regions!)
So this appears to mean that UK visitors will still be able to travel to Croatia post Brexit after 1st January 2021 but British travellers will definitely need to show proof of a negative PCR covid test at the border when entering. And this is likely to be the case for some time.
If you are not able to show proof of a negative covid PCR test when entering Croatia, you will be allowed to enter but would then need to have yourself tested in Croatia (at your own expense) and self-isolate until you can show proof of a negative test result.
Immigration/Passport Control
Don’t forget that when you’re entering Croatia or any other EU country, British travellers can no longer use the EU/EEA queue at passport control. 🙁
EU Visa Waiver
The EU will be introducing its own visa waiver programme (much the same as the one for visiting the U.S.) in 2022. Named ETIAS – European Travel Information and Authorisation System – British travellers will need to apply for this visa waiver before visiting Croatia and the EU once the system is up and running.
Passports
From 1st January 2021, British travellers will need to have six months left on their passports when travelling to the EU, Croatia included. Do make sure that your passport is not due to expire in the next six months if you’re travelling to Croatia/the EU.
You passport does also need to have been issued within the last ten years.
Length of stay in Croatia
When visiting the EU post Brexit, British travellers will only be able to stay for 90 days in any 180 day period in the Schengen Zone.
This is very relevant in the case of Croatia as – although, of course, the country is part of the EU – it is not yet part of the Schengen Zone. (Although is inching ever closer to joining!) But just like for the Schengen Zone, British travellers will be permitted to spend 90 days in any 180 day period in Croatia.
That means, as it stands, British travellers could spend 90 days in Croatia and then still spend another 90 days in the Schengen Zone. And, technically, you could then return to Croatia for another 90 days, and then back to the Schengen Zone for another 90 days…
Driving in Croatia Post Brexit
Driving Licenses
Updated You now do not need to hold an International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive in Croatia or the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Lichtenstein. You can confirm this on the GOV.UK website.
British travellers will be required to obtain an International Driving Permit in order to hire a car in the EU, including in Croatia. These can be easily obtained from your local Post Office and cost £5.50.
Green Card
You will need to obtain a ‘green card’ from your motor insurer if you are intending to visit Croatia with your own vehicle. This green card shows that you have the minimum level of motor insurance for your vehicle.
The border between Slovenia and Croatia
EHICs and Travel Insurance
Updated EHICs remain valid until their expiry date. So if yours is still valid, you can still ‘use’ it when visiting the EU.
Updated Global Health Insurance Cards (GHICs) will replace EHICs for UK citizens. If you EHIC has already expired (or you don’t have one), you can apply for a GHIC on the NHS website.
From 1st January 2021, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will no longer be valid for British travellers to Croatia and the rest of the EU.
Please make sure you obtain appropriate travel insurance (which you should really have been doing anyway) before travelling to Croatia.
Data roaming
British travellers may no longer enjoy free data roaming in the EU from 1st January 2021. *sound of thousands of Instagrammers crying*
However, you should really contact your mobile phone provider to find out what charges (if any) are applicable for phone and data use for you in the EU from 1st January 2021.
Customs Restrictions
When returning from Croatia, an EU country, to the UK you are now limited as to the amount of goods you can bring back. There is a limit on personal goods worth £390, as well as additional limits on alcohol and tobacco. You can see these limits on the GOV.UK website. Any amount above these allowances must be declared.
Travelling with Pets
Those traveling with pets to Croatia or the EU need to obtain an animal health certificate (instead of a pet passport) before heading off. You can find out more information on this on the GOV.UK website.
More Information on Visiting the EU and Croatia Post Brexit
The British government has its own guide to Visiting Europe from 1 January 2021. Take a look there to find out more information on travelling to the EU, or if you’re a British national living in the EU.
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/croatia-post-brexit-1.jpg532800annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2020-12-11 12:52:492021-03-12 19:10:38Visiting Croatia Post Brexit in 2021
Here we are, already in November 2020 now in 2021, and it seems that the coronavirus pandemic that many hoped would be over or more manageable by summer has certainly reached its second wave – and how. Many countries in Europe and beyond are experiencing huge leaps in daily case numbers and are undergoing new measures, be that lockdowns or more. We wrote up a post in March 2020 about the coronavirus situation in Croatia (as well as advice for Visiting Croatia in Summer 2020, based on covid-related travel restrictions). However, rather than continue to update those older posts, we feel it’s now wiser to write another piece based on the situation in Croatia today. We will continue to update this post regularly.
Latest update Today, 25th February 2021, 544 new cases have been announced. There are presently 2,933 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in Split-Dalmatia county (542 cases), followed by the City of Zagreb (475 cases) and Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (240 active cases). Sadly, there have been 5,489 deaths in total in Croatia. Although there was a downward trend in case numbers until about a week ago, the past few days have seen a bit of a jump again.
Updated Today, 16th February 2021, 274 new cases have been announced. There are presently 1,959 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in Split-Dalmatia county (354 cases), followed by the City of Zagreb (291 cases) and Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (196 active cases). Sadly, there have been 5,357 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 9th February 2021, 283 new cases have been announced. There are presently 2,329 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in Split-Dalmatia county (505 cases), followed by the City of Zagreb (307 cases) and Zagreb county (231 active cases). Sadly, there have been 5,224 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 25th January 2021, 134 new cases have been announced. There are presently 2,519 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in Split-Dalmatia county (425 cases), followed by the City of Zagreb (338 cases) and Zagreb county (308 active cases). Sadly, there have been 4,859 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 8th January 2021, 1,098 new cases have been announced. There are presently 5,794 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in Split-Dalmatia county (862 cases), followed by the City of Zagreb (743 cases) and Zagreb county (672 active cases). Sadly, there have been 4,304 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 4th January 2021, 361 new cases have been announced. There are presently 5,899 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in Split-Dalmatia county (922 cases), followed by the City of Zagreb (825 cases) and Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (715 active cases). Sadly, there have been 4,126 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Very unfortunately, Croatia suffered its second major earthquake of the year on 29th December 2020. A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck near the town of Petrinja, about 50km south of Zagreb. A number of foreshocks and aftershocks also took place in the days before and after. Seven people died in this earthquake, and a number of people were also injured. About half of the buildings in Petrinija were destroyed, and the houses and buildings in the local villages were also destroyed or very badly damaged. If you would like to donate money to those affected by the earthquake, please see the information on the Croatian Red Cross website.
Updated On 27th December 2020, Croatia started its covid vaccination programme. The first person to be vaccinated was an 81-year-old care home resident in Zagreb named Branka Anicic.
Updated Today, 18th December 2020, 3,272 new cases have been announced. There are presently 21,297 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (2,965 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,392 active cases) and Zagreb county (2,378 active cases). Sadly, there have been 3,023 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 15th December 2020, 2,360 new cases have been announced. There are presently 21,861 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,092 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,441 active cases) and Zagreb county (2,197 active cases). Sadly, there have been 2,778 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 11th December 2020, 4,396 new cases have been announced. There are presently 25,006 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,657 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,638 active cases) and Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (2,321 active cases). Sadly, there have been 2,484 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 8th December 2020, 2,613 new cases have been announced. There are presently 21,685 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,408 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,632 active cases) and Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (1,970 active cases). Sadly there have been 2,298 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 2nd December 2020, 3,539 new cases have been announced. There are presently 22,610 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,119 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,759 active cases) and Varazdin county (1,750 active cases). Sadly there have been 1,916 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 27th November 2020, 4,080 new cases have been announced – another new record. (Beating the previous day’s record of 4,009 new cases.) There are presently 22,408 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,799 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,652 active cases) and Varazdin county (1,795 active cases). Sadly there have been 1,600 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 24th November 2020, 1,973 new cases have been announced. There are presently 19,275 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,775 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,088 active cases) and Varazdin county (1,605 active cases). Sadly there have been 1,398 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 20th November 2020, 2,958 new cases have been announced. There are presently 18,193 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,481 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,155 active cases) and Varazdin county (1,567 active cases). Sadly there have been 1,257 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 16th November 2020, 1,313 new cases have been announced. There are presently 15,699 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,098 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (1,765 active cases) and Varazdin county (1,498 active cases). Sadly there have been 1,082 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated Today, 10th November 2020, 1,467 new cases have been announced. There are presently 14,524 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,021 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (1,520 active cases) and Varazdin county (1,428 active cases). Sadly there have been 865 deaths in total in Croatia.
Updated The last few weeks (from mid-October onwards) in Croatia have seen huge jumps in daily new case numbers, with records on case numbers being frequently broken. It is not uncommon for there to be more than 2,500 new cases announced in any one day. In fact, today, 6th November 2020, 2,890 new cases have been announced – a record. (Beating the previous day’s record.) That means that there are presently 15,567 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,594 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (1,888 active cases) and Varazdin county (1,232 active cases). Sadly there have been 717 deaths in total in Croatia.
Where to find the latest news and data
All stats related to cases can be found on the Koronavirus.hr website (in English); the map on that site shows active cases by county. The CroatiaCovidInfo website also shows active cases per 100,000 by region and maps out hotspots (or not).
The main regulations you must adhere to in Croatia are:
Face masks must be worn in all indoor spaces, including catering establishments (cafes, restaurants etc), except when you are seated
Face masks must be worn outdoors in situations where social distancing cannot be maintained (and it is recommended that face masks be worn anyway in outdoor situations)
You must wear face masks in commercial indoor spaces e.g. shops
You must wear face masks on all forms of public transport (buses, ferries, catamarans, trains, trams, taxis)
If you are an EU/EEA citizen, you are allowed to enter and visit Croatia without restriction BUT updated you must present proof of a negative covid PCR test not older than 48 hours unless you are travelling from a green region/country (as shown on the ECDC Map). For others, you must have a specific reason for visiting Croatia (and touristic is considered to be a valid reason – but you must be able to show proof of paid accommodation) as well as showing proof of a negative covid PCR test that is not older than 48 hours at the point of entry. All regulations regarding entry into Croatia can be found on the Ministry of the Interior website.
Other regulations
Other regulations that are currently required in Croatia (although these may not affect all visitors to the country) include:
Newest update As of 1st March 2021, outdoor terraces of catering facilities (cafes, restaurants) are permitted to reopen to serve customers. These establishments can operate from 6am to 10pm each day, with a 3m gap between tables and 1.5m between chairs. Patrons can only go inside (wearing a mask) to go to the toilet.
Updated As of 15th February 2021, some restrictions in Croatia have been lifted. Cafes are able to sell food and drinks to go, although outdoor terraces remain closed and patrons must not congregate and consume their purchases outside venues. Gyms and fitness centres are allowed to reopen (with strict epidemiological measures in place). Casinos (and similar) are allowed to reopen although can only do so until 10pm each day. Children’s playrooms have been allowed to reopen. These are all in force until 28th February.
Updated Covid regulations in Croatia as mentioned below (e.g. the closure of cafes and restaurants, restrictions of numbers of people gathering together, reduced shop opening hours and so on) have been extended until 31st January 2021.
Updated As of 22nd December 2020 (until 8th January 2021), travel between Croatian counties will be severely restricted. Travel can only be undertaken by obtaining a special pass. Movement will be allowed (without a pass) between the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County (considered one ‘county’ for this purpose).
Updated There are additional regulations that shops must adhere to, which come into effect from 12th December 2020. These regulations place restrictions on the number of people that can be in a shop at any one time – for example, shops up to 10 sq. m. in size can only have one customer in at a time; shops of 11 to 100 sq. m. in size must provide 10 sq. m. for every customer. These regulations are in place until 10th January 2021.
Updated Anyone found not wearing a mask where it is compulsory may be fined 500 Kunas.
Updated As of 30th November 2020, everyone entering Croatia must produce proof of a negative covid PCR test that has been undertaken in the previous 48 hours. This includes Croatian citizens. The only exceptions are anyone travelling from a green region/country from within the EU/the Schengen Zone. (Regardless of your citizenship.) As of writing today, there are no green zones – you can see where there may be any green zones on this ECDC Map. If you cannot present proof of a negative covid PCR test at the point of entry, you will be able to obtain a PCR test in Croatia and must self-isolate until you receive a negative result. You can find more details of this on the Croatian Tourist Board website and the Ministry of the Interior website.
Updated Further new restrictions are as follows:
Restaurants and cafes must close although restaurants can offer delivery 24 hours a day
Sale of alcohol continues to be banned between the hours of 10pm and 6am
Hotel restaurants can remain open only to serve hotel guests
Wedding ceremonies cannot take place
Public gatherings are limited to a maximum of 25 people
Public transport – including inter-city transport – must limit passengers to 40% of capacity
Increased supervision of shops to ensure the number of customers on the premises is in line with regulations
Gyms are allowed to operate but must provide 10 sq. m. per customer
Cinemas, theatres, museums and galleries are allowed to remain open, with limits to visitor numbers per sq. m.
Updated as of 22/11/20 The below regulations have been further updated, the additional restrictions now include:
Nightclubs, night bars, casinos and similar are not permitted to open
A maximum of 15 people can attend weddings
A maximum of 25 people can attend funerals
A maximum of 10 people can attend other private ceremonies
Alcohol cannot be sold between the hours of 10pm and 6am
Shops and catering facilities that are permitted to open must clearly display the maximum number of people that can be in the premises at any one time
Shops must take on additional measures at expected busy times (holidays) to ensure more customers do not stay in the premises at the same time
Previous restrictions:
Alcohol is not allowed to be sold between the hours of midnight and 6am
Sports events cannot have any spectators
Public events or gatherings with more than 50 people are banned
A maximum of 30 people can attend weddings
A maximum of 30 people can attend funerals
A maximum of 15 people can attend other private ceremonies
Coronavirus Testing in Croatia
Should you be in Croatia and need to take a covid test, you can find a list of testing centres on the Koronavirus website. That page also details how to book a test at these centres.
Updated You can now also see a map of testing centres (including others not listed on the site above) at koronatestiranje.com/en. This map also details which centres can be booked in advance (and how to do so) as well as prices.
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/adam-niescioruk-Z9arfr0f248-unsplash.jpg7501000annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2020-11-06 13:17:552021-02-26 20:19:37Coronavirus Situation in Croatia – Autumn Update
As we’re sure you’ve heard, yesterday Croatia was taken off the UK’s travel corridor’s list. (Others may refer to it as Croatia being taken off the ‘green list’ or being placed on the ‘red list’). This means that anyone that returns to Croatia after 4am on Saturday 22nd August will need to quarantine for 14 days.
Why has this happened? Unfortunately, there has been a sharp increase in the numbers of new coronavirus cases in Croatia over the last week or so. After the initial wave in March/April, cases tumbled to hardly anything – sometimes 1 or 2 per day, sometimes even zero. From the end of June onwards, cases starting increasing again (as with many other European countries) although they generally stayed around the 50-100 per day mark. Then, suddenly, from 13th August and over the last week, there are been upwards of 150-200 cases per day. Yesterday, 20th August, saw a new record of 255 new cases announced.
As ever, you can see daily updates on coronavirus case numbers in Croatia on the Koronavirus.hr website (in English). This will also show you where in the country (by county) the active cases currently are.
We talk about case numbers because it is this that the UK government track when taking countries off their travel corridors list. Or rather, the 14-day cumulative number of cases per 100,000. It is thought that any country with a figure of over 20 for this cumulative number gets taken off the list. As of yesterday, Croatia had a figure of 41.7. And so, Croatia was taken off the UK’s travel corridor’s list.
By comparison, yesterday France was on 46.3, the Netherlands was on 46.8 and Spain on 138.7. (These three countries have all recently been taken off the travel corridors list too.) The UK is on 20.9. You can see these figures on the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) website.
Can I still travel to Croatia?
Yes, of course you can. The main issue is that after Saturday, you will need to quarantine for 14 days when you return back home to the UK. For some of you – who are perhaps working from home anyway – this may not be much of an imposition.
Do check how the UK’s announcement affects your travel insurance, however, should you need to use it. But do also remember that until the end of 2020, UK citizens can still use their EHIC cards for emergency treatment in Croatia (a EU country). See more on this on our Safety and Healthcare in Croatia page.
Help! How do I get home from Croatia now?!
If you’re in Croatia at the moment and need to get home…pronto…you do have a few options although unfortunately all are likely to be expensive, and many will already have been booked up.
Nevertheless, the following airlines all have scheduled direct flights from Croatia to the UK on Fridays:
British Airways – flights from Zagreb, Pula and Dubrovnik to London Heathrow; Split to London City
Croatia Airlines – flights from Zagreb to London Heathrow and Split to London Gatwick
Easyjet – flights from Split to London Gatwick and London Luton; Dubrovnik to London Stansted, Bristol
You may also find some of these airlines are able to offer you flights back to the UK via a stopover. It is also worth looking on a website such as Skyscanner for other connections you may not be aware of!
If you are in Istria, you may consider travelling by bus over to Trieste or Venice and then getting a flight from these cities back to the UK. Those in Zagreb/the north of the country could travel by train or bus to Slovenia or Austria to fly home from there.
If you are in Croatia and wish to return today, we do wish you luck in getting home.
Will Croatia be put back on the travel corridors list at some point?
Well, at the same as Croatia being taken off the list yesterday, Portugal was placed on it. So this does show that countries can be put on the list if their situation improves. We hope this to be the case with Croatia, but whether this will happen in time for the rest of this season (which includes September and October)…it’s difficult to say.
Certainly, case numbers will have to reduce considerably and for a sustained period for this to happen, and we’re not sure there’s enough time for this to happen. We do of course for it to happen.
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/croatia-cavtat-dimitry-anikin.jpg7501000annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2020-08-21 11:04:082020-09-18 12:32:03Croatia taken off the UK’s travel corridors list
We’ve been tracking news related to the coronavirus pandemic and Croatia since the country entered its lockdown March, but now we enter a new phase. Croatia has eased lockdown, is recording very few (or no) new cases each day and is now allowing foreign visitors from certain countries to enter once more. But what does this all mean in a practical sense, if you’re planning on visiting Croatia in summer 2020?
Updated Since 13th August, case numbers in Croatia have been on the rise again – unfortunately – with around 150-200 new cases announced each day (and a record 219 on 19th August). Announcements can be seen on the koronavirus.hr website (data is released at 1pm, UK time, every day). The Croatia Covid Info website also shows where there are hotspots (or not) around the country. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) also shows the 14-day cumulative number of cases per 100,000 for European countries.
Updated In the last few weeks, the numbers of new cases per day have been in the range of 50-110 (sometimes fewer, sometimes more).
Updated Croatia has seen a further spike in numbers of new cases in late June and early July. As such, further regulations have been introduced – face masks are now mandatory in all indoor spaces from 13th July and as of 10th July anyone that’s not a EU/EEA/UK citizen or EU long-term resident needs to present a negative covid test that is not older than 48 hours if they wish to enter the country for tourism (or other) reasons.
Updated From 18th June, Croatia has unfortunately seen an increase in the number of new cases recorded each day. After a three week period of hardly any new cases (often zero or one new instance; at most 3), on 18th June 11 new cases were recorded followed by 19, 18, 19, 30 and 22 on the subsequent days. Some new measures have been introduced as a result – the requirement of face masks on public transport, for example.
Croatia has also been easing out of lockdown in the first part of May. Over successive weeks, shops (aside from essential ones, such as supermarkets) and services could reopen, public transport has resumed in towns/cities, and inter-county/city transport has been allowed to restart.
Croatia has dealt with the outbreak very well indeed – enforcing a lockdown earlier than other nations (the UK, for example) and with travel within the country very limited during this time, for example. As of 26th May, there have only been 2,244 cases overall with, sadly, 101 deaths in the country. For the second day in a row, no new cases have been recorded; in the last four days, there has been only one new case. Additionally, there are currently only 97 active coronavirus cases across the whole of Croatia.
Can I visit Croatia in summer 2020?
There are two parts to this question, really.
The first part is – can I enter Croatia?
The second part is – can I reach Croatia?
Can I enter Croatia?
Newest update As of 4am on Saturday 22nd August, anyone returning to the UK from Croatia will have to quarantine for 14 days. Croatia has been taken off the UK’s ‘travel corridors list‘.
Newest update As of midnight on 21st August, Croatia has been placed on the ‘red list’ of countries for Slovenia. All travellers returning to Slovenia from Croatia will need to quarantine.
Updated Austria has placed Croatia on its ‘high-risk’ country list. As of 17th August, visitors to Croatia returning back home to Austria will need to either show a current negative covid test, or get tested within 48 hours.
Updated As of 11/12th August, visitors to Croatia who return back home to Finland will need to quarantine. Visitors returning back to Italy will need to either show proof of a negative covid test (not older than 72 hours) or take a test within 48 hours of entering Croatia.
Updated As of 10th July, anyone not a citizen/resident of a EU/EEA/UK country wishing to travel to Croatia for tourism reasons needs to present proof of a negative covid test (undertaken in the previous 48 hours) when entering the country. If this is not presented when entering Croatia, you will need to self-quarantine for 14 days. You can see more information on this on the Ministry of the Interior website.
Updated Today, 10th July, British visitors to Croatia will not have to quarantine when returning back home to the UK. This applies to English, Welsh, Northern Irish AND Scottish visitors. (Although technically these countries draw up their own lists of safe countries, Croatia is on the safe list for all of them.)
Updated On 3rd July, the UK government published what it calls its “travel corridors: countries and territories exemption list” for English travellers. Croatia is on this list meaning that any English holidaymakers travelling to Croatia won’t need to quarantine on arriving back to England. This comes into effect from 10th July.
Updated As of 1st July, all EU/EEA citizens can enter Croatia freely, without the need for accommodation booking. (Although, we assume most are visiting for a holiday!) It is still advisable to enter your details onto the Enter Croatia website prior to arrival.
Updated Additionally, the EU drawn up a list of 15 countries from where visitors can also enter. This list is to be review every two weeks. Countries on this list include Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea. You can see the full list here.
Yes, you can…providing you follow certain rules as displayed on the government Koronavirus.hr website. For most visitors, the very last point on that page is most valid. This states that anyone that is an EU/EEA citizen that has confirmation of an accommodation booking in Croatia can enter. (No longer required for EU/EEA citizens and citizens of some other countries – see paragraphs above.) Examples of confirmation include:
Confirmation of accommodation booking of all accommodation service providers / all types of accommodation
Camp lease contract
Permanent berth contract in a nautical tourism port
Confirmation of berth reservation in a nautical tourism port
You can also see the advice on the UK Foreign Office website, stating the UK citizens are allowed to enter Croatia.
It is possible to submit details of your accommodation booking prior to visiting online via entercroatia.mup.hr. This should speed up border checks when you arrive in Croatia.
There are also other conditions of entry that may allow you to enter Croatia – if you own a property in the country, for example. Do read all of the conditions on Koronavirus.hr.
If you have any questions regarding entry to Croatia, you can fill in a enquiry form on the Ministry of the Interior’s website.
Furthermore, as of 28th May 2020, citizens of ten EU nations are now not subject to the above mentioned conditions of entry, and can freely enter the country. (In the same way as before the coronavirus pandemic.) These ten nations are the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, Germany and Slovakia. However, all will still have to follow the recommendations of the Croatian Institute of Public Health.
There is now a new Re-open EU website – an official EU site, no less – that helpfully puts together all travel, services and health and safety restrictions/recommendations for all the EU nations. Taking a look at their Croatia page is a helpful place to start gathering information before visiting the country.
Can I reach Croatia?
Many of Croatia’s visitors each year – in any ‘normal’ year – reach Croatia by car for their summer holidays. If you’re in a neighbouring/nearby country then it’s relatively straightforward for you to jump in your car and head down right now. And that’s definitely one of the ‘safest’ options in terms of social distancing and minimising interaction with others.
If you’re travelling from further afield, then you’ll likely have to rely on flying. At present, only Croatia Airlines are operating international flights connecting Zagreb with other cities in Europe. They fly twice daily to Frankfurt and return, and once to Amsterdam and return. From 1st June, they will also resume flying to Copenhagen and return, and to Zurich and return from 8th June.
UpdatedJadrolinija‘s ferry route connecting Ancona in Italy with Zadar has been converted into a catamaran route for this summer. Sailing time is a zippy 4 hours. The timetable can be found here.
UpdatedAdriatic Lines (also connecting Istria with Venice) have also cancelled all of their sailings for 2020.
UpdatedVenezia Lines (connecting Venice with Porec, Rovinj, Pula, Umag and Pira in Slovenia) have cancelled all of their sailings for 2020.
UpdatedJadrolinija‘s Ancona – Zadar ferry route will resume from 20th July.
UpdatedCroatia Airlines have announced the resumption of additional routes connecting Croatia with a number of other European cities. You can see their timetable here.
Updated From the week beginning 22nd June, Croatia Airlines also plan to restart their routes from Zagreb to Frankfurt (2x/day), Zurich (daily, some days 2x/day), and to Rome via Split (3x/week). Additionally, they will also restart some routes this week from Split – to Frankfurt (2x/week), Dusseldorf (1x/week), Berlin (1x/week), Munich (2x/week) and Zurich (2x/week).
Updated From the week beginning 15th June, Croatia Airlines also plan to restart their routes to Munich (3x/week), Sarajevo (3x/week), London Heathrow (2x/week), Dublin (3x/week), Rome (via Split, 3x/week), Brussels (4/x week) and Vienna (2x/week).
Newest update As of 4am on Saturday 22nd August, anyone returning to the UK from Croatia will have to quarantine for 14 days. Croatia has been taken off the UK’s ‘travel corridors list‘.
UpdatedJust one (more) route to restart for summer 2020 – Jet2 from Edinburgh to Dubrovnik (from 19th August).
UpdatedFlights restarting from weeks beginning 3rd/10th August – British Airways from London Heathrow to Pula (from 1st Aug) and London City to Split (1st Aug); Easyjet from London Luton to Dubrovnik (from 1st Aug); London Stansted to Split (1st Aug) and Dubrovnik (9th Aug); London Southend to Pula (2nd Aug); Bristol to Pula (1st Aug) and Dubrovnik (2nd Aug); Liverpool to Pula (2nd Aug); Glasgow to Split (2nd Aug); Belfast to Split (1st Aug) and Dubrovnik (2nd Aug).
UpdatedFlights restarting from week beginning 13th July – British Airways from London Gatwick to Dubrovnik (from 16th July) and Jet2 from London Stansted to Split (from 19th July) and Dubrovnik (18th July); Birmingham to Pula (19th July), Split (15th July) and Dubrovnik (18th July); East Midlands to Split (19th July); Manchester to Pula (16th July), Split (18th July) and Dubrovnik (16th July); Newcastle to Dubrovnik (19th July); Leeds Bradford to Pula (19th July) and Split (18th July). Phew!
UpdatedTUI have cancelled their flights to Croatia from the UK for summer 2020.
UpdatedFlights restarting week beginning 6th July – British Airways from London Heathrow to Zagreb and Split (both from 9th July); Ryanair from London Stansted to Rijeka (from 6th July) and Pula (9th July); and Croatia Airlines from London Heathrow to Split (11th July).
UpdatedFlights restarting week beginning 29th June – Easyjet, London Luton to Split (daily from 1st July); Ryanair to Dubrovnik (Wedensdays and Sundays from 1st July) and to Split (Tuesdays and Saturdays from 4th July).
UpdatedCroatia Airlines will resume its route from London Heathrow to Split from the week beginning 6th July. This route will fly once a week, on Saturdays.
UpdatedFrom the week beginning Monday, 15th June, three routes from the UK & Ireland to Croatia restarted – Croatia Airlines‘s routes from London Heathrow and Dublin to Zagreb, and Wizzair‘s route from London Luton to Split.
UpdatedTUI have also pushed back the start date of their flights to Croatia. Due to restart from 1st July onwards, their flights will now start 7, 10 or 14 days later in July depending on the route
UpdatedTUI have also pushed back the start date of their flights to Croatia. Due to restart from 1st July onwards, their flights will now start 7, 10 or 14 days later in July depending on the route
UpdatedJet2 were due to start their routes (including those to Croatia) from 1st July onwards. This has now been pushed back by two weeks, and flights are now due to restart from 15th July onwards.
UpdatedWizzair are also set to be one of the first airlines reconnecting the UK and Croatia by air, and direct to the coast no less. They will restart their London Luton to Split route on 15th June, flying three times a week until the end of the month, then five times a week until 19th July and then daily from 20th July to 9th September.
UpdatedCroatia Airlines will recommence flying from London to Zagreb and Dublin to Zagreb on the week beginning 15th June. They will operate the first route twice a week, the second three times a week.
There’s no concrete answer to this at the moment, but it appears unlikely to be before July for most airlines.
British Airways‘ London Heathrow to Zagreb route is bookable once again from 1st July, as is their long-running London Gatwick to Dubrovnik route.
Some Easyjet routes to Croatia are likewise also bookable from July.
Ryanair‘s routes from Dublin to both Split and Dubrovnik are also bookable from July. Routes from the UK to Croatia (to Zadar) are not being offered at all, however.
Flights may be bookable from July, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that these flights will operate. So much could still change but, hopefully, they will restart.
Don’t forget that the UK is planning to introduce a 14-day quarantine for all international arrivals from 8th June – Updated: NOW IN EFFECT, see here for more details. At present, the only country exempt from this rule is Ireland. So you could possibly go on holiday from the UK and be required to self-isolate for 14 days on your return. However, there is still a suggestion that ‘air bridges’ with certain countries could be created. No longer applies for Croatia as of 10th July.
Essentially, it’s still a case of ‘watch this space’ to see what will happen with flight routes and UK government regulations.
Do I have to enter a 14-day quarantine upon entering Croatia?
UpdatedAs of 10th July, anyone that is not a citizen/long-term resident of an EU/EEA country or a UK citizen WILL need to self-isolate for 14 days when entering Croatia UNLESS they present proof of a negative covid test undertaken in the previous 48 hours. See more on the Ministry of the Interior website.
For EU/EEA/UK visitors, no, you do not. On entering Croatia, “border police officers will provide you with a leaflet containing instructions and recommendations issued by the Croatian Institute of Public Health which you have to comply with in the following 14 days”.
You can see what these instructions and recommendations are here.
If I’m visiting Croatia in summer 2020, what can I do?
Newest updateAs of 14th July, all nightclubs, cafes, bars (and similar venues that would be allowed to open for 24 hours) will have restricted hours and will not be allowed to be open past midnight.
As per the easing of lockdown in mid May, restaurants and cafes are permitted to open. Obviously those on coastal resorts that normally cater to visitors may have delayed their opening until they have more guests.
More and more hotels are reopening to welcome the increasing numbers of tourists (both domestic and foreign) that are now starting to travel to the coast. (Hotels weren’t required to close during the outbreak, but obviously many did due to low guest numbers.) The “majority of hotels” are expected to be open by June. (Source)
Many of Croatian’s popular sights are open or reopening. For example, national and nature parks reopened on 11th May, the Arena in Pula reopened on 25th May; more such attractions are sure to reopen too (if not already opened).
One thing that definitely won’t be happening this summer is any sort of music festival. Almost all the festivals in Croatia due to take place this summer in places such as Zrce Beach, Tisno, Zagreb, Split and elsewhere have been postponed to 2021.
Mandatory Regulations in Croatia
The main regulations you must adhere once you are in Croatia are:
New Face masks must be worn in all indoor spaces, including catering establishments (cafes, restaurants etc), except when you are seated
New Face masks must be worn outdoors in situations where social distancing cannot be maintained (and it is recommended that face masks be worn anyway in outdoor situations)
You must wear face masks in commercial indoor spaces e.g. shops
You must wear face masks on all forms of public transport (buses, ferries, catamarans, trains, trams, taxis)
Recommendations
If you would like to see recommendations for Croatia (which are not mandatory), there is a list on the website of the Croatian Institute of Public Health.
Covid Testing Centres
The Koronavirus.hr website now has a list of testing centres – plus prices – around Croatia; you can see it here.
Travelling Around Croatia in Summer 2020
Inter-county/city transport in Croatia was allowed to resume on 11th May 2020, and a number of bus and train lines restarted on that day.
UpdatedAs of 25th June, face masks must be warn by everyone using public transport (which includes taxis).
Ferry and Catamaran Services
Kapetan Luka will restart their catamaran services connecting Split, Hvar and Korcula on 1st August. They will restart their popular coastal catamaran service connecting Split and Dubrovnik (and Milna on Brac, Hvar Town, Korcula Town and Pomena on Mljet) on 6th July. Their other coastal catamaran (Split – Bol – Makarska – Korcula – Sobra – Dubrovnik) has been cancelled for 2020.
Jadrolinija‘s coastal catamaran between Split and Dubrovnik (and Bol on Brac, Hvar Town and Korcula Town) is due to restart on 3rd July. (Updated: Unfortunately, this route has been cancelled for 2020.) Their Split – Hvar services will also restart that day. The majority of the rest of their services are already running.
Catamaran Line‘s route connecting the port near Split Airport to the city has been postponed for the time being.
Flights
Croatia Airlines have resumed internal flights to Croatia on a limited schedule. At present, they operate Zagreb – Split – Zagreb and Zagreb – Dubrovnik – Zagreb flights twice daily. From 8th June, they will also operate the Zagreb – Zadar – Pula – Zadar – Zagreb network of flights once per day. Trade Air have also resumed some internal flights. You can see more details on our Flights in Croatia page.
Trains
Many train routes in Croatia have resumed. You can see details of some services that presently do not run on the Croatian Railways website.
Should I be visiting Croatia in summer 2020?
We’re still in May (at the time of writing) and there’s still so many unknowns with regards to international travel this summer. Whilst I’m sure many of you may be itching for a break (myself included!) I would say it’s still a little early to be considering booking a holiday to Croatia…there’s still enough time to wait and see how things develop. On the other hand, perhaps you’ve got an existing booking for later this summer? All being well, you may be able to take up that holiday.
Things, at the moment, are looking promising – and you may well be visiting Croatia in summer 2020.
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/visiting-croatia-in-2020-copy-compressor.jpg6671000annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2020-05-26 21:12:172021-01-05 15:20:51Visiting Croatia in Summer 2020
The world’s a very strange place at the moment due to the Coronavirus outbreak. It doesn’t seem like anyone is unaffected by the virus – whether you’ve actually fallen ill yourself, are under quarantine or self-isolation, have had travel (or other) plans cancelled or are perhaps merely inundated with the latest news on the virus coming in every day. For those that are interested in how the outbreak is affecting Croatia – perhaps you’ve had a holiday booked to the country for later this year – we thought we’d bring together some of the latest information on coronavirus in Croatia. We will also take at some of the best sources for tracking the latest news on how the virus is affecting the country.
Update We obviously haven’t been updating these coronavirus statistics that much over the past few months, so it’s about time we did. As with many other countries, case numbers have risen and fallen over the weeks and months and at the moment things seem to be rising again in Croatia. During the week beginning 5th October 2020, there were new record daily case totals posted – the most being on 8th October when 542 new cases were announced. As of today, 12th October 2020, there are presently 2,712 active cases in the country. Sadly, there have been 327 deaths. Most cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (781 active cases), Split-Dalmatia county (270 active cases), followed by Osijek-Baranja county (199 active cases). All stats related to cases can be found on the Koronavirus.hr website (in English) which now also shows active cases by county. The CroatiaCovidInfo website also shows active cases per 100,000 by region and maps out hotspots (or not).
Updated Since our last update, new cases have remained relatively stable (between 50 to 100 each day), with active cases falling…until 13th August when cases rose sharply again. On that day, a record 180 new cases were recored, which was surpassed the following day when 208 new cases were announced. Since then, around 150-200 (or just over) new cases have been announced each day. As of 19th August, there have been 7,074 coronavirus cases recorded in total in Croatia with 219 new cases (a new record) announced today. There are presently 1,520 active cases in the country. Sadly, there have been 168 deaths. The majority of active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (389 cases), Split-Dalmatia county (363 cases), followed by Osijek-Baranja county (90 cases).
Updated As of 29th July, there have been 4,993 coronavirus cases recorded in total in Croatia with 71 new cases announced today. There are presently 753 active cases in the country. Sadly, 141 people have died. The majority of active cases are in Vukovar-Srijem county (178 cases), the city of Zagreb (133 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (112 cases).
Update As of 21st July, there have been 4,422 coronavirus cases recorded in total in Croatia with 49 new cases announced today. There are presently 1,150 active cases in the country. Sadly, 123 people have died. The majority of active cases are in the city of Zagreb (259 cases), followed by Vukovar-Srijem county (158 cases) and Osijek-Baranja county (142). (These two counties are in eastern Croatia, by the border with Serbia.)
Updated As of 13th July, there have been 3,775 coronavirus cases recorded in total in Croatia with 53 new cases announced today. There are presently 1,142 active cases in the country. Sadly, 119 people have died. Unfortunately, Croatia achieved a record number of new cases in one day on 10th July – 116 – which was then beaten the following day when 140 new cases were recorded. The majority of active cases are in the city of Zagreb (363 cases), followed by Osijek-Baranja county (175) and then Split-Dalmatia county (96). All stats related to cases can be found on the Koronavirus.hr website (in English) which now also shows active cases by county.
Updated In the last week or so, there has unfortunately been an increase in cases in Croatia. (As you can see, we in fact stopped updating as for several weeks there were often zero or only one new case a day.) As of 1st July, there have been 2,831 coronavirus cases recorded in Croatia, with 54 new cases today. In total, there have sadly been 108 deaths. There are currently 568 active cases in Croatia, whilst 2,155 people in the country have recovered.
Updated As of 5th June, there have been 2,247 coronavirus cases recorded in Croatia. In total, there have sadly been 103 deaths. As you can see since the last update ten days ago, there have been only three new cases but two more deaths.. There are currently only 31 active cases in Croatia, which means 2,113 people in the country have recovered.
Updated As of 27th May, there have been 2,244 coronavirus cases recorded in Croatia. In total, there have sadly been 101 deaths. 2,047 people across Croatia have recovered. For the third day in a row there have been no new recorded cases; in the last five days, there has been only one new case of coronavirus in Croatia. There are currently 96 active cases in Croatia.
Updated As of 21st May, there have been 2,237 coronavirus cases recorded in Croatia. In total, there have sadly been 97 deaths. 1,978 people across Croatia have recovered.
Updated As of 19th May, there have been 2,232 coronavirus cases recorded in Croatia. In total, there have sadly been 96 deaths. 1,967 people across Croatia have recovered.
Updated As of 15th May, there have been 2,222 coronavirus cases recorded in Croatia. In total, there have sadly been 95 deaths. 1,869 people across Croatia have recovered. Today, 15th May, only one new case in the whole of Croatia was reported.
Updated As of 10th May, there have been 2,196 coronavirus cases recorded in Croatia. In total, there have sadly been 91 deaths. 1,784 people across Croatia have recovered.
Updated As of 7th May, there have been 2,125 coronavirus cases recorded in Croatia. In the last six days (2nd to 7th May inclusive), there have been 3, 8, 5, 11, 7 and 6 new cases announced on those six days – so you can really see that the number of new cases each day is really slowing down. In total, there have sadly been 86 deaths. 1,641 people across Croatia have recovered.
Updated As of 1st May, there have been 2,085 coronavirus cases recorded in Croatia. In the last five days (Monday 27th April to 1st May inclusive), there have been 9, 8, 15, 14 and 9 new cases announced on those five days – so new case numbers are now quite low. (The most ever announced in one day was 96 on 1st April.) In total, there have sadly been 75 deaths. 1,421 people across Croatia have recovered.
Updated As of 24th April, there have been 2,009 coronavirus cases recorded in Croatia. There have been, sadly, 51 deaths. The two most affected counties in Croatia continue to be the city of Zagreb (459 cases) and Split-Dalmatia (454 cases). The next most affected county is Krapina-Zagorje county with 130 cases. 982 people across Croatia have recovered.
Updated As of 20th April, there are 1,881 coronavirus cases in Croatia. There have been, sadly, 47 deaths. The two most affected counties in Croatia are still the city of Zagreb (450 cases) and Split-Dalmatia (409 cases). The next two most affected counties are Zagreb Country and Krapina-Zagorje county, which both have 124 cases. 771 people across Croatia have recovered. The rate of new infections in Croatia is certainly slowing down – there were only 10 new cases recorded since the day before.
Update As of 14th April, there are 1,650 coronavirus cases in Croatia. There have been, sadly, 31 deaths. The two most affected counties in Croatia – by far – are still the city of Zagreb (418 cases) and Split-Dalmatia (250 cases). Zagreb Country is still the third most affected county with 114 cases. 415 people (almost 200 more since our last update) across Croatia have recovered.
Updated As of 9th April, there are 1,407 coronavirus cases in Croatia with, sadly, 20 deaths. The two most affected counties in Croatia – by far – are still the city of Zagreb (382 cases) and Split-Dalmatia (246 cases). Zagreb Country (which is different to the city; it is the county that ‘surrounds’ the city) is now third with 102 cases. 219 people across Croatia have recovered.
Updated As of 6th April, there are 1,222 coronavirus cases in Croatia and, sadly, there have been 16 deaths. The two most affected counties in Croatia continue to be the city of Zagreb (346 cases) and Split-Dalmatia (181 cases); Krapina-Zagorje county (north of Zagreb) is now third with 80 cases. 130 people across Croatia have recovered.
Updated As of 2nd April, there are now 1,011 coronavirus cases in Croatia and there have been 7 deaths. Coronavirus cases now exist in all of Croatia’s counties; by far the most cases – 279 – have been in the city of Zagreb, followed by 143 in Split-Dalmatia county and 73 in Istria. 88 people across Croatia have recovered.
Updated As of 30th March, there are now 713 coronavirus cases in Croatia and 6 deaths. There are still 2 counties in Croatia – Virovitica-Podravina and Pozega-Slavonia (both towards the north-east of the country) – that have no cases recorded. 52 people have recovered.
Updated As of 27th March, there are now 551 coronavirus cases in Croatia and, sadly, 3 deaths. Cases are now present in all but 2 of Croatia’s 20 counties (see map on koronavirus.hr) for exact numbers. 37 people have recovered.
Updated As of 24th March, there are now 382 coronavirus cases in Croatia. Cases are present in all but 3 of Croatia’s 20 counties (see map on koronavirus.hr) for exact numbers. 16 people have recovered.
Updated As of 20th March, there are now 113 coronavirus cases in Croatia. There are now cases (at present, only 1 or 2) in the Dalmatian counties.
As of the latest update provided today, 16th March, there are 56 cases of coronavirus in Croatia – a rise of 7 on the previous day. These cases only exist in the city of Zagreb and the counties of Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Osijek-Baranja, Istria, Sisak-Moslavina, Varazdin, Zagreb (different to the city of Zagreb) and Karlovac. (You can see a map of the counties of Croatia here.) There have been no deaths so far.
There have not yet been any cases in counties such as Zadar, Sibenik-Knin, Split-Dalmatia and Dubrovnik-Neretva (which together make up Dalmatia) in which many of Croatia’s most popular destinations are located.
UpdateEasyjet have said they will resume some of their flights on 15th June 2020, although initially only (with a few exceptions) domestic flights in the UK and France.
UpdatedJet2.com plan to restart their flights on 17th June 2020.
UpdatedEasyjet is apparently advising its customers that it intends its holidays in June, July and August to go ahead.
UpdatedTUI appear to expect that their holidays can resume on 12th June 2020.
Updated Croatia Airlines has a page (updated daily) that shows all of their flight operating for that day and the following ones.
Updated Ryanair has said it expects its entire fleet to be grounded from today, 24th March 2020. It has also said that it does not expect to operating any flights during April and May, indicating that it presently expects to start operating again only in June.
Updated Easyjet have also said that they’re grounding most of their fleet from today, 24th March 2020.
Updated Jet2.com have suspended all their flights until 30th April. They plan to look at commencing their flights on 1st May.
UpdatedA number of flight routes from the UK to Croatia would normally start operating for the year at the end of March. We’ve updated our Flights to Croatia from the UK and Ireland page to show how some routes have been pushed back later. We suspect that there will be many more changes to this page to come over the next few weeks and months, so do keep checking back.
Updated Croatia has closed all of its borders as of 19th March, for a period of 30 days. Croats will be allowed to return home, and workers in certain sectors (e.g. healthcare workers, police officers) are exempt from this ruling. More details on this on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
Seeing as we’re a UK-based travel site, we’d absolutely suggest that you check the travel advice for Croatia from the Foreign Office first. As you will see, at present (since 12th March) Croatia is requiring all foreign nationals arriving from the UK to be placed in self-isolation for 14 days. This same requirement also applies to foreign nationals that have arrived from France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Austria, Netherlands, China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore and Iran, as well as a number of other countries. The full list can be seen here on the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
If you did have plans to travel to Croatia in the near future, we also suggest checking with the airline you’re booked with. Some airlines are allowing changes to bookings, free of charge:
Ryanair have cancelled a large number of flights – check online to see the status of your flight. If you were due to fly this month (March), then you can change your flight without incurring a change fee.
British Airways are allowed passengers to change their destination or date of travel (or both) for free for existing travel arrangements up until 31st May.
Croatia Airlines are allowing a change of date on tickets for travel up until 31st May and will not charge a fee
Just today (16/03/20), news has come through stating that Ryanair and Easyjet are grounding most of their fleets, whilst TUI is to suspend the ‘majority’ of its operations. These three airlines all have a significant number of routes to Croatia. It is not yet known for how long these measures will need to last.
Updated Croatia is to open its border for citizens of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Austria on 29th May.
Updated The Croatian National Tourist Board has now published a Q&A page detailing useful information for visitors.
Updated It is expected that, as of 27th May, new rules in Croatia will allow indoor gatherings of up to 100 people and outdoor gatherings of up to 300 people.
Updated Croatia Airlines has announced that from 25th May 2020, they will restart their Zagreb-Amsterdam-Zagreb route and also add a further daily flight to their Zagreb-Frankfurt-Zagreb route (so two daily flights to Frankfurt and back).
Updated Cafes and restaurants have been allowed to reopen in Croatia today, 11th May 2020. According to a government minister, about 50% of hospitality venues have reopened.
Updated Although cross-border travel in Europe is limited at present, the Croatian government have provided advice in English for foreign citizen and Croatian nationals entering Croatia, and what procedures they need to adhere to.
Updated The Plitvice Lakes National Park will reopen on Monday 11th May. Click on the link for details of opening hours and prices.
Updated Krka National Park (and other national and nature parks) is also to reopen on Monday 11th May. They will initially offer a special promotion price to visitors – tickets will cost 50 Kunas for adults and 25 Kunas for children.
Updated Intercity bus travel will resume on Monday 11th May. Getbybus have a very useful guide to some of the routes and companies that will start operating from that date.
Updated Croatia Airlines have released their initial timetable for domestic flights, which are to resume on 11th May. You can see details of this on our Flights in Croatia page.
Updated On 29th April, three tram routes in Zagreb commenced operation – lines 3 (on its normal route), 5 and 14 (on routes different to normal). You can see timetable/route details here on the Zagreb Transport website. The funicular in Zagreb also commenced operation again on 28th April, also passenger numbers for each journey are limited to enable social distancing.
Updated Train services in Croatia will resume on 11th May 2020.Here are details from the Croatian Railways website on which routes will (and will not) run from that date.
Updated On 23rd April, Croatia announced its plans to loosen coronavirus restrictions in three phases. Under the first phase, on 27th April 2020 local and suburban public transport will resume; catamaran lines for islands not connected to the mainland by ferry can restart; non-food shops and businesses can reopen (aside from those in shopping centres); locations such as libraries and galleries can reopen. On 4th May 2020, business services which require people to be in close contact with customers – such as hairdressers and beauty salons – can reopen. On 11th May 2020, inter-city (inter-county) transport and domestic flights will resume, gatherings of up to ten people can take place (with appropriate social distancing); national and nature parks can reopen; nurseries and schools for lower grades will reopen; outdoor terraces of cafes and restaurants can reopen; shopping centres can reopen.
Updated Despite city public transport being allowed to resume from 27th April, Zagreb will see only its bus routes resume – not trams. This is largely down to damage caused by the earthquake on 22nd March. (See information at the end of this page.)
Updated The Zadar – Ancona – Zadar ferry line is due to restart on 26th April 2020, as a freight only service to help the flow of goods between the two countries (and others close to Croatia). The reintroduction of this freight line is likely to help the reintroduction of the passenger ferry line when borders reopen.
Updated Dubrovnik Airport – due to reopen on 15th April – remains closed and may now potentially reopen on 2nd May 2020.
Updated As of 14th April, Croatia Airlines only appears to be running two flights daily – from Zagreb to Frankfurt and return.
Update If you’d like to read a run-down of all the early steps taken in Croatia to combat the spread of coronavirus, here‘s an interesting page on the government website (in English).
Updated All catamaran services in Croatia have been suspended and many, many ferry services have too. You can see which of the Jadrolinija services continue to run in this list here – this timetable is in effect from 24th March to 30th April 2020. In addition, only certain passenger types (e.g. islanders) can board ferries. You can see this info on Jadrolinija’s homepage.
Updated As of 23rd March 2020, Croats must remain in the town/city of residence.
Updated As of 23rd March 2020, long-distance car travel (which has already been limited to motorway journeys) has been prohibited.
Updated As of 22nd March 2020, all train services and intercity bus services have been suspended.
Updated There is now a new website from the Croatian government – Koronavirus.hr – which, although mostly only in Croatian, pulls together all sorts of information and news on coronavirus in Croatia. Perhaps of most interest to non-Croatian readers is the map at the top of the page showing the number of cases around the country – you can see an English version of it here: www.koronavirus.hr/en.
Updated Dubrovik Airport is closed until 29th March 2020.
The Croatian Government website does offer up some news in English – albeit brief – on a daily basis.
The news agency HINA has a relatively extensive section in English and often publishes a number of news articles daily on the virus in the country. However, again, these can sometimes be quite brief.
The Croatian Institute of Public Health does provide daily updates on coronavirus in Croatia. Unfortunately, that page is not in English but you can find it here if you’d like to take a look.
However, probably the best source of information in English is the Total Croatia News site which provides detailed, daily updates on the coronavirus situation in Croatia.
Advice if you’re a foreign visitor currently in Croatia
Updated As of 19th March 2020, is estimated that there are currently 4,600 foreign tourists in Croatia, making up around 7,500 tourists in total (when combined with domestic visitors). These tourists are mostly expected to be in Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik. Accommodation facilities can continue to operate, and can also continue to serve food to their guests (taking into account distancing rules).
There is some information to help visitors on the Croatian National Tourist Office website. They advise contacting your country’s embassy or consulate for assistance in returning back to your home country.
Earthquake in Zagreb
Sadly – in amongst all this chaos in Croatia and across the world – Zagreb was hit by an earthquake at 6.24am on Sunday 22nd March measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale. This was the strongest earthquake there for 140 years.
Sadly, one person lost their life and around 16 people were injured. There was also some damage to a number of buildings – including Zagreb’s cathedral, which saw the top of one of its spires break off. As you can imagine, the earthquake did cause some issues with residents that had been sheltering at home due to coronavirus now evacuating buildings and heading out on the streets, but people were allowed to return to their homes relatively quickly.
Everyone – please stay safe! We would absolutely recommend the advice given by your own country’s government – which may be different from other countries – is followed.
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/coronavirus-in-croatia-img.jpg11522048annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2020-03-16 16:25:022020-11-06 13:20:54Coronavirus in Croatia
Updated 28/08/19: Unfortunately, this service has stopped operation as of 20th August, despite the intention for it to run until the end of October. If you would like to transfer from the airport to Split via catamaran, there is this option which sails a couple of times a day from Split Airport to Split (as well as to Bol on Brac and Stari Grad on Hvar). Otherwise, there are regular airport transport buses. See our page on Getting to and from Split Airport for more details.
Although it’s always been relatively straightforward to transfer from Split Airport over the years (the airport transfer buses are certainly cheap, pretty quick and quite hassle-free), 2019 offers a new method of transport on this route. You’ll soon be able to transfer from Split Airport – or rather, the port close to it – to downtown Split by catamaran in only 20 minutes!
You could be in Split in just 20 minutes!
Starting on the 1st May this year, this Split Airport catamaran line – named Split Express – will operate eight times a day throughout that month (and throughout October too). From 1st June until 30th September, the catamaran will increase its frequency, operating ten times a day. You can see details of the sailings below:
Source: Agencija za obalni linijski pomorski promet
Source: Agencija za obalni linijski pomorski promet
Catamarans operate from the main port in Split and from the port in Kastel Stafilic, very close to Split Airport.
Journey time is only 20 minutes which of course is quicker than the bus. Another advantage is that Split Airport catamaran will take you right to the port in Split. (Although of course the bus station is right by the port as well, so it’s not too far to walk to catch a ferry or catamaran on somewhere else even if you take a transfer bus.)
The Split Express will be run by Split-based company Catamaran Line, and each catamaran will have a capacity for 150 passengers.
A one-way ticket will cost 99 Kunas (children 7 and under travel free), and can be purchased online from Catamaran Line or at the Riva Travel agency (Obala Lazareta 3) just off the Riva in Split.
By comparison, the airport transfer bus costs 40 Kuna. So the catamaran is more expensive but the journey time is less – and it’s certainly a more ‘exciting’ way of travelling in to the city.
This new Split Airport catamaran is a great addition to the summer season, and we have no doubt that it will help many travellers.
Happy transferring!
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/ten-days-in-croatia-split.jpg533800annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2019-04-04 15:00:402019-08-28 11:37:41New option for transferring from Split Airport – catamaran!
Note 2: Now that the end of the transition period has arrived and Britain is firmly out of the EU as of 1st January 2021, we have written an additional blogpost: Visit Croatia Post Brexit in 2021.
Note: Although we’re posting this on the 1st April, Brexit is not an April Fool’s. Sadly.
Ahh, Brexit. The 29th March 2019 has been and gone and the UK is still apparently in the EU. But somehow Brexit is still inching closer and closer (what date is it now…12th April? Goodie) and no one’s any the wiser with regards to what will happen with the UK. But there is some important information for travellers considering visiting Croatia after Brexit which we’ll lay out here. Whether any of this will actually come into effect and when (April? May? Never?!) we shall just have to see.
The information on this page is largely related to travellers visiting Croatia after Brexit. If you’re a British national residing in Croatia (or thinking about doing so), we’d suggest looking at the information provided on the GOV.UK website: Living in Croatia. If you live in Croatia and have any concerns, you may like to contact the British Embassy in Zagreb.
All of this information on this page relates to visiting Croatia as we’re an Croatian travel information website, of course. But Croatia is part of the EU, so (most of) this advice relates to visiting any other EU country as well.
Much of the information also depends on whether the UK leaves the EU with or without a deal. Really, it’s a waiting game as to what will happen.
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
Should the UK leave the EU on 12th April without a deal, EHIC cards will no longer be valid. If there is a deal, these cards are likely to still be valid over the next few years of transition. Beyond that, it is unclear whether UK citizens can use EHIC cards in Europe.
If you already have an EHIC card and are visiting Croatia this year, we would advise you to still take it along.
But most importantly, we would absolutely advise all travellers to arrange separate travel insurance for visiting Croatia in case any health issues arise.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal on 12th April, UK driving license holders will need to obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP) in order to drive in the EU (including Croatia).
An IDP is not a driving license, but a permit that can be used in addition to a British driving license. It is used in countries where using just a UK driving license is not sufficient. (Currently around 140 countries – not including the EU – require one for British drivers.)
An IDP can be easily obtained from the Post Office and costs just £5.50. If you’re planning on driving in Croatia this summer, we would recommend you obtain an IDP now (given the low cost), just to be on the safe side in case of a no deal Brexit.
Advice here actually differs for the EU and for Croatia – most of the EU is part of the Schengen Zone whereas Croatia (and Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus) are not (yet).
If travelling to the Schengen Zone after a possible no deal Brexit, you need to have at least 6 months left on your passport after arriving in that Schengen Zone country. That means if you currently have less than six months left on your passport, you need to renew your passport pretty much immediately.
However, for non-Schengen Zone EU countries – such as Croatia – this rule does not appear to apply. (Or rather, such countries can apply their own rules.) If you’re visiting Croatia after Brexit, it does not seem to be the case that you have to have six months left on your passport. The Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website does not state anything regarding this – only saying:
** Since Brexit talks are still ongoing, the public will be informed about possible changes to the entry terms and travel regime in regard to British citizens via media and the MFEA website in timely fashion.
Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website
Which is about as vague as Brexit itself. Essentially, keep your eyes peeled.
In future, although UK passport holders won’t require a visa to visit Croatia/the EU, they will need to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver. ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) is essentially the European version of an ESTA, the visa waiver programme for the United States.
When it comes into effect (in ‘early 2021’), it can be applied for online and will cost €7. It will be valid for three years.
These days, what’s a holiday without posting daily updates on Insta, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Linkedin, Myspace and MSN Messenger? #summerhols And we all know how picturesque and photo-perfect Croatia is, right? It’s just made for sharing.
Aside from a smartphone, what’s the next most important thing you need to achieve peak social media sharing? Data roaming…and lots of it.
Brits been lucky enough to get ‘free’ data roaming (plus calls and texts, of course) in the EU for a couple of years now. However, this will very likely change post Brexit – with or without a deal.
The current suggestion is that should the UK leave the EU with a deal, British holidaymakers could still enjoy free data roaming until the end of 2020 (or until the end of the transition period, if different).
However, if the UK leaves without a deal then it is down to individual mobile operators as to whether or not they start reintroducing charges for using a phone in the EU – and they could do so almost immediately.
You may like to contact your mobile phone network to see what they say with regards to this, particularly if you’re planning on visiting Croatia or the EU soon.
Even if there is a no deal, it is very unlikely that flights to or from Croatia would suddenly get cancelled the day after the UK leaves the EU. So if you have already bought flights to Croatia, or are thinking about it, we would say don’t worry in this regard – and look forward to your holiday!
If you have booked your flights and holiday to Croatia this summer, we’re (almost) sure that everything will be fine and that you’ll have an amazing time.
But, overall, we’re recommend paying close attention to the news to a) see the actual Brexit outcome and b) in case there are any announcements effecting travellers to the EU!
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/visiting-croatia-after-brexit.jpg522800annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2019-04-01 12:44:012021-01-28 15:11:24Visiting Croatia After Brexit
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