When you encounter Rijeka Airport you’ll discover one of those unusual travel quirks – whereby the airport isn’t actually located in or just outside Rijeka and in fact, it’s not even on the mainland! The airport is located near Omisalj on the island of Krk, about 17km away from the centre of Rijeka. If that all sounds rather complicated, don’t fear – it’s easy to get to and from Rijeka airport!
The island of Krk is connected to the mainland by bridge, so whatever why you decide to transfer from the airport, you won’t be at the mercy of a ferry (or ferry queues).
About Rijeka Airport
If you’ve flown through Rijeka Airport, you’ll know it’s not really anything to shout about. It’s one of Croatia’s smallest international airports, and also one of the least used coastal airports – it only receives about 200,000 passengers a year compared to Dubrovnik, Split and Zagreb Airports which receive millions of passengers per year.
Incidentally, if you’re trying to reach this part of Croatia but can’t find any suitable flights from your home destination to Rijeka, consider flying instead to Pula Airport (about 130km away) or Zagreb Airport (190km away) instead. There are even direct buses from Zagreb Airport to Rijeka (see the Pleso Prijevoz website for details).
Car Hire Companies at Rijeka Airport
There are a small number of car hire companies at Rijeka Airport, including Enterprise Avis and Sixt, and Croatian companies Carpe Diem Rentacar and Active Car Rental. These companies all have desks inside the terminal building.
Getting to and from Rijeka Airport and Rijeka
By bus
There is a shuttle bus service, timed to coincide with flight arrivals, that takes you from the airport via the town of Omisalj on Krk and Kraljevica on the mainland to the small bus station in central Rijeka (on Jelacic Square, by the harbourfront). The bus costs €9.50 one way to Rijeka and you need to book a seat on the shuttle bus ahead of time by emailing information@rijeka-airport.hr. (Likewise if you are making the journey in the opposite direction.)
By Taxi
You can hire a taxi outside of the main terminal building to take you to Rijeka. A taxi to the city centre should cost about €30.
Getting to and from Rijeka Airport and the rest of Krk
As we’ve mentioned, Rijeka Airport is located close to the town of Omisalj on the island of Krk. The above-mentioned airport shuttle bus will take you to Omisalj. From here you can then transfer to other locations on the island such as Krk Town, Valbiska and Baska. You can look up bus schedules on the website of Rijeka-based operator Arriva, one of the largest bus companies in Croatia.
Getting to and from Rijeka Airport to elsewhere in Croatia
If you’re planning on travelling by public transport, we would recommend that you make the short transfer from Rijeka Airport to Rijeka, and then change here to make your onward journey. This will most likely be by bus, and there are regular connections to many Croatian towns and cities in the general Kvarner region, Istria, to Zagreb and places such as Zadar, Split and even Dubrovnik. Again, check timetables on the Arriva website.