Car Hire from Split Train Station

EU/EEA driving licences are accepted directly in Croatia. If your licence is from outside the EU, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is required alongside your national licence — the IDP alone isn't sufficient. An IDP can be obtained from your national automobile association before departure. Driving licence translations are only necessary for non-Latin script licences.

Croatia uses a closed toll system on its motorways (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A10, A11, and the Zagreb bypass). You collect a ticket at entry and pay at exit by cash (EUR/HRK) or card. Renting an electronic tag (ENC) costs approximately 25 HRK/day and lets you use dedicated fast lanes — worthwhile if you're doing long distances, but for a short city break the queues at manual lanes aren't prohibitive.

Parking in Split is notoriously limited, especially during summer (June–August). The Old Town area has very few public spaces. Main car parks include: Bačvice (approx. 1.5 km from centre, ~40 HRK/hour in season), Srinine (west side, ~25 HRK/hour), and the City Park garage near the ferry terminal (~35 HRK/hour). Street parking in the wider city costs 2–8 HRK/hour depending on zone. Arrive early morning or late afternoon to secure a spot; afternoon queues for Bačvice can exceed 30 minutes in July–August.

The minimum age to rent a car in Croatia is 21, though many rental companies require 23 for larger vehicles or full insurance coverage. Drivers aged 21–24 typically pay a young driver surcharge of 100–150 HRK per day (approximately €13–20/day). Some premium insurers waive this surcharge, so check your policy. Drivers over 70 years old may encounter senior driver restrictions at some agencies — confirm before booking.

Petrol (benzin) and diesel (dizel) are widely available. Most rental cars in Croatia run on petrol. Diesel is generally cheaper per litre (approximately 10–15% less than petrol). Nearly all fuel stations accept credit cards. Most rental firms operate a full-to-full fuel policy — you receive the car with a full tank and must return it full to avoid a refuelling charge at above-market rates (typically charged at 1.5–2× the pump price).

Summer brings extremely heavy traffic on the A1 motorway towards Dubrovnik and on the coastal roads (D8/E65), particularly around Omiš and the Makarska Riviera — weekend congestion can add 1–2 hours to journey times. In winter (December–February), mountain passes towards Split's hinterland (towards Dinara, Biokovo) can experience ice and snow, and winter tyres may be required — check rental car specifications. Spring fog is common on the A1 in early morning hours. Always carry your rental agreement and documents; police checkpoints are frequent on main routes.