Croatia
Car hire in Split
Split sits halfway down the coast and is the handiest place to start: Makarska is an hour to the south, Zadar under two hours to the north, and the island ferries leave from the city itself. The airport is at Kaštela, 6 km from Trogir. The one local catch is the old town: from 15 June to 15 September tourist cars are restricted there.
from €20 per day
- SPU airport, next to Trogir
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A live catalogue with prices and availability for your dates. The rental contract and payment are handled directly with the rental company at pick-up.
Collecting a car at Split airport and in town
Split airport (SPU) is at Kaštela, near Resnik: about 25 km from Split, half an hour without traffic and up to an hour in summer. Trogir is only 6 km from the terminal, so many people stay there and never drive into Split at all. Cars are handed over at the airport, at offices, at the port or delivered to your address.
In summer the choice in Split shrinks faster than elsewhere: automatics run out two to three weeks before your dates. Collect the car here and drop it off in Dubrovnik, and you can drive the coast without doubling back.
Parking in Split: zones and prices
Zone 1 covers the centre and the Riva: two hours at most, around €2–3 an hour. Zone 2 rings it, and Zone 3 covers residential areas, where some spaces are for residents only. Garages near the centre cost from €4 an hour in summer. Enforcement is strictest around Đardin park and Zagrebačka street.
In summer car parks in the centre and by the beaches are full by 8:00. Parking is free by the Poljud stadium and at shopping centres, and in the evening 2–3 km from the old town. You pay at the meter, by text (Croatian numbers only) or in the Split Parking app. Do not drive into the old town between 15 June and 15 September: leave the car in the car parks on its edge.
Day trips from Split
Trogir is about 30 km, 35–40 minutes; parking by the entrance is paid, and a compact car makes life easier there. Klis fortress is about 12 km away and Omiš about 25 km along the D8, with some sharp bends. To the south is Makarska: 62 km, an hour to an hour and a quarter past Brela and Baška Voda.
Krka National Park is about an hour and a quarter up the A1, and in summer you will want good air conditioning. Zadar is 155–159 km, an hour and 45 to 50 minutes on the A1. The Plitvice Lakes are two and a half to three hours away, better done with an overnight stop.
Can I take a hire car on the ferry to Brač or Hvar?
Ferries run from Split to Brač, Hvar and other islands, but standard rental contracts do not allow the car on a ferry. If an island is on your list, say so before you book: support will find a car that is allowed to make the crossing.
In summer, book the car’s place on the ferry from Split in advance. On the islands the popular car parks fill up by 10 or 11 in the morning, so take the first sailing.
Traffic and journey times
The city jams from 7:00 to 8:30 and from 17:00 to 19:00; in summer add the beach rush from 9:00 to 11:00 and back from 16:00 to 18:00, and there is nearly always a queue by the ferry terminal. On the coast, set off before 8:00 or after 18:00. Terms for the whole country, including licences and deposits, are on the car hire in Croatia page.
Prices by class
A guide “from” price, built up from the lowest nationwide rate: from €20 a day in winter, from €33–35 in summer. The company works out the final sum for your dates when you book.
Economy
2–4 people, town and coast
from€20per day
Compact and estate
4–5 people, suitcases and the A1 motorway
from€24per day
Crossover
Biokovo, Lika, Pelješac — engine from 1.4 litres
from€30per day
7-seat minivan
families with luggage; a tall one may fall into toll class II
from€40per day
Premium and convertible
Istria and Dalmatia in comfort
executive saloons and convertibles
from€55per day
By city
Common questions
How far is Split airport from the city?
About 25 km: half an hour without traffic, up to an hour in summer. Trogir is only 6 km from the airport — if you are staying there, you need not go into Split at all.
Can I drive into Split old town?
From 15 June to 15 September tourist cars are restricted. Leave the car in the car parks on the edge of the centre and walk in.
How much is parking in central Split?
On the streets of Zone 1, around €2–3 an hour, for two hours at most. Garages near the centre cost from €4 an hour in summer. It is free by the Poljud stadium and at shopping centres.
Can I take a hire car on the ferry to Brač or Hvar?
Only if the company allows it. Standard contracts rule out ferries, so mention the island trip before you book and you will be offered a car that can make the crossing.
How far ahead should I book a car in Split for summer?
At least two to three weeks, ideally four to six: automatics run out first here. September is almost as busy as July and August.
How long is the drive from Split to Krka and Zadar?
To Krka National Park, about an hour and a quarter on the A1. To Zadar, 155–159 km, an hour and 45 to 50 minutes.
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