CORONA VIRUS - INFO FOR TRAVELLERS TO CROATIA
Is it safe to travel to Croatia?
Croatia is a safe destination and is open for tourists. The epidemiological situation is under control with fewer active cases than other Mediterranean destinations.
The Croatian Tourism Association (HUT) has created a useful interactive map with marked active Covid-19 cases that may be found here.
Please see below for more detailed information.
Croatian Citizens
Croatian citizens are allowed to return to the Republic of Croatia without any additional requirements or special measures.
EnterCroatia
The EnterCroatia online form allows visitors to enter all the necessary information and data prior to travelling to Croatia to ease border crossing upon entry. All travellers are advised to fill out the form before arrival.
EnterCroatia may be accessed here: https://entercroatia.mup.hr/
The online form includes the same data requests that would normally be provided at border control along with the simple presentation of a passport or identity document to a police officer at the border, the number or code from the identity card or passport is automatically linked to all pre-entered data so that the entire procedure of data entry at the border for each individual person in any given vehicle is reduced to a minimum and traffic flow is increased.
All visitors who fill out the online form will receive email instructions that will include epidemiological guidelines and information on the measures that are currently in place for visitors to Croatia.
At the moment the page is available in eleven languages including English, Croatian, German, French, Italian, Dutch, Slovenian, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak and Czech.
Please note that for organized travel via bus, the forms can be filled out in advance by the agency organizing the travel, whereas individuals traveling on regularly scheduled bus routes are required to complete the form individually.
The form is also available in a mobile-responsive format that may be accessed via the same link and completed on a mobile device. Should there be any issues or questions with regard to the form, please contact: entercroatia@mint.hr
Entry into the Republic of Croatia for foreign citizens:
Effective July 1st, all EU/EEA nationals and persons with permanent residence in EU/EEA country can enter Croatia freely, without restrictions.
All travellers are, however, advised to fill out the form on the ENTERCROATIA web-page.
Effective July 10th third country nationals have new restrictions in place: they can enter on business or tourism related reasons only under certain conditions described in more detail below.
When entering the Republic of Croatia, nationals of Member States of the European Union, the Schengen area and Schengen associated countries, as well as members of their families, and third-country nationals who are long-term residents under Council Directive 2003/109 / EC of 25 November 2003 concerning the status of third-country nationals countries of long-term residence and persons entitled to reside under other EU directives or national law or who hold national long-term visas are not required to provide any a special reason for their entry (business, economic, tourist, etc.).
They can enter the country under the same conditions as prior to COVID-19 outbreak, but still under epidemiological control and by complying with general and special recommendations issued by Croatian Institute of Public Health.
This also applies to citizens of the Principality of Andorra, the Republic of San Marino, the Principality of Monaco and the Holy See.
THIRD-COUNTRY NATIONALS
1. If foreigners do not hold the citizenship of an EU/EEA Member State or the aforementioned countries, nor have regulated stay in those countries and travel from a non-member country due to urgent personal reasons, they must prove their reason for entering the Republic of Croatia upon arriving at the border crossing point which could be:
• urgent personal reasons – it is necessary to present valid documentation for example in case of:
- going to a funeral (e.g. death certificate, obituary)
- going to a treatment or accompanying the person going to a treatment (e.g. medical call, confirmation of a scheduled medical / dental examination, doctor’s recommendation)
• if you are the owner or lessee (also applies to leaseholders) of real estate, movable property or seagoing vessel (ship, yacht, etc.) in the Republic of Croatia, border control at the border crossing point in the Republic of Croatia must be accompanied by presenting the documentation proving the ownership of real estate / movable property in the Republic of Croatia (e.g. title deed / contract); members of the owner’s family will be allowed to enter upon presenting a valid document from which the kinship with the owner is visible.
A quarantine / self-isolation measure with health supervision for 14 days has been determined for these persons, with the possibility of shortening its duration to 7 days, if a person gets their nose and throat swabbed at their own expense seven days after entering Croatia and receives a negative PCR test result for SARS-CoV-2.
2. If foreigners who do not hold the citizenship of an EU/EEA Member State or the aforementioned countries nor have regulated stay in those countries want to enter the Republic of Croatia due to:
• Business reasons or economic interest of the Republic of Croatia – it is necessary to present documentation proving the business reason for visiting the Republic of Croatia or the economic interest of the Republic of Croatia, such as an invitation to a meeting of an economic entity from the Republic of Croatia, proof of a board membership, proof of ownership or co-ownership share in a company registered in the Republic of Croatia, documentation on the agreed business obligation with a natural or legal person etc.
• Tourist reasons – it is necessary to present a confirmation of paid accommodation/reservation in one of the accommodation facilities in the Republic of Croatia (reservation, lease contract or lump sum payment of a camp, permanent berth contract in a nautical tourism port, etc.) and
• Education - it is necessary to present a proof of education / studying (e.g. index/student ID, certificate of an educational institution, etc.).
These persons are not subject to a quarantine / self-isolation measure if they present a negative PCR result of a nasal and throat swab for SARS-Cov-2 at the border crossing point, which is not older than 48 hours (counting from the time of taking the swab to arriving at the border crossing point).
If third-country nationals have a test older than 48 hours when entering Croatia, they will be allowed to enter Croatia, however, they will be obligated to self-isolate and re-test themselves in Croatia at their own expense. The above can be applied to passengers and crew members on yachts.
Persons who do not present a negative PCR result are subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine / self-isolation measure.
Persons entering the Republic of Croatia without the obligation of quarantine / self-isolation are obliged to follow the instructions and recommendations of the Croatian Institute of Public Health during the first 14 days of stay which will be provided to them upon entry.
In order to shorten the procedure at the border crossing point, we advise you to fill the announcement in advance at https://entercroatia.mup.hr.
Overall safety and hygiene measures, as well as social distancing are to be respected as required: The latest Covid-19 information and accompanying measures may be found here: https://www.koronavirus.hr/en
Passengers in transit may travel through the Republic of Croatia provided that it is possible to enter or transit through the neighbouring country. During transit, the shortest traffic routes should be used without undue delay, including the motorway where possible. It is necessary to leave the Republic of Croatia as soon as possible and no longer than 12 hours from the moment of entry, which will be checked by the border police.
Is proof of a negative Covid test required for entry?
No, Croatia does not require Covid testing, nor proof of a negative test to enter. With the exception of the third-country nationals outlined above for which restrictions apply.
If I would like to or am required to get a Covid-19 test while in Croatia, where may I have a test performed?
Covid-19 testing centres are organized at the county-level at various facilities. A list of contact information for them may be found here. Should you require a time dependent test, please call in advance to ensure that the testing centre will be able to accommodate you and provide instructions as to the testing protocol and any other necessary information. More information on locations, process of ordering, instructions and so on you may find here.
What additional health and safety measures are in place?
Aside from all the currently applicable health and safety measures recommended by the Croatian Institute of Public Health, face masks are required for certain public spaces and details may be found here.
Are there flights to Croatia?
Croatia Airlines maintains flights from Zagreb to and/from most major cities throughout Europe. For more information on Croatia Airlines flights, please check their website.
Many other commercial airlines have updated flight schedules. Please check their websites for flights to Croatian cities. If you already have tickets for upcoming travel and/or have a question regarding travel with a specific airline, it is best to contact the airline directly as most are updating their flight schedules on a week by week basis. Should you be unable to use your current flight ticket we recommend postponing your travel to a later date.
Please find a list of airline websites below*:
www.transavia.com
www.brusselsairlines.com
www.luxair.lu
www.aegeanair.com
*the above list is not exhaustive and may be added to or removed from as information becomes available; some of the aforementioned airlines may not have announced exact flight dates and it is best to check directly with the airline for flight schedules, whereas others may or may not have announced the resumption of flights to Croatia.
Are there any domestic flights operating within Croatia?
Domestic flights are operating and flights between Zagreb and Split, as well as Zagreb and Dubrovnik, along with flights from Zagreb to Pula and Zadar are available. These flights are operated by Croatia Airlines and more information may be found here.
Are hotels in Croatia open?
The majority of hotels, camps, private accommodation and other accommodation facilities are in operation. Please check with the hotel, camp or accommodation provider directly for details. Please note, all accommodation facilities are required to prescribe to the recommended health and safety procedures that may be found here.
Are restaurants open? What about cafes, bars and nightclubs?
Restaurants and cafes have been open and operational since early May, and are also allowed to provide outdoor seating and service, provided they have implemented prescribed health and safety measures. Bars and nightclubs are allowed to operate at a restricted capacity and effective August 14th their working hours are limited, closing hour at midnight. There are also updated health and safety guidelines in place that may be found here (currently in Croatian only)
Are beaches, parks and outdoor recreational facilities open?
Parks and public recreational facilities (including pools, aquaparks and thermal spas) are open, however health and safety measures, as well as social distancing guidelines still apply. Beaches are open for public use, again keeping in mind that health and safety, as well as any social distancing measures in effect at the time will apply. The Zagreb Zoo reopened to the public and National Parks and Nature Parks reopened in May, and continue to adhere to the prescribed and applicable health and safety measures.
Are events and public gatherings allowed?
The latest information for gatherings may be found here.
Are private boats allowed to enter Croatian waters and or mooring in Croatia? What is the situation with nautical tourism?
The sea border is also open for private vessels under the same conditions as land borders. For further information on nautical requirements please see here. Please note that in order to enable online payment for nautical tourist taxes, please visit https://nautika.evisitor.hr/ The site is available in Croatian, English, German and Italian and accepts all major credit cards.
Is there public transportation available within Croatia? Within and/or to and from various cities and regions. What about international train and bus service?
Public transportation is readily available throughout Croatia. For schedules and information on reinstated routes it is best to check with the local bus stations. Contact information for major stations may be found here.
Croatian domestic rail service is also available. Routes, timetables and availability may be found here.
Meanwhile, organized international bus service (charter and regular bus lines), as well as rail service, are now increasing in availability with many routes being reinstated from mid-June. For ease of travel please see the EnterCroatia information and ensure you or the agency you are travelling with has filled out your details in advance to ensure a quick and efficient border crossing. Contact information for major stations may be found here.
For all forms of public transportation, effective June 25th, passengers are required to where face masks.
Is there passenger traffic and or public ferry transport available to and from the Croatian islands?
Travel to and from all Croatian islands is available from the mainland and between islands where such a service exists.
For information on ferry lines operated by Jadrolinija please check here.
Information on additional ferry and catamaran lines to and from Croatia and/or to and from Croatian islands from the mainland may also be found via:
Krilo
Rapska Plovidba
Split Express*
SNAV*
Venezia Lines*
Adriatic Lines*
Trieste Lines*
*As with airlines, this list may not be exhaustive and the timetables and start of service is dependent upon the individual company. Please check directly with the service provider in order to ensure accuracy, as timetables and service may change at any time.
For all forms of public transportation, effective June 25th, passengers are required to where face masks.
Driving in Croatia
There are no car traffic restrictions in Croatia and updates on the latest traffic conditions may be found via the Croatian Automobile Club website here. Meanwhile Croatian Motorways has implemented a Safe Travel campaign with road signage and the information leaflets being made available. More information may be found here.
Transit
If you are travelling through Croatia to another country, please note that there are specific guidelines in place regarding this. Travel is limited to the main highways and stops are limited. All transiting passengers are instructed to follow the guidance provided by the border control officers. A map of approved roadways may be found here (currently only in Croatian).
Passengers in transit may travel through the Republic of Croatia provided that it is possible to enter or transit through the neighbouring country. During transit, the shortest traffic routes should be used without undue delay, including the motorway where possible. It is necessary to leave the Republic of Croatia as soon as possible and no longer than 12 hours from the moment of entry, which will be checked by the border police.
Please note that passengers allowed entry to Croatia, as well as Croatian citizens transiting via Neum will not be subject to any additional requirements and can freely travel to and from southern Croatia by car.
What in case I get infected by Covid-19?
In case you identify any symptoms that are similar to the mild flu-like symptoms, such as: fever, cough, shortness of breath, muscle pain and fatigue, or you had a close contact with a confirmed or suspected case of coronavirus infection, immediately call your doctor or epidemiological service, also you can contact one of tourist ambulances, contacts can be found here. Describe your symptoms and follow their advice. We suggest calling by phone before going to the doctor's office.
The Croatian Institute of Public Health has also issued a protocol for local municipalities and accommodation providers should any guest show symptoms of Covid-19. The protocol may be found here. Should you be visiting Croatia and exhibit any symptoms, please let your accommodation provider know immediately, in order to ensure health and safety protocol is followed.
Does my healthcare insurance cover any Covid-related health services in Croatia?
If you are an EU, EEA, UK or Swiss national and are covered by your country’s national health insurance provider, your coverage will cover any Covid-related services should they be required in Croatia just as they would be in their home country. Please take the time to check the validity of your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and/or have a new one issued prior to your trip. Or alternatively have a Certificate issued by your national health care provider.
Nationals of countries with which Croatia has a bilateral agreement (such as Bosnia & Hercegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, N. Macedonia and Turkey) are entitled to coverage by way of certificate as determined between national healthcare providers, which must be requested prior to travel to Croatia.
Nationals of other countries should check their health insurance coverage prior to travel to ensure they are covered in case of emergency health services that include any Covid-related health issues or purchase adequate travel insurance that provides Covid-related coverage.
Additional Information
For questions specifically related to travel to Croatia not addressed by the Q&A please contact mintcz@mint.hr and Cc info@htz.hr
For questions regarding crossing the border of Republic of Croatia, please check: https://mup.gov.hr/uzg-covid/english/286212
For questions regarding filling out the entercroatia online form please contact: entercroatia@mint.hr
For specific questions regarding epidemiological measures, economic measures and any legal questions in the Republic of Croatia during the COVID-19 pandemic please contact: mintcz@mint.hr
Additional information may be found here with additional information specific to travel Q&A available here *
For additional information, the EU has launched ‘Re-open EU’, an interactive tool which aims to support a safe relaunch of travelling and tourism across Europe.
Various recommendations and guidelines for the tourism sector may be found here or via the Croatian Institute of Public Health here (in Croatian).
*Please note, all external links provided are not updated by the CNTB and the CNTB cannot be held accountable for their accuracy.
