How much does a car trip to Croatia cost? Vignettes, highway tolls, fuel

In our analysis, we focused on routes leading from four Polish cities (Warsaw, Wroclaw, Gdansk and Krakow) to two popular Croatian resorts: Dubrovnik and Zadar.

In the case of travelers to the Adriatic from Warsaw, Wroclaw and Gdańsk, we have considered two (among many) possible routes. The route through the Czech Republic, Austria and Slovenia and the route through the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Most importantly, the roads vary in length by only a few kilometers, and travel times range from a few minutes to about half an hour.

For those traveling from Krakow, we have chosen a route that leads only through Slovakia and Hungary, which allows you to save on purchasing valid vignettes on Czech highways.

For clarity, add that in each of the analyzed variables it was found that travel on parts of Polish highways was free. However, this may change next year if passenger car drivers again have to pay tolls on the toll section of the A1 motorway from Gdańsk to Toruń.

We estimated the fuel costs of the most popular car currently in Polish car showrooms – the Toyota Corolla hybrid, whose on-road fuel consumption – according to data from the autocentrum website – is 5.2 liters per 100 km.

We also used data from the e-petrol website. Due to small differences in unleaded gasoline prices between Poland, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary, we used data for Poland. According to e-Gasoline data, in the first week of June, the average price of 95 octane unleaded gasoline in Poland was PLN 6.49 per litre.

In our simulation, we assumed that a maximum of 10 days would pass from departure to return, so 10-day vignettes would be sufficient in the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. However, in Slovenia, you will have to dig deeper into your pocket and buy a ticket valid for a month.

Vignette prices on the way to Croatia

Czech Republic:

• 1 day – 200 kroner (about 34 PLN)
• 10 days – 270 kroons (about 46 PLN)
• 1 month – 430 kroons (about 73 PLN)
• One year – 2,300 krona (about 391 Polish zlotys)

Austria:

• 10 days – 11.50 EUR (about 49.50 PLN)
• 2 months – 29 euros (about 112 PLN)
• 1 year – EUR 96.40 (about PLN 414.50)

Slovakia:

• 10 days – 12 EUR (about PLN 51.60)
• 1 month – 17 EUR (about 73.10 PLN)
• 1 year – 60 EUR (about 258 PLN)

Hungary:

• 10 days – 6400 forints (about 70.40 PLN)
• 1 month – 10,360 forints (about 114 PLN)
• 1 year – 57,260 HUF (about 630 PLN)

Slovenia:

• 7 days – 16 EUR (about 70 PLN)
• 1 month – 32 EUR (about 139 PLN)
• 1 year – 117.5 EUR (about 511 PLN)

When traveling through the Czech Republic, Austria and Slovenia, we will spend 270 CZK and 43.50 EUR on vignettes, which is about 233.10 PLN. Driving through the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary we will pay 270 crowns, 12 euros and 6400 forints, which is about 168 Polish zlotys. Tourists from Krakow bypassing the Czech Republic will spend 12 euros and 6,400 forints on transfers, which is about 122 Polish zlotys.

Highway tolls in Croatia

We will also have to pay for Croatian highways. Just like in Poland, we will pay them at the gates. If we choose the route via the Czech Republic, Austria and Slovenia, we will enter Croatia via the A1 highway near the city of Trakoscan. The approximately 670 km route to Dubrovnik will cost us 36 euros, or about 155 PLN. When going from Trakoscan to Zadar, we will pay 22.40 euros, or about 96 Polish złoty.

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Choosing the route via Slovakia and Hungary, we will enter Croatia at the border crossing near the town of Gurican. Then, for highway travel to Dubrovnik, we will pay 35.40 EUR (about 152 PLN) and to Zadar – 21.80 EUR (about 94 PLN). Importantly, unlike the case of vignettes, tolls on highways only apply in one direction.

Traveling to Croatia by car – fuel costs

Given the distance needed to cover fuel, those traveling to Croatia from Gdańsk will pay more. Taking the approximately 1,850-kilometre route to Dubrovnik, they will spend, according to Bankier.pl estimates, approximately PLN 1,246-1,250. If their destination is Zadar (about 1530 km), the fuel cost will be about 1031 – 1035 PLN.

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Travelers from Krakow will pay much less. From about 687 PLN for the trip to Zadar (about 1020 km) to about 922 PLN if the finish line is Dubrovnik (about 1360 km).

The total cost of a car trip to Croatia should range from about PLN 1,000 to PLN 1,350 (Krakow), from about PLN 1,500 to PLN 1,800 (Warsaw) to about PLN 1,500 to PLN 1,950 (Gdańsk).