Investment Property in Croatia

Travel and transport

Flying in

The opening up of new transport links in Croatia is one of the major factors in the development of its property market for overseas buyers. As the reach of low-cost airlines spreads further eastwards across Europe, so the number of routes into countries like Croatia increases. Flights take around three hours from London, and airlines operating routes include low-cost airlines such as easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air.

Entry points

The main entry points into the country are through the major cities of Zagreb, Split, Pula and the airport at Rijeka on the nearby island of Krk, though some travellers choose to fly into Venice or Trieste in north-eastern Italy and drive across the border via Slovenia. This has proved particularly useful for people making their way to the northernmost province of Istria.

Rail travel

Internally, transport in Croatia is by road or rail, and these two methods contrast greatly in quality and modernity. The rail system is in urgent need of modernisation and has had little or no investment since the communist regime. This work has begun with the mountainous coastal line between Zagreb and Split and will eventually extend into the continental part of the country.

Road network

On the other hand, the roads are considered to be among the safest and most modern in Europe, since many of them have only recently been constructed. For this reason, many of the tourists who come to the country from continental Europe choose to drive, rather than fly or get the train. To maintain the safety record of the modern road system in the country, a new law was passed in 2004 reducing the legal blood alcohol limit to zero.

Advice for travellers

UK residents do not need a visa to travel to Croatia. As a traveller, you are allowed to stay in the country for a total of 90 days at a time without having a residence permit. For longer stays, you can apply for a temporary residence permit, which should be granted to anyone with a valid passport and owning a property in Croatia without any problems.

Straightforward travel

Croatia lies within the Central European Time Zone, putting it one hour ahead of GMT. Given the extensive history of tourism in Croatia, stretching back to well before the Balkan conflict, travellers are able to move freely around the country.