How to Get from Zagreb Airport to the City Center

Last updated: May 24, 2026. Fares cross-checked against ZET, Pleso Prijevoz, and ride-hailing apps on this date.

The 5 Ways to Get from Zagreb Airport to the City

Zagreb Airport (ZAG), officially Franjo Tuđman Airport, sits 17 km south of the city center in Velika Gorica. Five practical options cover the route. Pick by what matters most: price, time, luggage, or arrival hour.

The trade-off is straightforward. Bus 290 is the cheapest by a wide margin but stops short of the historic center. The Pleso shuttle costs more and adds comfort, with one drop in town. A taxi, Bolt, or Uber gets you door to door in half the time for roughly the price of a sit-down meal.

Bus 290 (Cheapest Option)

Bus 290 is run by ZET, Zagreb's public transit operator. It runs between Velika Gorica and Kvaternikov trg on the east side of the city, with the airport as a stop in between. A 60-minute kiosk ticket covers the ride for about €0.95, and the trip takes 35 to 50 minutes. For route details and tram connections, see our full bus 290 from Zagreb Airport guide.

Where to Catch Bus 290 at the Airport

Walk out of the arrivals hall and look across the road, slightly to your left. The bus 290 stop sits across the access road, not directly in front of the passenger terminal doors. The Pleso shuttle parks much closer to arrivals, which is why people sometimes board the wrong vehicle. The 290 is a regular city bus with a small sign at the stop, not a coach. Allow yourself a couple of extra minutes to find it on a first visit.

Schedule and Frequency

Buses run roughly every 35 minutes through the day. Sunday and holiday service starts about an hour later than weekdays.

How to Buy a Ticket (Kiosk vs Onboard)

The cheapest way is a 60-minute paper ticket from the Tisak kiosk in the terminal. It costs about €0.95 and covers the full airport-to-city run; stamp it in the validator on the bus. Buying from the driver works too, but the same ticket costs around €1.30 and the driver only takes cash in euro.

There is no extra luggage charge, and large suitcases are common. Bus 290 ends at Kvaternikov trg, east of the historic center. From there, tram 13 reaches Glavni kolodvor in about ten minutes, and trams 1 and 17 head toward Ban Jelačić Square. The last bus leaves the airport shortly after midnight, so if your flight lands at 01:00 or later, plan for a taxi or Bolt.

Pleso Prijevoz Shuttle Bus

Pleso Prijevoz operates the dedicated airport coach to Autobusni kolodvor, the main bus station. A single ticket costs €9 and children under seven ride free. The shuttle takes 35 to 45 minutes, with departures roughly every 30 minutes during operating hours.

Schedule (Coordinated with Flights)

The shuttle follows the flight schedule rather than a fixed clock. First services run around 05:00, and the last departures of the day leave roughly half an hour after the final scheduled arrival, usually before midnight. There are mid-morning and mid-afternoon gaps when no flights are due. If your flight is delayed past the operating window, the shuttle is gone for the night.

Where It Drops You (Autobusni kolodvor)

The drop-off is Autobusni kolodvor, the main bus station. From there, trams 2, 6, and 8 reach Ban Jelačić Square and Glavni kolodvor in under 15 minutes. The bus station is also the hub for long-distance coaches to Split, Rijeka, Pula, Ljubljana, and other regional cities, which is the real edge of the Pleso shuttle for travelers continuing past Zagreb the same day.

For a solo traveler with one carry-on, bus 290 is usually better value. The Pleso shuttle wins with a checked suitcase, when connecting straight to a long-distance coach at Autobusni kolodvor, or when bus 290 service is winding down but the shuttle still has a departure left.

Taxi from Zagreb Airport

Taxis are available 24/7 from the rank just outside arrivals, all metered in euro. A walk-up ride to the city center typically lands between €30 and €45, with night and Sunday rates pushing toward the upper end. The drive takes 20 to 30 minutes outside rush hour. For a deeper price breakdown, see our Zagreb Airport taxi guide.

Which Taxi Companies Are at the Airport

Three main operators serve Zagreb: Cammeo, Eko Taxi, and Radio Taksi Zagreb. All have free apps that usually beat the airport-rank price. Cammeo charges about €0.80 to start and €0.80 per kilometer, which puts a typical airport-to-city ride around €20 to €25. Eko Taxi starts at about €1.20 with the same per-kilometer rate. Booking through an app shows the fare estimate before you confirm.

How Fares Work (Metered, Supplements, Payment)

The meter starts the moment you set off. Card payment is accepted by all major operators and euro cash is fine. Night supplements (typically 22:00 to 05:00), Sunday supplements, and large-luggage surcharges may apply, so the final fare is not always the bare meter reading. A legitimate driver will explain the line items if you ask. Tipping is not expected; rounding up a euro is appreciated.

Avoid anyone who approaches you inside the terminal offering "flat" airport prices. That is a tout, not an official rank taxi, and the price is rarely better than the meter. Booking via the Cammeo or Eko app removes the risk.

Bolt and Uber at Zagreb Airport

Bolt and Uber both operate at Zagreb Airport. Most travelers find Bolt cheaper on the same route, and Bolt is the dominant rideshare in Zagreb among locals, so it usually has the deeper driver pool. Typical fares run €25 to €35, though pricing is dynamic and can surge after several flights land at once. Card is the only payment method.

How to Use the Apps from the Airport

Open the app once you have signal (airport Wi-Fi is free if your roaming is off) and request a ride. The pickup point is in the dedicated rideshare zone, a short walk from arrivals and signposted from the door. Driver name, plate, and car color appear in the app. After roughly 01:00, driver supply thins and surge pricing is more likely; if no driver accepts, fall back to the rank.

Private Transfer

A private transfer is a pre-booked, fixed-price car with a driver who meets you in arrivals after you land at Zagreb Airport holding a name sign. Sedan fares run €30 to €50; minivans for groups sit around €60 to €70. Most providers include flight tracking, so the driver still meets you if your flight is delayed.

When Private Transfer Is Worth It

Pre-booking earns its premium for very late or very early arrivals when Bolt availability is uncertain, for groups of four or more where a minivan beats two cars, for business pickups, or when you would rather not deal with apps after a long flight. For a solo or two-person trip at a normal hour, a Cammeo, Eko, or Bolt ride usually comes out cheaper for the same comfort.

Rental Car

All major desks (Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Sixt, Budget, Enterprise, plus locals like Mack and Oryx) are in arrivals, most open until late evening. Renting a car at Zagreb Airport makes sense for a road trip through Croatia, Slovenia, or Bosnia. For staying in Zagreb, it usually costs more than it saves: the historic center has restricted access, street parking is metered, and trams cover the city well. If you are driving in to pick someone up, see airport parking options.

What's Not Available

No train. There is no direct rail link between the airport and the city. The workaround is bus 290 to Kvaternikov trg followed by tram 13 to Glavni kolodvor. See our note on no direct train to Zagreb Airport for the alternatives.

No metro or underground. Zagreb runs an overground tram network, not a subway. There is no airport metro line to look for.

No tram direct to the airport. Trams stop within the city. To reach the airport from a tram stop, transfer to bus 290 at Kvaternikov trg or take a taxi. Driving to Zagreb Airport is the option for people based outside the tram network.

Which Option Should You Choose?

If You're Traveling on a Budget

Bus 290 with a €0.95 kiosk ticket wins outright. Save €25 or more over any other option. Allow 50 to 60 minutes to your final address including the tram transfer at Kvaternikov trg.

If You're Arriving Late at Night

By roughly 00:30 the Pleso shuttle and bus 290 are done. Your options are a taxi from the rank, which runs 24/7, or a Bolt if a driver is available. Bolt is more reliable before 01:00 than after 03:00.

If You Have Heavy Luggage or a Group

The Pleso shuttle has a luggage hold and a direct ride to the main bus station. For three or four people, a single Cammeo, Eko, or Bolt XL ride beats the per-person shuttle cost and drops you at the door. A pre-booked minivan is the call for five or more.

If You're in a Hurry

A taxi, Bolt, or Uber is fastest at 20 to 30 minutes door to door. Weekday rush hour (07:30 to 09:00 and 16:00 to 18:00) can add 15 minutes. The bus and shuttle are slower because of the stops.

If You Don't Speak Any Croatian

Bolt and Uber remove the language step: set the destination in the app and the driver does not need to understand you. Pleso and ZET staff usually get by in English, but it is not guaranteed.

Insider Tips for Zagreb Airport Transfers

Croatia uses the euro. Croatia adopted the euro on January 1, 2023. You do not need any Croatian kuna for transport, food, or hotels. Many older guides still quote kuna prices; ignore them.

Pleso holds for flights only inside its operating window. The shuttle waits for delayed Croatia Airlines arrivals during scheduled hours. Once the last service of the day has left, no late flight reopens the route. If you are landing past midnight, plan for a taxi.

Bus 290 starts later on Sundays. Sunday and holiday service begins around 05:20, about an hour later than weekdays. Early Sunday flights either arrive too early for the bus or just in time for the first run.

For Glavni kolodvor, there is no direct ride. Bus 290 to Kvaternikov trg, then tram 13, is the cheapest route to the main train station. Total time is around 50 to 60 minutes. For door-to-door, a Bolt or taxi runs €25 to €35.

Install Cammeo or Eko before you fly. App-booked rides typically come in under the airport-rank meter price and you see the fare upfront. The walk-up rank is convenient but it is rarely the cheapest taxi choice in Zagreb.

Frequently Asked Questions