Travel

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IMPORTANT UPDATE ON EU TRAVEL RULES FOR 2026

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From late 2025 through 2026, the European Union is introducing new electronic border and travel authorisation systems that will affect all travellers coming to Croatia and the wider Schengen Area. As of 12 October 2025, the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) began rolling out at external borders; it replaces traditional passport stamping with electronic registration of passport data and biometric information (facial image and fingerprints) for most non-EU visitors, with full implementation expected by 10 April 2026.

In late 2026, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will start operations. ETIAS is a mandatory pre-travel electronic authorisation (similar to the U.S. ESTA) for citizens of visa-exempt countries — such as the U.S., Canada, Australia, UK and many others — who plan short visits up to 90 days in any 180-day period; applications will be required before travel. EU citizens and residents with valid visas or permits are not affected by ETIAS. For official information and the launch timeline, see the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) and Entry/Exit System (EES) pages on the EU Travel website.

ETIAS official info (EU): https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/etias

EES official info (EU): https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/ees

Croatia Becomes a Member of the Eurozone and Schengen Area

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By becoming a member of the Schengen Area, Croatia frim January 1st 2023 joined 26 other EU and EEA countries that have officially abolished all types of border control at their mutual borders, such as checking passports. Since Schengen is part of the wider EU freedom, security, and justice policy area, it mainly functions as a single jurisdiction within the framework of the common visa policy for the purposes of international travel. As of 1 January 2023, all land and sea border controls with Slovenia, Hungary, and Italy have been lifted. The borders with Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro became the Schengen Area’s external borders. Croatian international airports will be given a three-month transitional period to adjust their border controls. After the end of the transitional period, which will last until 26 March 2023, Schengen flights arriving in Croatia will no longer require passport control / border control. Travellers travelling on flights within the Schengen Area, but originating from third countries, must undergo a Schengen entry border control upon their arrival in the Schengen Area because the authorities at the final destination in the Schengen Area would not be able to distinguish between arriving travellers who boarded at the point of departure and those who joined mid-journey. In addition, travellers must pass the Schengen exit border control when leaving the Schengen Area.

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Arrival

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• by car

  Intensive building of new motorways and semi motorways on main traffic directions in Croatia will result not only in reducing of distances but also, more important, in essential reducing of the traveling time.

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• by rail

  The railway connects all major Croatian cities except Dubrovnik. Croatia has direct railway links with Slovenia, Hungary, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Slovakia, France, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Monte Negro, and indirect links with almost all other European countries.

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• by bus

  Bus lines connect all parts of the country. Regular international bus lines connect Croatia with all neighbouring countries and with Austria, France, Italy, Germany and Slovakia.

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• by air

  Airports:

  • Dubrovnik
  • Zagreb
  • Split
  • Croatia Airlines

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• by sea

  Rijeka, Split, Zadar, Sibenik, Ploče, Pula, Dubrovnik (total of about 18,000 m of operative wharfs with the pertaining surface of about 700 ha). Croatia has the total of 156 passengers liners with the capacity of 20,800 passengers and 216 cargo carriers of 122,272 km³ capacity.

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Road distance between Dubrovnik and some European towns

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Usefull Links

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• Visa requirements
• Croatia.hr
• HAK
• ViaMichelin