Private transfers vs rental car

Why do you need a van for four? It definitely a matter of personal preference, but maybe a pro/con list would help? Did you price the car yet? Knowing that, we could compare private driver rates, which I assume would be higher but sometimes convenience trumps cost. For me, such short stays do not really warrant a car, but the public transport in Istria is not as easy as it is along the coast.
If it were my trip, I’d skip Rovinj, which I have not yet seen yet in four trips to Croatia, and do a stop somewhere between Split and Dubrovnik by catamaran. Save Istria for a longer trip with a car.

Thanks. The van is $743 USD. I thought we would need it for added space. My wife and I travel light but our friends……not so much. I was really looking forward to Rovinj.

Absolutely rent a car. Roads are good and in Istria especially, it's worth having your own wheels.

Also, I suggest modifying your itinerary slightly. These are not insignificant distances you're planning to drive. If you don't leave early, each segment will rob you of your day. Zagreb traffic can be bad and easily turn your first day from a 3-hour drive to a 4-hour drive. To the lakes is similar, around 4hrs. Your drive to Split is easy and on fast roads, but still 3-4hrs.

I strongly recommend shaving a day from either Split or Dubrovnik (or both!) and adding them to Rovinj. Rovinj is small, but Istria is fascinating, and I cannot recommend enough the towns of Opatija, Motovun, Groznjan, Bale and Labin. These are tiny, unique, picturesque places that can be visited in a circle over a few days. They are well worth it.

Zagreb - Opatija (2hrs)
Opatija - Motovun - Groznjan - Rovinj (1.5hrs)
Rovinj - Bale - Labin (1.5hrs)
Labin - Plitvice Lakes (2hrs)

Dubrovnik and Split are bigger, but I can't imagine needing 3 nights in either one. Split and Dubrovnik are great and will certainly live atop the highlight reel, but there are more interesting and authentic places imo. My best advice is to hang out in Istria a tad longer (1-2 days) and make better use of your rental car.

I won’t give you an absolute answer, but maybe things to think about. If the van is only $743 for how many nights? That’s probably a bargain. Includes and the insurance and the drop off fee? Pretty amazing. Now figure $35 a day to park it and the cost of gas at $6 a gallon, read some of the rental stories on the forum (accidents, tickets, repairs flat tires, etc). Are you really going to stop and use it to explore or will you have a schedule. And if you are going to use it to stop and explore, do you have any idea where? Figure a few lost hours picking it up and a few dropping it off and trying to park it each day. I know I might sound negative, but no, it’s a perfect solution for some and not what others thought it would be. If it were me I would just need to list it all out and be sure I knew what I was doing.

Paid transfers. Well, you need someone reliable. Better if you get someone who knows where the hidden stops are. It might cost more. You miss out on the thrill of driving a foreign road, but you do get to look at the scenery. Who to use, you could check with DayTrip.com. They do just what you are looking for, complete with stops. For four in a van, it may not be terribly expensive. Don’t know. I know Croatia isn’t terribly cheap so that may reflect in the cost. You ought to go to the website and see their rates. Doenst hurt to look. I also know a trip planner in the region that has done some transfers in Croatia for me on more than one trip, and for some that I know and possibly for another RS or two. Dijana Krkotic, Doclea Travel +382 69 277 749, (WhatsApp, Phone, Text) [email protected] https://docleatravel.com/ You might call and ask the question; nothing to lose by asking.

Sounds like a good trip however you do it.

I greatly appreciate the responses. Enterprise rental is actually at our Zagreb hotel (Westin). So no time lost. We would keep it 4 days. Return once we arrived Split.

I suspect parking at each stop and the walk from the parking space wont add more than 30 or 45 ninutes to the travel time for the day. So, add the incidental costs and compare to transfers. The rental will be less expensive I would guess. But if the transfers cost $100 more per person, total is there any advantage to the transfer that makes that worth it. Maybe not. Its all about what you enjoy.

I don’t think private transfers fit here, you’re moving around enough to make the rental worthwhile. I’d agree with the other poster, I’d take a night from Split and add it to Rovinj. It’s a bit of a haul so you’ll want to make it worth your while. Split is cool but two nights is plenty. I’m assuming you’re taking the ferry to Dubrovnik.

I do appreciate everyone’s insight. I’m sure we all have our own insights and therefore different experiences are optimal for different people. We are all lifelong friends. Met when we were dating our prospective spouses and have been friends ever since. I don’t think we will arrive Split early after leaving Plitvice. We were planning a stop in Ston. We are all foodies and enjoy good wine. I think that’s why Rovinj is part of our trip.

If Rovinj is where you are interested, then I would put more time there. I just don’t see how you’ll have time to accomplish much with only two nights. That said, I’m not a morning person and I dawdle, so coming at it from that perspective as well as liking longer stays in any given place. Logistically, it would make sense to omit it, but if that’s where you are drawn, you can certainly borrow a day from Split or Dubrovnik if you were not planning on exploring those areas in depth.

I would skip Rovinj. Istria is nice but not worth going out of your way for just 2 nights. Ston is close to Dubrovnik, you wouldn't stop there when driving from Plitvice to Split. I suggest renting the car in Zagreb, stop in Rastoke to walk around , and spend the night in near Plitvice. Visit Plitvice early and return the car in Split that afternoon. Instead of Rovinj, spend those 2 nights at an island between Split and Dubrovnik. Or keep the car longer and spend 2 nights wherever interests you between Plitvice and Split---we loved Skradin and Primosten. A smaller car would be easier to drive, especially in Split.