April 7, 2021 - The latest flight news as travelers can choose from 14 Norwegian Air flights to Croatia this summer! 

Croatian Aviation reports that Norwegian low-cost airline Norwegian Air plans to operate 14 routes to three Croatian airports this summer.

Norwegian plans to resume traffic to three Croatian airports from June this year; Pula, Split, and Dubrovnik. Before the outbreak of the global pandemic, the airline operated to Zadar, Rijeka, and Zagreb.

The airline had a minimal number of international lines to Croatia in the summer season of 2020. It is common knowledge that this low-cost carrier was in financial trouble even before the outbreak of the global pandemic. In January, there was news that this carrier would cancel all long-haul lines and focus on those within Europe.

In addition to being a pioneer in low-cost, long-haul lines, Norwegian had an extremely high-quality product, and passengers were delighted with the ratio of paid and received. One of the great marketing moves was the introduction of free internet on all Norwegian lines, but the rapid expansion led almost to its very collapse.

However, Norwegian is trying to consolidate and plans to operate to three Croatian airports, Pula, Split, and Dubrovnik, in this year's summer flight schedule. There has been no line to Rijeka or Zagreb for a long time.

Although in 2019 the number of routes to Croatian airports was significantly higher, given the current global situation, reduced passenger demand, and the state of this airline, 14 planned routes to Croatia for the summer of this year sounds more than good. Of course, given the movement of the global pandemic, there is a possibility that Norwegian will further reduce its flight schedule.

However, they have confirmed that they plan to operate on the routes below:

Oslo - Pula from June 2, 2 times a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays,

Bergen - Split from June 19, twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays,

Copenhagen - Split from June 1, 2 times a week, daily from June 28,

Helsinki - Split on June 2, 3 times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays,

Oslo - Split from June 1, 3 times a week, daily from June 25,

Stavanger - Split from June 22, 2 times a week, Tuesdays and Saturdays,

Stockholm - Split from June 2, 2 times a week, 5 times a week from June 21,

Trondheim - Split from June 19, once a week, on Saturdays,

Bergen - Dubrovnik from June 19, once a week, on Saturdays,

Copenhagen - Dubrovnik from June 26, twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays,

Helsinki - Dubrovnik from June 1, twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays,

Oslo - Dubrovnik from June 1, 2 times a week, daily from June 25,

Stavanger - Dubrovnik from June 19, once a week, on Saturdays,

Stockholm - Dubrovnik from June 12, 3 times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.

Given the problems that Norwegian has found itself in the past few years, it is quite difficult to expect that they will really operate on all of these lines. In the summer of 2020, Norwegian had only three routes to Croatia, two to Split, and one to Dubrovnik. With the current epidemiological situation in Europe, we can hardly expect a sharp increase in passenger demand in June. There are less than two months left until its first flight to Croatia.

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

February 17, 2021 – In Google's "People also ask" feature, the hard questions are the ones that start with "how." It is not always easy to find answers how to do something or how to get somewhere. However, in this article, we will try to explain how to get to Istria, the biggest and famous Croatian peninsula.

Located in the most western part of Croatia, Istria is a peninsula known for its rich cultural heritage, as well as it's delicious gastro offer that includes world's best wine, olive oil, and truffles. Last year, Istria was named world's best olive oil region for the sixth consecutive year, which is one more reason why Istria is an unavoidable place to visit when in Croatia.

Sources: Istria.hr, Pexels, Romulić and Stojčić

We will let you explore the charms of Istria for yourself, but first, we will try to help you how to get to Istria.

How to get to Istria Croatia by car?

Istria is one of the best, if not the best traffic-connected Croatian coastal region. Thanks to its geographical position, it achieves a record number of tourist arrivals and overnight stays every year, and the cities of Poreč and Rovinj are at the very top of Croatian tourist destinations.

The largest number of tourists come to Istria by land, by personal vehicles, from the close countries of Germany, Austria, and Italy. If you're coming to Istria from those countries, or from that direction, you must pass through Slovenia.

There are four main border crossings with Croatia and Slovenia in Istria. The first ones are Plovanija and Dragonja/Kaštel, from the direction of Koper, marked in red on the photo below.

Screenshot Google Maps

The road to Plovanija goes along the Slovenian shore, and the border crossing Dragonja/Kaštel is on the road E751. After the Croatian border, that road connects with the most famous and most important road in Istria – the so-called Istrian Y, a Y-shaped highway, which connects all parts of Istria.

On the left: Center of Istrian Y in Kanfanar (Romulić and Stojčić) / On the right: the map of Istrian Y (Wikipedia)

That part of the Istrian Y, marked in red on the photo below, goes along the western shore, and it is a highway A9 from the Slovenian border to Pula. It connects Istrian cities of Umag, Novigrad, Poreč, Rovinj, and Pula. However, the highway itself is a little away from these cities, so you will have to turn to state roads to reach them.

A9 highway, a part of Istrian Y, marked in red / Wikipedia

The second two important - and also the busiest - border crossings in Istria are Pasjak and Rupa, marked in blue on the first photo. Although they are located in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, they are a gate to Istria County.

As shown on the photo below, the highway E61 goes to Croatia via the Pasjak crossing border from the direction of Trieste in Italy. If coming from the direction of Ljubljana, you must cross the Rupa crossing border. Highway E61 (in Croatian: highway A7) from both Pasjak and Rupa end in Matulji (marked in red) near Rijeka, where it connects with the second part of Istrian Y – highway A8 that goes to Kanfanar, the center point of Istrian Y.

Screenshot Google Maps

A8 highway, a another part of Istrian Y, marked in blue / Wikipedia

Remember, once you reach Istrian Y, you can reach any part of Istria. Istrian Y is actually a system of two highways, A8 and A9 – learn more about the Istrian Y.

Other Slovenian-Croatian border crossings are Bregana near Zagreb and Macelj near Krapina, from where you can go to Istria via highways E59 and E65.

How to get to Istria by plane?

The only airport in Istria is the one in Pula, while the other close airports are in Friuli Venezia Giulia Airport in Trieste, Marco Polo Airport in Venice, and Treviso Airport in Italy, Jože Pučnik Airport in Ljubljana in Slovenia (also known as Brnik Airport or Fraport Slovenia), Zagreb Franjo Tuđman Airport and Rijeka Airport in Croatia.

Pula Airport welcomes both charter and scheduled flights. Before many flights were canceled due the pandemic, Pula Airport had a solid tourist traffic. One of the most popular airline in Pula was Ryanair, offering cheap flights to some of the biggest European cities. However, the traffic in Pula Airport dropped by 89.6 percent in 2020, compared to the record 2019.

Pula Airport by Romulić and Stojčić

Airlines operating to Pula Airport in 2021 are Air Serbia, British Airways, Croatia Airlines, EasyJet, Eurowings, Finnair, Jet2.com, Lufthansa, Norwegian, Ryanair, S7 Airlines, TUI, Volotea, and Wizzair.

In 2021, it will be possible to come to Pula, Istria by flights from Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the UK.

Screenshot Pula Airport

Follow TCN's dedicated page for the newest information about flights to Croatia.

How to get to Istria by bus?

If you come from neighboring countries, the bus may be a good option to get to Istria. Since northern and western Croatia is well-connected with northern Italy, you can get to Istria by bus from Trieste to Buje, Poreč, Rovinj, Pula, along with other places on the way. The bus from Trieste to the western part of Istria, as well as to Rijeka, operates throughout the year.

There are also bus lines from Venice to Pula by the Pula-based bus company FILS, operating the whole year. Another Pula-based bus company Brioni Pula provides bus services from Padova (with stops in Venice and Trieste) to Vodnjan, Rovinj, Buje, and Pula. All the bus lines from Italy to Croatia can be found here (in Croatian).

Bus routes from Venice, Italy to Pula, Croatia / Buscroatia.com

Istrian bus companies Brioni Pula i FILS also provide bus lines from many Croatian cities, mostly from the capital of Zagreb. If you're coming from continental Croatia, Istria is the closest seaside region to visit. There are many bus lines, especially during summer. You can find them also on the Flixbus and Arriva bus companies' webpages.

How to get to Istria by ferry?

Since Croatia has a sea border with Italy, one way to get to Istria from Italy is ferry. There are two ferry providers from Italy to Istria – Adriatic Lines and Venezia Lines.

Adriatic Lines operates from Venice to Istrian cities of Pula, Rovinj, Poreč, and Umag. Catamaran lines from port San Basilio in Venice to Istrian cities last about two and half hours. One-way ticket price is 65 euros (or 500 kunas) for adults and 32.50 euros (250 kunas) for children. The schedule for 2021 is still unavailable.

Adriatic Lines' catamarans are quite famous, as they are recognizable in Istrian ports. "Prince of Venice," mostly seen in Poreč port, has an attractive and distinctive design, while "Adriatic Jet" is known for its speed and interesting appearance.

Prince of Venice in Poreč port / Adriatic Lines

During summer, namely from April to October, Venezia Lines have catamaran lines from Venice to Piran, Poreč, Pula, Rovinj, and Umag. Ticket prices range from 59 to 69 euros per person (450 to 520 kunas per person). It takes about three hours and 15-30 minutes to get in one direction, depending on the route. However, the schedule for 2021 has not yet been published.

Ferries from Istria to Italy also allow the transport of pets and bikes.

To find more ferries from Italy to Croatia, check the Istrian Sun webpage.

How to get to Istria by train?

If you decide to come to Istria by train, you can arrive very quickly using the lines from Ljubljana or Zagreb.

The line from Ljubljana can take you to Buzet or Pula every day and it takes four hours. There are no more trains going from Italy to Croatia.

If traveling from the Croatian capital, there are no direct train lines to Istria. However, you can take the train to Rijeka, but then travel by bus from Rijeka to Lupoglav, from where you can continue your train journey through Istria, to Pazin and Pula. The whole journey take four hours. You can book the train tickets on the Croatian Railways webpage.

Six railway stations in Istria are in Pula, Kanfanar (mentioned above as the center of Istrian Y), Vodnjan, Pazin, Buzet, and Lupoglav. Pula and Pazin are the main railway stations in Istria, from where you can quicky come to western Istrian cities of Poreč, Rovinj, and Novigrad.

Fun fact about travelling by train in Istria?

Did you know that Istria is home to the only island on the Adriatic coast connected by train? Its name is Uljanik and is one of the six islands in the Pula bay.

Pula and Uljanik island seen from above / Wikipedia

The name Uljanik, after which the nearby Pula shipyard was also named, comes from olive trees or, in Croatian, "ulike" that grew on it. Of all the olive trees, only one remained in the center of the island, surrounded by the Uljanik shipyard facilities, whose central plants are located on the island.

Interestingly, the industrial track for the shipyard Uljanik that goes from Pula railway station continues over the bridge, all over to the island of Uljanik. The bridge thus connects the island of Uljanik with the coast, making Uljanik the only Croatian island connected to the mainland by rail.

Uljanik shipyard's main plants on the island of Uljanik / Copyright Romulić and Stojčić

To follow the People Also Ask Google about Croatia series, click here. 

January 11, 2021 – Unlike the record 2019, when more than 11.4 million passengers passed through Croatian airports, in the crisis 2020, that number dropped by as much as 81 percent, counting less than 2.2 million passengers.

At the beginning of each new year, the revenues from the last tourist year are added up, and tourists' numbers are concluded. However, it was inevitable that in 2020, during which world tourism experienced a massive decline due to the coronavirus pandemic, would also affect tourist numbers.

As reported earlier, the Croatian tourism sector saw 50 percent fewer tourist overnight stays in 2020 than the record 2019. Likewise, commercial aviation experienced its largest decline in history. In 2020, Croatian airports accepted and dispatched less than 2.2 million passengers, writes Croatian Aviation.

Traffic to Croatia's three largest airports, Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik, has been growing steadily for years, but this series has been interrupted by a global pandemic. The three mentioned airports had over 9.6 million passengers in 2019, while in 2020, they recorded less than 2 million passengers together (1,929,336). The fact that the other five Croatian airports had 242,827 passengers last year is also devastating, of which Zadar alone served over 120,000 passengers.

Source: Franjo Tuđman Zagreb Airport

With 924,823 passengers throughout the year, the main Croatian airport Franjo Tuđman Zagreb failed to reach the millionth passenger in 2020. However, almost half of the total Croatian traffic in 2020 was realized at the Zagreb airport.

Although it recorded an increase in the number of passengers in January and February compared to the same period in 2019, Franjo Tuđman Airport recorded a decrease in the number of passengers of 73 percent compared to 2019.

Unlike Zagreb Airport, Split Airport in January and February has modest traffic compared to the summer, seasonal months, and so it was in 2020. However, after the global pandemic hit Croatia, air traffic in Split almost stopped.

However, compared to other Croatian airports on the coast, Split still had a certain number of passengers in the peak season, especially in August. Still, the numbers in the post-season dropped drastically again. With 674,366 passengers, Split Airport recorded a decrease in the number of passengers of 79.58 percent compared to 2019.

Dubrovnik Airport was one of the biggest losers last year. It was closed in April, while the traffic was very poor in May and June. An increase in the number of passengers was recorded only in July and August, but not enough to avoid a large drop in the number of passengers.

Although many companies flew to Dubrovnik this summer, the planes were empty rather than full, as confirmed by statistics. The decrease in the number of passengers at Dubrovnik Airport is 88.6 percent compared to 2019.

Source: Zadar Airport

Traffic also dropped drastically at Zadar Airport, but not as much as in Pula. These two Croatian airports have been competing in the number of passengers for several years, and the difference between them is relatively small. Nevertheless, in 2020, Zadar accepted almost 40,000 more passengers than Pula. Zadar Airport recorded a drop in the number of passengers of 84.93 percent compared to 2019, and Pula Airport 89.6 percent.

In 2019, Rijeka Airport finally exceeded 200,000 passengers for the first time in its history. Still, the numbers dropped drastically in 2020 as many airlines have given up on introducing seasonal routes to this airport due to the global pandemic. Rijeka Airport thus recorded a decrease in the number of passengers of 86.22 percent compared to 2019.

In 2020, Osijek Airport had only domestic PSO (Public Service Obligation) lines and the Eurowings line to Stuttgart, but only in August. It recorded a decrease in the number of passengers of 85.72 percent compared to the previous 2019.

Brač Airport also recorded a decline in the number of passengers in 2020. A slightly more significant number of passengers was recorded only in July and August, but these are also modest numbers compared to the 2019 summer season.

You can see the graphs of the 2020 traffic from all Croatian airports at Croatian Aviation.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

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November 12, 2020 - The latest news for flights to Croatia as easyJet operates between Glasgow and Pula next summer. 

Croatian Aviation reports that British low-cost airline easyJet has announced it is introducing a new route to Pula Airport in the summer flight schedule next year.

easyJet announced that in the summer of 2021, it currently plans to launch a new line to Croatia. If the situation with the global pandemic calms by next summer, it is to be expected that this well-known British airline will be present in Croatian airports (Pula, Zadar, Split, and Dubrovnik) with far more weekly operations and routes than this summer.

Despite the current situation, easyJet has confirmed the introduction of a new line to Croatia - the Glasgow - Pula line will be introduced on June 28. Originally, this line was supposed to operate in the summer of 2020, but this did not happen for obvious reasons.

Thus, easyJet announces two flights a week from June 28 to September 3, 20201, every Monday and Friday.

A319 aircraft has been announced on the route, which has a capacity of 156 seats in the fleet of this low-cost carrier. easyJet has more than 130 A319 aircraft in its fleet. easyJet is planning 10 routes to Pula Airport in the summer of 2021.

With the announced Glasgow - Pula line, where they will have no competition, easyJet is already selling tickets on direct lines from London (Luton and Gatwick), Liverpool, Bristol, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Geneva and Basel for next summer season.

Lines from London (Luton) and Bristol should start operating to Pula at the end of April, specifically from April 27. Operational changes are possible, and operations will depend on the epidemiological situation and the demand itself. Croatian Aviation will continue to monitor easyJet's flight schedule to Croatia and report any changes in a timely manner, which TCN will then report to its readers. 

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

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August 17, 2020 - The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for flights to Croatia with updates for Pula.

Croatian Aviation reports that among the numerous cancellations and reductions of weekly flights to destinations in Croatia, there was some positive news. Ryanair has announced a new line to Pula for next spring.

Namely, the Irish low-cost airline plans to launch a new route between Pula and Vienna in the spring of 2021.

The Pula-Vienna route is currently planned from the first day of the summer flight schedule next year (March 28, 2021), twice a week, every Wednesday and Sunday, until autumn - specifically until the end of October (October 27, 2021).

The A320 aircraft of the partner company Lauda (pictured), which has its base at Vienna Airport, has been announced on the route. The capacity of the aircraft is 180 seats.

There have been no direct commercial flights between Vienna and Pula so far, but Austrian Airlines has previously operated charter flights from several destinations in Austria to Pula Airport.

This is the first announcement of a new line to Pula Airport for next year, but traffic will certainly depend on epidemiological measures in the next summer season.

This summer season, Ryanair connects Pula Airport with three international destinations: London, Berlin and Brussels.

In the first seven months of this year, Pula Airport had a turnover of 23,621 passengers, which is a decrease compared to last year of over 94%.

Recall, last week, TCN reported that British Airways would reduce the number of weekly flights to Zagreb in September this year.

British Airways currently operates daily between London (Heathrow Airport) and Zagreb, on A319 and A320 aircraft. Given the occupancy of the passenger cabin and reduced demand, the company decided to reduce the number of weekly flights on the said route in September this year.

From September 1 on the London - Zagreb route, British Airways aircraft will operate six times a week, every day except Wednesday, while from September 7, there will be five flights per week on the route. Namely, the flight will be additionally canceled on Tuesdays.

Changes are certainly still possible, but unfortunately not in the direction of increasing weekly flights, especially with the fact that the number of patients with COVID-19 in the Republic of Croatia is growing significantly.

Other British Airways routes in Croatia (to Dubrovnik, Split and Pula) have no operational changes so far.

Croatia Airlines currently offers three flights a week on the route Zagreb - London Heathrow throughout September (Monday, Wednesday, Friday), but the flight schedule for next month has not yet been finalized.

Furthermore, Aeroflot has completely canceled the Moscow - Split route, to which it planned to return in August, and there are no announced flights to Dubrovnik or Zagreb.

Before the pandemic, Russian Aeroflot operated daily on the Moscow (Sheremetyevo Airport) - Zagreb route, both in summer and winter.

The line was suspended at the time of the pandemic and has not resumed until now. However, according to the announcements from the airline, there will be no direct flights between the two capitals this year. The company plans to make a significant restructuring after the crisis, and according to current announcements, we can expect a direct air connection between Moscow and Zagreb only in April 2021.

Aeroflot even announced the launch of its seasonal route Moscow - Split in August this year, airline tickets were already on sale, but given the regulations at the state borders, it was to be expected that flights would be canceled, which eventually happened.

The third Aeroflot line in Croatia, the one to Dubrovnik, was withdrawn from sale in March, so Croatia will not have a direct connection with the capital of Russia this year.

In the summer flight schedule, the Croatian national carrier operates on the Zagreb - St. Petersburg line, but that line was also canceled for this year.

Aeroflot's last visit to Croatia was on May 2 this year, when a B777 aircraft landed at Zagreb Airport for the first time, transporting medical equipment from China via Moscow to the Croatian capital.

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June 24, 2020 - The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for flights to Croatia with updates from Zagreb and Pula. 

Croatian Aviation reports that Windrose and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) have announced the launch of direct international flights to Pula Airport.

Namely, Windrose and SAS will launch direct flights to Pula at the very beginning of July. More specifically, on Saturday, July 4, the A320neo will operate on Scandinavian Airlines and the A321 on Windrose Airlines.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

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From July 4, Scandinavian Airlines will introduce the Copenhagen - Pula route, once a week (every Saturday), though the route will probably be intensified with more weekly flights in the coming period. SAS announced the A320neo aircraft on this route.

Recall, yesterday, we announced that SAS released a modified flight schedule for July, in which the number of weekly flights to Split has increased significantly. 

The company has decided to increase the number of weekly flights and add a route from Stockholm to Split, so SAS will connect Split with Scandinavia according to the following schedule:

Copenhagen - Split, from June 29, daily (so far twice a week)

Oslo - Split, from June 29, six times a week, except Thursdays (so far once a week).

SAS will also introduce Stockholm - Split, from July 1, which will operate daily. 

From the same date, Jule 4, Windrose Airlines plans to launch the Kyiv-Pula route, also once a week (Saturday), with the A321 aircraft, but the second weekly flight (Tuesday) is also on sale, from July 21.

Furthermore, Ex Yu Aviation reports that Spanish airline Iberia will not resume the Madrid - Zagreb service until the start of the 2020/2021 winter season.

Namely, Iberia will resume the route on October 23 with three flights per week, on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.

In 2019, Iberia carried 47,703 passengers between Madrid and Zagreb. Iberia will resume seasonal flights to Dubrovnik on July 17, though services to Split and Zadar have not yet been scheduled. 

November 8, 2019 - The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for new flights to Croatia with updates from Zagreb, Split, Pula, and Zadar. 

Ex Yu Aviation announced that Swiss International Air Lines would stop its seasonal summer service to Zagreb. 

“Swiss regularly reviews its route network for possible adjustments and its further development, to ensure that its aircraft fleet is deployed on it as effectively as possible. The prime considerations in these activities include current demand, the development potential offered by individual routes and the competitive landscape. As part of these ongoing endeavors to optimize our route network as a whole, we have decided to cease service to Sarajevo and Zagreb as of the 2020 summer schedule,” the airline said in a statement to Ex Yu Aviation. 

Recall, Swiss flew to Zagreb three times per week over the summer.

This doesn’t mean that Swiss is leaving the Croatian market, however. The airline will resume its weekly flight between Geneva and Pula from June 20 next year. Swiss will also codeshare Croatia Airlines’ services between Zagreb and Zurich, which runs twice a week. 

Avio Radar reports that TUIfly Nordic will run a new trip from Sweden to Split in their 2020 summer flight schedule. Namely, the Norrkoping-Split route will operate on Fridays every other week from May 15 to October 9. 

The Danish airline JetTime has flown on this line for the past year with a smaller Boeing 737-700 aircraft. TUI will service this line with its own Boeing 737-800 aircraft. 

They also announced two other new routes - Gotheburg-Split, which will run once a week on Fridays, and Stockholm (Arlanda)-Pula, which will run once a week on Saturdays. 

Avio Radar also reports that Danish airline JetTime will service TUI Sverige on new routes from Scandinavia to Pula and Split. Namely, it will fly between Gothenburg-Pula and Copenhagen-Pula once a week, on Fridays, with the larger Boeing 737-700 aircraft instead of the smaller British Aerospace Avroliner ARJ-100, operated by Swedish regional carrier Braathens Regional Airlines this year. 

Furthermore, the new line Orebro-Split, will run every other Wednesday from May 27 to October 8, 2020. The line is being introduced instead of the Norrkoping-Split line that TUI has taken over with its new aircraft. The Helsinki-Split, Copenhagen-Split and Vaxjo-Split lines will continue to operate the same as they did this year. 

Avio Radar adds that Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair will boost two flights to Zadar in the 2020 flight schedule. The Prague-Zadar line, which started operating only this year with two flights per week on Mondays and Fridays, will run three times a week in 2020 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. 

The second reinforced line is the Stockholm (Skavsta)-Zadar route, which also introduced a third-weekly trip. Starting March 31, 2020, this line will run on Tuesdays, Thursdays,  and Saturdays on the Boeing 737-800 aircraft. 

On the other hand, Ryanair announced the closure of its base in Hamburg a month ago. This means that the Hamburg-Zadar route,  which began operations this year with two flights per week, will not be on offer next year. 

To end this week of flight news, Ex Yu Aviation reported that easyJet and Pula Airport concluded a five-year agreement at the World Travel Market in London, which will further strengthen their cooperation and grow operations at the airport, with a focus on the UK market. 

To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

August 7, 2019 - The Istria County Tourist Board information points at Pula Airport are directly connecting tourists with the destination. 

Pula Airport is achieving a record number of passengers from year to year, and this year, Pula is connected with the most destinations ever by direct flights. Thus, it would only make sense that airports are the best place to target a high frequency of passengers upon their arrival to a new destination, reports HRTurizam.

With that thought in mind, the Istria County Tourist Board info points at the Pula Airport, which provide visitors with a fast, comprehensive and high-quality information, this year saw a significant increase in inquiries and direct contact with tourists, providing them with useful information in person.

From mid-June to July 28, a total of 14,496 inquiries were recorded, while there were 11,877 inquiries in the same period last year, increasing by 18%.

“Based on the experience of tourist informants of the Istrian Development Agency, which provides visitor information services, we can conclude that the interest of tourists for the brochures is extremely high and that the map of Istria, as well as information about cities such as Pula, Rovinj and Poreč, are in high demand. The demand for general information brochures such as Istria Culture, Istria Gourmet, as well as for cycling and walking maps has increased, and there is a noticeable interest in outdoor activities,” said Morena Milevoj from IRTA. She added that the great interest of travelers speaks in favor of this, since the information point contributes to the better promotion of Istria as a tourist destination, in which an average of 150,000 tourists arrive by air during the main tourist season, while the number of flights exceeds 700 per month.

In the mentioned period, 7,420 brochures were distributed, which represents 51% of the total number of inquiries for 2019, and the most requested tourist inquiry is about shuttle bus transfers from Pula Airport to the city center of Pula.

Although the trend today is digitalization in every respect, promotional brochures still play a significant role, especially if they are well produced and provide useful information. 

"Tourists are also looking for information on transportation from Pula Airport to other cities in Istria, mostly to Rovinj, Poreč, and Umag, as well as information about taxi services and rental car services that are most convenient for visitors who want to visit as many destinations in Istria. In addition, it is worth noting inquiries about current events in the peninsula, places to visit (sights, beaches, amusement parks such as aquaparks, national parks, and nature parks) and accommodation options as well as other recommendations for activities in Istria,” says Milevoj.

Visitors most often searching for information are from the UK, Germany, Russia, and Scandinavia. The most active are Britons and Germans of all ages, while visitors from Russia and France seek information in Russian and French respectively.

"According to the positive reactions of visitors we’ve had direct contact with so far, it shows how important it is to provide quality information that will make it easier for visitors to find their destination and make their stay as comfortable and quality as possible," concludes Milevoj.

To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

As Glas Istre/Duska Palibrk writes on the 27th of June, 2019, Pula Airport is experiencing some excellent growth and progression this year, which can be owed to intense cooperation between Pula Airport, the Istria County Tourist Board and local people working in the hotel and tourism industry.

''As of yesterday, when compared to last year, we recorded sixteen percent more passengers. The biggest increase we had was in April, by about sixty percent, in May, there was an increase of 35 percent.

That's exactly what we were working hard on throughout last year along with the Istria County Tourist Board and the hotel industry, boosting the pre-season and the season. Of course, we're not expecting such growth in July and August, but again in October, we'd like thirty percent more passengers. This year, we set a goal of 770,000 passengers. Yes, that would be a new record,'' Pula Airport's director Svemir Radmilo stated.

The low-cost airline company easyJet has opened up two new seasonal lines for Pula, Geneva, and Amsterdam. 

Flights from Geneva arrive at Pula Airport on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the very first of which landed last night, and from Amsterdam, flights arrive on Tuesdays and Sundays, and it will continue on like that until the end of August.

According to the flight schedule, the flight from Geneva to Pula arrives at 20:00 and returns back at 21:15. The seasonal line between Pula Airport and Amsterdam opened on Croatian Statehood Day (June the 25th), landing on Pula Airport's runway ten minutes ahead of schedule, at 19:30. On the first flight from Amsterdam there were 110 passengers, and upon departure from Pula Airport, there were 94.

EasyJet has thus become the number one carrier at Pula Airport. This year will see a total of twelve lines and about 150,000 passengers will arrive thanks to the ''wings'' of this popular low-cost carrier.

In addition to Geneva and Amsterdam, the aforementioned air company will connect Pula Airport with ten more European destinations. Until the end of August, EasyJet will fly to Pula Airpott from Paris on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from Milan on Mondays and Fridays, from Berlin (Schönefeld) and Basel on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and from Bristol in the UK on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Until October the 13th, on Wednesdays and Sundays, there will be a direct Liverpool-Pula line, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays until October the 20th, there will be a direct route between Pula Airport and Berlin (Tegel),, and until Thursday the 26th of October, Thursdays and Sundays will see a direct connection between Pula Airport and the British capital of London (Southend and Gatwick).

As far as flights are concerned, the director of the Pula Airport says that only the month of October has a question mark over its head, especially with regard to the UK, as the 31st of October is meant to be the country's new EU exit date. However, whether or not that means anything at all, as it hasn't so far with any previous planned exit dates - remains to be seen.

"We were concerned about Brexit during the pre-season, too, and nothing happened, so far, we haven't felt a bigger drop in the number of passengers, everything that comes from the United Kingdom is very full, all flights so far have been over 90 percent filled and we hope to continue this trend,'' said the director of Pula Airport, which can now proudly boast of more than seventy direct flights to Europe, of which 70 percent are with "low-cost'' airlines.

It isn't just EasyJet has just opened new lines for Pula Airport. Laudamotion has connected Pula and Stuttgart this season, Voltea has been connecting Pula Airport and Bordeaux since earlier this month, Jet2 connects Pula with Birmingham, and TUI UK connects it with Doncaster.

Asked how much Pula is recognised among Croatian travellers, as well as those from within Croatia's closer region, as the starting place to get to all of the aforementioned European destinations, Svemir Radmilo says he sees more and more Italian and Slovenian registrations parked at the airport, there are also those from Zagreb, Rijeka, Karlovac, and some remain parked there for days at a time.

''We're a tourist destination, people work during the summer season, seventy percent of people in Istria are working in tourism and they're not travelling during this time of year. The number of Croatian passengers using Pula Airport to travel abroad is greatest in April, September and October, but they make up only ten percent of our passengers. All the rest are international travellers who're coming to visit Croatia, ninety percent of them remain in Istria, others continue to other destinations. There are also those who fly to Dubrovnik, rent a car, and go in the opposite direction, towards Pula,'' concluded Svemir Radmilo.

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On Tuesday, the low-cost carrier easyJet launched its new route between Amsterdam and Pula, reports HRTurizam on June 26, 2019.

The inaugural flight, which operated using the Airbus A320 aircraft, was scheduled to land at 19:40, but arrived 10 minutes earlier, at 19:30. The flight carried 110 passengers to Pula, while 94 passengers were on the flight departing back to Amsterdam. The new route will operate twice a week, on Tuesdays and Sundays, until September 1, 2019. 

“Compared to the traffic in 2018, up to Monday, we had a 16 percent increase in the number of passengers, which is justified by the repeat flight plan for all existing companies, and new lines on Laudamotion for Stuttgart, Volotea for Bordeaux, Jet2.com for Birmingham, easyJet for Amsterdam and Geneva as well as TUI UK for Doncaster,” said Svemir Radmilo, director of the Pula Airport.

In addition to the newly opened line for Amsterdam, easyJet flies to another ten destinations from Pula.

• Paris on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays until August 30

• Milan on Mondays and Fridays until August 30

• Berlin Schönefeld Tuesdays and Saturdays until August 31

• Berlin Tegel on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays until October 20

• Basel Tuesdays and Saturdays until August 31

• Bristol on Wednesdays and Saturdays until August 31

• Liverpool on Wednesdays and Sundays until October 13

• London Gatwick on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays until October 26

• London Southend on Thursdays and Sundays until October 26

• Geneva on Wednesdays and Saturdays until August 31

Pula’s airport dates back to 1911, when some pilots and engineers from the Austro-Hungarian army took to the air from a grass field. This is the present location of the airport.

Civilian flights began in 1924 with a seaplane service. Seaplanes reappeared briefly to Pula in 2015, but European Coastal Airlines stopped flights in 2016. The seaplane company is presently in pre-bankruptcy proceedings.

The current airport was turned over to civilian use back in 1967, and it proved very successful. 1987 saw Pula handle over 700,000 passengers, a number that would not be bettered until 2018.

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