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Car Rental It is always cheaper to have bought your car rental in Britain before setting off rather than trying to buy it in Croatia. Over time I have discovered that Holiday Autos consistently offered the best rates and best service for car hire in Croatia. If looking to rent a car this summer check them out If flying to Trieste with Ryannair be sure to check that you can take the Italian hire car over the border. It must, however, be marked on the hire documents, or the car may be refused entry at the border. If you succeed in getting across without the appropriate authorisation, your insurance may well be non-existent! Do the usual checking of the car before driving off to ensure that all the previous scratches and dents are on the form you are signing to avoid paying for others peoples damage when you return the car. It is possible to drive to Croatia from the UK in a reasonable period of time. If starting from the north of England head for East Anglia then take North Sea Ferries or Stena to Holland and then drive through Holland and Germany then down to Graz in Austria, crossing into Slovenia, and then heading for Croatia, which is signposted as soon as you leave Maribor. A day and a half of hard driving should see you in Istria. If driving from the south then the Dover Calais down through France avoiding Switzerland into Italy and across. Both routes seem to take the same amount of time. With clear European motorways Rijeka to Calais takes 17 hours of driving. If heading further than Istria you can take a break from the driving and board a Jadrolina car ferry in Rijeka. In 2003 the ferry leaves Rijeka at 6pm and gets to Split for the next morning, Korcula for midday and Dubrovnik for mid afternoon. The return trip including a cabin cost £240.00 Croatia is a wonderful place to drive particularly the coast road, which connects Rijeka, and Dubrovnik (the Jadranska magistrala) where every turn seems to produce another stunning view. There are plans to build a motorway between these two cities, and all the way to Greece through Montenegro and Albania by 2015. Driving Tips The entire coast road currently has no dual carriageway, which means that the Croats have learnt to overtake at every opportunity. This can be daunting and it is best to drive with your lights on and assume that round the next bend is probably a Croat on the wrong side of the road! Until the new motorway is completed - it currently stretches from Zagreb to Split - this coast road can grind to a halt suddenly in the summer months and it is a good idea to keep your car radio tuned to HRT 2 for traffic updates in English. Omis seems to be a particular black spot. Parking can be difficult and expensive in city centres, and drivers can be aggressive. In Zagreb, motorists and pedestrians alike must also pay special attention to trams (streetcars), which in downtown areas may travel at a high rate of speed through the narrow, congested streets. Primary roads are generally adequate, but most have only one lane in each direction, including roads going to and from the coast. Coastal roads are narrow and congested, and tend to be very slippery when wet. Right turns on red lights are strictly forbidden in Croatia, unless an additional green light (in the shape of an arrow) allows it. At unmarked intersections, right of way is always to the vehicle entering from the right. Front seat belts are obligatory and passengers in vehicles equipped with rear seat belts are required to use them. Croatia operates a policy of zero tolerance - so you cannot drink and drive in Croatia. Police routinely spot-check motorists for drinking and driving and will administer breathalyser tests at even the most minor accident. Drivers who refuse to submit to a breathalyser are automatically presumed to have admitted to driving while intoxicated. In case of accidents resulting in death or serious injury, Croatian law obligates police to take blood samples to test blood alcohol levels. Within Croatia, emergency road help and information may be reached by dialling 987, a service of the Croatian Automobile Association (HAK), staffed by English speaking operators. The police can be reached by dialling 92 and ambulance by dialling 94. Additional road condition and safety information may be obtained from HAK at tel. (385)(1) 455-4433, or via their web page, http://www.hak.hr Road distance between Zagreb and some important European towns:
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