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Croatia Travel FAQs Amid The Ukraine Crisis
As we have witnessed the horror of war unfolding in Ukraine over the past month, a few of our travelers have asked questions about the viability and safety of travel to Croatia at this time. As a result, we thought we would take the time to field some of the questions we have received and hopefully put any concerns you may have to rest.
Below are some questions and thoughts from us as of April 4th, 2022:
1. Is it safe to travel to Croatia right now?
Yes. With all available knowledge and expectations, Croatia is absolutely safe for travel
Croatia doesnʼt share any borders with either Ukraine, Belarus, or Russia. It is also a member state of NATO and the European Union. As a result, it is extremely unlikely that it would be involved in this conflict.
Darija Reić, director at the Croatian National Tourist Office was quoted as saying: “Croatia is a safe distance from the current conflict area and is recognized as a safe tourist destination, where all government institutions are cooperating and carrying out activities to ensure an uninterrupted tourist season.”
2. Are flights operating to Croatia as normal?
Yes. Both long and short-haul flights are operating in/out of Croatia as normal from both Europe and international destinations. No direct flights to Croatia from the United States, or connecting flights within Europe pass through Ukrainian, Russian or Belarusian airspace. There has even been a recent exciting announcement of a new direct flight from New York to Dubrovnik, right in time for the summer season!
3. Will my trip be impacted by the conflict in Ukraine?
No. At present many tourists are arriving in Croatia for the Easter period and their trips are completely unaffected. All tours are running as usual, while public transport, restaurants, hotels, and historic points of interest remain open as normal.
4. How far is Croatia from Russia/Ukraine
Croatia is over 1500 miles from the southernmost part of Ukraine and does not share a border with the nation. From the typical tourism spots of Split and Dubrovnik it is roughly 800 miles as the crow flies to Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine, taking around 24-30 hours by car.
Interesting Fact: With Ukraine being such a large nation, the main tourism spot of Dubrovnik in Croatia, is actually slightly closer to Tripoli in Libya (Africa) at 720 miles than Kyiv in Ukraine at 1242 miles. This highlights the fact that Croatia is a vast distance from the main points of conflict in the Russian-Ukraine war.
5. What is Croatiaʼs stance on the war in Ukraine?
Croatia has strongly opposed Russian aggression in Ukraine with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic calling for Moscow to immediately stop their assault on the country.
“This morning, Russia began an unprovoked military aggression and invasion of Ukraine by shelling numerous targets all over Ukrainian territory, whereby it grossly trampled on Ukraine’s sovereignty and international law,”
Andrej Plenkovic – Croatian Prime Minister
6. Is Croatia a safe country to visit?
Statistically, Croatia is one of the safest countries in the world.
In a recent survey, Croatia was voted the 19th safest country in the world, ahead of both the United States and the United Kingdom. Croatia also experiences significantly less violent and serious crimes than the United States. From NationMaster shows and compares much lower overall crime levels in Croatia than the United States across major categories.
7. Will my travel insurance cover me against any potential cancellation?
While we are unable to individually advise on peopleʼs policies and level of coverage, we always strongly recommend our travelers take out comprehensive travel insurance policies for any visit abroad. For full peace of mind, we recommend taking out ʻcancel for any reasonʼ travel insurance which will ensure you are protected at all costs should the situation change.
8. What is the current situation on the ground in Croatia?
As we have mentioned previously, the current situation in Croatia is completely normal with locals and tourists alike enjoying the ever-improving spring weather. As we move into the summer life is calm and as usual in Croatia with all places of interest and local amenities open and functioning as normal.
9. Is it safer to travel to other countries in Europe than Croatia?
As both a NATO and European Union member, Croatia is on par in terms of safety as all other EU member states. Countries such as Germany, Austria, and Italy are all similar distances to Ukraine and are all facing zero disruption to normal life and for incoming tourists.
Final Thoughts
While Croatia is not directly involved in the war, it does not detract from the awful situation that is unfolding in Ukraine. Our teams on the ground in the USA, UK, and Croatia send their thoughts, best wishes, and prayers to those in Ukraine and wish for a speedy resolution and peace to be restored.
For any travelers with any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our team for more information. We wish you all a wonderful vacation period this summer and look forward to welcoming our many travelers back to beautiful Croatia.
Hvala!
