Decision To Take Public Transit From Zagreb To The Airport
We recently stayed in the heart of old town Zagreb with our toddlers, ages one and a half and three. Our flight home started from Franjo Tudman, Zagreb’s only airport, located 10km from the city center, so we began to look into our public transportation options the day before we left. We don’t bring our carseats on trips in order to travel ultralight, making walking or taking public transportation our only real options on international trips. We quickly discovered that ZET, Zagreb’s public transit company, runs a bus (line 290) that departs every 30-40 minutes from Kvaternik Square to the town of Velika Gorica, with a stop at Franjo Tudman Airport in each direction. The ride costs just 1.60 euros per ticket and children up to age 7 ride free with an adult. This sounded like a great option, and we planned to walk from our lodging near Ban Jelačić Square to Kvaternik Square as the distance was just 1.7km. However, we woke up to rain and near freezing temperatures on the morning of our departure. We put the kids in their rain suits but they were not having it and we quickly decided a 20 minute walk in the rain with wailing toddlers was going to start an already long day in a bad way. Justin quickly checked the public transit option on Google Maps and saw that we could take a quick 8 minute tram from the tram stop in Ban Jelačić Square to Kvaternik Square, where we could then catch the 290 bus to the airport. That sounded way better so we started looking for a place to buy tram tickets.
Good to know: Buses on the 290 line start running at 4:20am on weekdays and 5:20am on weekends. You can access the schedule for the 290 line here.
Buying Tickets & Catching the Tram
We’d read that you could buy tram tickets from little newspaper/magazine/snack stands called Tisak, but had no idea how easy it would be or not to find one of these. However, as we headed toward the tram tracks at the edge of the square, we immediately saw that there was a Tisak stand right there beside the tracks. We asked the guy behind the window for two tickets and they ended up being just 0.53 euros a ticket, which felt very worth it to avoid a cold rainy walk! After getting our tickets, we joined the line along the tracks and could see from Google Maps that most of the tram lines stopped at Kvaternik. As such, we waited about 5 minutes until a tram came on line 11 that looked like it had enough space for our stroller and climbed aboard. Fortunately, we found a designated space for strollers and wheelchairs and parked ourselves there for the short ride.
Good to know: You can buy tickets for the tram from little newspaper/magazine/snack shops called Tisak. You just ask for whatever quantity of tickets you want at the window. Credit cards were accepted at the Tisak we went too and I presume this is true for them all.
The Tisak stand there we bought our tram tickets in Ban Jelačić Square
Our tram tickets
Wet rainy wait for the tram. Fortunately, they come around every few minutes.
Finding The Bus Stop at Kvaternikov Square
We hopped off the tram at Kvaternikov Square and after consulting Google Maps, quickly realized that the bus stop we needed to be at to catch the 290 bus wasn’t actually located in the square, but rather a couple blocks down a side road. A little unpleasant in the rain but otherwise not a big deal.
Good to know: The bus stop isn’t right where the tram drops you in Kvaternikov Square - you’ll need to head a few blocks down Vjekoslava road to find it
Ride To The Airport on The 290 Bus
When we got to the stop it was pretty crowded and we were worried we’d have to wait an extra cycle for another bus. However, when the bus pulled up about 10 minutes later (had a large 290 on the front so very clear is was the correct bus) we were all able to squeeze on. We hadn’t seen a spot to purchase bus tickets so we purchased them from the driver. Once again, we found a designated area for strollers and wheelchairs and parked ourselves there standing with the kids for most of the ride. The bus made a number of stops before reaching the airport and eventually a seat opened where I could sit and hold Freya. When we reached the airport the bus stopped right outside the only terminal, which was very convenient.
Good to know: The ride from Kvaternikov Square to the airport took approximately 35 minutes
The bus stop at Kvaternikov where the 290 bus stops. As you can see, the bus is clearly marked even though the stand itself wasn’t very clear as to whether it was the correct location to pick up the 290. Photo credit: Vecernji List
Sign on the bus indicating where to put your stroller
There was a bar to hold onto that enabled Jasper to stand and see out during our bus ride
Would We Do it Again?
Yes. We thought it was very doable with toddlers without too long of wait times for either the tram or bus. It probably took us about an hour from deciding to take the tram to arrival at the airport, which wasn’t bad at all. Lastly, it was really cheap and we liked that there were designated areas on both the bus and tram for strollers. If taking a tram and a bus to the airport sounds like too much with a toddler though, check out the Pleso Prijevoz shuttle service that runs between the main bus terminal and the airport.
Have you taken public transportation from Zagreb to the airport with little kids? We’d love to hear your experience, especially if you did something different like a shuttle bus. Leave us a comment!