by croatiaweek
August 28, 2025
in
Croatia to regulate taxis
The Croatian government has confirmed that it will soon introduce significant amendments to the Road Transport Act, aimed at reining in rising taxi fares and tightening regulation of the industry.
Transport Minister Oleg Butković announced on Nova TV’s Dnevnik that the government intends to reintroduce maximum fare limits for taxi services.
“We see prices rising without any clear criteria. We will calculate what the maximum should be and set it accordingly. We do not want this to become a business that no one wants to do because of low earnings,” he said, before adding.
“At the same time, we also see cases where drivers are not even marked as taxi drivers. We will propose special number plates for taxis and make other modifications,” said Butković.
Alongside price caps, and requiring all taxis to carry distinctive number plates to make them easily identifiable, the Ministry is also considering additional measures directed at ride-hailing applications and digital platforms.
Triggered by shocking cases
The move comes after a series of alarming reports of tourists being charged extortionate sums for short journeys. In one case in Zagreb, a tourist from New Zealand was charged €1,506 for a trip worth just a few euros.
The driver initially quoted €185, then demanded €150 in cash. When the passenger attempted to pay by card, she was debited ten times the agreed amount.
Such cases, where visitors have been charged €150 or more for a ride of only a few kilometres, have caused widespread public outrage and prompted calls for stronger consumer protection.
If introduced, the measures would see the return of capped pricing, mandatory vehicle identification, and closer oversight of ride-hailing platforms operating in Croatia.