Where to stay in Zagreb
The old centre works on foot and by garage, and its street parking stops at two hours. Trnje, Maksimir and Trešnjevka, 1.5 to 3 km out, have longer and cheaper street parking.
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How the areas differ
The Lower Town is the centre between the main railway station and Ban Jelačić Square, with its parks and squares. The Upper Town climbs the hill above it, with Kaptol and the cathedral quarter to the east. Both suit a stay on foot.
Trnje lies south of the railway around the Lisinski concert hall, about 1.5 km from Ban Jelačić Square. Maksimir, about 3 km east, runs out to Maksimir park and the zoo, and Trešnjevka, about 2 km west, is residential, with its own market square. Novi Zagreb spreads south of the Sava around the Zagreb Fair, about 4 km from the square.
Staying with a rental car
Zagrebparking, a branch of the city holding company, runs street parking in zones. Zone 1 in the centre costs EUR 1.60 an hour for two hours at most, charged from 07:00 to midnight Monday to Saturday and from 07:00 to 15:00 on Sundays. Zone 2 costs EUR 0.70 an hour for up to three hours and zone 3 EUR 0.30 with no limit, both charged from 07:00 to 20:00 on weekdays and until 15:00 on Saturdays, and free on Sundays.
The Upper Town streets form zone 1.1, with no hourly parking: a car without a resident's card is issued a EUR 19.90 day ticket, and since 2008 stopping and parking there have been reserved for residents and official vehicles. The pedestrian zone in the centre is closed to motor traffic without a city permit. Any car found without a valid ticket gets a 24-hour day ticket: EUR 13.30 in zone 1, EUR 8 in zone 2 and EUR 2.70 in zone 3.
SMS payment works only on Croatian mobile networks, so a visitor with a foreign phone pays in the ZgPark app or at a machine. For longer stays in the centre, the Tuškanac, Langov trg and Petrinjska garages cost EUR 1.60 an hour by day, EUR 13.30 for 24 hours and EUR 47 a week; Kvaternikov trg and Gorica cost EUR 1.10, EUR 6.60 and EUR 19.90. Ask for a day or week ticket within 10 minutes of driving in.
GetCar's guide Driving in Zagreb: Parking Zones, Garages, Tolls and the Slovenian Vignette covers the motorway tolls out of the city and the drive on into Slovenia.
What the tourist tax and registration rules mean for a guest
The Zagreb City Assembly set the 2026 tourist tax in January 2025 at EUR 1.86 per person per night in hotels and other commercial accommodation, one rate for the whole year. Children under 12 pay nothing, ages 12 to 18 pay half, and people staying for work are exempt with proof such as an employment contract.
In private household apartments the host pays EUR 55 per bed for 2026 and must post in each unit that the tax is included in the price. Every host registers each guest in eVisitor within 24 hours of arrival, so expect to show a passport or ID. A household host may advertise only the type and category in its official decision, and a flat in a block needs the co-owners' written consent before it can be licensed.
When to book what
The tax is the same all year, so the weekly rhythm of parking matters more than the season: zones 2 and 3 are free on Sundays, while zone 1 is charged on Sundays from 07:00 to 15:00.
From the airport, a shuttle bus reaches the main bus station in 35 to 40 minutes, and city line 290 runs to Kvaternik Square, by Maksimir, in 45 to 50 minutes.
Which area for which trip
A first visit on foot, with the car in a garage: the Lower Town.
Old lanes and quiet evenings without a car: the Upper Town and Kaptol.
Cheap street parking close to the centre: Trnje.
A park on the doorstep and the airport bus nearby: Maksimir.
A longer stay among residents: Trešnjevka.
A stay built around the car: Novi Zagreb.
Questions
How long can a car park on the street in central Zagreb?
Two hours in zone 1, at EUR 1.60 an hour. Zone 2 allows three hours at EUR 0.70, and zone 3 has no limit at EUR 0.30.
Where can a car park near the Upper Town?
In the Tuškanac or Langov trg garages, EUR 1.60 an hour by day or EUR 13.30 for 24 hours. Upper Town streets are reserved for residents.
What happens if a car has no parking ticket in Zagreb?
Zagrebparking issues a 24-hour day ticket: EUR 13.30 in zone 1, EUR 19.90 in the Upper Town's zone 1.1, EUR 8 in zone 2 and EUR 2.70 in zone 3.
Does the tourist tax in Zagreb change with the season?
No. In 2026 it is EUR 1.86 per person per night all year in commercial accommodation.
Do guests in a private apartment pay tourist tax per night?
Not by law. The host pays EUR 55 per bed for 2026 and must display in the unit that the tax is included in the price.