Trying to figure out if buses and metros in Croatia take cards or if Ill need small cash. Any recent experiences?
Traveled through Istria and also spent a few days in Zadar. In bigger towns like Rijeka and Pula I was able to use my contactless card on most buses. In smaller towns it was more mixed. One driver in Rovinj accepted card and another one didn’t even have a machine. I used a Wise card and it worked fine where the terminal was available. I’d suggest carrying a small amount of cash just in case but most city buses in larger places now accept card payments easily.
I stayed in Split for a week and had to use the local buses to reach nearby beaches and the ferry port. Some of the buses let you buy tickets at the station with a card but once you get on the bus, most of the time the driver only takes cash. I always kept about 10 to 15 euros in small bills just in case. Some buses were newer and had card readers but they didn’t always work. Better to buy tickets in advance at a kiosk with card or get small cash ready for the driver.
Was in Dubrovnik last month and used the Libertas buses to get around. You can pay with a contactless card right as you board. I used my Revolut card and also tried Apple Pay once just to see if it worked and it did. The screen shows the fare and a quick confirmation. Some locals still use paper tickets but for visitors it's so much easier with a tap card. I didn’t need cash at all for transport.
Just came back from a trip to Zagreb and used the trams and buses every day. You can tap your contactless card directly when you get on. I used my US-issued Mastercard and it worked every time. No need to buy a paper ticket or talk to the driver. The machines beep and show a green light when it's successful. I didn’t use cash once for local transport in the city. It was simple and really tourist-friendly.