From Split to Zadar: Car rental agency and transport to Plitvice

Hi everyone! We're planning to visit Croatia during the last week of June and the first week of July, flying into Split from Lille. Here's our itinerary: one week in Split to explore the nearby areas and visit the Krka waterfalls, which aren't too far. Then, a second week in Zadar to check out the surrounding sights and head to the Plitvice waterfalls. We'll be renting a car for the entire trip, but for Plitvice, we intentionally want to take a bus from Zadar and spend a night there to take our time exploring this incredible place.

Here's where I'd love your help, please. First, in Split, which rental agency allows payment on-site with a credit card (or debit/credit card) to avoid mandatory last-minute insurance costing several hundred euros? We had this issue in Sardinia last summer—online booking was fine, but once we arrived, they claimed our card wasn’t working and refused to hand over the keys unless we took out extra insurance, which we didn’t need. It’s becoming a frustrating trend, even though I’ll clarify that we have a *credit* card (specifically a debit/credit card, not just a debit card). I don’t want to reopen the debate about credit vs. debit cards—just know that our card explicitly states both terms, even though it’s technically a credit card.

Next, in Zadar, we know there are buses to Plitvice, and sometimes accommodations near bus stops. What’s the name of Zadar’s main bus station where we’ll catch the bus (so we can find nearby accommodation)? More importantly, which bus line and stop (please give the exact stop name) will get us closest to accommodations in Plitvice? I’ve done some research before posting and think I’ve identified the "Mukinje station" stop, which is near Entrance 2 where there are lodgings, and the "flexible bus stop north," which is close to Entrance 1 with accommodations just a few hundred meters away. Perfect for two days in nature without needing the car! I’ve tried to find the exact bus line and route with all the stops between Zadar and Plitvice but haven’t had any luck so far.

Huge thanks in advance to anyone who can share their experiences on these two specific topics: reliable rental agencies and the exact bus station/stop details in Zadar for Plitvice.

I can’t answer your specific questions—unfortunately, that’s just how rental agencies work. They have an incentive to lower their base rates to appear first on online booking platforms, then make up for it with insurance costs. Credit card companies don’t help either, often imposing pretty restrictive conditions: more and more, a basic CDW (with a high deductible) is included with every rental, and you can’t refuse it, which technically should invalidate the coverage offered by your credit card (I’m not sure what happens if you file a claim in these situations). In theory, big international agencies like Budget or Sixt monitor their local branches to limit aggressive upselling of extra insurance. Personally, I accept paying more upfront when the price of insurance directly from the rental company seems reasonable, even if I’m probably already covered by my credit card insurance.

That said, I have a comment on your plan (obviously, do what you want with it). I don’t quite understand why you’re set on taking a bus for Zadar-Plitvice-Zadar when you’ll already have a car. With a slight detour, you could take the Adriatic road north of Zadar (from Maslenica to Karlobag) and see the stunning lunar landscapes of Pag Island before cutting inland through the mountains—passing through Gospić, for example, which still bears many traces of the war. Plus, there are plenty of good, affordable accommodations around Plitvice National Park, but within a 5–10 km radius.

On another note, after visiting Krka, it’s worth stopping in the village of Skradin and Šibenik (very old and less touristy than Split or Trogir, better preserved than Zadar). On the road between Split and Zadar: Rogoznica, Tisno, and the island of Murter are all lovely. Great itinerary!