Croatian short taxi trip costs Italian tourists €550, sparks backlash
N1 television reported that a Croatian taxi driver demanded as much as €550 from two young tourists from Italy for a 16-mile trip from the centre of Split to the airport. The media emphasised that in Croatia, there are no regulations prohibiting taxi drivers from charging fees according to their own rules.
The taxi driver took half an hour to get to the airport. At the location, he asked the tourists for a payment card, from which he charged the fee. When the young women saw the bill, they burst into tears, Croatian television reported.
The Dnevnik portal reminded that Croatian law does not prohibit taxi drivers from charging fees for services according to their own rules. "That is where the problem the young Italians encountered stems from," it added.
The daily "Jutarnji list" recalled the reaction of the Italian media, which called on tourists going to Croatia to check prices before getting into a taxi and, if possible, to use apps offering car rides.
Industry: Price transparency crucial for the country's reputation
Representatives of Croatia's tourism industry emphasised the importance of price transparency and professional taxi driver behaviour in maintaining Croatia's reputation as a tourist-friendly destination.
It is also possible to get to Split airport from the city centre by public transport, which takes about 40 minutes. As reported by the media, the young tourists chose a taxi because they were afraid of being late for their flight.
