Split

Mongolian citizens need a Schengen short-stay (C) visa. If Croatia is your main destination, book an appointment at VFS Global's Croatia visa centre in Ulaanbaatar and go in person to give fingerprints; the file goes to the Croatian Embassy in Beijing, which decides. Visa fee €90 (ages 6–11 €45, under 6 free) in cash at the centre, plus a 133,096₮ service fee and a 564,650₮ UB–Beijing courier fee. Processing takes up to 15 working days plus shipping days.

Tip: If you plan day trips to Mostar (Bosnia) or Kotor, ask for a multiple-entry (MULT) visa in your application.

Medical insurance valid in all Schengen states with cover of at least €30,000 is mandatory. Attach a return ticket, hotel bookings, bank statements and an employment letter. Your passport must have been issued within the last 10 years and be valid for more than 3 months after you leave.

Plitvice Lakes caps daily visitors, so in June–September buy tickets by date and entry time on the official site in advance (adults €40, after 16:00 €25). Remember that since 10 April 2026 the EES system records your fingerprints and face at the Schengen border.

Buses run to the flight schedule and go non-stop to Split's main bus station in ~30 minutes (longer in summer traffic). One way €10, return €15, under 6 free, one suitcase included. The Old Town is a 5-minute walk from the bus station; buy tickets online or at the ticket office — they aren't sold on board.

Tip: If you're staying in Trogir, bus 37 gets there from the airport in ~10 minutes.

The cheap option: Promet Split's bus 37 runs from the road outside the airport to Split in ~50 minutes, €3 from the driver, every 20 minutes by day. There's an official taxi rank, and Bolt and Uber work too — check the fare in the app first.

If your phone supports eSIM, buy and install a Europe eSIM (Airalo, Holafly, etc.) before you leave: it also works while connecting in Frankfurt or Istanbul. Bosnia and Montenegro are outside the EU, so for Mostar or Kotor choose a plan that covers them.

Tip: Download offline Google Maps for Dalmatia and the Croatian pack in Google Translate — signal can drop on the way to the islands.

Hrvatski Telekom, A1 and Telemach tourist prepaid SIMs are sold at the airport, newsstands and shops. A 10-day unlimited data pack costs roughly €8–15. Useful if you need a Croatian number or are staying a long time.

Promet Split links the city with nearby Klis, Trogir and Solin. Tickets bought in the Promet Split app are cheaper than from the driver. Key hubs: the Sukoišanska suburban station north of the Old Town and the main bus station on the waterfront.

Jadrolinija and Kapetan Luka (Krilo) catamarans reach Hvar town in ~1 hour for roughly €10–25 one way (depending on season); Bol on Brač is ~1 hour. All leave from the harbour in front of the Old Town. Summer sailings sell out, so book online; with a car, take the big ferries to Stari Grad or Supetar.

FlixBus and other coaches run Split–Dubrovnik many times a day in ~4–4.5 hours from about €20. A summer catamaran takes ~4.5 hours. Plitvice is ~3–4 hours by bus, so a group tour or a rental car is easier.

Croatia has used the euro (EUR) since 2023. Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere, but small cafés, markets and the Blue Cave fee need cash. Use bank ATMs (PBZ, Zagrebačka banka); tourist ATMs such as Euronet charge high fees.

Tip: If a terminal offers to charge you in tugrik or dollars (DCC), decline and pay in euros.

In Croatia, adult guests pay a small tourist tax per night, with reductions for children. If it isn't in your booking price, the hotel or host adds it — check when you book.

Croatian VAT is 25%. Non-EU visitors who spend over €100 on one receipt can get a Tax Free form, have it stamped by customs when leaving the EU, and claim the refund.

Pašticada (beef braised in wine, served with gnocchi), grilled fish, black risotto (crni rižot), peka (meat and vegetables roasted under an iron lid — order ahead) and Klis spit-roast lamb. Children like ćevapi, pizza and Italian-style ice cream. Buy olive oil and lavender on Brač and Hvar.

Tip: Fish is usually priced by weight (per kg) — ask the price before ordering.

The Green Market (Pazar) outside the palace's east gate sells fruit, dried figs and cheese. The fish market (Peškarija) on Marmontova street is busy in the mornings. For cheap groceries use Konzum, Tommy and Studenac. Some shops keep short hours on Sundays.

General number 112 — free, 24 hours, answered in English. Police 192, fire 193, ambulance 194, sea rescue 195. If you don't speak Croatian, call 112.

Midday heat is intense in July–August — sightsee early or late and carry water, a hat and sunscreen. Rocky shores have sea urchins and slippery stones, so wear water shoes. Put life jackets on children on speedboat tours; trips are cancelled in rough seas, so keep a spare day in your plan.

KBC Split (University Hospital) has an emergency department. A pharmacy is a 'Ljekarna'. Mongolia has no embassy in Croatia — if you lose your passport, report it to the police and contact the Mongolian embassy accredited to Croatia (Budapest or Vienna), or the Foreign Ministry's 24-hour consular line.

Split's Old Town bans walking in swimwear or shirtless, drinking alcohol in the street and climbing on monuments, with fines for breaking the rules. Cover shoulders and knees in churches. People live inside the palace, so keep quiet at night.

Say 'Dobar dan' (good day) as a greeting and 'Hvala' for thank you. Leaving a small tip for good restaurant service is customary but not required. Split locals are very proud of their football club Hajduk; don't call Croatians 'Yugoslav'.

Promet Split — city bus timetables and mobile tickets. Jadrolinija — ferry and catamaran tickets. Bolt and Uber — rides. Google Maps works well for walking the Old Town.

Buy Plitvice and Krka tickets on the parks' official sites and keep them on your phone. The Split tourist board site lists events and festivals (Ultra, Split Summer Festival) — book rooms early if you visit during Ultra.

Platanus buses leave from platform 1 at the main bus station according to the flight schedule; one way €10, ~30 minutes. Allow for summer traffic, the EES exit check and the Tax Free customs stamp, and be at the airport 2.5–3 hours before your flight.

Leave Schengen no later than the date on your visa — EES records your exit automatically. Days spent in Bosnia or Montenegro don't count towards Schengen days, but a single-entry visa won't let you back in. Pack olive oil, Hvar lavender, Dalmatian wine and maraschino liqueur in checked luggage.