Ministry of Transport has sent a proposal for rulebook amendments to public consultation. The caps should prevent extreme bills and hidden costs, but won't necessarily lower usual prices.
The Ministry of Transport sent a proposal for new taxi regulations to public consultation on July 29, 2026. For the first time, they introduce maximum amounts for individual tariff elements, but not a single overall cap per ride. The aim, according to the explanation, is to limit extreme prices, disproportionate charges, and hidden additional costs, reports Lider.
According to the proposal, the starting fee for a taxi ride can be at most ten euros, each kilometer traveled 2.50 euros, and each minute of driving or waiting 50 cents. For example, a five-kilometer ride lasting 15 minutes would have a maximum bill of 30 euros. If traffic extends the same route to 30 minutes, the cap rises to 37.50 euros, states Lider.
For vehicles with at least seven passenger seats in addition to the driver's seat, the prescribed limits increase by 40 percent. Thus, a sample five-kilometer, 15-minute ride in such a vehicle could reach 42 euros at the maximum tariff.
In addition to taximeter billing and rides ordered exclusively via app, the rulebook also provides a third model: pre-determined fixed prices for common routes, such as between the city and the airport. When calculating the maximum allowed fixed price, an average speed of 30 km/h is assumed. The theoretical maximum for a 20-kilometer route would thus be 80 euros (10 euros start, 50 euros for distance, and 20 euros for the estimated 40 minutes of travel). For larger vehicles with seven or more seats, that amount rises to 112 euros.
The Ministry emphasizes that these amounts are not recommended or usual market prices, but rather ultimate protective thresholds against fraud and disproportionate charging.
The new rules will also require greater transparency. Vehicles using a taximeter will have to display the highest tariff and the price of a comparable five-kilometer, 15-minute ride on the front door. The amount must be printed in bold numbers at least seven centimeters high, in Croatian and English. For app-based rides, the passenger must see the planned route, distance, estimated duration, and total maximum price before confirming, which cannot be subsequently increased due to traffic or longer duration unless explicitly requested by the user.
Transport providers will not be allowed to introduce additional mandatory fees for ordering, platform, or entering the vehicle. Only actual and verifiable costs such as tolls, ferry tickets, or parking may be charged separately, and only if announced in advance.
The maximum allowed amounts will be adjusted annually based on average inflation. The Ministry will publish the new limits by March 31, and they will apply from May 1. The rulebook is expected to come into force on the eighth day after publication in the Official Gazette (Narodne novine), with no transitional period. The main purpose of the new rules is not to lower usual prices, but to prevent extreme bills, hidden extras, and subsequent increases of an already accepted price, concludes Lider.
