When does the Beijing-Bucharest-Zagreb route start operating?

The route begins on September 4, 2026, with flights three times a week: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Which airline is introducing this route?

The route is being introduced by Chinese airline Air China.

How many Chinese tourists visited Croatia in 2025?

According to MVEP data, over 330,000 Chinese tourists visited Croatia in 2025.

Why is this route important for the Croatian economy?

It opens additional opportunities for placing Croatian products on the Chinese market, from cheese and tuna to olive oil and wine, and strengthens tourism and trade exchange.

Croatia

Air China to Launch Regular Beijing-Bucharest-Zagreb Route in September

B.F. · Prije 15h | 2 min

Air China introduces a three-times-weekly Beijing-Bucharest-Zagreb service, marking the first direct regular air link between Croatia and China in history

Summary

Air China will launch the Beijing-Bucharest-Zagreb route on September 4, 2026, the first regular air link between Croatia and China.
Flights will operate three times a week: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Over 330,000 Chinese tourists visited Croatia in 2025.
The new route will facilitate the placement of Croatian products on the Chinese market and travel to Southeast Europe.

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Chinese airline Air China will launch a regular air route from Beijing to Zagreb via Bucharest starting September 4, 2026, marking the first time Croatia and China will be connected by scheduled flights, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (MVEP) announced on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.

Three times a week, specifically on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, planes will connect the two cities, with a stopover in Bucharest. The new route will also facilitate travel to other Southeast European countries, the ministry added.

MVEP: A Significant Step in Connecting the Two Countries

"The new route represents a significant step in connecting Croatia and China and will contribute to further strengthening tourism exchange, economic cooperation, and trade relations, as well as more direct connections between the citizens of the two countries," the ministry's statement reads.

Croatia's Ambassador to China, Dario Mihelin, described the occasion as "an important moment for Croatia" during a special reception. He expressed confidence that the new connection will further increase Chinese tourists' interest in Croatia and open new opportunities for the Croatian economy.

330,000 Chinese Tourists in 2025

According to the MVEP's Facebook post, more than 330,000 tourists from China visited Croatia during 2025. The ministry highlighted that this new route is of great importance for domestic entrepreneurs, as it provides greater opportunities for exporting products such as cheese, tuna, olive oil, and wine to the Chinese market.

With the introduction of this route, Zagreb becomes directly connected to Beijing, which has not been the case in any form of regular air traffic between the two countries until now.