Last updated on August 17, 2020: Since July 11, Croatia requests that all non-EU/EEA/UK travelers present a negative PCR test results, not older than 48 hours, in order to be allowed to enter Croatia. However, if you don’t have such results in time, or if you need it for any number of other reasons, you can get tested when you’re in Croatia.
For more information on where to get tested internationally before coming to Croatia, please read our article. For additional answers to the most frequently asked questions, please read our FAQ article.
On July 24, the new prices for the PCR tests performed in Croatia have been confirmed, so now the PCR test for the two sequences will cost 501 kuna (around 65 €), and the price for the test looking for three sequences will be 698 kuna (around 93 €). The negative PCR test looking for the two sequences is considered sufficient by the Croatian authorities, in order to shorten their self-isolation. Not all of the local centres have adjusted their pricing scheme with this development, so in the text below please find the prices we were able to confirm.
Let’s take some time to distinguish between the two types of COVID-19 tests: first is the kind which will show you if you’re currently infected with the virus, and the second kind shows you whether you’ve had the disease in the past.
The first kind, so-called PCR test checks to see if you currently have an active SARS-CoV-2 virus in your system. It does so by taking a swab inside your nose and checking to see if there are well-researched, specific genes from the viral RNA in the sample. If they’re found, it means you currently have the virus. If they’re not, it means you probably don’t have it (the false-negative rate is still somewhat high, for various reasons, and you might be in the earliest stages of infection when the virus still can’t be detected). The test is performed mostly in state-owned institutions in Croatia, using two highly validated methods, and the cost is 500 or 700 kuna, as explained above. This is the type of test you need to show to Croatian authorities to get into Croatia without self-isolation or to shorten the self-isolation duration. Most institutions say that you should have the test results within 24 hours of when the swab was taken (what that means is that, in most cases, you will have your results early in the morning, no matter when you went to have the swab taken on the previous day).
The second kind, the serological (also referred to as immunological or antibody) test does something completely different: it analyses (most often!) your blood to see if your body has developed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 during an infection. So what it can effectively tell you is whether you’ve BEEN infected, not your current status (to be fair, there are some complications to the previous sentence, but that is the briefest summary). Those tests are much less specific, not many of them have been fully validated and their results should be taken with caution. They’re commercially offered by numerous private institutions, and the price tag is usually in the 150-200 kuna range (20€).
So, where can you get PCR tested in Croatia, and how? Let’s take a look at the situation in major cities and tourist hubs:
ZAGREB
The Dr. Andrija Štampar (Teaching) Health Institute is the place to go to if you want to pay for your PCR COVID-19 test in Zagreb. You don’t have to make an appointment of any kind, you can come every day between 8am and 4pm (8am-2pm on weekends), it’s a drive-through facility (the address is Mirogojska 16, Zagreb), where you have the option to pay with cash or a credit card. They only perform the three-sequence test, and it costs 698 kuna. If you need an epidemiologist in charge, they can be reached at +385914696444 or at [email protected], but again, you don’t need to make any type of appointment with them to get tested in Zagreb.
RIJEKA
The PCR tests in Rijeka are performed by Nastavni zavod za javno zdravstvo Primorsko-Goranske Županije (Public (Teaching) Health Institute; NZJZ PGŽ). In order to get tested, you need to send an e-mail to [email protected] with your general information (name, date of birth, address, nationality, some type of identifier number similar to a VAT number or whatever your country uses to identify you), your current contact information (mobile phone number) and an explanation as to why you feel you need the test. They will get back to you and explain the procedure to you, and you will probably get tested in a drive-in facility at Krešimirova 52 in Rijeka (their opening hours are between 8am and 8pm). If you need to call them, they can be reached at 091 125 7210.
In addition to Rijeka, and in response to the Italian requirement of mandatory testing for travelers returning from Croatia, the Public Health Institute of the County organized testing on three islands in the county: Krk, Cres and Mali Lošinj.
On Krk, the sample collection for the testing will be performed in front of the Tourist Clinic in Krk, at the address Vinogradska 2b (PLEASE do not enter the building, as the entire procedure will be performed outside), every workday between 8am and 11am. You do not need to make an appointment (unless it’s a larger group), the price for the test is 698.21 kunas and you can pay in cash at the site. You will receive your results via e-mail. For inquiries and to announce a larger group needing the test, they can be contacted at [email protected], or by phone at +385 51 221 955.
On Cres, the sample collection for the testing will be performed at the Cres department of the Public Health Institute, at the address Turion 26, Cres. You need to make an appointment, either by emailing [email protected] or [email protected], or you can call +385 (0)91-132-0420 or +385 (0)91-132-0421. In order to make an appointment, you will need to provide your full name, address, date of birth, and passport number. The price for the test is 698.21 kunas and you can pay in cash at the site. You will receive your results via e-mail.
On Mali Lošinj, the sample collection for the testing will be performed at the Mali Lošinj department of the Public Health Institute, at the address Dominika Skopinića 4. In order to get tested, you need to call +385 51 233 574 and make an appointment (the sampling is performed during the morning hours, on workdays). The price for the test is 698.21 kunas and you can pay in cash at the site. You will receive your results via e-mail.
PULA
In a very brief response, the County of Istria Civil Protection people told us foreigners can get tested at the Public Health Institute of Istria County, after you’ve made a telephone appointment with the epidemiologist at the phone number +385 (0) 995298222 or at [email protected]. Once you call them, you’ll be given all of the relevant information. Their address is Nazorova 23, and that’s probably where you’ll get tested, but please, call them before taking any other steps if you want to get tested in Pula. The test costs 750 kuna, and you’ll have the results within a day or two since you’ve been swabbed. If you need accommodation in Pula or Istria, you can find it on this link.
ŠIBENIK
The PCR test is performed by the Public Health Institute of Šibenik-Knin County, in Šibenik, at the address Matije Gupca 74 (the parking of the Šibenik hospital), on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. To get tested, you need to call 0914341201 or send an email to [email protected], with your general information (name, date of birth, address, nationality, some type of identifier number as described above), your current contact information (mobile phone number) and an explanation as to why you feel you need the test. They will contact you and explain the procedure then, and be ready to pay for the test via a bank transfer to their bank account HR8323600001101469087, routing number 00 [the number you used above as your identifier]. You will receive your test results in Croatian.
SPLIT
The PCR test is performed by the Public Health Institute of Split-Dalmatia County in Split, at the address Vukovarska 46. You need to either call them +385(0)21-401-148 to make an appointment or e-mail them at [email protected] (from our Viber community, we received the information that they are also using the [email protected] e-mail address). While they don’t specifically say it, it will probably be easier if you include the general information mentioned elsewhere in your initial email (name, date of birth, address, nationality, some type of identifier number as described previously), and your current contact information (mobile phone number). They will be in contact with further information for you. You can pay for the test in person, either using cash or a credit card. You will receive the results within 24 hours on your email address, in both English and Croatian. When you’re contacting them, mention if you’re not really in Split (if you’re on one of the islands, Hvar, Brač, or near Makarska) as it might be possible to give the sample there.
DUBROVNIK
If you’re in Dubrovnik-Neretva County and feel like you need to get tested for COVID-19, you need to call +385 (0)99 52 91 888. An English-speaking person will answer the phone and give you detailed instructions on what you need to do in order to get tested. The samples are taken in Dubrovnik, at the address Marka Marojice bb, each morning between 8am and noon (closed on weekends), but also on Korčula and in Metković currently, so not everyone needs to go to Dubrovnik to get tested, Branko Bazdan, the director of the Dom Zdravlja Dubrovnik explained. If you need to email them, they can be reached at [email protected]. The price of the test in Dubrovnik is 1507 kuna.
DUBROVNIK UPDATE: Marin Med Clinic in Dubrovnik (address: dr. Ante Starčevića 45, opening hours 8am – 8pm Mon-Fri, 8am – 1pm Sat) is also performing sampling for the PCR test (the test itself is not performed in house, they just take the swab and send it to get PCR’d). You need to make an appointment there as well, either at the e-mail [email protected], or by calling +385 (0)20 400500. They need your general information (first, last name, date of birth, passport number, your e-mail address so they can send you the results), so they suggested it’s probably best if you take a photo of your passport and attach that. The results are done in 24-48 hours, and the price is 3000 kuna.
I asked Zadar about their policies, but have not received their replies before publishing this article. However, Zadar seems to have a very similar set of rules as Šibenik. This article will be updated as soon as we get their replies.
The official government koronavirus.hr website also created a list of COVID-19 testing centers in Croatia, as well as the list of important contact numbers for on-duty epidemiologists. You can also find the numbers below:
For a crowdsourced resource of the testing locations in Croatia, visit https://koronatestiranje.com/, a website created by a Croatian IT guy, Vladimir Vince, who decided he would create such a map – if the government-funded one didn’t exist. He added all of the locations he could find, added the current information regarding opening hours, prices etc, as well as made it clear if the location is listed on the “official list” or not.
As for the serological tests, there is a myriad health institutions, laboratories and clinics offering different kinds of serological tests: St. Catherine Specialty Hospital (Zagreb and Zabok), Poliklinika Analiza (Zagreb, Split, Zadar and Šibenik), Medikol (Zagreb, Čakovec, Split, Rijeka and Osijek), Medico (Rijeka and Pula), Artemeda (Zagreb), Marin Med (Dubrovnik), Agram Specialty Hospital (Zagreb), Breyer (Zagreb), Poliklinika Labplus (Zagreb and Split), and I’m sure many more I wasn’t able to find on Google. The test is performed by drawing some venous blood, it costs around 200 kuna and the results should be available within a couple of hours.
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