seriously looking for a transfer from split to zagreb and spend a few day s(2) prior to flying back to USA. Not quite successful and finding sources to request for cr transfer/driver. There are an abundance of drivers/transfer/ "excursons" eminating from dubrovnik. Somewhat more difficult for the split to zagreb route. Help/suggestions

Jack...suggest you pick up a rental in Split and drive to Zagreb, giving you a chance to spend a few hours in Plitvice (better yet, stay overnight). It's just off the superhighway which by the way is one of the better engineered (little traffic) divided highways in Europe that I've driven. A two-day rental shouldn't even come close to what a driver will cost you, and yet give you a bit of independence. I don't think there should be a drop charge...I didn't incur any in the past. Just a thought.
stu

Yes, a visit to the amazing Plitvice Lakes National Park would be a great way to spend the time and an easy detour from the A1 driving up from Split to Zagreb (I drove the other way). I found driving in Croatia very easy - and yes, I was nervous about it ahead of time. At first I found the drivers who pass aggressively a bit intimidating, but once I learned to drive like the locals I did fine. The only real high-stress part of driving for me was once I drove into Dubrovnik. But driving between Split and Zagreb would be very, very easy outside of the cities.

I am now thinking about this. question is if entrance 2 at plitvice is open in october: rick steves hints that only entrance one is open. Also told should go very early. Opinions on leaving split in evening staying at one of these lodges there or just leaving in am (although unsure mechanics of the car rental, smoothness, delays). Perhaps some suggestions regarding which car agencies/rental companies with smoothest operation etc. thank you

I rented from Budget in Zadar and turned it in to the Dub office across from the cruise ship harbor...we were scheduled to take the ferry to Bari, but it was cancelled...I re-rented the same car, and we hightailed it in less than four hours to Split, turned car in at airport and took off for Rome.Budget was very accomodating. I forgot the name of the rental agency that handles Budget in Dub. Leaving Split in late afternoon (gets dark quite late) would put you into the hotel in Plit long before sunset (at motorway speed.).

I'm pretty sure buses run from Split to Plitvice, and we met some people who had bussed to Plitvice from Zagreb. (We were staying in the Hotel Jezero.) This was late September. Not so sure about October. Things in Croatia really shut down after high season.

So bus may be an option also. There's some discussion of this on the Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree forum. You might find it useful if you're looking for tips on inexpensive travel.

Yes, I am sure you can bus from Split to Plitvice and Plitvice to Zagreb, but I would personally only do that if I were spending a night. The buses in Croatia are very reliable though.

I visited Plitvice in early October 2009 and there were still plenty of people there (Sunday) - too many. Yes, if you go, go early. Hint: if you stay at one of the three park-run hotels (like Hotel Plitvice where I stayed), you can get back into the park subsequent days on one ticket - that is, the hotel will stamp your ticket the next day so you don't have to buy another one. I did this, going back into the park Monday morning (pretty empty) after seeing it Sunday afternoon (pretty busy).

I don't know about which entrances might be open, but I'm not sure how that's relevant; if you stay at one of the park hotels you park at the hotel (one of the entrances) and walk into the park or if you don't just park your car there. The park itself doesn't close.

For Andrew and Mimar:
Here are some of my selected, scanned pix of Yugoslavia c. 1980's, and the more recent Croatia. The way Mostar looked back then, the result of the 90's bombings...old Sarajevo (1980's) and recent Plitvice. The OP Jack already has these.
stu
https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...Kq1odTr3IKLHA#