Travel options from Budapest to Zagreb
 

Wondering about the fastest way to get from Budapest to Zagreb. Car rental one way drop fees are $500 plus tax. We need to be in Rovinj by 6:00 pm. I was looking at a private driver from Oneday. About $250 for two people. Cannot find a direct flight and most go overnight with long layovers.
Has anyone hired a private driver or found another less expensive to go from Hungary to Croatia? Help!

There's an option by train that will get you there by 17:13.

Schedules at bahn.de. Check seat61.com for info on buying tickets.

Depending on time of year, you could try to fly to Venice (direct flights from Budapest but different on different days of the week) and potentially catch a ferry over to Rovinj. Looks like it would take 3-4 hours just for the ferry ride - but you'd have to time it right. If off-season, probably don't bother checking.

Is that $250 Budapest to Rovinj? And you need to get from Budapest to Rovinj in one day (arriving before 6pm)?

My normal inclination is to check trains and buses: timetables online. Or check rome2rio.com.

The ferry Venice to Rovinj leaves Venice around 5pm so that won't get you there by 6pm.

It looks like hiring a driver is our best choice. The direct drive from Budapest to Zagreb is 3 1/2 hours. Another 3 to Rovinj. Has anyone hired a driver?