Varazdin, Trakoscan and Veliki Tabor from Zagreb
 

I have been spending hours and hours researching visiting the above sites. We do not have a car. I was hoping to hire a driver to take us to all three places in one day, thinking that it would save time. When I contacted an agency, the quote I was given was truly outlandish. (I have hired drivers before.) We could take a public bus to Varazdin in the morning and spend some time there on our own and then return by bus to Zagreb. If that be the case, I was hoping to find public transportation the next day to both castles from Zagreb, but I am unable to find it. I cannot imagine there would be public transportation from Varazdin to Trakoscan and return to Varazdin and then take a bus to Zagreb. I cannot find a tour of both castles in one day for a Friday or Saturday.

Is there anyone on this Forum who is able to solve this problem for us? Does anyone know of a English-speaking driver who charges a realistic price for such a trip?

Any and all help/suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks.

I love that you asked this question(!) because I really want to explore this area next time I get to Croatia, and I also avoid renting a car in my travels.
Although I think renting a car is your best option, I must recommend you post this on the Virtual Tourist Croatia site. Here you will mostly find visitors to Istria and Dalmatia. There is a very nice gentleman at VT going by the name Diocletian who is from Zagreb--and if he can't help you, no one can.
Please let us know how it turns out.

In case you had not found it, here is a page where you can search bus schedules:
www.akz.hr/EN/voznired.aspx

Hi Yorkshire -

Thanks ever so much for replying, and so very quickly.

I tried the bus schedule site in the past, and again now, and I am unable to get into it. It states: "This message from server cannot be parsed." I do not have the foggiest idea what that means.

I am going to take your suggestion and post on the VT site.

If we were to rent a car it would make our whole trip so much easier and give us more freedom. I cannot drive heights and certain types of roadways, and my friend is not about to. Because of our not driving, I have become very inventive to be able to get from one place to the other and visiting sites in between. We are leaving for this trip the end of April and will be gone for three weeks. All I can say is, it's going to be very, very interesting how it is going to turn out.

I now notice that my original post, which is this one, has popped up onto the site.

Again, thanks for your suggestion and your time.

We loved Varazdin, and it's not mentioned very often on this board so I'm excited that you want to visit.

I don't know anything about public transportation, but can I ask why you don't want to rent a car? I'm not trying to be nosy, just curious. We found Croatia, particularly northern Croatia, to be so easy to drive in. With a car you could see these sights so much easier, I would imagine.

Best wishes,
Tracy

I totally understand the not driving--I don't drive myself--and I hate to make my husband drive when he could be relaxing and staring out the window on a bus. (plus the costs!)
I know you will at least be able to visit Varazdin, as both buses and trains go there. Most of Croatia is well linked with buses, but unfortunately some small places are not equipped for day trips. I hope VT helps. You could also try Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree, but I see mostly Dalmatia visitors there also.

Hi Yorkshire,

I just posted my question on VT. I am hoping it proves fruitful ... for both of us.

Thanks again.

Hi tcreath,

I also thank you for getting back to me.

Being such an independent person I would give anything to again drive wherever I pleased. I have a horrible fear of heights, etc., which I acquired while in Mexico. Nothing -- and I mean nothing -- ever bothered me before I climbed a certain pyramid in Mexico and I could not climb down. But now ... I call it Montezuma's Revenge. So, tcreath, that's the reason.

orchid, I completely understand. And driving in foreign countries isn't for everyone.

Varazdin is a fairly large town, and quite beautiful, with lovely baroque buildings painted in an array of colors. I would assume that getting from Zagreb to Varazdin via public transportation wouldn't be a problem. We did find the TI in Zagreb to be helpful, so if you don't find your answer before you leave I would make a stop there to ask.

In Dubrovnik the taxi drivers were eager to sell their daytrip services. we used a private driver to take us to Montenegro and a remote part of Bosnia and it was worth the money just for the insight and information we received on the area from a person who lived in that region all his life. I would imagine that the same could be said of taxi drivers in Zagreb. Perhaps you could contact the tourist office via e-mail and ask for some private driver information?

Good luck and best wishes,
Tracy

Hi Yorkshire,

I have heard from diocletianvs. You are absolutely right, he is extremely helpful. He has really extended himself.

I am following through on what he has suggested. Instead of contacting all sources at one time, as I thought that I would at first blush, I think I will do one at a time. I still have time to play around with this.

Just as an aside. I have read some of diocletianvs' writings and seen some of his photography. He is extremely intelligent, has a sense of humor, and he is a wonderful and talented photographer.

As soon as I have all of the pieces put together I will pass it along to you. The ultimate might not be what I am hoping for, but the pieces will somehow fit. It might take a few weeks.

I finally solved my problem re getting to and from Korcula out of season. This, too, shall be solved ... even if it kills me.

Again, thanks for your help.

ellie

So glad it worked out--I check in on VT too, so I saw your post.
Hopefully by the time I next go to Croatia there will be more bus connections to the castles.