100,000 more cars on Zagreb roads in a decade

Zagreb

As the vehicle numbers continue to climb in the Croatian capital – with around 100,000 more cars on the road added in the last decade – Zagreb is grappling with congestion and parking issues unprecedented in other European capitals.

Mayor Tomislav Tomašević highlighted this rapid growth as a pressing concern, stating in an interview with N1 that change is essential to manage the city’s infrastructure challenges.

“The number of personal vehicles is increasing. Over the past ten years, it has risen by around 100,000. The total number of vehicles is even higher. No other European city has seen such growth, and this needs to change,” Tomašević told N1.

There has been no population growth in the last decade either.

To address this, Zagreb has introduced this weekend a block-based parking system to prioritise resident access.

The system aims to ease parking for locals, who have long struggled with overcrowded streets.

The initiative includes Privileged Parking Permits (PPKs), available at €13.30 per month in Zone 1, designed to ensure fair access and alleviate the 5,000-vehicle surplus on permits compared to actual spaces.

Paid Sunday parking has also been introduced.

Charges will apply until midnight from Monday to Saturday in Zone 1, and until 3 p.m. on Sundays.

Further measures include a major reconstruction of Sarajevska Road, which will add three lanes for cars in each direction, pedestrian and cycling paths, and sound barriers.

The project also extends the tram network for the first time in over 20 years, incorporating 2.25 kilometres of track and eight new stops.

This expansion, covering 1.8 kilometres of road, will better connect around 35,000 residents in Zagreb’s southern neighbourhoods.

Together, these changes aim to reduce congestion, provide safer infrastructure for all road users, and begin transforming Zagreb into a more navigable city amidst its rapidly growing vehicle population, City officials said.