There are no direct flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Pula. Most often, tourists fly in transit through Zagreb or Frankfurt am Main. Flights are organized by Lufthansa and Croatia Airlines, two a day from St. Petersburg and 3-4 from Moscow.
For those who are afraid to fly, there is bad news: the train that went to the capital of Croatia from the Kievsky railway station in Moscow has been cancelled. Therefore, if you travel to Pula by rail, you will have to make several transfers – in Vienna or Prague, and then in Zagreb. A train ticket Moscow – Vienna or Moscow – Prague will cost about 80 EUR. From there, you can get to Zagreb by bus or train for 150 EUR. There are many bus routes to Pula from the Croatian capital starting at 155 HRK. At the office On the website (in English) of the Bus Croatia carrier, you can find a detailed schedule with prices. The prices on the page are for October 2021. See MATERNITYETCHIC for Croatia customs regulations and visa requirements.
From airport to city
Pula Airport is not very big and is located only 8 km from the city center. Special shuttles run three days a week – Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday (2 flights – in the morning and in the evening), but they allow you to get there relatively quickly – in just 20 minutes. If you take a taxi, then you should negotiate with the driver immediately at the airport. The price may be lower than when ordering by phone, and will be about 180-120 HRK depending on the amount of luggage and the type of car.
Transportation
Pula is a small town with compactly located sights. You can easily walk from one to the other, in most cases there is no need to use transport. However, in order to feel the flavor of city life, it is worth taking a bus or taxi once or twice. They ply the city in abundance, but this is not a cheap pleasure. If you travel a short distance within Pula and buy a ticket from the minibus driver, it will cost 10-14 HRK. A comfortable bus and a trip out of town, for example, to Vinkuran or Radeki Polje, will cost 30 HRK and more.
Pula is also easy to get around by bike. It can be rented at specialized rental points or via the Internet (off. site (in English)). Depending on the type of bike, rent will cost 60-150 HRK per day for a basic city or touring bike. A weekly rental costs 320-750 HRK, respectively.
- Pula Map
Rent a Car
Renting a car will become an overhead for several reasons. Firstly, almost all parking lots in the city are paid – 30-50 HRK per hour. Secondly, rental is not cheap – the simplest car will cost 150 HRK per day. And thirdly, if you drive a car outside the city, there will be several paid autobahns on the way. However, renting a car will allow you to get from the airport to the city without any problems, since there are few alternatives to this method. Several international car rental companies are represented right in the arrivals area. It should be borne in mind that there are traffic jams in the central part of Pula, since the streets in the old town are narrow, and the number of tourists grows from May to September. It is easier to get around the center on foot than trying to go around by car.
Communication and Wi-Fi
There are no particular problems with communication in Pula, since in Croatia almost the entire territory is covered by three main operators. These are T-mobile, VIPnet and Tele2. SIM cards can be purchased at operators’ offices, newspaper or tobacco kiosks, as well as at the post office. Using a local SIM card is much cheaper than connecting foreign roaming to your Russian number. So, a call to Russia via a local cellular connection will cost 5 HRK, roaming – 7-8 HRKin a minute. You can replenish your account with the help of cards, which are called “bons” here (sold there). They come in different denominations and are valid for 90 days from the date of purchase. To use coupons, you need to enter the code indicated on them in your phone. Tariff packages assume the amount of free 4G Internet, which eliminates the need to be tied to Wi-Fi. There are enough access points to free internet in Pula. Wi-Fi is distributed in the city center near the main attractions and in most cafes and hotels.
The beaches of Pula
Going to Pula, you should know that the beaches there are exclusively rocky or large-pebble. Therefore, vacationers stock up on special shoes – often, in order to get to the equipped beach, they have to overcome rocky areas. Sea entries, if they are not gentle enough, are equipped with concrete steps and handrails. All beaches are free, rent of sunbeds and umbrellas is about 15 HRK. There are more than 40 beaches in the resort area, each of which is impeccably clean and picturesque.
All beaches, without exception, are equipped to the highest standards and are marked with Blue Flags.
One of the most popular and picturesque places surrounded by greenery is Stinjan Beach, where there are many rental shops, sports grounds and a diving center. Closest to the center of Pula is the beach of the Stoja area in Valkane Bay. Fans of sailing and connoisseurs of peace and tranquility love to relax here. There are not as many people on this beach as on most others. Vacationers with children prefer the Brioni beach because of the many entertainment programs and attractions. Medulin, the area with the most hotels, has several nudist beaches nestled in beautiful little bays under cover of lush greenery.