How to ask where the toilet is in Croatian (and how to find public toilets throughout Croatia)
When you gotta go, you gotta go! Some might find this topic a little off putting, but we are all human and have to use the bathroom throughout the day. When traveling, it is the absolute worst when you get stuck and have no idea where to find a toilet or how to communicate well enough to ask.
Well, leave it to Expat in Croatia to jump in and save your bladder. 🙂
In this post, we cover:
- Where to use the toilet in Croatia
- How to ask where to find a toilet in Croatian
- Public toilets in largest Croatian cities
The facts are these…
How to ask where the toilet is in Croatian (and how to find public toilets throughout Croatia)
Where you can use the toilet in Croatia
If you are outside of your home, apartment, or hotel, and you need to go to the toilet urgently, you don’t many options. You can visit a public toilet if the city even has one, go to a cafe or restaurant, or visit a gas station.
Public toilets
The largest Croatian cities such as Dubrovnik, Rijeka, Split, Zadar and Zagreb have public toilets. Some of them are free of charge year-round. Public toilets on the coast usually have a charge, so be prepared to pay about 0,50 to 1 euro. When paying, you will have to give the money to a staff member or pay it via machine at the entrance so be sure to have some change in your pocket.
It is not guaranteed that you will find a public toilet in smaller Croatian cities.
Some public toilets are well maintained and clean, some of them less so. Many public toilets are available to disabled persons as well. They usually have a separate room for disabled persons.
Cafes and restaurants
Another option is to go to a cafe or restaurant. It is not polite to just ask them if you can use their toilet without consuming something there. Order a coffee or some other drink and then use the toilet while there.
If you don’t have time, you can grab a coffee to go or leave the waiter a tip. [Read: Tipping in Croatia]
However, if you don’t want to buy anything at the cafe, you can always ask the staff if you can use their toilet. Sometimes they will tell you it’s not a problem at all. If a cafe is crowded, they are probably in chaos. In this case, it is best to find another place with fewer guests. It is not cool to use a cafe’s toilet without asking.
When looking for a cafe, follow this advice: if the interior looks clean, the toilet will probably be clean as well. If you see that the waiters are polite, tables clean, and the space tidy, the toilet is probably well maintained and clean. If the cafe looks messy and dirty, avoid it because it is unlikely that they keep their toilet clean (or their kitchen, for that matter).
In some Croatian cafes, you can even find menstrual pads and tampons in the toilet.
Gas stations
While traveling, toilets at the gas station are the best option. They are usually free of charge, but sometimes you’ll have to pay a small fee. During the summer season, they are not maintained as well since the number of visitors is huge. Gas stations are common stops for buses, so their toilets may be crowded if you come across an excursion bus.
How to ask where the toilet is in Croatian
Below are common Croatian phrases that should help you find a spot to go.
Croatian: WC, toalet, zahod
English: toilet, bathroom, washroom
Croatian: Gdje je WC?
English: Where is the toilet?
Croatian: Gdje je najbliži javni WC?
English: Where is the nearest public toilet?
Croatian: Ima li vaš kafić WC?
English: Does your cafe have a toilet?
Croatian: Imate li WC?
English: Do you have a toilet?
Croatian: Je li WC besplatan?
English: Is the toilet free of charge?
Croatian: Koliko košta WC?
English: How much does the toilet cost?
Croatian: Mogu li iskoristiti WC, molim vas?
English: Can I use the toilet, please?
Croatian: Trebam (ići) na WC.
English: I need to go to the toilet.
Croatian: Tamo je WC.
English: The toilet is there.
Public toilets in the largest Croatian cities
Below is a list of public toilets in the largest Croatian cities and includes the available information on locations, working hours, and prices. Locations on the map are also shown, but keep in mind that some of them are approximate while others are accurate.
Public toilets in Dubrovnik
Porat (old city) – view map
Working hours: Monday- Sunday 8:00 – 14:00 (June 1 – September 30); 8:00-22:00 (October 1 – May 30)
Price: 1 euro
Pile – view map
Working hours: Monday- Sunday 8:00 – 23:00 (June 1 – September 30); 8:00-22:00 (October 1 – May 30)
Price: 1 euro
Note: available to disabled persons
Pile 2 (under Minčeta) – view map
Working hours: Monday- Sunday 8:00 – 2:00 (June 1 – September 30); 8:00-22:00 (October 1 – May 30)
Price: 1 euro
Note: available to disabled persons
Public toilets in Rijeka
Public toilets in Rijeka are free of charge.
Autobusno okretište Turkovo – view map
Note: self-cleaning stainless steel toilet; available to disabled persons
Bivio – view map
Working hours: summer/swimming season
Note: available to disabled persons
Delta – view map
Working hours: 8:00-16:00 (January 1 – March 31, November 2 – December 14)
8:00-21:00 (April 1 – May 31, September 1 – November 1)
8:00-19:00 (December 15 – December 31)
8:00-1:00 (June 1 – August 31)
8:00-1:00 (January 1 – May 31, September 1 – December 31, holidays)
Note: available to disabled persons
Grčevo – view map
Working hours: summer/swimming season
Note: available to disabled persons
Hotel Park – view map
Working hours: summer/swimming season
Note: available to disabled persons
Igralište – view map
Working hours: summer/swimming season
Note: available to disabled persons
Kantrida “Okretište”, near Stadion Kantrida – view map
Working hours: during football matches
Lungomare – view map
Working hours: summer/swimming season
Note: available to disabled persons
Park Borik – view map
Working hours: summer/swimming season
Note: available to disabled persons
Park Jože Vlahovića, Skate park near Kaufland – view map
Note: self-cleaning stainless steel toilet; available to disabled persons
Plaža za osobe s invaliditetom Kostanj – view map
Working hours: summer/swimming season
Note: available to disabled persons
Ploče – view map
Working hours: summer/swimming season
Note: available to disabled persons
Skalete – view map
Working hours: summer/swimming season
Note: available to disabled persons
Stadion Kantrida – view map
Working hours: summer/swimming season
Note: available to disabled persons
Terminal Delta – view map
Note: self-cleaning stainless steel toilet; available to disabled persons
Trsat, near Atletska staza Kampus (Ulica Slavka Krautzeka) – view map
Note: self-cleaning stainless steel toilet; available to disabled persons
Trsatsko svetište – view map
Working hours: 8:00-18-00 during winter, 7:00-19-00 during spring and autumn, 7:00-21-00 during summer
Note: available to disabled persons
Ulica Riva Boduli – view map
Note: self-cleaning stainless steel toilet
Vila Olga – view map
Working hours: summer/swimming season
Žabica, Kapucinska crkva – view map
Working hours: 6:00-16:00
Note: available to disabled persons
Public toilets in Split
Matejuška, Trumbićeva obala – view map
Working hours: Monday-Friday 7:00-1:00, Saturday – Sunday 7:00-2:00
Price: 1 euro
Nepotova, Julija Nepota 2 – view map
Price: 1 euro
Pistura – view map
Price: 1 euro
Public toilets in Zadar
Pijaca – view map
Working hours: Monday-Saturday 7:00-14:00
Price: 1 euro
Riva – view map
Working hours: Monday- Sunday 10:00-24:00
Price: 1 euro
Square Pet bunara – view map
Working hours: Monday- Sunday 10:00-24:00 (until September 30)
Price: 1 euro
Public toilets in Zagreb
Public toilets in Zagreb are free of charge and they work all days of the week.
Britanski trg – view map
Working hours: 6:00-22:00
Cesarčeva ulica – view map
Working hours: 0:00-24:00
Dubrava – view map
Working hours: 0:00-24:00
Dubec – view map
Working hours: 0:00-24:00
Habdelićeva ulica, Gornji grad – view map
Working hours: 10:00-18:00
Kaptol, near cathedral – view map
Working hours: 6:00-22:00
Krematorij (crematorium) – view map
Working hours: 8:00-18:00
Kvaternikov trg – view map
Working hours: 0:00-24:00
Langov trg, entrance to the park – view map
Working hours: 8:00-20:00
Ljubljanica, Remiza – view map
Working hours: 6:00-22:00
Maksimir, entrance – view map
Working hours: 8:00-22:00
Mihaljevac, tram terminal – view map
Working hours: 6:00-22:00
Mirogoj – view map
Working hours: 8:00-18:00
Miroševac, charnel house – view map
Working hours: 8:00-18:00
Miroševec, entrance to the cemetery – view map
Working hours: 8:00-18:00
Opatovina – view map
Working hours: 10:00-20:00 (May 1- October 31)
Pothodnik, Glavni kolodvor – view map
Working hours: 0:00-24:00
Ribnjak – view map
Working hours: 8:00-21:00 (May 1- October 31)
Note: children’s toilet
Savica, park Savica – view map
Working hours: 8:00-19:00 (April 1- October 31)
Svačićev trg – view map
Working hours: 8:00-21:00 (May 1- October 31)
Note: children’s toilet
Trg kralja Petra Krešimira IV – view map
Working hours: 8:00-21:00 (May 1- October 31)
Note: children’s toilet
Trg Petrice Kerempuha – view map
Working hours: 6:00-22:00
Trg Republike Hrvatske, near University – view map
Working hours: 7:00-21:00
Tuškanac, Dubravkin put – view map
Working hours: 8:00-19:00 (May 1- October 31)
Tuškanac, viewpoint – view map
Working hours: 8:00-19:00 (April 1 – October 31)
Ulica kneza Branimira, near the market – view map
Working hours: 6:00-22:00
Sources:
Javni sanitarni čvorovi by Grad Rijeka
Please note: Information provided by Expat in Croatia is only for the purposes of guidance. It does not constitute legal or financial advice in any form. Croatian laws and bureaucratic rules often change, and each personal case is individual, so different rules may apply. For legal advice, contact us to consult with a licensed Croatian lawyer. For financial advice, contact us to consult with a licensed Croatian tax advisor or accountant.
