Europe > Croatia > Pula (PUY)
The Car or no Car advice for Pula can be broken down into three similar questions - do you need a car in Pula ; is it worth it (based on costs), and ultimately - should you rent one? (a balance of the two).🚆 🚌⛴️ Do we need to rent a car in Pula ?
These scores are based on the quality of public transport and other travel options. If these are good enough to see the main points of interest, then you don’t need to rent a car.
💰💶💳 Is it worth hiring a car in Pula?
These scores reflect the practical factors that affect whether renting a car is convenient, good value, and stress-free.
📍 Getting Around Pula — the Reality
Pula is small, walkable, and clearly structured.
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The historic centre is compact
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Major sights cluster tightly
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Traffic is manageable
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Parking exists but can be tight near the centre
For a short city break, a car adds little value.
🚶♂️ Walkability and Local Transport
Central Pula works very well on foot.
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The Roman Amphitheatre dominates the city centre
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Old town streets, cafés, and waterfront are close together
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Walking distances are short
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Local buses and taxis are inexpensive
You can comfortably explore Pula itself without driving.
🏛️ The Roman Amphitheatre That Looms Over Pula
The Roman Amphitheatre in Pula, known locally as the Pula Arena, is one of the best-preserved ancient Roman arenas in the world and a true symbol of the city’s long history. Constructed between the late 1st century BC and 1st century AD under the emperors Augustus and Vespasian, it once seated up to approximately 20,000 spectators for gladiatorial combats, animal hunts and other public spectacles that defined Roman entertainment.
Its dramatic limestone walls still dominate the city’s skyline near the historic centre, and the structure retains its full elliptical form and many original features that link Pula directly back to the Roman Empire.
🎶 A Living Stage for Culture and Celebration
Today the Arena is far more than a monument — it’s one of Croatia’s most spectacular open-air cultural venues. Across the summer months it hosts a rich calendar of events including world-class concerts, film screenings as part of the Pula Film Festival, opera performances, and historical re-enactments like Spectacvla Antiqva that recreate aspects of ancient spectacles.
Artists ranging from international pop and rock stars to classical music performers appear beneath the stars, making the Arena one of Europe’s most iconic performance spaces.
🏙️ Historic Surroundings and Visiting Logistics
The area around the Arena is part of Pula’s historic core, with many of the city’s Roman sites and pedestrianised streets just a short walk away. Restaurants, cafés, and squares form a lively backdrop that makes exploring on foot both pleasant and intuitive.
While there is parking near the Arena and in adjacent streets, spaces are limited — especially during major events — and for concerts or festivals you should expect to walk from more distant parking areas or use local transport rather than driving right up to the venue.
🚆 Trains from Pula
Rail services from Pula exist, but they are best understood as historical and enthusiast-focused rather than practical. The city has a single main station at the end of a winding branch line that runs north through Istria to Buzet.
The scenery is attractive, but the line doesn’t function as a useful through route for most travellers. Although there is technically a continuation beyond the Croatian border via Rakitovec in Slovenia, allowing onward rail connections towards Ljubljana and further west towards Italy and Venice, there is currently a gap in regular passenger services across the Croatia–Slovenia border.
In practice, only around three trains per day operate on the Pula–Buzet section, and the full journey takes roughly 2 hours and 15 minutes each way, despite the relatively short distance.
This makes the line far more appealing to rail enthusiasts than to travellers trying to move efficiently around Croatia or Istria. A more practical alternative is to take the train part-way to Lupoglav, then switch to a bus connection to Rijeka, from where Croatia’s main rail and bus networks open up again and onward travel becomes far easier. 🚆
🚗 Why Renting a Car Becomes Attractive
A rental car makes a big difference once you leave the city.
A car is useful for:
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Exploring Istrian hill towns
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Visiting wineries and olive oil producers
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Reaching quieter beaches and coves
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Day trips to Rovinj, Motovun, or inland villages
Public transport to these places exists, but it’s slow and infrequent.
🌊 Coast vs Interior
Istria offers two very different experiences.
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Coastal towns and beaches
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Inland villages, forests, and viewpoints
A car lets you combine both easily in a single stay.
⚠️ Practical Considerations
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Summer parking pressure in coastal areas
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Narrow roads in historic towns
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Driving is calm by Mediterranean standards
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Rental availability is good in season
Many visitors rent a car for part of their stay only.
Conclusion: should you rent a car in Pula?
No for the city — yes for Istria beyond it.
Pula itself is easy to enjoy on foot, but the peninsula around it is best explored with your own wheels.
