Croatia Country Code +385
The international country calling code for Croatia is +385. You’ll see this on numbers for hotels and apartments in Dubrovnik and Split, ferry companies serving the Adriatic islands, tech companies in Zagreb, tourism boards, marinas and the mobiles of local guides and business partners.
Croatia uses an open numbering plan with geographic area codes and a trunk prefix 0 for domestic long-distance calls. When you dial from abroad, you call +385 followed by the area or mobile code without the leading 0, and then the local subscriber number. A typical international format looks like: +385 1 234 5678 (Zagreb landline) or +385 91 234 5678 (mobile).
This guide explains how Croatian phone numbers are structured, how to dial +385 from the US, UK and the rest of Europe, how the Europe/Zagreb time zone works (CET/CEST) and what to keep in mind when calling hotels, charter boats, tour operators, real-estate agents and remote teams in Croatia.
Example landline (Zagreb)
+385 1 234 5678
Domestic: 01 234 5678. From abroad you drop the 0 and dial +385 1….
Example mobile
+385 91 234 5678
Domestic: 091 234 5678. Mobiles use dedicated prefixes such as 091, 092, 095, etc.
Time & region
Central Europe · CET/CEST
Winter: UTC+1, summer: UTC+2. Same zone as most of Central Europe (Europe/Zagreb).
Overview – where +385 is used
The code +385 is used exclusively for Croatia. You will come across +385 numbers when booking island ferries, calling hotels, campsites and private apartments, contacting marinas along the Adriatic, arranging IT and outsourcing services in Zagreb and other cities, or reaching local authorities and service providers.
Because Croatia is part of the European Union and Schengen area, many visitors from other EU countries can use their own mobile plans with regulated roaming charges. Even so, it’s common for Croatian businesses to list a full +385 format for international guests, especially in tourism, yachting and property rental.
In everyday practice you’ll see Croatian numbers written in a few slightly different styles: 01 234 5678, +385 1 234 5678, 00385 1 234 5678, or compressed as +38512345678. For software and CRMs, it’s best to unify everything into a clean +385 format internally.
Typical situations using +385 numbers
- Tourism & hospitality – booking hotels, apartments, tours and transfers along the Adriatic coast and inland national parks.
- Yachting & marinas – coordinating berths, charters and maintenance for sailing trips between Croatian islands.
- IT, outsourcing & remote teams – reaching development and support teams in Zagreb, Split, Rijeka and Osijek.
For all of these, capturing a valid +385 number once – and storing it in a consistent format – improves call reliability, SMS delivery and app-based communication (WhatsApp, Viber, etc.).
Croatia phone number formats (+385)
Pattern: +385 (area/mobile code without 0) local numberCroatia uses geographic area codes for fixed lines and dedicated prefixes for mobiles. Inside the country you dial 0 + area/mobile code + local number. From abroad you dial +385, then the same code without the leading 0, then the local number.
- • Trunk prefix: 0 (used in domestic dialing only).
- • Area codes (examples): 1 (Zagreb), 21 (Split), 20 (Dubrovnik), 51 (Rijeka). Domestic: 0X… or 0XX….
- • Mobiles: prefixes such as 091, 092, 095, 097 etc. Domestic: 0 91 234 5678; international: +385 91 234 5678.
- • National number length: area/mobile code + subscriber number usually totals 8–9 digits (excluding +385).
- • International form: +385 (area/mobile code without 0) local number, often grouped for readability: +385 1 234 5678.
Validation idea: strip spaces, dots and hyphens; detect 00285 / 00385 /
leading 0 patterns; normalise to +385 followed by digits only. For
example, 00385 1 234 5678 → +38512345678.
Sample Croatian numbers
Illustrative onlyDomestic: 01 234 5678. A typical city office number in the capital.
Domestic: 021 345 678. Area code 21 covers Split and surroundings.
Domestic: 091 234 5678. Used for calls, SMS and common messaging apps like WhatsApp or Viber.
How to dial Croatia (+385)
1. From the USA or Canada
To call a Croatian number from the US or Canada:
- Dial 011 – international access code.
- Dial 385 – Croatia country code.
- Dial the area or mobile code without 0 (e.g. 1 for Zagreb, 91 for a mobile).
- Dial the local number.
Example (New York → Zagreb office 01 234 5678): 011 385 1 234 5678.
2. From the UK, EU or most other countries
In many countries the international prefix is 00:
- Dial 00 – international prefix.
- Dial 385 – Croatia’s country code.
- Dial the area or mobile code without 0 (for example 21 for Split).
- Dial the local subscriber number.
Example (London → Split landline 021 345 678): 00 385 21 345 678.
3. Dialing inside Croatia & calling out
- Within Croatia: dial 0 + area/mobile code + local number. Example: 01 234 5678 (Zagreb landline), 091 234 5678 (mobile).
- From Croatia to other countries: dial 00 + country code + number. Example: 00 44 20… for London, 00 1… for the US.
- Short codes: emergency services (112) and some information or operator lines use 3–4 digit codes reachable only from within Croatia.
In your systems, always strip the trunk prefix 0 for E.164 storage. For example, store 01 234 5678 as +38512345678.
Normalisation tip: if a user enters 00385 91 234 5678 or
091-234-5678, your application can safely convert this to +385912345678 for
storage and formatting.
Time in Croatia – Europe/Zagreb (CET / CEST)
Croatia uses the Central European Time zone: UTC+1 in winter (CET) and UTC+2 in summer (CEST) when daylight saving time is in effect. The IANA time zone ID is Europe/Zagreb.
That means the local time in Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik usually matches other Central European cities like Vienna, Budapest and Berlin. When Europe switches between winter and summer time, Croatia does the same, so the offset to non-European regions may change by one hour.
For tourism and business calls, 09:00–17:00 local time is generally safe for offices, while hotels, restaurants and some tourism services may answer phones later into the evening—especially during the summer high season.
Zagreb compared with other cities
| City / region | Time zone | Typical offset vs Zagreb |
|---|---|---|
| Zagreb | Europe/Zagreb (CET/CEST) | Reference |
| London | Europe/London | ≈ −1 hour (most of the year) |
| New York | America/New_York | ≈ −6 to −5 hours (seasonal) |
| Sydney | Australia/Sydney | ≈ +8 to +10 hours (seasonal) |
| Dubai | Asia/Dubai | ≈ +2 to +3 hours |
| Tokyo | Asia/Tokyo | ≈ +8 hours (winter) |
For applications, store timestamps in UTC and display them for Croatian users using the Europe/Zagreb zone so that DST changes are handled automatically.
Safety & emergency calls in Croatia
As an EU member state, Croatia uses the standard 112 number for emergencies. Dialling 112 from any Croatian landline or mobile connects you to a central operator who can dispatch police, fire and medical services.
Croatia also maintains traditional short codes (such as 192 for police, 193 for fire brigade and 194 for ambulance), but for visitors and general use, 112 is the key number to remember. Many operators can provide assistance in English and other languages, especially in major tourist regions.
General emergency
112
Call 112 for any life-threatening emergency: police, fire or medical. The number works across the EU and is free of charge.
Police
192 / via 112
For urgent security issues you can dial 192 or simply call 112, which will connect you to the appropriate service.
Fire & rescue
193 / via 112
For fires and rescue situations, dial 193 or use 112 if you’re not sure which service you need.
Medical emergencies
194 / via 112
For ambulance and urgent medical help, dial 194 or 112. Keep your location and a callback +385 number ready when you call.
If you are staying in Croatia for tourism or business, also save the numbers for your hotel, local contact, embassy/consulate and insurance provider, all in correct +385 format.
Examples: calling +385 Croatia numbers
US (Chicago) → Zagreb hotel
Hotel landline: 01 234 5678.
- Dial 011 – exit code from the US.
- Dial 385 – Croatia country code.
- Dial 1 – Zagreb area code (without 0).
- Dial 234 5678 – local number.
Result: 011 385 1 234 5678
Germany (Berlin) → Croatian mobile
Mobile: 091 234 5678.
- Dial 00 – international prefix from Germany.
- Dial 385 – Croatia country code.
- Dial 91 – mobile prefix (without the leading 0).
- Dial 234 5678 – subscriber number.
Result: 00 385 91 234 5678
Inside Croatia – calling a ferry company
Ferry office in Split: 021 345 678.
- From a Croatian mobile or landline, dial 021 345 678 directly.
- From abroad, dial +385 21 345 678 (or appropriate 00/011 pattern).
Saving the contact as +385 21 345 678 ensures it works when you travel.
Croatia country code +385 – FAQ
What is the country code for Croatia?
The international country code for Croatia is +385. When calling from abroad, dial your international access code (for example 011 from the US or 00 from most of Europe), then 385, then the Croatian area or mobile code without the domestic trunk 0, followed by the local number.
Why do Croatian numbers sometimes start with 0?
The 0 is a domestic trunk prefix used only for calls made from within Croatia. When dialing Croatia from another country you remove this 0, and dial +385 plus the remaining digits.
How many digits does a Croatian phone number have?
The total length of a Croatian number (area/mobile code + subscriber number) is typically 8–9 digits without the country code. In international format this becomes +385 followed by those digits.
What time zone is Croatia in?
Croatia uses Central European Time (CET), which is UTC+1, and Central European Summer Time (CEST), which is UTC+2 during daylight saving time. The technical ID used in software is Europe/Zagreb.
Is EU roaming available when calling +385 numbers?
If you have a mobile contract from another EU/EEA country, you may be able to use your plan in Croatia under the EU “roam like at home” rules. However, fair-usage policies and exceptions can apply. Always check details with your own operator before relying on roaming for calls to or from +385 numbers.
Are WhatsApp and Viber popular in Croatia?
Yes. Many people in Croatia use WhatsApp, Viber and similar apps linked to their +385 mobile numbers. When you store a contact correctly as +385 followed by the mobile number, most messaging apps will recognise it automatically if the other person also uses the app.
Download the Croatia (+385) dialing & time zone cheat sheet
Export this page as a one-page PDF summarising Croatia country code +385, number formats, area codes, trunk prefix 0, Europe/Zagreb time zone and practical examples for calling hotels, ferries, marinas and businesses across the country.