A new direct link between Croatia and Poland has taken off for the winter season, and the opening fares are remarkably cheap. Ryanair began flying between Zagreb and Warsaw-Modlin on 26 October 2026 as part of its 2026/2027 winter schedule, with tickets starting from just €17.
The route runs twice a week, on Mondays and Saturdays, with the same frequency in each direction — so two departures from Zagreb and two from Warsaw-Modlin. Note that Ryanair uses Modlin rather than Warsaw's main Chopin Airport; it is about 35 km north of the city centre, so factor in the shuttle or train connection when comparing fares.
Pricing on the route is demand-driven, which means the gap between a flexible booking and a last-minute one can be significant. Ryanair's advice — echoed by anyone who has watched fares climb as seats fill — is to check the airline's website or app early and often before locking in dates. If your schedule can shift by a day or two, the savings can be the difference between a €17 ticket and something several times pricier.
The Irish carrier's communications director Jade Kirwan marked the launch by pointing to the bigger picture: the new service gives Croatian travellers more choice at what Ryanair bills as the lowest fares in Europe, and the airline expects steady traffic through the winter months. The full 2026 winter timetable is already bookable via the Ryanair app and website.
For travellers, this is a genuinely handy addition. Croats get a cheap winter gateway to Poland — think Kraków day trips by train, hearty food, and Christmas markets at their most atmospheric — while Poles gain an easy, inexpensive entry point to Zagreb and onward to Croatia's capital-region attractions. Zagreb's own Advent market has grown into one of Europe's most-liked winter city breaks, and arriving for €17 makes a spontaneous December weekend very easy to justify. The twice-weekly pattern suits a long weekend: fly out Saturday, back Monday, or stretch it across a full week.
It also slots neatly into Ryanair's broader push at Zagreb Airport, where the airline has been steadily adding routes and basing capacity in recent years. More competition on Central European routes tends to keep fares down across the board, so even flyers who stick with other carriers benefit.
If you're tempted, book early. Launch fares like these are introductory by nature, and the cheapest seats on any given flight are limited. Set fare alerts in the app, keep your dates flexible, and remember that Modlin is not the same airport as the one you may land at when flying other airlines into Warsaw.
