Zagreb has kicked off work on a new Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan, a 14-month project that will set the Croatian capital's transport priorities through the end of 2027 and beyond. A consortium led by Ernst & Young Savjetovanje and the University of Zagreb's Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences — with input from civil society group ODRAZ and urban planning firm INTERDIS — is handling the job under a contract worth €288,000 excluding VAT, with completion due in December 2027.

The scope is broad. Walking, cycling, buses and trams, private cars, parking, freight and deliveries all fall under the plan, alongside efforts to link transport decisions with urban development and environmental protection. The stated aims: cut congestion, noise and pollution, make streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists, and get better use out of existing infrastructure and public space. Officials, including city office head Andro Pavuna, have framed it around everyday trips — getting to work, school, healthcare and shops — with particular attention to children, older people and residents with disabilities.

There's an EU angle too. Under the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) rules, urban nodes must adopt sustainable mobility plans by the end of 2027, so Zagreb is meeting a deadline while also positioning future projects for European funding. The finished document will include a five-year action plan spelling out who implements each measure, by when, at what cost, and with which funding sources.

For anyone planning a trip to Zagreb, this is one to watch. The city already has an efficient, affordable tram network that most visitors rely on, and the plan promises better connections between modes — think smoother transfers between trams, buses and bike infrastructure, plus more pedestrian-friendly streets around the centre. Public consultations, workshops and focus groups are part of the process, so residents and stakeholders will help shape the outcomes over the next two years. Nothing changes overnight, but by the time the plan lands, expect walkability and cycling to rank higher in how the city designs its streets.

The bottom line: Zagreb is treating mobility as a quality-of-life issue, not just a traffic-engineering one. If you're headed there for a city break in the meantime, the existing system already works well for visitors — but the improvements rolling out toward 2028 should make exploring the capital on foot, by bike or by tram even easier.