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Zagreb is a disarmingly easy place to find your way around, with almost everything of importance revolving around the city's central square and main reference point, Trg bana Jelačića.

Most attractions are within walking distance of here, although many of the cheaper accommodation options, along with a selection of outlying museums, restaurants, bars and clubs, are in inner-city areas within 2-3km (a short tram ride) of the square. Zagreb north of the main square is an attractively hilly place, merging with the slopes of Mt Medvednica; elsewhere the terrain is unremittingly flat, with grid-plan suburbs stretching south to the broad River Sava 3km from the square, with the concrete-and-steel settlement of Novi Zagreb on the opposite bank. Zagreb's airport, situated about 10km southeast of the city, is connected with the bus station by half-hourly Croatia Airways buses  between 7.30am and 8pm; after that time buses run only to connect with specific flights. A taxi from the airport to the centre costs about 200-250Kn. Zagreb's central train station is on Tomislavov trg, on the southern edge of the city centre, ten minutes' walk from the main square, Trg bana Jelačića. The main bus station is about ten minutes' walk east of the train station at the junction of Brammirova and Drikeva. Tram #6 (destination Crnomerec) runs from here to Trg bana Jelačića, passing the train station on the way.

There are two main tourist information centres (turisticki informativni centar; TIC) in central Zagreb, one at Trg bana Jelačića 11, and another a few hundred metres to the south at Zrinjevac 14. Both offices have free city maps and can recommend accommodation options, although neither will book rooms. Free booklets available from the tourist offices include Events and Performances (providing monthly concert listings) and Zagreb A–Z (yellowpages-style information covering hotels, restaurants and other services). However, neither compares in terms of detail or readability with Zagreb in Your Pocket, a city guide covering accommodation, food and nightlife, updated every two months.

Both tourist offices sell the Zagreb Card, which entitles the bearer to free public transport, free use of the Sljeme cable car, a fifty percent reduction on museum and gallery fees, and reductions in some theatres, discos and restaurants; it's just about worth having for the transport and cable car alone.