Getting to and from your hike in Slovenia

You’ve booked your Slovenian walking holiday and you’re excited to explore this beautiful corner of Europe. So how do you get to the delightful capital Ljubljana from where our trips begin?

Travel logistics can often feel more complicated than the hike itself, so we have provided clear, reliable information to get you from point A to point B with confidence and zero stress.

Picture yourself stepping off the plane, trekking gear ready, breathing in crisp European air with the Alps somewhere in the distance. Whether you fly directly into Slovenia or arrive via Venice, Zagreb or Vienna, here’s how RAW Travellers make the journey seamless.

International airports

• Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (LJU) – Slovenia’s main airport
• Venice Marco Polo (VCE) – alternative via Italy
• Zagreb Airport (ZAG) – alternative via Croatia
• Vienna International (VIE) – alternative via Austria

Flying direct into Ljubljana (Slovenia)

Most RAW Travellers fly into Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (LJU). From Australia (Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne), flights typically include one or two stopovers through a European hub.
From the airport or city centre, the best way to get from the airport to your hotel door is through Go Opti Transfers. A great way to start your adventure relaxed, without juggling luggage or schedules. They offer private transfers or shared transfers as a more affordable option.

Which airlines fly to Slovenia?

Depending on your location you will find multiple options for flights with one stop-over to Slovenia.

• Emirates: Stopover in Dubai; they also offer multiple options with two stops
• Turkish Airlines: Stopover in Istanbul

Other major airlines including Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa Airlines, British Airways and Qatar Airways offer flights to Ljubljana with two stopovers.

Flying into Venice (Italy), Vienna (Austria) or Zagreb (Croatia)

If you’re flexible with your arrival airport, flights to Venice, Vienna or Zagreb are also great options, giving you more choice while still connecting easily to Slovenia.

Bus services

From all of these major cities and their airports there are great options to travel by bus, which are all direct routes. See FLiXBUS for details on routes and route planning.

Approximate travel times:

• Venice–Ljubljana: 3 hours 30 minutes
• Vienna–Ljubljana: 5 hours 40 minutes
• Zagreb–Ljubljana: 2 hours 30 minutes

Other long distance bus options include: NOMAGO

Train services

Trains are a great option to relax and see the countryside go by. You can travel from most destinations via train; however, bus is sometimes the quicker option. See Rail Europe for easy booking options and route planning.

Approximate travel times:

• Venice–Trieste: 2–3 hours. Then travel to Ljubljana via bus, train or transfer (1.5 hours).
• Vienna–Ljubljana: 6+ hours
• Zagreb–Ljubljana: 2 hours 20 minutes

Departing from Piran

Three of our most popular Slovenian itineraries (see list below) finish on the Adriatic coast in the beautiful town of Piran. Whether you are continuing your travels or heading home there are a number of ways to travel from here.

• Slovenia: Mountains to Coast (self-guided)
• Slovenia Hike & e-Bike (self-guided)
• Julian Alps and Coast (guided)

Piran to Ljubljana

If you wish to travel back to the city of Ljubljana Go Opti Transfers are the best option. Bookable shared or private door-to-door transfers. It takes only 1hr 20mins to travel this way as opposed to 3 hours or more by local bus.

Piran to Trieste

Trieste is a great starting point for onward travel to any major port in Italy and then beyond. The best way to get to Trieste is by Go Opti Transfers taking around 1hr 30mins.
Once in Trieste you can explore Italy with ease via an extensive train network, you can see the train map here Italiarail.

There is also a major airport in Trieste with flights going to all major ports in Italy, also to: Germany, Spain, UK, Ireland, Sweden, Albania, Hungary and many more destinations. You can see the list of flight destinations at Flight Finder.

Piran to Venice by ferry

Do you need to head over to Venice? A ferry is a beautiful way to travel and enjoy a journey over the Adriatic Sea. Please note that this ferry from Piran only leaves on Saturdays between May and early October. See KOMPAS Ferry for more information.

Travelling to Croatia

A good place to start your onward journey into Croatia is by bus, you can see the bus route options with NOMAGO: one of the largest and most modern bus companies in Croatia and Slovenia. They operate both regional and long-distance routes, offer airport transfers and private transport as well.

Alternatively, you can travel via Zagreb Airport (Croatia):

• Piran to Ljubljana (Go Opti transfer)
• Ljubljana to Zagreb (train or bus)
• Zagreb to onward Croatian travels

The total travel time to reach Zagreb from Piran is 5 to 6 hours.

Departing from Lake Bled or Lake Bohinj

If you are booked on our Julian Alps Highlights self-guided trek your journey will end in Lake Bled. Our Triglav Hut-to-Hut self-guided trek ends in Lake Bohinj. From both Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj an efficient way to travel back to Ljubljana is by bus using Arriva.

Ljubljana to Lake Bled is one of the most popular bus routes in Slovenia so departures are very frequent. The first bus of the day leaves between 5am and 7am depending on the season. After that, buses depart every 30 to 60 minutes, with the final departure around 9pm/10pm.

Alternatively if you have a larger group it can be quite economical to use a private/shared transfer, see Go Opti Transfers.

Start your Slovenian adventure today!

RAW Travel is Australia’s leading walking holiday specialist. We offer an exceptional selection of guided and self-guided trips in Slovenia, graded from moderate to strenuous. From the high trails of the Julian Alps to the undulating valleys and the gentle coastal paths that wind toward the Adriatic, we can help you choose an itinerary that best matches your fitness and interests.

Contact our hiking experts today to start planning your hiking adventure.