Slovenia (SZ)

Country info: Slovenia (Slovenija)

Rail companies: SZ (Slovenske Zeleznice)

Slovenian Rail Network Map 

Currency: Euro

Train travel in Slovenia: train types, tickets, fares, discounts & other info

 

National Train service:

Train types in Slovenia: Passenger, Regional, InterCity, InterCity Slovenija, International & EuroCity/EuroNight

• Passenger (marked 'LP/LV' on SZ website): passenger trains (potniški vlaki) mainly serving short & medium distance routes, no seat reservation required 
  
  
• Regional (marked 'RG' on SZ website): regional trains (regionalni vlaki) mainly serving short & medium distance routes, no seat reservation required
• InterCity (marked 'IC' on SZ website): long-distance intercity service connecting major Slovenian cities & towns, no seat reservation required, but special tariff supplement (1,80 euro) applies
  
• InterCity Slovenija (marked 'ICS' on SZ website): high-speed pendolino trains connecting Ljubljana and Maribor (during winter) & Maribor-Ljubljana-Koper (during summer season), seat reservation required (free of charge in case passenger aquires reservation at the station before departure; the same reservation obtained onboard will cost is 2,50 euro), also  special ICS tariff supplement to standard tariff applies (7,10 euro in 2^nd class or 10,60 euro in 1^st class)
  
• International (marked as 'MV' on SZ website): international trains (mednarodni vlaki), no seat reservation required for journeys within Slovenia, but special tariff supplement (1,80 euro) applies
  
• EuroCity / EuroNight (marked 'EC'/'EN' on SZ website): international daytime & overnight service, seat reservation not required for journeys within Slovenia, but special supplement (1,80 euro) applies
  

 

Slovenian Railways (SZ) train tickets validity period (domestic journeys): one-way tickets for journeys <200 km are valid for one day, while with journeys >201 km validity period is two days; return tickets are valid for one day (routes <100 km) or for fifteen days (routes >101 km)

 

 Discounts, special offers & ways to save money for passengers traveling in Slovenia (SZ):

1. Simplest & easiest money saving option for travels by train in Slovenia is choice of the right train. For instance let's take popular journey from Ljubljana to Maribor, on this route passengers can travel paying three different fares for their ticket: a) fancy InterCitySlovenia (ICS) train; b) InterCity/International/EuroCity trains or c) regional/passenger trains. When choosing ICS trains passenger will have to pay 16,14 euro (and the entire journey will take a bit less than 2 hours), with IC/MV/EC train (reach Maribor in 2:15-2:35) potential passenger pays 11,36 euro and finally while with RG/LP trains (2:30-2:45 travel time) only 9,56 euro. Thus if you are not in a hurry, why not to save some money by using slightly slower, but much cheaper train?
2. Passengers planning to travel from Ljubljana to Celje, Pragersko, Maribor or vice versa, can take advantage from special promo offer by SZ - ICS Special - tickets (2^nd class) for morning (dep. 5:45am, ICS 12) & evening departures (dep. 20:12, ICS 26) or afternoon from Maribor (dep. 12:45, ICS 17) sold for only 5 euro (incl. seat reservation) no matter what is the final destination station. ICS Special tickets are limited in number per each departure and must be purchased at least one day in advance, exchange/refund/upgrade to 1^st class or stopovers are not possible.
3. SZ offers 30% discount for passengers making a return journey on Saturdays, Sundays or public holiday in either 1^st or 2^nd class carriages on all domestic train services. Tickets bought under offer conditions are valid usual 15 days period
4. SZ offers various group (>6 passengers) discounts: 20% discount for first or second class ticket on all trains in Slovenia, except ICS trains; 30% discount on particular days for first and second class on certain ICS trains.
5. For passengers planning to visit couple destinations it is advisable to purchase one through ticket (instead of more expensive combination of two separate ones). The trick is really simple and totally legit - Slovenian Railways allow one stopover during the validity period of the ticket, so passenger can actually purchase one through ticket from destination A to destination C via B, but de-facto make two journeys (first A to B and then B to C) on different trains and even days. It is very convenient in case you want to make a stopover somewhere along the planned route.
   
   

 

International Train Service:

a) Regular discounts

• 50% off SCIC-NRT price for Slovenian and 60% off Hungarian part on return tickets for Slovenia to Hungary connections
• 40% off SCIC-NRT price for the return ticket for Slovenia to Croatia connections (or 30% for one way tickets)
  
• 40% off SCIC-NRT price for the return tickets in Slovenia to Serbia connections (or 25% for one way tickets)
  

b) Special offers (SparSchiene)

 Ticket offers with limited number of tickets per each departure (purchase in advance required):

• Austria: from Ljubljana to Vienna via Maribor (seats from 29 euro), from Celje to Vienna (seats from 29 euro), from Maribor to Vienna (seats from 29 euro), also for connection from Ljubljana to Salzburg discounted tickets Ljubljana-Munich (see below) can be used
  
• Czech Republic: from Ljubljana to Prague via Villach ('First Minute' offer for 39 euro one way)
• Croatia: "Zagreb Spezial" offer from Ljubljana to Zagreb (from 9 euro), from Celje to Zagreb (from 13 euro), from Maribor to Zagreb (from 22,80 euro), etc. "Reka Spezial" (Rijeka Special) offer Ljubljana to Rijeka (from 9 euro)
• Hungary: from Ljubljana to Budapest ("Budapest Spezial" offer, seats from 19 euro)
  
• Germany: from Ljubljana to Munich  (seats from 29 euro, Smart Price), from Ljubljana to Frankfurt on EC Mimara 212/213 (seats 49 euro one-way or 98 euro return, Smart Price)
  
• Serbia: from Ljubljana to Belgrade 'Beograd Special' offer - 25 euro one way on daytime MV 414/415 train
  
• Switzerland : from Ljubljana to Zurich (seats from 29 euro, couchettes from 39 euro & sleepers from 59 euro)

Ticket offers with unlimited number of tickets per each departure:

• Austria ('Regio As' offer): from Ljubljana to Graz (return ticket 44 euro or 48 euro with Graz city transport pass), from Laško/Celje to Graz (return ticket 32,40 euro or 36,40 euro with Graz city transport pass), from Maribor to Graz (return ticket 19,80 euro or 23,8 euro with Graz city transport pass), from Ljubljana to Villach (one way for 13 euro or return ticket for 26 euro), from Ljubljana to  Klagenfurt (return ticket 32 euro), etc.
  
  
• Hungary: from Ljubljana to Budapest (either via Croatia or via Hodos) 39 euro one-way or 49 euro return ('Budapest Spezial' offer)
• Germany: from Ljubljana to Munich ('München Spezial' return ticket - 95,20 euro)
• Italy: from Ljubjana to Venice (via Villach) - one-way for 41 euro (or 38 euro with OeBB bus Villach-Venice), return fares are 82 and 76 euro respectively, from Sežana-Villa Opicina (1 euro)
  
• Russia (summer season through carriage via Budapest): from Ljubjana to Moscow (144,2 euro + 34 euro for 2/3 sleeper reservation); from Koper to Moscow (157 euro + 37 euro for 2/3 sleeper reservation)

c) CityStars

• Austria: from Ljubljana to Vienna via Maribor (one passenger – 67 euro, two – 100,50 euro, etc.), from Ljubljana to Vienna via Jesenice (one passenger – 77,40 euro, two – 116,10 euro, etc.), from Celje or Maribor to Vienna (one passenger – 52 euro; two – 78 euro, etc.), from Ljubljana to Villach (one passenger – 24,70 euro, two – 37,10 euro, etc.); from Ljubljana to Graz (one passenger – 39,70 euro, two – 59,60 euro, etc.); from Celje or Maribor to Graz (one passenger – 24,70 euro; two – 37,10 euro, etc.), from Ljubljana to Salzburg (one passenger – 52 euro; two – 78 euro, etc.)
• Bosnia-Herzegovina: from Ljubljana to Sarajevo (via Zagreb) - 92 euro for one passenger, 138,50 euro for two passengers, etc..
• Croatia: from Ljubljana or Celje to Zagreb (one passenger 20,20 euro, two - 30,80 euro, etc.), from Maribor to Zagreb (one passenger – 35,20 euro, two – 52,8 euro etc.); from Ljubljana to Rijeka (one passenger – 20,20 euro, two – 30,30 euro etc.); from Ljubljana – Opatija (one passenger – 20,20 euro, two – 30,30 euro etc.); Ljubljana – Pula (one passenger – 56 euro, two – 84 euro etc.), from Ljubljana to Split via Zagreb (one passenger – 93,40 euro, two – 140,10 euro etc.)
• Czech Republic: from Ljubljana to Prague via Jesenice, Villach (one passenger 134,40 euro, two - 201,60 euro etc.); from Ljubljana to Prague via Maribor, Vienna (one passenger 123 euro, two - 184,50 euro etc.)
• Italy (via Villach): from Ljubjana to Venice (train on leg Villach-Venice - 81,7 (one passenger), 151,6 euro (two passengers) etc.; from Ljubljana to Venice (OeBB bus on leg from Villach to Venice - 75,7 (one passenger), 139,6 euro (two passengers) etc.
• Germany: from Ljubljana to Frankfurt (M) Hbf (one passenger – 160 euro, two – 240 euro, without ICE or 182/283 euro with use of ICE trains) 
• Serbia: from Ljubljana to Belgrade (one passenger – 114,20 euro, two – 171,30 euro etc.); from Maribor to Belgrade (one passenger – 114,20 euro, two – 171,30 euro etc.); from Celje to Belgrade (one person – 99,2 euro, two – 148,80 euro etc.)
• Switzerland: from Ljubljana to Zurich (one passenger – 130,8 euro, two – 223,4 euro etc.)

Slovenia to Italy by train? How? One of the most common questions about international rail travel to/from Slovenia is the question about possibility to travel to & from Italy. Since the time when everyday EuroNight train Budapest-Zagreb-Ljubljana-Venice was canceled it became a bit difficult to travel easily between Slovenia and Italy using rail transport, however there are still number of ways how passengers can travel cheaply from Ljubljana (or any other place in Slovenia) to Venice (and any other destination in Italy):

• Nova Gorica option. Number one keyword to know when traveling between Slovenia and Italy is "Nova Gorica", which is a Slovenian border town located just opposite to Italian town Gorizia (historically Nova Gorica and Gorizia used to be one town), so the whole trick is to travel first from Ljubljana to Nova Gorica (since it is a domestic journey train ticket will cost you only 9,56 euro), while next just walk (around 3 km) between Nova Gorica to Gorizia train stations (alternatively you can also take a public bus #1, which runs between the stations). Gorizia to Venice domestic Italian ticket costs either 12,70 or 15,05 euro (depending on route), thus it means that you can travel from Ljubljana to Venice for less than 25 euro in total.
  
• Sezana-Villa Opicina-Trieste option. Set of keywords number two is "Sezana - Villa Opicina - Trieste". General idea behind this trick is pretty much the same as above, but only here you first need to travel from Ljubljana to Slovenian border town Sezana (7,70 euro) & then from there catch local bus to Trieste (only 2,7 euro, run few times per day, travel time is about 30 min.). As an alternative (especially for rail fans), since Dec.15, 2013 it is also possible to catch trains from Ljubljana to Italian station Villa Opicina (via Sezana), on weekdays there are 6 train departures (6:23am, 10:01am, 12:31, 16:25, 20:45, 21:41) from Sezana to Villa Opicina, so you just have to get to Sezana on time for one of those trains. One-way ticket price Sezana-Villa Opicina cost just 1 euro. Between Villa Opicina and Trieste passengers can enjoy famous Villa Opicina-Trieste Tram (or use frequently running local bus #4). From Trieste passengers can easily travel to Venice (tickets from 13,40 euro) and other Italian destinations
• Jesenice-Villach option. Keyword "Villach" refers to rail journeys from Slovenia to Italy via Austria. Few times per day it is possible to travel from Ljubljana to Villach with change there either for the bus (so-called OeBB InterCity Bus) or train to Venice. This travel option isn't extremely convenient or cheap, but still can be used, especially for someone who wants to save on hotel and travel overnight from Ljubljana to Venice or vice versa.
  

 

How to Buy Train Tickets in Slovenia:

Slovenian Railways launched Web Ticketing page - www.enakup.slo-zeleznice.si/web-ticketing (however it does not seem to be very useful at the moment, so let's hope it will be improved and passengers would be able to purchased the entire range of SZ tickets online)

 

Do you still have further questions or want to share your own travel experience? You are welcome on our Forum page

 

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