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The civilised way. Lunch in the restaurant car. Courtesy of Kevin Coumbe |
This page explains how to travel from Ljubljana to other key European cities, and how to buy tickets the cheapest way. Information current for 2024.
Trains between Ljubljana & Zagreb
Trains from
Ljubljana to Lake Bled
Before you buy your tickets
Take a moment to read these tips for buying European train tickets. It answers all the usual questions, "Do I need to book in advance or can I buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or a 35 point-to-point ticket?". How far ahead can you buy train tickets?
European train travel FAQ
Buying train tickets for journeys within Slovenia
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You can check times & fares at the Slovenian Railways website potniski.sz.si.
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You can buy tickets for domestic travel at eshop.sz.si/en although you can also just buy at the station.
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For national & international train times it can be easier to use the all-Europe online timetable at German Railways int.bahn.de.
Ljubljana to Pula for 19
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Southbound Ljubljana to Pula.
All year, a train leaves Ljubljana at 14:25 every day, change at Divaca & at the border at Buzet, arriving Pula at 19:27.
Divaca-Buzet may be by bus.
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Northbound Pula to Ljubljana
All year, a train leaves Pula at 14:56 every day, change at the border at Buzet and at Divaca, arriving Ljubljana at 20:04.
Buzet-Divaca may be by bus.
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The trains are 2nd class only, no online booking, just buy at the station, no reservation necessary or possible.
A Pula Spezial ticket costs 19 one-way or 29 return.
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You can check these times at the Slovenian Railways website potniski.sz.si. The English version has disappeared so the Pula page takes a little finding! Select Tujina then Hrvaka then Pulj (Pula).
Ljubljana to Lake Bled for 7
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Trains to Lesce-Bled: Trains link Ljubljana with Lesce-Bled every hour or so, taking 40 minutes (express) or 54-70 minutes (local).
Lesce-Bled station is on the main line to Villach, Salzburg & Munich, 3.8 km from the centre of Bled old town, 5.8 km from Bled Castle.
Check train times at the Slovenian Railways website potniski.sz.si.
Buy a ticket at the station, the fare is around 5
Tip: Air-conditioned buses link the bus stop outside Lesce Bled station with Bled old town roughly every 20-35 minutes, journey time 9 minutes, fare around 1.30. You can check times at arriva.si, Lesce P = Lesce-Bled railway station.
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Trains to Bled Jezero: You can also travel from Ljubljana to Bled Jezero station, which is on a local line.
Ljubljana to Bled Jezero takes 90-110 minutes with a train every 2-3 hours, change at Jesenice, fare around 6.60. Bled Jezero is next to the lake, 2.5 km from Bled Castle, 3.5 km from Bled old town. You can check current times and fares at potniski.sz.si.
Ljubljana to Zagreb from 9
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There are several trains every day linking Ljubljana & Zagreb, a lovely scenic train ride through the hills along the beautiful River Sava.
Departures from Ljubljana to Zagreb: 08:30, 14:45, 18:37. Journey time around 2h10.
Times may vary, so check train times with the German Railways online timetable at int.bahn.de or the Austrian one at fahrplan.oebb.at.
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The fare is just 9 each way with a Zagreb Spezial fare, bought at the station.
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Tickets cannot be bought online, but you can easily buy tickets at the station, there are always places available.
Ljubljana to Rijeka
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Trains run from Ljubljana to Rijeka twice a day at 08:30 (arriving Rijeka 11:12) and 15:20 (arriving 18:11).
Check times with the German Railways online timetable at int.bahn.de or the Austrian one at fahrplan.oebb.at.
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The fare is 9 each way with a Reka Spezial fare, bought at the station.
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Buy tickets at the station in Ljubljana.
Advance reservation isn't necessary so you can buy a ticket on the day & hop on, this will be much cheaper than buying a ticket from outside Slovenia. The ticket office at Ljubljana is easy to find and English is widely spoken.
Ljubljana to London, Paris, Brussels, Luxembourg, Amsterdam
Option 1, using comfortable daytime trains with an overnight stop in Munich
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Day 1, travel from Ljubljana or Lesce-Bled to Munich, leaving Ljubljana at 15:27 or Lesce-Bled at 16:17, arriving Munich Hbf at 21:41.
The journey involves a simple cross-platform change in Villach from Slovenian/Croatian train to an Austrian one.
Fares start at 37.90 in 2nd class or 56.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Important update: The closure of the Tauern Tunnel affects this route between 17 November 2024 & 13 July 2025, check times at int.bahn.de.
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Stay overnight in Munich. The affordable Eden Hotel Wolff & NH Collection Mόnchen are across the road from the station's north side exit with great reviews. Or consider the more upmarket 25 Hours Hotel The Royal Bavarian, Excelsior by Giesel & Mercure City Center. For a splurge, the luxurious Sofitel Munich Beyerpost occupies the former Royal Bavarian Post Office building of 1896-1900, at the station's south side exit.
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Day 2, travel from Munich to Paris, Brussels, Luxembourg or Amsterdam by train.
For Paris, a direct TGV Duplex leaves Munich Hbf at 06:51 arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 12:32, see the Munich-Paris TGV video. But by all means take a later train.
For Amsterdam, the 07:47 ICE from Munich Hbf, change Frankfurt Flughafen onto another ICE, arrives Amsterdam Centraal 15:29.
For Brussels, the 07:47 ICE from Munich Hbf, change at Siegburg/Bonn onto another ICE, arrives Brussels Midi at 15:35.
Fares start at around 37.90 in 2nd class or 69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.
Option 2, using the comfortable sleeper train Lisinski from Ljubljana to Stuttgart
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Day 1, take the sleeper train Lisinski from Ljubljana to Stuttgart, leaving Ljubljana at 22:08 & Lesce-Bled at 22:53 arriving Stuttgart Hbf 08:38.
The Lisinski has an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern air-conditioned Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended). Watch the Croatian sleeper video. There's no catering car, so take a picnic and a bottle of wine with you!
Fares start at 49.90 with a couchette in a 6-berth, 59.90 with a couchette in a 4-berth, 66.90 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, 86.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or 129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Important: The Zagreb-Stuttgart sleeper train is diverted via Graz due to work in the Tauern Tunnel and won't call at Ljubljana or Lesce-Bled from 17 November 2024 to 13 July 2025. Either use another option, or take a Slovenian Intercity train leaving Ljubljana at 17:50 & arriving Celje in northern Slovenia at 19:12, then board the sleeper at Celja at 20:26. Don't risk any tight connections! Check times for the Slovenian IC train at potniski.sz.si/en.
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Day 2, travel from Stuttgart to Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam. I'd allow at least 60 minutes between trains. For example:
The 09:51 from Stuttgart Hbf, change at Cologne Hbf, reaches Amsterdam Centraal at 15:29. Times vary.
The 10:05 from Stuttgart Hbf, change at Cologne Hbf, reaches Brussels Midi at 15:35. Times vary.
The 10:52 ICE train from Stuttgart Hbf reaches Paris Gare de l'Est at 14:13.
Fares start at around 39.90 in 2nd class or 69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Tip: Change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes. I'd allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Stuttgart.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Option 3, using a comfortable sleeper train from Ljubljana to Zurich.
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Day 1, travel from Ljubljana to Zurich by sleeper train, leaving Ljubljana at 22:08 & Lesce-Bled at 22:53, arriving Zurich HB 09:20.
This comfortable sleeper train comes from Zagreb, with a modern air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, see the Croatian sleeper video, highly recommended. There's also a couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments which is also comfortable and air-conditioned. There's no catering car so bring a picnic and bottle of wine. There is lovely scenery along the Sava river between Zagreb & Ljubljana.
Fares start at 49.90 with a couchette in a 6-berth, 59.90 with a couchette in a 4-berth, 69.90 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, 89.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or 129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Important: The Zagreb-Zurich sleeper train is diverted via Graz due to work in the Tauern Tunnel and won't call at Ljubljana or Lesce-Bled from 17 November 2024 to 13 July 2025. Either use another option, or take a Slovenian Intercity train leaving Ljubljana at 17:50 & arriving Celje in northern Slovenia at 19:12, then board the sleeper at Celja at 20:26. Don't risk any tight connections! Check times for the Slovenian IC train at potniski.sz.si/en.
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Day 2, travel from Zurich to Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam as follows. I'd allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Zurich.
The 11:34 from Zurich HB arrives Paris Gare de l'Est 15:38, fares from 29, book at www.thetrainline.com (easiest) or www.sncf-connect.com.
The 11:59 from Zurich HB, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arrives Amsterdam Centraal 20:29, fares from 37.90, book at int.bahn.de.
The 11:59 from Zurich HB, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arrives Brussels Midi 19:35, fares from 37.90, book at int.bahn.de.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead. You'll find more detail on the International trains from Zurich page.
Option 4, using a Nightjet sleeper train from Vienna to Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam
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Step 1, travel from Ljubljana to Vienna, leaving Ljubljana at 11:35 or Lesce-Bled at 12:17, change at Villach, arriving Vienna Hbf 17:36.
The railjet train from Villach to Vienna has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
This journey is a real treat, enjoy an inexpensive lunch with wine or beer in the restaurant car as the railjet travels over the wonderfully-scenic UNESCO-listed Semmering route through the mountains between Graz & Vienna.
Fares start at 23.30 in 2nd class or 33.60 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (more fiddly, same prices, in ). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Tip: If you have an onward sleeping-car ticket, you can use the ΦBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf, with free WiFi & complimentary refreshments.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna to Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam by comfortable Nightjet sleeper train
A Nightjet leaves Vienna Hbf at 18:13 on Tuesday, Thursday & Sunday, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 09:39.
A Nightjet leaves Vienna Hbf at 18:13 on Tuesday, Thursday & Sunday, arriving Brussels Midi 09:55.
A Nightjet leaves Vienna Hbf at 20:10 every day and arrives Amsterdam Centraal at 09:50.
Until 14 December 2024, the days of running of the Vienna-Brussels/Paris train are Monday, Wednesday & Friday.
Each of these comfortable Austrian Nightjet trains has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the guide to Nightjet accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.
Fares start at 49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, 59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, 89.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, 109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or 159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book these trains at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , a bit more fiddly, same prices) or at the Dutch Railways international site www.nsinternational.nl (in , no fee). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Option 5, using the Nightjet sleeper train from Salzburg to Paris & Brussels
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This is similar to option 4, but with a later departure, picking up the sleeper to Paris/Brussels in Salzburg instead of Vienna.
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Step 1, travel from Ljubljana to Salzburg, leaving Ljubljana at 15:27 or Lesce-Bled at 16:15, change at Villach, arriving Salzburg Hbf 19:48.
The Ljubljana-Villach train is 2nd class only, bring your own food & drink. The Villach-Salzburg train is an Austrian railjet with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. If there's a delay, there's another Villach-Salzburg railjet 2h later.
Fares start at 29.90 in 2nd class or 49.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (in , same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Have dinner in Salzburg.
Tip: If you have a sleeping-car ticket, you can use the ΦBB Lounge at Salzburg Hbf with free WiFi and complimentary tea & coffee.
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Step 2, travel from Salzburg to Paris or Brussels by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 21:18 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays, one portion arriving Brussels Midi 09:55, the other portion arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 09:39.
Until 14 December 2024, the days of running are Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays.
Each portion of this comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has two air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-cars with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has two couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the guide to Nightjet accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.
Fares start at 49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, 59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, 89.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, 109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or 159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in plain English, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Austrian Railways www.oebb.at (more fiddly, in , same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Ljubljana to Nice & the South of France
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Day 1, travel from Ljubljana to Trieste by regional train and on to Venice as explained here. A cheap, scenic & enjoyable journey.
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Stay overnight in Venice - for a hotel that won't break the bank, but is 2 minutes walk from the station with good reviews, try the Hotel Maggior Consiglio or for a little more, the Hotel Abbazia. Hotels near Venice Mestre on the mainland are usually cheaper, but I'd never miss a chance to stay in Venice itself if I could.
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Day 2, travel from Venice to Monaco, Nice, Cannes changing at the magnificent Milan Centrale, as shown on the Trains from Venice page. It's a lovely journey along the coast between Genoa and Nice, have your camera ready!
Fares start at 34.90 in 2nd class or 59.90 in 1st class.
Check times & book this at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Italian Railways website www.trenitalia.com (in , requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it).
Ljubljana to Zurich & Switzerland
Option 1, Ljubljana to Zurich by sleeper train
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An excellent sleeper train links Ljubljana & Zurich every night, leaving Ljubljana at 22:08 & Lesce-Bled at 22:53, arriving Zurich HB 09:20.
The train comes from Zagreb, with a comfortable air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, see the Croatian sleeper video. It also has an air-conditioned Croatian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments and ordinary seats. There's no catering car so bring a picnic and bottle of wine. Morning tea or coffee included in sleepers. Wake up to fabulous mountain scenery.
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Fares start at 49.90 with a couchette in a 6-berth, 59.90 with a couchette in a 4-berth, 69.90 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, 89.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or 129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Important: The Zagreb-Zurich sleeper train is diverted via Graz due to work in the Tauern Tunnel and won't call at Ljubljana or Lesce-Bled from 17 November 2024 to 13 July 2025. Either use another option, or take a Slovenian Intercity train leaving Ljubljana at 17:50 & arriving Celje in northern Slovenia at 19:12, then board the sleeper at Celja at 20:26. Don't risk any tight connections! Check times for the Slovenian IC train at potniski.sz.si/en.
Option 2, Ljubljana to Zurich by day train
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You can easily travel from Ljubljana to Zurich in a day:
Leave Ljubljana at 09:23 or Lesce-Bled at 10:03, change at Villach & Schwarzach-St.Veit, arriving Zurich HB at 19:20.
There's great scenery through Austria and then through the Arlberg Pass into Switzerland.
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Fares start at 37.70 in 2nd class or 70.80 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares so book ahead.
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Book from Ljubljana to Zurich at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.
You print your own ticket. You can book through to any Swiss station if you like.
You can also book at www.thetrainline.com, but in this case it gives you 3 separate tickets and costs more, oebb.at gives you a through ticket which guarantees your connections if there's a delay, and it's cheaper too.
Option 3, Ljubljana to Switzerland by day trains with overnight stop in Vienna
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Stay overnight in Vienna. Hotels near the station with good reviews include the Motel One Vienna Hbf, GraetzlHotel & Hotel Schani Wien.
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Day 2, travel from Vienna through the wonderfully scenic Arlberg Pass to Zurich as shown here.
Ljubljana to Trieste, Venice, Florence, Rome & Italy
Option 1, Ljubljana to Italy using the Nightjet sleeper train - the time-effective option
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Step 1, travel from Ljubljana to Bruck an der Mur by EuroCity train Emona, leaving Ljubljana at 16:05 and arriving Bruck an der Mur at 20:01.
The train has comfortable air-conditioned Austrian & Slovenian cars, most open-plan, some with classic 6-seat compartments. There's an excellent Slovenian restaurant car (cash only), treat yourself to dinner. Emona is the Roman name for Ljubljana.
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Step 2, travel from Bruck an der Mur to Italy by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Bruck an der Mur at 21:21 every evening (the train comes from Vienna), with a portion arriving Verona Porta Nuova 05:51, Milan Rogoredo 07:42, Genoa Piazza Principe 09:38, La Spezia 11:10, another portion arriving Bologna Centrale 05:36, Florence SMN 06:42 & Rome Tiburtina 11:05.
The Milan, Genoa, La Spezia portion of this comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the guide to Nightjet accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.
From 10 September 2024, the portion to Bologna, Florence & Rome becomes a new generation Nightjet with 1 & 2 bed sleepers all with shower & toilet, 4-berth comfort couchettes, individual mini cabins and ordinary seats, see the new generation Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips & photos. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. A light breakfast is included in sleepers, couchettes & mini cabins.
Fares start at 49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, 59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, 69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, 89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or 139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Austrian Railways own site www.oebb.at (same prices, more fiddly, in ). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Tip: You can check the train formation, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Austria & click nj.
Option 2, Ljubljana to Venice & Italy via Villach - a comfortable option, easily booked
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Step 1, travel from Ljubljana to Villach by express train, leaving Ljubljana at 07:26, arriving Villach at 09:07.
Have a coffee at the station in Villach in southern Austria.
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Step 2, travel from Villach to Venice by railjet, leaving Villach at 10:49 arriving Venice Santa Lucia at 14:14.
The swish modern railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
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Step 3, travel from Venice to Florence, Rome, Naples or anywhere else in Italy.
Changing at Venice Mestre on the mainland saves time, but going over the causeway to Venice Santa Lucia and changing there allows a brief peek at the city of Venice which is always welcome! I'd allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Venice in case of any delay.
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How much does it cost?
Ljubljana to Venice start at 26.50 in 2nd class or 39.40 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Venice to Florence or Milan start at 19.90 in 2nd class or 29.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Venice to Rome or Naples start at 29.90 in 2nd class or 39.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Book from Ljubljana to Venice at www.thetrainline.com (easiest, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket.
If going beyond Venice, book an onward train at www.thetrainline.com or as shown here.
Option 3, Ljubljana to Trieste & Venice - the historic direct route, with no need to pre-book
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Travel from Ljubljana to Trieste on one of two daily regional trains or the daily EuroCity train, then onwards to Venice by hourly Italian regional train, see the Ljubljana to Venice page for timetable, fares & how to buy tickets.
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Trains from Ljubljana to Italy were restored in September 2018. Ljubljana to Venice costs just 22 or so, any day, any date, no prior reservation necessary, it cannot sell out, just buy at the station on the day. And if you've ever wondered where prosecco comes from, you'll find out on this route (see the Ljubljana to Venice page!) For Florence, Rome, Naples or Milan, take an onward high-speed train from Venice, see the Train travel in Italy page.
Ljubljana to Barcelona & Spain
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Day 1, travel from Ljubljana to Zurich, leaving Ljubljana at 09:23 or Lesce-Bled at 10:03, change at Villach & Schwarzach-St.Veit, arriving Zurich HB 19:20. Take a connecting Swiss train from Zurich HB to Geneva, arriving 22:47.
There's great scenery through Austria and then through the Arlberg Pass into Switzerland.
Fares start at 37.70 in 2nd class or 70.80 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares so book ahead.
Book from Ljubljana to Geneva at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at. You print your own ticket.
You can also book at www.thetrainline.com, but in this case it gives you 3 separate tickets and costs more, oebb.at gives you a through ticket which guarantees your connections if there's a delay, and it's cheaper too.
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Stay overnight in Geneva. Suggested hotels with good reviews near the station include Hotel Cornavin Geneve, Hotel Les Arcades, ibis Styles Geneva Gare. Hotels in Switzerland can be expensive, if you're on a budget you can book budget private rooms in a one-star hotel or backpacker hostel near the station using www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Geneva to Barcelona, leaving Geneva at 07:14, change Lyon Part Dieu & Montpelier St-Roch, arriving Barcelona Sants 16:31.
Geneva to Lyon is by TER regional train along the river Rhτne, Lyon to Montpelier is by TGV with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, Montpelier to Barcelona is by TGV Duplex also with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
The TGV Duplex passes Bιziers cathedral, flamingos on the lakes between Montpelier & Narbonne, the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks before Perpignan, with great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, see more photos & information about the journey.
Geneva-Lyon costs a fixed-price 33.40. Lyon-Barcelona starts at 39 in 2nd class or 59 in 1st class, book ahead for the cheapest prices.
Book from Geneva to Barcelona at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in , no booking fee). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own tickets or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.
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Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Madrid, Valencia, Alicante and so on by high-speed train.
A high-speed AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 18:25, arriving Madrid Atocha 20:55, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
A fast Euromed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 18:15 arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 21:07 & Alicante 23:40.
For Granada, Seville, Cordoba & Malaga, stay in Barcelona overnight, I recommend the Hotel Barcelo Sants inside the station. Next morning direct high-speed AVE trains leave Barcelona Sants at 06:45 for Granada and 08:35 for Cordoba, Seville Santa Justa & Malaga Maria Zambrano.
Check times & buy tickets using either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in , £ or $, small booking fee) or Spanish railways own site www.renfe.com (in , much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it) or www.petrabax.com (in $, small mark-up). You print your own ticket.
Booking for Spanish trains normally opens only 60 days ahead, but this varies. Allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Barcelona.
Ljubljana to Berlin
Option 1, Ljubljana to Berlin in a single day - the scenic daytime option, usually cheapest
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Step 1, travel from Ljubljana to Munich, leaving Ljubljana at 09:23 or Lesce-Bled 10:03, change at Villach, arriving Munich Hbf 15:41.
A restaurant car is attached to the Villach-Munich EuroCity in time for lunch. There's beautiful scenery through the mountains across Austria.
Important update: The closure of the Tauern Tunnel affects this route between 17 November 2024 & 13 July 2025, check times at int.bahn.de.
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Step 2, travel from Munich to Berlin by high-speed ICE train leaving Munich Hbf at 16:50 arriving Berlin Hbf 20:57.
The ICE train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about ICE trains.
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How much does it cost?
Fares from Ljubljana to Berlin start at 39.90 in 2nd class or 57.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Buy tickets from Ljubljana to Berlin at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.
Option 2, Ljubljana to Berlin using the Budapest-Berlin sleeper
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Step 1, travel from Ljubljana to Budapest on the Intercity train Citadella, leaving Ljubljana at 09:30 & arriving Budapest Dιli at 16:59.
You'll find more about the Citadella in the Ljubljana to Budapest section.
Fares start at 15 if you book online in advance.
Buy a ticket at the Hungarian Railways website jegy.mav.hu, see my advice for using it.
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or show it in the MAV app on your phone.
Transfer from Budapest Deli to Budapest Nyugati by metro or taxi. Have an early dinner in Budapest.
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Step 2, travel from Budapest to Berlin by EuroNight sleeper train Metropol, leaving Budapest Nyugati at 19:29 & arriving Berlin Hbf at 08:15.
The train has an air-conditioned Hungarian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, air-conditioned 4 & 6 berth couchettes and 2nd class seats.
Fares start at 49 with a couchette in a 6-berth compartment, 59 with a couchette in a 4-berth compartment, 79 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper with washbasin, 99 in a 2-bed sleeper with washbasin or 129 in a single-bed sleeper with washbasin. Prices per person per berth, fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , a bit more fiddly, same prices). Bookings open up to 90 days ahead. You print your own ticket.
Option 3, Ljubljana to Berlin using the Vienna-Berlin sleeper - similar to option 2, but via Vienna and a little quicker
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Step 1, travel from Ljubljana to Vienna, leaving Ljubljana at 11:35 or Lesce-Bled at 12:17, change at Villach, arriving Vienna Hbf 17:36.
The railjet train from Villach to Vienna has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
This journey is a real treat, enjoy an inexpensive lunch with wine or beer in the restaurant car as the railjet travels over the wonderfully-scenic UNESCO-listed Semmering route through the mountains between Graz & Vienna. Enjoy an evening in Vienna.
Fares start at 23.30 in 2nd class or 33.60 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (more fiddly, same prices, in ). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Tip: If you have an onward sleeping-car ticket, you can use the ΦBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf, with free WiFi & complimentary refreshments.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna to Berlin by nightjet sleeper train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 22:10 and arriving Berlin Hbf at 08:15 next morning.
This comfortable nightjet has a Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3 bed standard compartments with washbasin, three 1, 2 & 3 bed deluxe compartments with en suite toilet & shower, there's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in standard sleepers. There are also 4 & 6 berth couchettes. A light breakfast is included in the fare in both sleepers and couchettes. See the nightjet sleeper train page for more photos, travel tips & information.
Fares start at 49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, 59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, 69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, 89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or 139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
Tip: If you like, you can check the train formation, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using the excellent www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Austria & click nj.
Option 4, Ljubljana to Berlin by daytime trains with overnight stop in Vienna
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Step 1, travel from Ljubljana to Vienna by EuroCity train Emona leaving Ljubljana at 16:05 arriving Vienna Hbf 22:02.
The Emona has a Slovenian restaurant car (cash only) serving inexpensive waiter-service meals, beer & wine. This train also travels over the beautiful UNESCO-listed Semmering route through the mountains between Graz & Vienna, a real treat.
The Emona uses a mix of comfortable & spacious air-conditioned Austrian & Slovenian carriages with a choice of sitting in an open-plan saloon car (my own preference) or in classic 6-seater compartments with side corridor. The Austrian cars have power sockets at seats, although the Slovenian ones don't. Emona is the Roman name for Ljubljana.
You can check the train formation & see what the carriages are like at www.vagonweb.cz - Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Austria, click EC then look for the Emona.
Fares start at 23.30 in 2nd class or 32.60 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same prices). You print your own ticket.
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Stay overnight in Vienna. Hotels near Vienna Hbf with good reviews include the Motel One Vienna Hbf, GraetzlHotel, Hotel Schani Wien.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna to Berlin by ICE train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 06:13 arriving Berlin Hbf at 13:53.
Or have a leisurely breakfast and leave Vienna Hbf at 10:13, arriving Berlin Hbf 17:53.
These are superb ICE trains, with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at 37.90 in 2nd class or 59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Ljubljana to Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne, Hamburg & Germany from 37.90
Option 1, Ljubljana to Germany by daytime trains
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There are two or three daily EuroCity trains and an overnight sleeper train between Ljubljana, Lesce-Bled, Salzburg & Munich. All daytime trains now require a quick and easy change at Villach on the Slovenian/Austrian border. Change at Salzburg Hbf for Innsbruck.
Use int.bahn.de to check times and buy tickets for the daytime trains from Zagreb or Ljubljana to anywhere in Germany.
You'll find departures from Ljubljana to Salzburg Hbf & Munich Hbf at 07:24, 09:23, 15:27 & 22:08 (sleeper).
You'll find departures from Lesce-Bled to Salzburg Hbf & Munich Hbf at 08:17, 10:03, 16:17 & 22:53 (sleeper).
Be aware that if the Croatian/Slovenian train is late, the onward Austrian/German train will not wait. However, you will have the protection of a through ticket and Villach to Munich trains run every couple of hours so you'll be able to take a later connection.
Fares from Ljubljana to anywhere in Germany start at 37.90 in 2nd class or 56.90 in 1st class if you book in advance.
Important update: The closure of the Tauern Tunnel affects this route between 17 November 2024 & 13 July 2025, check times at int.bahn.de.
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You afterwards buy tickets from Ljubljana to Salzburg, Innsbruck, Munich or anywhere in Germany at the German Railways website int.bahn.de, you print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.
Option 2, Ljubljana to Germany using sleeper train Lisinski from Ljubljana to Munich & Stuttgart
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Step 1, travel to Germany by sleeper train, leaving Ljubljana at 22:08 & Lesce-Bled 22:53, arriving Munich Ost 05:50 & Stuttgart Hbf 08:38.
The sleeper train Lisinski has an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern air-conditioned Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended). Watch the Croatian sleeper video. There's no catering car, so take a picnic and a bottle of wine.
Fares start at 49.90 with a couchette in a 6-berth, 59.90 with a couchette in a 4-berth, 66.90 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, 86.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or 129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
If going via Munich, you can transfer from Munich Ost to Munich Hbf (the main station) by frequent S-Bahn train taking 8 minutes.
Important: The Zagreb-Stuttgart sleeper train is diverted via Graz due to work in the Tauern Tunnel and won't call at Ljubljana or Lesce-Bled from 17 November 2024 to 13 July 2025. Either use another option, or take a Slovenian Intercity train leaving Ljubljana at 17:50 & arriving Celje in northern Slovenia at 19:12, then board the sleeper at Celja at 20:26. Don't risk any tight connections! Check times for the Slovenian IC train at potniski.sz.si/en.
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Step 2, travel from Munich Hbf or Stuttgart Hbf to anywhere in Germany.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de. I'd allow at least 60 minutes between trains in case the sleeper is late.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Option 3, Ljubljana to Germany using a Nightjet sleeper train from Vienna to Cologne, Dόsseldorf or Hamburg
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Step 1, travel from Ljubljana to Vienna, leaving Ljubljana at 11:35 or Lesce-Bled 12:17, change at Villach, arriving Vienna Hbf 17:36.
The railjet train from Villach to Vienna has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
This journey is a real treat, enjoy an inexpensive lunch with wine or beer in the restaurant car as the railjet travels over the wonderfully-scenic UNESCO-listed Semmering route through the mountains between Graz & Vienna.
Fares start at 23.30 in 2nd class or 33.60 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (more fiddly, same prices, in ). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Tip: If you have an onward sleeping-car ticket, you can use the ΦBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf, with free WiFi & complimentary refreshments.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna to Cologne, Dόsseldorf or Hamburg by comfortable Nightjet sleeper train
A Nightjet leaves Vienna Hbf at 18:13 on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, arriving Koblenz at 05:45 & Cologne Hbf 06:58.
A Nightjet leaves Vienna Hbf at 20:10 every day, arriving Hamburg Hbf 08:47.
Each of these comfortable Austrian Nightjet trains has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the guide to Nightjet accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.
Fares start at 49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, 59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, 89.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, 109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or 159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book these trains at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , a bit more fiddly, same prices) or at the Dutch Railways international site www.nsinternational.nl (in , no fee). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Ljubljana to Vienna from 23.30
Option 1, Ljubljana to Vienna by direct EuroCity train Emona - the best option
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A comfortable EuroCity train called the Emona leaves Ljubljana every day at 16:05 arriving Vienna Hbf at 22:02.
The Emona has a Slovenian restaurant car (cash only) serving inexpensive waiter-service meals, beer & wine. This train also travels over the beautiful UNESCO-listed Semmering route through the mountains between Graz & Vienna, a real treat.
The Emona uses a mix of comfortable & spacious air-conditioned Austrian & Slovenian carriages with a choice of sitting in an open-plan saloon car (my own preference) or in classic 6-seater compartments with side corridor. The Austrian cars have power sockets at seats, although the Slovenian ones don't. Emona is the Roman name for Ljubljana.
You can check the train formation & see what the carriages are like at www.vagonweb.cz - Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Austria, click EC then look for the Emona.
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Fares start at 23.30 in 2nd class or 32.60 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (more fiddly, same prices, in ). You print your own ticket.
Option 2, Ljubljana to Vienna, other connections - if the Emona doesn't suit you
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There are various departures through the day with 1 easy change:
Leave Ljubljana at 05:23, change at Villach, arriving Vienna Hbf 11:36.
Leave Ljubljana at 07:24, change at Villach, arriving Vienna Hbf 13:36.
Leave Ljubljana at 09:23, change at Villach, arriving Vienna Hbf 15:36.
Leave Ljubljana at 11:35, change at Villach, arriving Vienna Hbf 17:36.
Leave Ljubljana at 15:27, change at Villach, arriving Vienna Hbf 21:36.
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Fares start at 23.30 in 2nd class or 32.60 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same prices). You print your own ticket.
Ljubljana to Graz, Salzburg, Innsbruck & Austria
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There are three daily trains from Ljubljana to Salzburg. The 09:23 is direct, the others involve a quick and easy cross-platform change at Villach on the Austrian border.
You'll normally find departures from Ljubljana to Salzburg Hbf at 07:24, 09:23, 15:27. Change at Salzburg Hbf for Innsbruck.
You'll normally find departures from Lesce-Bled to Salzburg Hbf at 08:17, 10:03, 16:15. Change at Salzburg Hbf for Innsbruck.
Important update: The closure of the Tauern Tunnel affects this route between 17 November 2024 & 13 July 2025, check times at int.bahn.de.
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For Graz: There are direct trains from Ljubljana to Graz at 05:00 (EuroCity Drava), 10:15 and 16:05 (EuroCity Emona, with restaurant car).
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Fares from Ljubljana to Austria start at 23.30 in 2nd class, 32.60 in 1st class. Fares work like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets from Ljubljana to anywhere in Austria at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same prices). You print your own ticket.
Ljubljana to Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm & Scandinavia
Option 1, using the Ljubljana-Munich sleeper - fastest & most time-effective option
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Day 1, travel from Ljubljana to Munich by sleeper train Lisinski, leaving Ljubljana at 22:08 & Lesce-Bled at 22:53 arriving Munich Ost 05:50.
The Lisinski has a modern air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments and a modern air-conditioned Croatian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments. See the Croatian sleeping-car video.
Fares start at 49.90 with a couchette in a 6-berth, 59.90 with a couchette in a 4-berth, 66.90 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, 86.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or 129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Transfer from Munich Ost to Munich Hbf by frequent S-Bahn train taking 8 Minutes.
Important: The Zagreb-Munich sleeper train is diverted via Graz due to work in the Tauern Tunnel and won't call at Ljubljana or Lesce-Bled from 17 November 2024 to 13 July 2025. Either use another option, or take a Slovenian Intercity train leaving Ljubljana at 17:50 & arriving Celje in northern Slovenia at 19:12, then board the sleeper at Celja at 20:26. Don't risk any tight connections! Check times for the Slovenian IC train at potniski.sz.si/en.
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Day 2, travel from Munich to Copenhagen, leaving Munich Hbf at 08:20, changing at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Copenhagen at 19:34.
Munich to Hamburg is by superb ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, then by EuroCity train to Copenhagen.
Fares start at 37.90 in 2nd class or 69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book from Munich to Copenhagen at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
I recommend changing Transfer time from normal to 40 minutes.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.
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Stay overnight in Copenhagen. The friendly Astoria Hotel is a 1930s design classic right outside Copenhagen station main entrance, see photos & information here. Other hotels near the station with good reviews include the Nimb Hotel (5-star luxe), Radisson Blu Royal Hotel (5-star), Axel Guldsmeden (4-star), Andersen Boutique Hotel, First Hotel Mayfair (3-star), Hotel Ansgar (3-star), City Hotel Nebo (2-star).
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Day 3, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm as shown here, Copenhagen to Gothenburg as shown here, or Copenhagen to Oslo as shown here.
Option 2, using the Vienna-Hamburg sleeper
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Step 1, travel from Ljubljana to Vienna, leaving Ljubljana at 11:35 or Lesce-Bled 12:17, change at Villach, arriving Vienna Hbf 17:36.
The railjet train from Villach to Vienna has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
This journey is a real treat, enjoy an inexpensive lunch with wine or beer in the restaurant car as the railjet travels over the wonderfully-scenic UNESCO-listed Semmering route through the mountains between Graz & Vienna.
Fares start at 23.30 in 2nd class or 33.60 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (more fiddly, same prices, in ). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Tip: If you have an onward sleeping-car ticket, you can use the ΦBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf, with free WiFi & complimentary refreshments.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna to Hamburg by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 20:10 & arriving Hamburg Hbf at 08:47 next morning.
From 10 December 2023 this train is operated by a new generation Nightjet train with 1 & 2 bed sleepers all with shower & toilet, 4-berth comfort couchettes, individual mini cabins and ordinary seats, see the new generation Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips & photos. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. A light breakfast is included in sleepers, couchettes & mini cabins.
Fares start at 59.90 in a mini cabin or 4-berth couchettes, 109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or 159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , a little more fiddly, same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
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Step 3, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 10:53 and arriving Copenhagen at 15:34.
Fares start at 27.90 in 2nd class or 46.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Step 4, take an onward train to Malmo, Gothenburg or Stockholm. Check times at www.sj.se. Allow at least 45 minutes between trains in Copenhagen.
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Alternatively, travel to Vienna, stay overnight then use any of the options shown on the International Trains from Vienna page.
Ljubljana to Prague
Option 1, Ljubljana to Prague early morning departure
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Step 1, travel from Ljubljana, leaving Ljubljana at 05:00 and arriving Graz at 08:22.
This is the air-conditioned EuroCity train Drava, with cafe-bar.
Fares start at 23.30 in 2nd class or 33.60 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Step 2, travel from Graz to Prague by railjet, leaving Graz at 10:26 and arriving Prague Hlavni at 17:13.
If you'd like more time in Graz, there are later trains from Graz to Prague at 12:26 & 14:26.
The swish modern railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st & business class a steward takes food & drink orders and serves them at your seat.
Fares start at 23.30 in 2nd class or 33.60 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Option 2, Ljubljana to Prague late morning departure
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Step 1, travel from Ljubljana, leaving Ljubljana at 10:15 and arriving Graz at 13:22.
This is an air-conditioned Slovenian train built by Stadler. There's no catering so bring your own food & drink.
Fares start at 23.30 in 2nd class or 33.60 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Step 2, travel from Graz to Prague by railjet, leaving Graz at 14:26 and arriving Prague Hlavni at 21:11.
If you'd like more time in Graz, there is a later train from Graz to Prague at 16:26.
The swish modern railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st & business class a steward takes food & drink orders and serves them at your seat.
Fares start at 23.30 in 2nd class or 33.60 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Option 2, Ljubljana to Prague using the Ljubljana-Munich sleeper - saves a hotel bill
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Step 1, travel from Ljubljana to Munich by sleeper train Lisinski, leaving Ljubljana at 22:08 & Lesce-Bled at 22:53 arriving Munich Ost 05:50.
The Lisinski has an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern air-conditioned Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended). Watch the Croatian sleeper video. Morning tea or coffee is included in sleepers.
Fares start at 49.90 with a couchette in a 6-berth, 59.90 with a couchette in a 4-berth, 66.90 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, 86.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or 129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (more fiddly, same prices, in ). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Transfer from Munich Ost to Munich Hbf by frequent S-Bahn train taking 8 Minutes.
Important: The Zagreb-Munich sleeper train is diverted via Graz due to work in the Tauern Tunnel and won't call at Ljubljana or Lesce-Bled from 17 November 2024 to 13 July 2025. Either use another option, or take a Slovenian Intercity train leaving Ljubljana at 17:50 & arriving Celje in northern Slovenia at 19:12, then board the sleeper at Celja at 20:26. Don't risk any tight connections! Check times for the Slovenian IC train at potniski.sz.si/en.
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Step 2, travel from Munich to Prague by express train, leaving Munich Hbf at 08:44 arriving Prague Hlavni at 14:22.
Fares start at 16 in 2nd class or 39 in 1st class. These are limited-availability advance-purchase fares so book ahead.
Book this at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz and print your own ticket or show it on your phone.
Tip: An earlier train leaves Munich Hbf at 06:44 arriving Prague Hlavni at 12:22, this is a bit tight if the sleeper is late, but consider booking a cheap 15 on both this train and the 08:44. See the Munich to Prague timetable & photos here.
Option 3, Ljubljana to Prague with overnight stop in Vienna
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Day 1, travel from Ljubljana to Vienna by EuroCity train Emona, leaving Ljubljana at 16:05 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 22:02.
This comfortable EuroCity train has a Slovenian restaurant car, treat yourself to dinner and a beer or two. It takes the beautiful UNESCO-listed Semmering route through the mountains between Graz & Vienna.
Fares start at 23.30 in 2nd class or 32.60 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy a ticket at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
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Stay overnight in Vienna. Hotels near Vienna Hbf with good reviews include the Motel One Vienna Hbf, GraetzlHotel, Hotel Schani Wien.
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Day 2, travel from Vienna Hbf to Prague Hlavni in around 4h00 by comfortable railjet train, they leave every two hours, see the timetable here.
Fares start at 14.90 in 2nd class, 29.90 in 1st class or 44.90 in business class (premium 1st). Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee, booking opens up to 6 months ahead) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same fares), or at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz (booking on cd.cz normally opens only 90 days ahead).
You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. More about Vienna to Prague railjet trains.
Ljubljana to Bratislava
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Travel from Ljubljana to Vienna using any of the services shown in the Ljubljana to Vienna section, then hop on the hourly regional express train from Vienna to Bratislava Hlavna. For example:
Leave Ljubljana at 05:23, change at Villach & Vienna, arriving Bratislava Hlavna 13:10.
Leave Ljubljana at 07:24, change at Villach & Vienna, arriving Bratislava Hlavna 15:10.
Leave Ljubljana at 09:23, change at Villach & Vienna, arriving Bratislava Hlavna 17:10.
Leave Ljubljana at 11:35, change at Villach & Vienna, arriving Bratislava Hlavna 19:10.
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Fares start at 28. Fares vary like air fares so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at. You print your own ticket.
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Important: If travelling before 15 December 2024, see the update here.
Ljubljana to Budapest from 16
Option 1, Ljubljana to Budapest by early morning train
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An excellent air-conditioned InterCity train called the Drava leaves Ljubljana at 05:00 every day, arriving Budapest Keleti at 13:44.
This train uses modernised air-conditioned Hungarian carriages with open-plan seating in both 1st & 2nd class. A refreshment trolley is available, or bring your own picnic & beer or wine. For most people, the Drava is a superior train to the Citadella described in option 2 - although some people prefer old-school compartments and opening windows.
It travels across Austria via Graz, enjoy the great scenery along the Sava river out of Ljubljana, and between Graz & Hungary.
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Advance-purchase fares start at 39.40 in 2nd class or 51.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my advice for using it.
Booking opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it in the MAV app on your phone.
Alternatively, because it crosses Austria you can also book at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Option 2, Ljubljana to Budapest by mid-morning train
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A comfortable train called the Citadella leaves Ljubljana at 09:30 every day arriving Budapest Dιli at 16:59.
The Citadella is composed of one modern Hungarian air-conditioned car with open-plan seats and several old-school Slovenian cars with 6-seat compartments, no air-con, but large opening windows. Reservation is compulsory and all tickets include a reserved seat.
The Citadella is 2nd class only, there's no catering so take your own picnic & beer or wine. it's routed directly from Hungary into Slovenia. Enjoy the great scenery along the Sava river out of Ljubljana. Remember that it goes to Budapest Dιli station, not Keleti, when arranging any connections.
Tip: You can check the train formation, car numbers & car types using www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, and use the search box to search for Citadella.
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Advance-purchase fares start at only 16.
Bought at the station on the day, expect to pay around 40.
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Buy tickets at the Hungarian Railways website jegy.mav.hu, see my advice for using it.
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or show it in the MAV app on your phone.
The air-conditioned open-plan Hungarian car is car 424. The Slovenian cars are 421, 422, 423. In theory, jegy.mav.hu allows you to de-select automatic reservation, then choose open saloon, if available, but the reservation usually fails. Leaving automatic reservation selected works, but always seems to get you a seat in one of the Slovenian cars.
You can also buy at the station. If you want to do that, it's cheaper to buy in advance, even a few hours or a day or two. The fare might be 29 bought 15 minutes before departure, but 19 or 16 if you buy at least 2h before departure, or the day before.
Ljubljana to Belgrade, Sofia, Athens, Istanbul
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Travel from Ljubljana to Belgrade by train, leaving Ljubljana at 08:30 and arriving Novi Beograd 18:04 & Belgrade Centar at 18:12.
This train was suspended within Serbia due to Covid-19 and remains suspended in 2024.
It's 2nd class only, with two comfortable Serbian air-conditioned cars. There's no catering car so bring your own food & drink.
Ljubljana to Belgrade costs 29 or so bought locally. It's easy to buy a ticket at the station, or you can simply pay on the train when the conductor comes round. It cannot be bought online. You can check train times using the journey planner at int.bahn.de.
While the train is suspended, travel from Ljubljana to Zagreb by train then Zagreb to Belgrade by bus.
Take the 08:30 train from Ljubljana to Zagreb arriving 10:39.
The fare is 9, buy at the station. It's a lovely scenic journey along the Sava river.
In Zagreb it's a 17-minute 1.3 km walk from Zagreb station to Zagreb bus station, see walking map.
A Flixbus leaves Zagreb bus station at 14:00, arriving Belgrade bus station at 19:30.
The fare is around 20, buy a ticket at www.flixbus.com.
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Stay overnight in Belgrade. I recommend the excellent & historic Hotel Moskva at the end of Belgrade's main pedestrianised shopping street, see map of Belgrade showing station.
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For Sofia, travel from Belgrade to Sofia as shown on the Belgrade to Sofia page. Buy at the station, tickets cannot be bought online.
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For Istanbul, first travel to Sofia as shown on the Belgrade to Sofia page, stay overnight in Sofia and spend the next day there, then take the overnight sleeper to Istanbul, see the Belgrade to Istanbul section for full details.
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For Thessaloniki or Athens, take a ferry from Italy, there are currently no international trains to or from Greece.
Ljubljana to Warsaw, Krakow, Bucharest, Kyiv
Option 1, by morning train to Budapest, then sleeper train
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Step 1, take a comfortable morning train from Ljubljana to Budapest as shown here.
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Step 2 for Krakow & Warsaw: Take the sleeper train from Budapest Nyugati to Krakow & Warsaw as shown here.
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Step 2 for Sighisoara, Brasov & Bucharest: Take the 19:10 sleeper train Ister from Budapest Keleti to Romania as shown here.
Option 2, by morning train to Vienna, then sleeper train
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Step 1, travel from Ljubljana to Vienna on a morning train, as shown above. Enjoy an afternoon in Vienna.
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Step 2 for Krakow & Warsaw: Take the 23:10 sleeper train Chopin from Vienna to Krakow & Warsaw as shown here.
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Step 2 for Sighisoara, Brasov & Bucharest: Take the 19:42 Dacia Express sleeper train from Vienna to Romania as shown here.
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Step 2 for Lviv & Kyiv: Take the 16:42 sleeper train from Vienna to Lviv & Kyiv as shown here.
Option 3, by afternoon train to Budapest, overnight stop, then daytime train
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Step 1, travel from Ljubljana to Budapest on an afternoon train, as shown here.
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Stay overnight in Budapest. For an inexpensive hotel with great reviews next to Keleti Station, try the Royal Park Boutique Hotel or the inexpensive Baross City Hotel just across the road or the Elit Hotel two minutes walk away. Next to Nyugati station, go for the funky T62 Hotel just across the road, a traveller's favourite.
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Step 2 for Krakow & Warsaw: Take a daytime Intercity train from Budapest Nyugati to Warsaw & Krakow as shown here
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Step 2 for Brasov & Bucharest: Take a daytime Intercity train from Budapest Keleti to Brasov or Bucharest as shown here.
Option 2, by afternoon train to Vienna, overnight stop, then daytime train
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Step 4, travel from Ljubljana to Vienna on the afternoon train, as shown above.
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Stay overnight in Vienna. Hotels near the station with good reviews include the Motel One Vienna Hbf, GraetzlHotel, Hotel Schani Wien.
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Step 2 for Krakow & Vienna: Take the 08:10 EuroCity train from Vienna to Krakow & Warsaw as shown here.
Hotels in Ljubljana
There are relatively few places near the station, so try somewhere towards (or in) Ljubljana's lovely old town.
I've stayed at the Best Western Premier Hotel Slon myself, it's 13 minutes walk from the station, see walking map. The City Hotel (is just 8 minutes walk, see walking map. Both are great choices.
The excellent Hotel Slamic is just 11 minutes walk from the station with great reviews, but a little further from the old town than the other two, see walking map.
For something relatively inexpensive in the old town, try the Hotel Emonec, excellently located in the pedestrianised area, 13 minutes from the station, see walking map.
For something luxurious, the 5-star art nouveau-style Grand Hotel Union is in the old town and comes complete with swimming pool. It's 10 minutes walk from the station, see walking map.
Backpacker
hostels
www.hostelworld.com: If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels. Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.
Travel insurance & VPN
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Always take out travel insurance
Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover. It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself. Here are some suggested insurers. Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.
www.staysure.co.uk
offers enhanced Covid-19 protection & gets 4.7 out of 5 on
Trustpilot.
www.columbusdirect.com
is also a well-know brand.
If you live in the USA try
Travel Guard USA.
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Get an eSIM with mobile data package
Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected. Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list. Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data.
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Get a Curve card for foreign travel
Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then add a foreign transaction fee on top. A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing. The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.
How it works: 1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android. 2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses. 3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card. 4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app. You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.
I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader. The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than digging a card out). I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great. See details, download the app and get a Curve card, they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.
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Get a VPN for safe browsing. Why you need a VPN
When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure. A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi. It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply. See VPNs & why you need one explained. ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription. I get a small commission to help support this site.
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Carry an Anker powerbank
Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged. I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet. Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from buy from Amazon.com.