Slovenia - advice please

[class387]

Hi all, have a trip to Slovenia (will be based in Ljubljana) booked and have been researching, with a lot more success in some areas than others, so thought I'd ask here since information is so sparse in places.

In short which trips are worth doing - in terms of scenery and traction?

From what I've already seen the car train on the Bohinj line looks brilliant so am planning to take a ride on that, I'm also interested in the main line from Ljubljana through Zidani Most but am unsure how far to take it? Is it worth doing all the way to Zagreb or Maribor - or is there anywhere better to stop off on route? Will also probably take a trip either on the line to Koper or the one across the border Pula - does anyone know which is more interesting?

Lastly in terms of fares - is it worth buying an Interrail pass for the journeys above with extra tickets from the border into Croatia as required, or are point to point tickets better (the Interrail pass looks decent value but I'm also concerned about how well it would be recognised/accepted on more local services)?

Many thanks in advance - any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[dutchflyer]

Best scenic line is the one along the Italian border, west, Jesenice -via other part of Bled- NOva Gorica (twinned to the ITalian side-Gorizia)-untill it hits the east west Trieste-Ljubljana main line.
LIne toward Zagreb is nice in the river valley-Zidani Most and onward toward Croatia, much less in the side line toward Hungary or Maribor.
I am not overly interested in traction etc-the normal passenger trains last year were mostly new electric sets.
Fare: toss a coin-I do not think a pass for just these trips will be worth it. They do a weekend rover ticket (sat+sun) for I think 15€ (bilet Izlet or so-it is hidden on their site) and seniors who have managed to get a pass can use local trains for free (this pass is 5€, fee and cost for chipcard). I have no idea how easy it would be for casual visitors to get that pass, nor if any other rules apply (like out of EU etc-as HUngary does)

 

[CC 72100]

When I was in Ljubljana, I did Ljublljana to Lesce Bled to visit Lake Bled, then Lesce Bled - (Ljubljana) - Trbovlje for a train back to Ljubljana.

It's quite a slow line (I did the trip all the way from Zagreb prior to staying in Ljubljana, but there is an afternoon move where you can take an EC from Austria (non-musical Taurus, but some retro coaches on a load 5/6 trains) for the IC from Hungary back with a Slovenian loco.

Did also witness someone almost get run over by a freight train after they got out the wrong side at one of the stations, to receive a suitable telling off from the Guard.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

It being 25 years since I last visited Slovenia I can only be certain about its scenery. Some people describe Slovenia as the less spectacular southern extension of Austria and as a generalisation that works quite well. Arguably the best bits are in the far north-west extending southwards towards Istria.

However, other than to Sezana, passenger train frequencies in that area are low, as in penny numbers per day, with cross-border services being especially sparse. As such visiting either Koper or Pula requires careful planning. While Koper is an important port and commercial centre its rail connection (only opened in 1967) is prioritised for freight so passenger services are much thinner than you would expect though the line is rather scenic being steeply graded and including some full-on horseshoe curves. OTOH I believe a day trip to Pula would involve a bus for the cross-border section in at least one direction and while the scenery is less remarkable Pula itself has a certain tourist appeal thanks to the presence of a particularly well preserved Roman amphitheatre and also has various ferry connections to the more northern Dalmatian islands meaning tourism is very much part of the local scene.

Elsewhere in Slovenia the section from Ljubljana to Zidani Most I would rate as a must-do as it follows the Sava river through a highly scenic gorge section. Beyond there the line to Zagreb continues in the Sava valley but this soon flattens out into something quite ordinary. Eastwards from Zidani Most the line follows the Savinja river upstream through reasonably pretty country to Celje before a hilly section to reach the Drava valley at Maribor. So beyond Zidani Most you pays your money and you takes your choice. I would add that most Ljubljana/Maribor services are worked by short(ish) Pendolino type trains which might have some bearing on your decision making. Note also that these ICS services, as well normal EC/IC services, attract supplements to ordinary domestic fares and sometimes compulsory reservation too.

If the foregoing make for slightly underwhelming choices remember that Ljubljana itself has plenty to offer and train-free days there need not be seen as wasted.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I did Zagreb - Ljubljana in April. Zidani - Ljubljana is quite nice but the line before that from Zagreb is just average countryside. The wait at the border while checks are made is also unbearably tedious.

Ljubljana is lovely, by the way. There's some lovely riverside cafes in the city square, and these humorous little cart things that transport you around for free.

Trains are so very cheap! From memory Zagreb - Ljubljana was about EUR30 for two of us, and Ljubljana Lake Bled (well worth a visit) was less than five Euros each! We did get the latter on a Slovenian Bank Holiday though, and were told this contributed to the lower fare.

 

[riceuten]

I did Zagreb - Ljubljana in April. Zidani - Ljubljana is quite nice but the line before that from Zagreb is just average countryside. The wait at the border while checks are made is also unbearably tedious.

Trains are so very cheap! From memory Zagreb - Ljubljana was about EUR30 for two of us, and Ljubljana Lake Bled (well worth a visit) was less than five Euros each! We did get the latter on a Slovenian Bank Holiday though, and were told this contributed to the lower fare.

The border checks I've found were about 10-15 minutes each side, but also looked like it was being used to swap traction.

You can save even more money if you're in no hurry. I was quoted about the same for Zagreb - Ljubljana and I then said "Bez medjugoradne vlakom?" ("Without long distance trains?"), and he sold me a ticket for about half that, changing at Dobova for an SZ train. It took about an hour longer than the IC/EC train.

 

[CC 72100]

The border checks I've found were about 10-15 minutes each side, but also looked like it was being used to swap traction.

Agreed, took no more than 20 minutes on my train. Croatian engine taken off for the Austrian Taurus all the way through to Villach.

 

[bspahh]

The railway museum in Ljubljana is worth a visit https://www.zelezniskimuzej.si/nacrtuj-obisk/

 

[johnnychips]

Ptui is a nice, if unpronounceable, place for a visit. When I went in 2007 the service was operated by what looked a bit like Class 101 DMUs, but no doubt the trains have changed.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

To those who have been through Dobova recently:

Back in the day the electrification "gap" was in the middle of the station meaning arriving trains coasted in with pans down to be removed from their train by a diesel shunter before being fly shunted back to the "home" end of the station. Does this still happen?

 

[Austriantrain]

Agreed, took no more than 20 minutes on my train. Croatian engine taken off for the Austrian Taurus all the way through to Villach.

When were you there? Recently, inward trains from Croatia often pick up long delays at the border, it being a „Schengen external border.“

 

[Panceltic]

Good advice given above. Ljubljana-Jesenice, Jesenice-Sežana, Sežana-Ljubljana is a nice circle trip to make. Divača-Koper is also very scenic but needs careful planning with the times.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

To those who have been through Dobova recently:

Back in the day the electrification "gap" was in the middle of the station meaning arriving trains coasted in with pans down to be removed from their train by a diesel shunter before being fly shunted back to the "home" end of the station. Does this still happen?

Yes that still happens.

The wait at the border while checks are made is also unbearably tedious.

You’re young enough to be lucky to have not encountered these all over Europe. Dobova is a doddle compared to border grips between places like Serbia and Bulgaria when customs often have a field day as well as the passport grippers!

Hi all, have a trip to Slovenia (will be based in Ljubljana) booked and have been researching, with a lot more success in some areas than others, so thought I'd ask here since information is so sparse in places.

In short which trips are worth doing - in terms of scenery and traction?

What time of year are you going?

 

[CC 72100]

When were you there? Recently, inward trains from Croatia often pick up long delays at the border, it being a „Schengen external border.“

A couple of months back - June 2022.

 

[D6130]

IMHO, the Bohinj line (Jesenice-Nova Gorica-Sezana) is easily the most scenic line in Slovenia and can be covered in a day on a normal DMU as part of a circular trip from Ljubljana, as mentioned upthread, or while travelling to or from Italy via Gorizia Centrale, which is approximately one mile by bus or on foot from Nova Goriza station. The SZ-FS connection there is only used for freight traffic, but you can stand astride the Italian/Slovenia frontier immediately outside the station, where there was a high barbed wire fence until about 1993. Another - slightly more expensive, but very enjoyable - option is to take a ride from Jesenice to Nova Gorica and back on one of the Sunday steam excursions, if they are running while you are there. The train departs Jesenice at about 09 00 (connections from/to Ljubljana available). These trips have to be booked in advance....either on line, or from the tourist offices in Ljubljana or Bled.

 

[philjo]

I stayed in Bohinjska Bistricia in 2019, on the Bled line. There is a car train that loads there to allow cars to avoid driving over the mountain roads - the train goes through a long tunnel. It is worth watching this load/unload.
I travelled in using the direct Vienna to Ljubljana service which follows the Sava river in Slovenia.
I returned on the local unit to Jesenice and then into Austria and changed to go via Zurich.

 

[181]

There is (probably) still a fireless steam locomotive working at the power station in Ljubljana -- see https://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trains/pdf/fireless2021.pdf and scroll down to p. 12

 

[HamworthyGoods]

There is (probably) still a fireless steam locomotive working at the power station in Ljubljana -- see https://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trains/pdf/fireless2021.pdf and scroll down to p. 12

Still works there!

 

[Austriantrain]

A couple of months back - June 2022.

Ok, thanks. Either you were lucky or they have reduced border checks (maybe because Croatia will soon join Schengen and already applies its rules). The Zagreb - Vienna IC had been know as „almost always very late“ for a long time because of this.

 

[class387]

Thank you all very much - this is all extremely insightful! Will certainly be looking to do the route to Zidani Most and then will decide whether to continue to Zagreb (also depending on whether I can find anything I want to do there). I've seen there is a passenger car attached to the Bohinj car train so will try to ride this though I wouldn't mind doing the line in a unit if this isn't possible - am going on a weekday so I assume there is no steam. Also it seems there is still one rail connection to Pula a day - has anyone been on it, is it any good?

What time of year are you going?

In just under a month, so mid to late September.

 

[Richard Scott]

I stayed in Bohinjska Bistricia in 2019, on the Bled line. There is a car train that loads there to allow cars to avoid driving over the mountain roads - the train goes through a long tunnel. It is worth watching this load/unload.

It usually carries a passenger coach so you can ride on this train, would definitely recommend it, especially if from Most na Soci as it climbs all the way making the loco work hard!

 

[weepingwillowb]

Can't comment on any scenic train lines, as I did my travelling by bus, but the town of Škofja Loka, north of Ljubljana, is a must visit; Radovljica, a little further north, is also worth seeing.

 

[johnnychips]

Oh, and probably you won’t have time to do this, but the Postojna caves are spectacular. The town has a station. Think about a cave in Castleton but ten times bigger.

 

[D6130]

Think about a cave in Castleton but ten times bigger.

....and transported around the cave system by a narrow gauge electric railway!

 

[MarcVD]

Zidani Most is a wonderful little station packed with activity.
In 2018 I went from Brussels to Zagreb, overnighting in Wien, and with a 2 hours layover in Zidani Most.
I staid on the platform with my luggage and barely saw the time pass by.
Lots of EMUs but also hauled long distance trains and freight.
Here are a few pictures :

 

[class387]

Zidani Most is a wonderful little station packed with activity.
In 2018 I went from Brussels to Zagreb, overnighting in Wien, and with a 2 hours layover in Zidani Most.
I staid on the platform with my luggage and barely saw the time pass by.
Lots of EMUs but also hauled long distance trains and freight.
Here are a few pictures :

Looks great - have wanted to go there for a while and will definitely make sure I spend time there on this trip.

Anyone know which services there (and elsewhere) are hauled? I understand that there has been an influx of new Stadler units recently. but can't quite work out what these have replaced?

 

[MarcVD]

Looks great - have wanted to go there for a while and will definitely make sure I spend time there on this trip.

Anyone know which services there (and elsewhere) are hauled? I understand that there has been an influx of new Stadler units recently. but can't quite work out what these have replaced?

All local services I have seen were EMUs. Only hauled trains were long distance, i,e. trains to or from Wien, Zagreb, Villach, Llubjana, etc.

 

[D6130]

I understand that there has been an influx of new Stadler units recently. but can't quite work out what these have replaced?

I believe that they have replaced the early 1970s Polish-built EN57 type 3 car EMUs.

 

[jack31439]

Another shout for Jesenice to Nova Gorica via the other side of Bled. Only a few trains a day but it is a lovely line. When I was on it earlier in the year around April it was an older DMU, with the Stadlers running on other lines.

 

[deltic]

Just travelled from Ljubjana to Pula with an old SZ series 711 from Divaca. Its like traveling back 50 years in time, stations with only a couple of trains a day still have their station masters. Train at best 10% full and of those the vast majority were interrailing. Passports get checked crossing the border. Scenery reasonably impressive but not the best. Most of the Slovenian network now operated by Stadlers