Driving from München through Austria to Ljubljana

Is that München or Munich? Austria or Österreich? And Slovenia or Slovenija?

Thanks, I'll be sure to check those out. Great value there.

It was tongue in cheek.

Going over Grossglockner High Alpine Road is very scenic. There is a charge. We enjoyed staying a couple of days in the Hohe Tauern National park in Austria. The B&B gave us a Sommercard that allowed us to do many things in the area for free. IT included the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. You might want to look into that. If you do the Grossglockner, be sure you drive back to the Kaiser Franz Joseph visitor's center. There will be a turnoff and the road dead ends at the visitor's center. It was all beautiful.

https://www.haus-kendlbacher.com/

That is where we stayed.

https://www.nationalpark-sommercard.at/

Information on the Sommercard.

We also enjoyed Grainau in the Garmisch area, the Stubaital areas south of Innsbruck, and the Mayrhofen area. They all had beautiful mountain views. We were also able to get a free Stubaital pass from our B&B that allowed us to ride the lifts for free (an other benefits)

Don't forget to purchase vignettes for Austria and Slovenia. An IDP is required to drive in Austria for sure.

I just re-read your post. You could do the Grossglockner road one way and come back through Italy and the Brenner Pass. (That would take you right past Stubaital area. We loved Slovenia! We are "mountain people" (hikers), so we have visited some of these areas multiple times. We are going back September 12-October 12. Can't wait! (except I want to enjoy my summer and not rush it) We don't get to Austria until the end of September, so we probably won't be bumping into you.

Connie, Sam…
I’ll check it out. Thx

JC,

Just giving you a hard time!

Just a little side note: Check to make sure you can take your rental car into Slovenia. We had to change the rental car company to one that would allow it, since not all do. I was really surprised!

Susan,

Thanks for the heads-up. I will verify, but using Hertz so I hope it isn't an issue.

I would plan a stop at Germany’s Berchtesgaden National Park near the German/Austrian border for its spectacular scenery. It only adds 1:20 to a 4:00 hour direct drive but will be well worth it.

The fastest route from Munich to Ljubljana is purely via autobahn. A8 to Salzburg, A10 via Villach to Slovenian border and via Jesenice to Ljubljana.
It requires a toll vignette for Austria and Slovenia and additionally section toll for Tauern and Katschberg tunnel as well as Karawanken tunnel (border to Slovenia). You will drive more than 25km in tunnels on that route.
Refer to https://www.asfinag.at/en/toll/ (for Austria) and https://evinjeta.dars.si/en (Slovenia).
That will be around 5 hours driving time. Thus, it would allow you 5 hours for breaks, lunch and activities.
Of course you can do one of the typical Salzburg area side trips like
- Berchtesgaden / Königsee https://www.berchtesgaden.de/en/nature/lake-koenigssee
- Eagles Nest https://www.kehlsteinhaus.de/english/
- Salt mines Hallein https://www.salzwelten.at/en/salzburg/discover-experience
- Castle Hohenwerfen https://www.salzburg-burgen.at/en/hohenwerfen-castle/
- Ice caves https://www.eisriesenwelt.at/en.html

I personally like to be closer to my destination before I do side activities. Let’s have a look what you could do once you crossed the main mountain range.
You could stop in Gmünd. There is a private Porsche museum.
The very first Porsche 356 Nr. 1 Roadster has been developed there.
http://www.auto-museum.at/index.html

Following the valley would end in a spectacular mountain road
https://www.verbund.com/en-at/about-verbund/visitors-centres/malta

You can spend some time at one of Carinthias swimming lake (Millstätter See, Ossiacher See or Wörther See) for some ice cream on a lake promenade or even swimming. In September water temperature could be still above 20 degrees Celsius.
https://www.visitcarinthia.at/activities/summer/lakes-experience/carinthia-the-land-of-lakes/

View point Pyramidenkogel https://www.pyramidenkogel.info/en/

Landskron Castle https://www.visitvillach.at/en/one-castle-four-attractions.html

Gerlitzen-Mountain https://www.gerlitzen.com/en/mountain-summer/the-adventure-mountain/

Thus, there will be enough side-trip options for you to have an interesting day.

The route via Grossglocker road is a good alternative and would add about 2 hours driving time.
But please check the weather forecast before going. It makes sense with good weather only and in late September first snowfall in the mountains possible.

Paul,

Wow! Some great info. Time to reread and then sit down with Google Maps. I appreciate it.

I really loved detouring through the Julian alps and stopping at the WWI museum in Kobarid. Very pretty drive

Lots of beautiful areas to stop along the way. Without diverting too much from the most direct route:

Just south of Salzburg, above the town of Hallein there is a fun sommerrodelbahn “Keltzenblitz”with amazing views.

Further south, the are around Werfen is gorgeous. There’s a beautiful fortress that’s very interesting.

Lake Bled is not too far off the route and definitely worth a stop, if not already on your itinerary.

I’ve read lovely reviews of the area around Skofja Loka. Might be a nice route between Bled and Ljubljana, if it doesn’t add too much time. I haven’t been there personally (yet!)

The route above says it’s 5hrs 21 min drive time. Factoring in stops, traffic, lunch, etc, that sounds like a very full day full of gorgeous mountain scenery!

There’s a ton of worthwhile stops along the way that don’t help your short timeline.

I guess if I was gonna pick one way to spend 3-4 hours along that route, it’d be a side trip to lake Bled and do a boat ride. Alternatively, depending on your interests; Eagles Nest, Salt mine near Berchtesgaden, JennerBahn gondola, Königsee boat (although imo, Bled is better), Salzburg sites of your choosing.