Travel options Split to Ljubljana for family of 4

Take the bus-it's very easy-especially in Croatia. You might consider switching in Zagreb on your way to Ljubljana, but that would likely be more expensive, and a bit of a schlep with your gear. We just enquired about bus times when we arrived-sometimes they leave very early. It's good to know, because if that happens you will have to buy your ticket in advance because the office won't be open.

I would say don't drive. The only benefit would be a car in Plitvice, but if you stay in one of the park's hotels they are so close to the park and the bus stops you don't have to worry. If you stay further away (we were a 20 min walk from the park) that can seem very long after hiking all day (not to mention if we wanted to go back and change then go to dinner).

You can definitely do your Croatian itinerary by bus.

Rome2Rio is a good place for an initial look at transportation options for the Split-Ljubljana run. It appears that the simplest solution is a bus routed through Zagreb (about 7 hours).

Border-crossing ground transportation is infrequent in that part of Europe. There is bus service to Ljubljana from Rijeka/Opatija, but the Split-Rijeka leg is a long ride; Split-Zagreb would be faster. Flying to Zagreb or Rijeka and connecting to a bus (or train in the case of Zagreb) doesn't really save any time. I personally have taken the bus from Ljubljana to Rovinj on the Istrian coast, but since you aren't planning to visit Istria, that won't help you.

I used buses frequently in Croatia last year and found them comfortable. Long-distance buses normally stop about every 2 hours for a smoke/toilet break.

If you prefer a longer train ride to a shorter bus trip, check the schedule on the Deutsche Bahn website. I see a 9-hour trip departing Split at about 2:30 PM and arriving in Ljubljana before midnight.

I've never driven in Europe, but with 4 people, I'd give that serious consideration if you can drive a manual-transmission car. You could drop the rental in Rijeka or Zagreb. Don't know which drive would be easier; Rome2Rio gives very similar driving times. But check departure times for bus/train onward, since they are so infrequent.

The Zagreb bus station is a busy place and fairly large. If you're on a through-bus, it won't matter. If not, be aware that the ticket booths are upstairs. At times there can be a bit of a wait in line, then you must find your way downstairs to the right platform. Advance purchase might save you significant money.

In Zagreb the bus and train stations are about 1 mile apart--or at least that's the walking distance from the bus station to the entrance to the train station. There are always taxis waiting near the bus station, in my experience.

Thank you for all the info! that site, rode2rio is great! I'd read about it but never really looked at it. As for my route to Ljubljana, I've looked at the options of buses and trains, which I may take. However, I was hoping to avoid backtracking to Zagreb and currently considering driving to Rijeka and taking a bus from there. Can any one suggest areas to stop along the way for site seeing? Is this route scenic?
Also, I saw on Rome2rio an option for Rideshare to Ljubljana. the drivers post their trips a few days ahead. Is this similar to Uber in the US? Has any one used this type of service in Europe?

I stopped overnight in Zadar last year on my way from Kotor (Montenegro) to Zagreb, and it was very nice. Historic old town on a peninsula, plus two distinctive modern sights nearby, the Greeting to the Sun (visible dusk to dawn) and the Sea Organ. Great place to wander around, though not without tourists, albeit mostly European tourists.

Edited to add: The pedestrian-only old town is about a mile from the Zadar bus station, so you'd need to take a taxi or figure on a good bit of extra time for your visit. There's a left-luggage place in either the bus station or the train station. The two are at least very close to each other, possibly even in the same building.

I'm sorry I can't really comment on how scenic the route is (I'm guessing it is nice), because that trip came near the end of a 4-1/2 month trip, and at this point the bus rides have sort of run together in my mind! Also, I believe there's a coastal route and an inland route, and it's likely that the Split-Rijeka buses don't all take the same route. Rome2Rio indicates that Bus Croatia takes the coastal route; I don't know how accurate that information is.

I believe Rijeka and neighboring Opatija would also be worth visiting, but I've only been through them on a bus.

If you find yourself near the tourist office during your visit to Split, I recommend stopping in and asking for guidance on your route toward Ljubljana. I found the tourist office personnel throughout the Balkan countries universally helpful. Often they'll have copies of key bus schedules on hand. They'd also likely have an opinion about the most attractive stop-over along the route.

I'd also stop by the Split bus station itself if it's convenient to do so. I found the buses very reliable, but I always checked ahead of time to be sure I had a clear understanding of the schedule. There are multiple companies involved, which makes the situation less than straightforward. In general, it can be difficult to get definitive information before you reach the origin point of your planned trip. So Split may know about through-buses to Rijeka as well as buses to Zadar, but possibly not about buses that just run from Zadar to Rijeka. It's easy to say that's part of what makes travel exciting, but when you are trying to connect to a cross-border bus, uncertainty isn't your friend.

Mahalo for your help!