We plan to spend several days around Ljubljana, Slovenia in early October 2026, on our way to Split, Croatia. We are flying from Boston USA and instead of flying directly to Ljubljana, we'd like to find a scenic train route through the Alps ending in Ljubljana. Ideally, we pick up the train near a major air hub in Austria or ???
Posted by
Green Bay
23359 posts
The only major air hub in Austria is Vienna. There are trains from Vienna to Ljubljana through the Alps, one is direct in 6 hours, the others with a train change in Villach in about 5 1/2 hours.
Posted by
Munich
265 posts
Although the Vienna–Graz–Klagenfurt–Villach railway line passes across the Semmering — one of the first mountain rail routes in Europe — it otherwise mostly runs along the outskirts of the Alps.
How much time do you plan to allow for the trip? Are you planning to stay overnight several times?
The two obvious alpine routes are:
Munich – Salzburg – Bad Gastein – Villach – Ljubljana (approx. 6-hour trip, direct train possible)
Zurich – Arlberg – Innsbruck – Kitzbühel – Zell am See – Schwarzach – Bad Gastein – Villach – Ljubljana (9.5 hours or more)
A more creative route using mainly regional trains and a detour to South Tyrol (several transfers):
Munich - Garmisch-Partenkirchen - Mittenwald - Innsbruck - Brenner - Fortezza - Brunico - San Candido - Lienz - Villach - Ljubljana (11+ hours)
Posted by
OP
North Shore, Massachusetts
5 posts
Many thanks Paul 636 and Sam!
Really appreciate that your suggestions give us a variety of solutions to consider. Sounds like the Munich and Zurich trips offer more mountain experience than the Vienna trip, yes? We would opt for the mountains. If simplicity and brevity become the priority, it is excellent to know that there is a 6 hour direct option from Munich through the Alps to Ljubljana. If I can convince my companion to include an overnight, what would you suggest? A picturesque, more rustic mountain overnight in a smaller town or village would be most appealing.
Posted by
Munich
265 posts
On the route from Munich to Ljubljana, Bad Gastein makes for a great stopover in the Alps. Bad Gastein is a historic spa and mountain town in the Austrian Alps.
If you turn right at the train station, you’ll find the cable car up the mountain right there; if you turn left, you’ll reach the thermal baths, and there’s a waterfall right in the center of town.
There are more options along the route from Zurich to Ljubljana.
St. Anton am Arlberg – One of Austria’s top ski resorts. I’ve never been there in the summer.
Ötztal – Buses run from the train station down into the valley. There’s a large action sports center, a thermal spa, and the lift in Sölden up to the glacier at an altitude of 3,000 meters (a James Bond film location).
Innsbruck – Capital of Tyrol. Starting point for many alpine activities. Direct ascent to the Nordkette is possible.
Kitzbühel—the Alpine village for the rich and famous, with expensive hotels and boutiques surrounded by the Kitzbühel Alps.
Zell am See—another starting point for reaching a glacier over 3,000 meters above sea level (Kitzsteinhorn).
And, of course, Bad Gastein.