I am planning a trip to Prague/Slovenia/Croatia in July for approximately 2 weeks. I am thinking of flying into Ljubljana from Prague as I found a relatively inexpensive flight thanks to another traveller's post on this site. I also read that renting a car in one country (e.g., Slovenia) and dropping off in another (e.g., Croatia) is expensive. Is there an easy way (bus, train, etc) from Ljubljana to Rovinj? On the Rovinj tourism site there shows a bus schedule to Ljubljana. However, on a site for Ljubljana's bus schedule it keeps telling me there is no route. Can anyone give advice? Thanks!
Posted by
edmonton, canada
77 posts
Hi Jennifer..in 2007 we went from Piran to Rovinj and back to Ljubljana by bus..Had trouble finding bus info at first, but I e-mailed Rovinj tourist information center and they were very helpful, as was the one in slovenia. In Slovenia its www.slovenia.info they have a " write to us" and you can ask them about buses. I don't know about the bus from Ljubljana to Rovinj but the route we took was easy and comfortable! By the way we are returning to Slovenia in Aug. with friends because we loved it so much...enjoy your trip
Posted by
Seattle
4637 posts
When I was there it was still Yugoslavia and there was a direct train from Ljubljana to Pula. We got off in Kanfanar and it was just 18 km to Rovinj by bus. Bus was waiting for train. Now Deutsche Bahn website is telling me the train is still there but according to them you have to do two changes. I was not able to google bus from Kanfanar but I assume it is still there. It will be easier to find that information once you are in Ljubljana.
Posted by
OP
Novi, MI, USA
13 posts
Thank you for the helpful feedback. I will either shop around rental companies (as someone else suggested) and see if I can avoid a drop off charge (keeping my car) or drop off the car in Piran and take the bus.
Has anyone driven across the Croatian border and avoided a very expensive drop-off charge? If so, can you suggest the rental company that you used?
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
7899 posts
I am in the early stages of planning a similar trip. From what I have found, it may be easier to try searching for transport between Ljubljana and Pula, then consider the stretch from Pula to Rovinj separate, or rent a car in Pula for the Istrian Peninsula. I believe there is both Bus and Rail travel options to Pula.
Posted by
Puyallup, WA, USA
881 posts
Hi Jennifer.
Re buses: There is a 2PM bus to Rovinj from the Lubljana bus station (think it's 1:45PM). It's hard to find online, as I think it's run buy a different company than most.
If you want to visit Venice (only a couple hour trip), there is a ferry to Rovinj runs about 3ish hours?
Re trains: You'll find a lot of people recommend what people on here did, train to Pula, etc, then local bus.
Re Rental Cars: The one way drop off fares for Slovenia have been killer, we've checked mostly everyone, and just crossing the border seems to run about $200. Plus you'll have the Eastern Europe charge which varies, but along the lines of: $60 per rental, or 6UER a day, or50% more for insurance, etc. (Those are actual rates we just got this week, checking the same kind of thing.)
I probably would rent a car, it's very easy in that area, and lots of different places you can get too with one... but I'd use a train/bus/ferry to cross the border. :)
PS - If you want any advice/info on Slovenia, let me know. It's my favorite place ever, and I've spent about a month there over several trips. :) Chris
Posted by
Puyallup, WA, USA
881 posts
PS - just another quick item: IF you took the train from Prague via Vienna, or Salzburg, I don't think you'd be disappointed. :) Bled, Ljubljana, and Postojna (the caves) are all on the direct route form Salzburg. cheers!