By train to Slovenia
For a holiday to many European destinations, you don’t have to fly. But can you travel to Slovenia by train? We researched the train journey from the Netherlands to Slovenia for you. Where do you book this? And how long does the train journey take? You’ll find it here at GoSlovenia
Going on holiday to Slovenia by train
Travelling by train for your holiday has become increasingly popular in recent years. The best option is a direct train connection to your final destination. Unfortunately, at the moment there are still no direct trains between the Netherlands and Slovenia. But with a few changes you can reach Slovenia fairly easily by train. On average, a train journey to Slovenia takes 16 hours. But there are several options. What routes are there?
u003ch2u003eTrain routes to Sloveniau003c/h2u003ernThere are several routes to get to Slovenia by train. Below, we discuss the most interesting train routes to the capital Ljubljana and the northwest around u003ca href=u0022https://www.goslovenie.nl/vakantietips/het-meer-van-bled/u0022u003eBledu003c/au003e and Triglav National Park.rnu003ch3u003eRoute 1: Night train to Sloveniau003c/h3u003ernYou start your journey from the Netherlands heading towards Germany. For example, take the fast ICE train from Amsterdam to Frankfurt. The second step is to get to Augsburg, Munich, or Salzburg (Austria) by train. From these cities, a night train runs to Ljubljana. If you depart from the Netherlands in the afternoon, you’ll be in Slovenia early the next morning.rnu003ch3u003eRoute 2: The Villach transfer routeu003c/h3u003ernIf you don’t want to take the night train, you’re still best off first heading to Munich or Salzburg. From here take the train towards the city of Villach. This city lies close to the border with Slovenia. From Villach, you can take a train towards Slovenia. This train also travels via the northwest to Ljubljana.rnu003ch3u003eRoute 3: Via Viennau003c/h3u003ernFrom the German city of Frankfurt, a fast train runs to the Austrian capital, Vienna. From Vienna, you take the train to Ljubljana. This route brings you into Slovenia via the northeast. You will pass, among others, the city of Maribor.rnu003ch3u003eRoute 4: Linz-Graz routeu003c/h3u003ernIf you take the fast ICE train from the Netherlands to Frankfurt, you change in Frankfurt to the ICE for Linz. In Linz, you change to the next fast ICE to the Austrian city of Graz. From Graz, the train continues to Ljubljana. If you depart from Arnhem at 9 o’clock in the morning, you’ll be in Ljubljana just before 1 o’clock at night. A journey of 16 hours. Not the shortest, but the fastest route without a sleeper train.
Train tickets to Slovenia
The easiest way is to plan and book your journey via the website of Deutsche Bahn (bahn.de). The connections and options from your starting point are calculated for you here. Slovenian stations aren’t yet shown on the NS International website. You can, however, use the NS site to plan your trip towards, for example, Villach or Vienna.
Beware of delays in Germany
Bear in mind when planning that trains in Germany have often been delayed in recent years. If you leave a very short transfer time, you might miss your connection. Not a great start to your holiday.
Make your stopovers a city break
If you’re travelling to Slovenia by train, you can also break up your journey. Cities like Frankfurt, Munich and Vienna are definitely worth a visit. This way, a stopover on your way isn’t a punishment but a fun city break in Munich or Vienna. And of course, finish your trip with a city break in Ljubljana, the capital.
Car train
From the Netherlands, taking your car by train to Slovenia? Unfortunately, this isn’t possible yet. However, from the German city of Düsseldorf, a car train does run to Villach in summer and winter. This Austrian town is close to the Slovenian border. Be sure to book this trip well in advance. Places on this car train are often fully booked months ahead. The train journey saves you a long drive. For electric car owners especially, the car train is a great option!
Discover the car train in Slovenia as well.
