By train
Zagreb → Ljubljana
Two Habsburg capitals two hours apart, and the train beats the car: no Slovenian e-vignette to buy, no border queue at Bregana, and Ljubljana's centre is car-free anyway.
Live times and tickets
Both railways in one search; cheapest fares are the advance ones.
How it works
Two Habsburg capitals two hours apart, and the train beats the car: no Slovenian e-vignette to buy, no border queue at Bregana, and Ljubljana's centre is car-free anyway. Cheapest tickets are the Slovenian cross-border fares bought online.
Operated by HŽ (Croatian Railways) and SŽ (Slovenian Railways), EuroCity and regional services. Services run 3–4 direct trains a day, the first around 06:00 and the last around 17:30; confirm on the day, timetables shift with the season.
Common questions
How long is the train from Zagreb to Ljubljana?
About 2 h 20 min – 2 h 40 min, 3–4 direct trains a day.
How much does it cost?
from €9 for the cheapest advance fares; walk-up tickets are roughly double.
Is there a border check?
Both countries are in Schengen, so there is no passport control on board in normal times. Carry ID anyway.
Train or rental car for this trip?
Train. A one-way rental across the border carries a heavy fee, Slovenia needs a separate motorway vignette, and Ljubljana's centre is closed to cars.
Return leg
Renting instead?
Car rental in Zagreb — prices, rules and the Neum border trick →