Ljubljana: City Travel Tips

A few practical things make Ljubljana easier to get right. It is a small, safe, walkable capital, so most of these are about transport and money rather than survival. This guide covers the city itself; for driving around the country on day trips, see our Slovenia road-trip tips .

First, it is Slovenia, not Slovakia

The single most common mix-up about this destination is confusing Slovenia with Slovakia. They are different countries with no shared border: Slovenia sits between Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia, with a short Adriatic coast and the Julian Alps. Get the name right and the rest follows.

Money: the euro since 2007

Slovenia has used the euro since 2007, so there is no tolar or other local currency to change. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, including on city buses, but carry a little cash for the Bled pletna boat and small market stalls. Prices sit well below Vienna or Venice.

Getting around: no trams, no metro

Ljubljana has no tram or metro. City buses run by LPP are the only public transit, and the centre has been car-free since 2007, so you will walk most of the time. For the bus, an Urbana card costs about EUR 2 and then EUR 1.50 a ride with free transfers for 90 minutes; a contactless bank card also works at EUR 1.50 but without the transfer window. The BicikeLJ bike share is cheaper still, with the first hour of any ride free.

Ljubljana’s Joze Pucnik Airport is about 26km north and, unusually for a capital, has no train connection. The public bus to the main station runs roughly EUR 4.10 to 4.50 and takes 30 to 50 minutes; a shuttle or taxi costs more. Because long-haul options are thin, many visitors fly into Trieste, Zagreb or Venice and cross overland instead.

A few basics

English is widely spoken, but a few words go a long way: Dober dan for hello, Hvala for thank you, Prosim for please, Nasvidenje for goodbye. Tipping is optional, with 5 to 10 percent normal if you are happy. Smoking is banned in indoor public spaces, and the plugs are the standard European Type C and F at 230V, so pack an adapter if you are coming from outside the region. For the full city, see our Ljubljana city guide .