Getting from Ljubljana to Plitvice Lakes

Old Oct 19th, 2016, 12:10 PM
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Getting from Ljubljana to Plitvice Lakes

After spending time in Ljubljana we (a couple) want to move on to Plitvice Lakes and then on to Split.

Tried looking at hiring a car picking up in Ljubljana and dropping off in Split but I can't seem to do this. Then looked at getting from Ljubljana to Zagreb (maybe bus?) and then renting a car for 2 days and dropping off in Split but the drop off fees are about 100euro.

I have looked at bus from Ljubljana seems that we need to go via Rijeka and change for a bus to Plitvice lakes. We had originally thought to spend 1 night at the lakes but maybe 2 will be better. This trip will be in June 2017.

I am not sure the best way to do this. Looking for help and suggestions.
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Old Oct 19th, 2016, 12:39 PM
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The reason you're getting a big one-way rental drop fee from Zagreb to Split is that it's a short rental. If you rented for more than a few days there should be no drop fee (at least, there never has been for me). I suppose you could backtrack from Plitvice back to Zagreb, drop the car, then take the train or bus on to Split. But that sort of defeats the purpose of having the car (to make it easier to get back and forth).

Yes, the easiest way by public transportation is most likely a bus from Ljubljana to Zagreb then another bus to Plitvice. I personally prefer trains, so I'd be taking the train to Zabreb instead of the bus, then taking the tram from the train station to the Zagreb bus station...but certainly it's easier just to connect bus to bus without the tram ride.

Check www.buscroatia.com for bus schedules in Croatia. This may help with train connections from Ljubljana to Zagreb:

http://www.slo-zeleznice.si/en/passe...croatia/zagreb

If you can't find bus late enough from Plitvice on to Split on the day you leave, you might be able to connect in Zadar which would take longer but allow you to leave Plitvice later. If taking the bus, I'd probably stay at one of the overpriced but convenient park hotels - an easy walk from the road where the bus drops you off (entrance 2 I believe) on the way into the park.
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Old Oct 19th, 2016, 12:58 PM
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Thanks Andrew
Yes unfortunately the car rental would only be for 3 days maximum. I'm thinking that maybe we could train (yes we like trains better too) or bus to Zagreb and then pick up a car and then drive to Plitvice Lakes, stay 2 nights and then drive on to Split. We are looking at leaving Ljubljana on Wed 14 June and arriving in Split Friday 16 June around 4-5pm. We need to be in Split to pick up a sailing trip for 7 days on Saturday 17 June.

When thinking of just using buses to Plitvice and then on to Split I have a couple of concerns, mainly the bus departing from Plitvice Lakes on to Split. I have read about full buses just driving by the bus stop and not picking up. Does anyone know if we book tickets on a specific bus that they would definitely stop? I also looked at booking accommodation at Hotel Jezero for my dates and they are all booked out.
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Old Oct 19th, 2016, 01:14 PM
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Try Sixt rent a car - looks like their one-way drop fee for a short rental from Zagreb to Split is only about $50 USD per night. I used Sixt a few times in Slovenia and Croatia - they were OK. Try Economy Car Rentals, Kemwel, etc. too to check for car rental rates.

I have heard those same stories about Plitvice buses not always stopping and may have repeated them, even though I haven't personally visited Plitvice by bus. If you want to consider the bus option, I suggest hopping on the Croatia Trip Advisor forum where some locals read/post and see if you can find more recent information - or find another Croatian traveler who has recently taken the bus from Plitvice. It is a busy time, so I'm not surprised hotels may already be partly booked.
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Old Oct 19th, 2016, 01:20 PM
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(I did not insert that link for Sixt - Fodor's did. That's the UK site for some reason - probably doesn't matter much which site you check, I guess; I checked the US site so it quoted me prices in USD.)
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Old Oct 19th, 2016, 03:56 PM
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Taking the train from Ljubljana to Zagreb and then picking up your rental car there should work.

Enjoy!
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Old Oct 20th, 2016, 03:31 AM
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Thank you for the suggestion of Sixt.
They look reasonable for a 3 day car rental and it does give us a bit more flexibility for getting to and from the lakes and for accommodation choices.

I think train may be the best option from Ljubljana and the downtown Sixt office doesn't look too far from the station.

I need to think whether it is best to pay the rental now or on pickup.
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Old Oct 20th, 2016, 08:18 AM
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I'd definitely wait! Rental car prices can certainly come down this far ahead. Keep trying with EconomyCarRentals and others. You might find a car company that offers a car right at the train station. In the meantime, book the Sixt reservation now that you can cancel later if need be - at least you are locking in the slightly higher price.
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Old Oct 21st, 2016, 02:08 PM
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Thanks for your suggestions.
We are now comparing all the car rental sites and think we will catch a train ro Zagreb pick up a rental car and then stay 2 nights at Pltvice Lakes before driving on to Split.
Now just deciding on where to stay in Plitvice Lakes.
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Old Oct 21st, 2016, 02:21 PM
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For a place to stay near the Plitvice Lakes, you might search this board for the recommendation from rialtogrl. (Or actually, because the Fodor's search engine isn't very good, do a google search with the terms, "fodor's" "plitvice" and "rialtogrl" -- you should find it that way!)

BTW, IMO, the best way to see the Plitvice Lakes, and to appreciate its the stunning travertine waterfalls and the different colors of the lakes (the result of localized microbiota) is to make a single, long loop through the park -- something on the order of 6 hours or more (including time for the boat that connects the lower and upper lakes), and by all means, start at the lowest part of the park so you are facing the falls as you proceed. Of course, if you get there and the forecast for the next day is not auspicious and you have time, get a start when you can!
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Old Oct 21st, 2016, 02:33 PM
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There isn't much of a town at Plitvice although there are plenty of "sobe" or B&Bs. There are small towns some miles away but if you want to say eat dinner near the lakes, your choices are limited. There's a pizza joint in the place that rents ski equipment; I don't remember much else. Obviously you can stay at a soba that offers meals. There is at least one snack bar IN the park where you can eat lunch while you are visiting the park.

Two nights at Plitvice would be too long for me - and I loved the park (I've visited twice). Unless you want to take your time and go very slowly through the park or see parts of it more than once, I'd take the extra night and spend it elsewhere (e.g. Zagreb or longer in Ljubljana). It isn't hard to see the park in 5-6 hours. My recommended strategy is to arrive late the day before, spend the night, and get into the park at 7AM when it opens to have a few hours before the big crowds arrive (you will encounter lots of big tour groups, especially in June). You could see it for a few hours on the arrival day too, but you will have to pay the park entrance fee two days in a row. One advantage of staying in one of the park hotels is that they can stamp your previous day's ticket so you can re-enter the next day without paying again.

If you have the car, another option to spend your time elsewhere is to do an excursion into Bosnia from Plitvice to say Una National Park, which is very different from (far less developed than) Plitvice, which is a tourist-friendly well-developed park. Una is very rough with narrow unpaved roads over which you must travel several kilometers to get to the main waterfall - although the big waterfall I saw there is huge and impressive. It's also much less crowded than Plitvice. For some, it wouldn't be worth the hassle to get out there, I guess.
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Old Oct 21st, 2016, 03:22 PM
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It really depends on your preferences and what, exactly, "two nights" mean -- if it means getting there just in time for dinner one day and leaving ASAP after breakfast the day after you visit the park, then I, personally, would certainly not think it too much. I only had one night in the Plitvice area; I would easily have enjoyed a second night. To each his/her own!
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Old Oct 22nd, 2016, 02:02 PM
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Thanks for your replies and suggestions.
I have taken onboard your excellent ideas. So now I am second guessing staying 2 nights in Plitvice Lakes.
Looking at timetables from Ljubljana I think we will be able to collect our rental car in Zagreb around 11.30 - 12 noon. We would then drive on to Plitvice, Takes maybe 2- 2.5 hours? so would give us time at the park in the afternoon. And then go back to the park early the next morning for a few more hours.

I was then thinking that maybe then drive on to Zadar or somewhere in the region and stay the night. The next day drive to Split stopping on the way at Krka National Park.

Your thoughts?

kja I did look up rialtogrl, which of course opened up more ideas.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2016, 02:30 PM
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Yes, 2.5 hours to drive from Zagreb to Plitvice is about right. I think it was about two hours with traffic for me, but I was leaving Zagreb on a Sunday with very little traffic. It's an easy drive partly on the A1 toll road, partly on the 2-lane D1. Maybe in June you'll see more traffic.

Sibenik is a really nice town close to Krka. Sibenik is probably easier to navigate than Zadar. Zadar's old town (peninsula) is largely a pedestrian zone and not very car-friendly. I spent a night there at a soba and had a car; the owner was going to give me her personal spot but one (of four!) opened up as I drove up so I took it. Otherwise, she or I would have been parking across the bridge from the peninsula somewhere or in a big paid parking lot.

Krka is a different kind of park from Plitvice, which is largely a coherent experience, where you hike around the lower or upper lakes regions and connect between them by boat or bus (or long hikes). Krka is more "al-carte" - you don't have to see everything. Many people visit only the huge cascading Skradniski Buk watererfall; you can park at the town of Skradin, take the boat up to the falls, hike around it a little, and come back, if that's all you have time for. In June, you might find people swimming below the falls; no swimming is allowed at Plitvice.

Nothing wrong with spending a night in Zadar, though. It's one of those towns some people love, others not so much. I preferred Sibenik, which is less touristy and not the same kind of town.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2016, 03:48 PM
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I am a very strong advocate of walking a single long loop through the Plitvice Lakes National Park, rather than a few hours on one day and a few hours on another.

Zadar and Sibenik are both worthy destinations, IMO, but quite different. You'll have to decide which suits you better.

And yes, the Krka National Park is worth seeing and very different than the Plitvice Lakes. No need to take the boat from Skradin to the Krka National Park unless that's your preference -- you can walk it, too.

Be sure to leave yourselves enough time for Split (which I adored, although not everyone does) and Trogir!
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Old Oct 22nd, 2016, 03:54 PM
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Thanks Andrew, Sibenik looks very interesting and now is placed on the list of possibilities.
Zadar is not a must and I was just looking for somewhere along the way to stay overnight. And easy to park and get in and out of. We are quite interested in visiting Krka and the idea of taking the boat from Skradin sounds good. My husband would definitely be one of those people swimming in June!

Things are starting to take shape.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2016, 03:57 PM
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I think we were posting at the same time!
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Old Oct 23rd, 2016, 01:49 AM
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kja, yes we must have been posting at the same time. I have just seen your post.

I have read 2 views as to visiting Plitvice Lakes. One is to arrive early afternoon and walk one half of the lakes and then return early the next morning and see the other half and then move on. Which is doable with a 1 night stay. The other thought is as you suggest stay 2 nights and do the park in a full day. My only worry is, if on the day we pick if the weather is awful we have missed out chance. With 2 half days we may have better odds. I have a friend who had an awful foggy day and didn't even go in. Obviously if we did it over 2 half days we have to pay 2 days entrance (there is a discount for a 2 day pass).
Thank you for your thoughts on Sibenik and Krka.

We have 1 night in Split before our 7 day sailing. But we return to Split at the end of the sail and will be staying another 3 nights before moving on to Dubrovnik
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Old Oct 23rd, 2016, 06:54 AM
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During your 3 nights on your return to Split do yourselves a favour and take the bus to Omis. It is a charming small town on a river with a fantastic gorge. Also has a great beach. We went for the day and it did not take long in the bus. Enjoy your trip and cruise!
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Old Oct 23rd, 2016, 07:54 AM
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Yes, as I noted above, if the forecast for the weather in the Plitvice Lakes area is not good, then I wholeheartedly agree that you should see what you can on a first afternoon there, and I, personally, would start with the lower lakes. But if there's no reason to question the whether, consider waiting for a full loop in a single day, again, starting with the lower lakes. The rangers at the park entrances can help you plan.
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