Is the Go Opti shuttle a good way to get from Verona to Ljubljana?
Apr 7th, 2016, 06:40 PM
#1
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Is the Go Opti shuttle a good way to get from Verona to Ljubljana?
https://www.goopti.com/en/
It's about 57 USD, but not quick. Shared van, and you get a text the day before telling you the exact time you'll be picked up. The time frame/window for pickup is hours wide, so you need to be flexible. I can pay 146 to guarantee the departure time, but it is still a shared van making stops.
I looked into a train, but there were transfer and a few people commenting that it was a hassle. I can't find those notes now, so I can't remember the price or details, unfortunately.
Thoughts from folks who are more familiar? I don't need to stop and spend time in Venice. Would like to go straight from Verona to Ljubljana. Thanks much.
It's about 57 USD, but not quick. Shared van, and you get a text the day before telling you the exact time you'll be picked up. The time frame/window for pickup is hours wide, so you need to be flexible. I can pay 146 to guarantee the departure time, but it is still a shared van making stops.
I looked into a train, but there were transfer and a few people commenting that it was a hassle. I can't find those notes now, so I can't remember the price or details, unfortunately.
Thoughts from folks who are more familiar? I don't need to stop and spend time in Venice. Would like to go straight from Verona to Ljubljana. Thanks much.
Apr 7th, 2016, 07:05 PM
#3
I don't know anything about GoOpti, and I don't see any recent reviews. The train journey involves two changes with very comfortable connecting times.
I do see how the cheapest GoOpti fare ("Opti") could easily, because of the departure window, end up consuming most of a day and possibly as long as going by train. I probably wouldn't use GoOpti unless I bought the "Fix" fare.
But I generally prefer trains over road-based transport, especially vans which, for me, can feel claustrophobic. Would you want to sit 4 hours in the center seat of a 3-passenger row?
I do see how the cheapest GoOpti fare ("Opti") could easily, because of the departure window, end up consuming most of a day and possibly as long as going by train. I probably wouldn't use GoOpti unless I bought the "Fix" fare.
But I generally prefer trains over road-based transport, especially vans which, for me, can feel claustrophobic. Would you want to sit 4 hours in the center seat of a 3-passenger row?
Apr 7th, 2016, 07:14 PM
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I haven't used GoOpti, but I have read good things about them from Slovenes (it's a Slovenian company) and a few tourists. I've used a Slovenian "bus" company called DRD a few times to get from Venice to Ljubljana, but I'm not sure I'd recommend them again. (long story - ask if you care to know).
You could take a train to Venice Mestre and schedule a GoOpti pick-up at the train station (probably much cheaper than $57 USD). Yes, you'd have that window of uncertainty for your pick-up time until the day before, but I think there are frequent trains from Verona to Mestre (easier to connect at Mestre than in Venice itself anyway). So you could choose which train to take to Mestre to get there in time to meet GoOpti. I think the van ride would be only 2.5 hours or so from there - that's about what DRD was (maybe a tad less) though we made no stops last time. And you wouldn't have to spend so much time in a van; I prefer trains anyway so I'd probably do it this way myself.
You could take a train to Venice Mestre and schedule a GoOpti pick-up at the train station (probably much cheaper than $57 USD). Yes, you'd have that window of uncertainty for your pick-up time until the day before, but I think there are frequent trains from Verona to Mestre (easier to connect at Mestre than in Venice itself anyway). So you could choose which train to take to Mestre to get there in time to meet GoOpti. I think the van ride would be only 2.5 hours or so from there - that's about what DRD was (maybe a tad less) though we made no stops last time. And you wouldn't have to spend so much time in a van; I prefer trains anyway so I'd probably do it this way myself.
Apr 7th, 2016, 07:17 PM
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You can read plenty of mini-reviews of GoOpti from the last few years on TripAdvisor here - last one is from five days ago:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...-Slovenia.html
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...-Slovenia.html
Apr 7th, 2016, 07:30 PM
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Thanks for the replies, Jean and Andrew. (Andrew, you may not have noticed, but you are helping me get smart for this trip!)
I actually do not mind vans. I am like the surly teenager who slinks down in the seat with her hoodie, headphones and music/movies -- except I am 50. I think I would rather not transfer twice. And I am counting on getting a good seat since I think most people will get on in Venice, not Verona. If not, I'll live.
That is not a bad idea, Andrew. I will consider that.
Thank you both!
I actually do not mind vans. I am like the surly teenager who slinks down in the seat with her hoodie, headphones and music/movies -- except I am 50. I think I would rather not transfer twice. And I am counting on getting a good seat since I think most people will get on in Venice, not Verona. If not, I'll live.
That is not a bad idea, Andrew. I will consider that.
Thank you both!
Apr 7th, 2016, 09:07 PM
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Going directly from Verona with GoOpti is certainly the easiest. But I'm pretty frugal too as well as preferring trains to buses or vans (I get motion sick on a bus and can't read, but usually I can read on a train). You could check the price going from Venice Mestre on that same day and see what the difference is. Because the cheapest is shared service, you might get a much better price if more people go from Venice to Ljubljana - more people to split the cost with (sort of). Or it might depend on the day you check (who else has already booked for that same day).
Either way, I hope you enjoy Ljubljana and Zagreb!
Either way, I hope you enjoy Ljubljana and Zagreb!
Apr 12th, 2016, 02:55 PM
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Andrew,
I am also looking at easiest way to get from Venice to Ljubljana. I am considering GoOpt and have read the reviews as well as looking at the DRD bus from Venice Maestre. The scheduled bus times work for me and I don't need to worry about the time 'window' so am interested in why you wouldn't recommend them .
Thanks
I am also looking at easiest way to get from Venice to Ljubljana. I am considering GoOpt and have read the reviews as well as looking at the DRD bus from Venice Maestre. The scheduled bus times work for me and I don't need to worry about the time 'window' so am interested in why you wouldn't recommend them .
Thanks
Apr 12th, 2016, 03:35 PM
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OK, I'll give you my DRD story (and rialtogrl's - I think she is offline at the moment).
I first used DRD in 2009 to go from Mestre to Ljubljana. When I showed up at the bus station (adjacent to Mestre train station), I asked where to find DRD and station staff had no idea. They did not have an official bus concession at the station, apparently. Then I happened to spot a DRD van parked across the street from the station. I got in the van along with a few other people; they drove us a few blocks away where we got off and got into a regular bus that said DRD on the side. The trip to Ljubljana was comfortable and easy.
Last year I tried DRD again, this time from Venice Marco Polo Airport to Ljubljana. I was flying in and their "bus" was scheduled to depart about an hour after my arrival. I emailed them beforehand to confirm but didn't buy a DRD ticket on their website, in case my flight was an hour late, then I wouldn't lose 25 Euro. But my flight arrived on time, and DRD emailed me back close to arrival saying they had an empty seat. I asked at the airport where to find DRD and confirm the time - they didn't know at first, then someone remembered and dug up a DRD schedule to confirm the time - like they weren't one of the standard bus operators.
I waited outside in the bus waiting area with two Aussies who had bought DRD tickets to Ljubljana. We looked at every bus or van pulling in. "DRD...is this it? Nope..." and did the same thing with every arrival, up til scheduled arrival time.
Finally, a guy with a sign that said "DRD" walked over to the waiting area and asked if we were going to Slovenia? DRD? Yes, that was us! He led us away to an unmarked van idling nearby- that was our "bus" to Ljubljana! It was comfortable enough and fine, though. Despite a heavy rain on the drive over, we seemed to make it in record time to Ljubljana, no stops. (In 2009, our bus stopped for a rest stop; maybe when driving a real bus, the driver was legally obligated to.)
A few days earlier, Rialtogrl (another Fodorite here) tried to catch the same DRD "bus" at Marco Polo. She emailed them too - I don't remember if they responded to her or not or bought a ticket, but she seemed to be expecting them. Unlike with me, airport personnel told her they had never heard of DRD. And they never showed up. I think she then tried to catch DRD at Mestre but they didn't show up there, either. She had to find alternative transportation to get on to Ljubljana.
What I gathered was: they are not a conventional bus service. They don't show up automatically like any other bus company at an official bus stop at the scheduled time and let anyone get on. I suspect they don't even bother to show up at the stops unless someone has bought tickets and/or they have empty seats in a bus or van. It's clear they don't pay concession fees in Italy, probably to save money. And the unmarked van didn't seem very professional - but I guess I was expecting a real bus after my 2009 experience.
I read of another case on another forum where someone who had bought DRD tickets for a specific bus waited and the van or bus never showed up.
Anyway - I guess I was lucky the last time. I imagine because the two Aussies had bought tickets on the same van, that's the only reason I was able to get on. Otherwise, I imagine the van would never have come.
Not to say I'd never use DRD again, but I would 1) buy tickets in advance, 2) email them to confirm a day before, and 3) have a local cell phone I could use to call them just before arrival to confirm arrival. But I think next time I'll try GoOpti instead.
If you are adventurous and not in a big rush, it is possible to get from Venice to Ljubljana via two trains and a funicular connection in Trieste to Villa Opicina, just across the border from Slovenia. (Or take a taxi from Villa Opicina across the border to Sežana, Slovenia - frequent trains on to LJubljana from there.) This route might take you about five hours total but is obviously a bit of a hassle. But you don't have to buy anything in advance and don't have to worry about missing a scheduled time to a late flight or something. And I hear the funicular ride in Trieste is pretty cool. It wouldn't hurt to jot down this itinerary in case you need to use it due to late arrival or something; not really that difficult to wing it if you are an experienced traveler but wondering in a pinch, "How do I get to Ljubljana now?"
I first used DRD in 2009 to go from Mestre to Ljubljana. When I showed up at the bus station (adjacent to Mestre train station), I asked where to find DRD and station staff had no idea. They did not have an official bus concession at the station, apparently. Then I happened to spot a DRD van parked across the street from the station. I got in the van along with a few other people; they drove us a few blocks away where we got off and got into a regular bus that said DRD on the side. The trip to Ljubljana was comfortable and easy.
Last year I tried DRD again, this time from Venice Marco Polo Airport to Ljubljana. I was flying in and their "bus" was scheduled to depart about an hour after my arrival. I emailed them beforehand to confirm but didn't buy a DRD ticket on their website, in case my flight was an hour late, then I wouldn't lose 25 Euro. But my flight arrived on time, and DRD emailed me back close to arrival saying they had an empty seat. I asked at the airport where to find DRD and confirm the time - they didn't know at first, then someone remembered and dug up a DRD schedule to confirm the time - like they weren't one of the standard bus operators.
I waited outside in the bus waiting area with two Aussies who had bought DRD tickets to Ljubljana. We looked at every bus or van pulling in. "DRD...is this it? Nope..." and did the same thing with every arrival, up til scheduled arrival time.
Finally, a guy with a sign that said "DRD" walked over to the waiting area and asked if we were going to Slovenia? DRD? Yes, that was us! He led us away to an unmarked van idling nearby- that was our "bus" to Ljubljana! It was comfortable enough and fine, though. Despite a heavy rain on the drive over, we seemed to make it in record time to Ljubljana, no stops. (In 2009, our bus stopped for a rest stop; maybe when driving a real bus, the driver was legally obligated to.)
A few days earlier, Rialtogrl (another Fodorite here) tried to catch the same DRD "bus" at Marco Polo. She emailed them too - I don't remember if they responded to her or not or bought a ticket, but she seemed to be expecting them. Unlike with me, airport personnel told her they had never heard of DRD. And they never showed up. I think she then tried to catch DRD at Mestre but they didn't show up there, either. She had to find alternative transportation to get on to Ljubljana.
What I gathered was: they are not a conventional bus service. They don't show up automatically like any other bus company at an official bus stop at the scheduled time and let anyone get on. I suspect they don't even bother to show up at the stops unless someone has bought tickets and/or they have empty seats in a bus or van. It's clear they don't pay concession fees in Italy, probably to save money. And the unmarked van didn't seem very professional - but I guess I was expecting a real bus after my 2009 experience.
I read of another case on another forum where someone who had bought DRD tickets for a specific bus waited and the van or bus never showed up.
Anyway - I guess I was lucky the last time. I imagine because the two Aussies had bought tickets on the same van, that's the only reason I was able to get on. Otherwise, I imagine the van would never have come.
Not to say I'd never use DRD again, but I would 1) buy tickets in advance, 2) email them to confirm a day before, and 3) have a local cell phone I could use to call them just before arrival to confirm arrival. But I think next time I'll try GoOpti instead.
If you are adventurous and not in a big rush, it is possible to get from Venice to Ljubljana via two trains and a funicular connection in Trieste to Villa Opicina, just across the border from Slovenia. (Or take a taxi from Villa Opicina across the border to Sežana, Slovenia - frequent trains on to LJubljana from there.) This route might take you about five hours total but is obviously a bit of a hassle. But you don't have to buy anything in advance and don't have to worry about missing a scheduled time to a late flight or something. And I hear the funicular ride in Trieste is pretty cool. It wouldn't hurt to jot down this itinerary in case you need to use it due to late arrival or something; not really that difficult to wing it if you are an experienced traveler but wondering in a pinch, "How do I get to Ljubljana now?"
Apr 12th, 2016, 09:24 PM
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Thanks very much Andrew for your detailed explanation. I plan is to be in Padua the night before so late flights is not a problem.
Had explored the train option on the Man in Seat 61 site but thought I would consider an easier avenue. ( but will keep it as a back up). I had all but decided on the GoOpti which seemed to have good reviews but I wasn't sure I had nailed the directions for a pick up in Venice as well as the ' window' you need to provide. Hence looking at DRD, although your stories above don't fill me with confidence about an assured pick-up.
Go Opti may be the way to go.
Had explored the train option on the Man in Seat 61 site but thought I would consider an easier avenue. ( but will keep it as a back up). I had all but decided on the GoOpti which seemed to have good reviews but I wasn't sure I had nailed the directions for a pick up in Venice as well as the ' window' you need to provide. Hence looking at DRD, although your stories above don't fill me with confidence about an assured pick-up.
Go Opti may be the way to go.
Apr 13th, 2016, 05:16 AM
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There's also a direct bus from Padua to Ljubljana though at five hours it's probably not as quick as GoOpti is likely to be. At least it's direct. This one came up in my research a few times but I've never taken it so can't vouch for its reliability:
http://www.florentiabus.it/eng/firenze-sofia.asp
http://www.florentiabus.it/depliant_...a_eng_bulg.pdf
(Scroll to the bottom; it leaves Padua daily at 15:30 and arrives in Ljubljana at 20:30.)
http://www.florentiabus.it/eng/firenze-sofia.asp
http://www.florentiabus.it/depliant_...a_eng_bulg.pdf
(Scroll to the bottom; it leaves Padua daily at 15:30 and arrives in Ljubljana at 20:30.)
Apr 13th, 2016, 08:26 PM
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Hi, Bizzie,
I just booked the GoOpti from Verona to Ljubljana and wanted to let you know a few things in the event you decide to go with them:
1. Like every ecommerce site, it will ask if you have a coupon code. I easily found one for 5 euro off and the site took it.
2. I didn't notice this the 100 times I was plunking in itineraries, but there is a page in there for luggage charges. It made me mad, but after all these hours researching this, I thought, "whatever." Well, when I got to the end, it actually did NOT charge me for a bag. I'm still confused, but my receipt definitely says I can bring one personal bag and another one, up to 30 kg. (I thought it said there was a charge for the larger bag.) Anyway, pay attention to this part -- so you won't get mad, too!
HAve fun!
I just booked the GoOpti from Verona to Ljubljana and wanted to let you know a few things in the event you decide to go with them:
1. Like every ecommerce site, it will ask if you have a coupon code. I easily found one for 5 euro off and the site took it.
2. I didn't notice this the 100 times I was plunking in itineraries, but there is a page in there for luggage charges. It made me mad, but after all these hours researching this, I thought, "whatever." Well, when I got to the end, it actually did NOT charge me for a bag. I'm still confused, but my receipt definitely says I can bring one personal bag and another one, up to 30 kg. (I thought it said there was a charge for the larger bag.) Anyway, pay attention to this part -- so you won't get mad, too!
HAve fun!
Apr 13th, 2016, 09:59 PM
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I booked a private GoOpti shuttle from Venice to an airport in Croatia. It was expensive but my husband and I decided on the splurge as we were on a tight schedule. The car arrived on time and it was an easy process. I would feel comfortable using this company again.
Apr 13th, 2016, 11:39 PM
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Thanks Kit for the heads up.
Not sure coupons are as big a thing in Australia but will look. Like you I have read so many things I am getting confused but thought I saw that you could have one bag and a personal item . Will keep an eye out.
Will take Go Opti at least one way as the time the Florenentia bus leaves Ljubljana at 5 am
KT, as a sole travel I prefer to share so I think the price will be reasonable if I book soon.
Not sure coupons are as big a thing in Australia but will look. Like you I have read so many things I am getting confused but thought I saw that you could have one bag and a personal item . Will keep an eye out.
Will take Go Opti at least one way as the time the Florenentia bus leaves Ljubljana at 5 am
KT, as a sole travel I prefer to share so I think the price will be reasonable if I book soon.
May 9th, 2016, 03:01 AM
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Just reporting back since I started this topic. I did take the GoOpti van from Verona to Ljubljana and everything was flawless. We only had 5 pax in our van ( me plus 4 we picked up in Venice), so I got the best seat, which was what I thought would happen -- that Venice was the most-popular stop. The van is SUPER clean and the driver very nice and clean cut. A good experience all around.
May 9th, 2016, 05:15 AM
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Hey, if anyone is looking for a discount with GoOpti, fell free to use link bellow when booking:
https://www.goopti.com/en/referral/RFS5USEU4L
https://www.goopti.com/en/referral/RFS5USEU4L
May 10th, 2016, 02:12 AM
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Thanks for the feedback Kit. Pleased that it worked out well for you. I have yet to book my seat as am still deciding between Venice Mestre or Piazza Roma as my departure and return location.
Thanks for the link to the coupon Madness
Thanks for the link to the coupon Madness
