Split -> Zagreb -> Ljubljana -> Zagreb
 

Hi everyone,
I'm visiting Croatia and Slovenia in a few days and need some help planning my transport.
I fly into Split and leave from Zagreb. My plan is to take the bus from Split to Zagreb, then visit some friends in Ljubljana (by train) for a couple of days before returning to Zagreb for my outbound flight. Just a couple of questions --

1) Is it necessary to buy the Split-Zagreb bus tickets in advance? If so, how far ahead?
2) Is train the best way to travel between Zagreb and Ljubljana? And again, how far ahead should I buy the tickets?

Thank you for your help!

Unless you need to travel at a specific time, I wouldn't buy bus tickets in advance. There seem to be lots of buses between Split and Zagreb.

There is also a train between Split and Zagreb. I'd personally prefer the train to the bus if the travel times and costs are similar.

Are you planning to stop say at Plitvice Lakes National Park? If so, you would want to take a bus probably from Split then the bus on the Zagreb.

There are also both buses and trains between Zagreb and Ljubljana. Again, I prefer trains. Maybe the bus is slightly cheaper. I probably wouldn't reserve far in advance until I knew which day/time I wanted to travel, unless you would be traveling at a busy time (holiday, weekend, etc.)

You don't need to buy tickets in advance and often it isn't possible.

I generally bought my train and bus tickets a day or so in advance -- when I arrived in a city. I don't think there would be any problem in waiting, but then I was there in shoulder season some years ago (May/June 2009).

I believe that there are also regular buses between Zagreb and Ljubljana, but unless you have VERY specific needs for timing, I would think train would make more sense.

Have you already booked your flights? If not, you might look into flights from Ljubljana to avoid backtracking.

I second Andrew's recommendation to stop in the Plitvice Lakes National Park -- the single most un-missable of Croatia's many splendors, IMO. Not only are the lakes connected by travertine waterfall formations, each lake has unique microbiota, and as a result, the lakes are different colors. The best way to see that is, IMO, 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 that means that staying overnight in Plitvice is a good idea. BUT you can spend less time in the park if you don't have time for an overnight.

Hi everyone, I was on the fence about Plitivce but after some research, I think I will go, and follow your suggestion to go by bus from Split and then on to Zagreb. I don't have time for an overnight but I will be returning for a longer visit in a year :)

As for Zagreb-Ljubljana and back, the train does seem to be the best option. I assume you clear customs at the train station in both cities? Do I have to factor in a lot of time for this?
Flights are already booked so I am stuck with the Zagreb-Ljubljana-Zagreb route, unfortunately.

Thanks for all the ideas!

There is no "customs" - just a routine passport check, and it's at the border. You board the train in each city without any checks of any sort. You stay on the train while the customs police move across the train and inspect/stamp passports. The time for this is built into the train schedule. Croatia is in the EU now so passport checks may be more routine (visa holders aren't entering/leaving the EU anymore). Once Croatia is part of the European Schengen zone, even the passport checks will go away I think.

You could try the GoOpti shuttle company (a Slovenian company I think) to go from Ljubljana directly to Zagreb airport if you want to depart Ljubljana the day you fly out of Zagreb - would work best if your Zagreb flight out is later in the day, of course, but you can specify any time you want to arrive and they'll factor that into the price. I haven't quite used GoOpti yet - considered it but it never factored into my trips. Heard good things about it.

Plitvice is amazing - I just got back from my second visit. I hesitated to visit a second time (why bother?), but it was well worth it. Just an amazing place. I would bone up on the bus schedules and read up on people's experiences there. I've heard cases of people missing buses or busses that didn't stop. Make sure you know the exact time the bus is scheduled to pick you up at Plitvice, and don't be afraid to flag one down if you are sure this should be your bus coming down the road. There is no "bus station" at Plitvice, just two low-key stops at the entrances as I recall. You really need to be standing there when the bus comes or it may speed right past.

"I assume you clear customs at the train station in both cities? Do I have to factor in a lot of time for this?"

I could be mistaken, but because both Croatia and Slovenia are part of the European Union, I don't think you will need to clear customs when crossing between them. I don't remember having to do so -- but maybe I've forgotten?

I don't think you'll regret spending time at the Plitvice Lkes. There are very helpful staff at each entrance who can help you plan a route that suits the time you have for the park.

Enjoy!

No checks in the station, just passport control on the border.

Thank you for your helpful responses!