Train from Ljubljana, Slovenia to Trieste
 

My husband and I will be traveling with our daughter and her husband plus their 2 teenage girls and will be spending time in Ljubljana and Trieste, the home of my grandmother and grandfather. We have been planning on renting a car as we will be 4 days in Trieste and 6 days at a villa in Triglav National Park. But with car rental, probably a van for 6 people and luggage, cost of gas, and parking I'm beginning to wonder about a train ride. I found 1 website that shows a train trip that takes about 5 hours. Once we got back to Triglev, we'd probably rent a van to take some side trips. Certainly it would be faster by car, but we would have time to see some of the country that we would otherwise miss. Does anyone have any knowledge or suggestions about such an idea.

Pretty sure there was a very similar question just recently. From memory the suggestion was to change at Sezana but check the post history and it should have the full details. I believe there are also buses.

But if you don't actually want to go to Ljubljana www.bahn.de are showing trains from Trieste to Bled taking 3.5hrs plus.

There are no border crossing trains. If you come from Jesenice - Soca Valley - Bled - etc. you may
cross the border at Gorica (Slovenian train up to Nova Gorica, Italian train from Gorizia Centrale to Monfalcone - Trieste,
or
take a train up to Sezana, then a taxi to Opicina tram station and go down to Trieste by tramway (or tell your friends to pick you up at Sezana, it's close to Trieste)
or
take a train up to Koper and change there to a Trieste bound bus.

If you come from Ljubljana, you may do as described above (frequent buses from Ljubljana to Nova Gorica, trains to Sezana and Koper) or take one of the few direct buses:
http://www.drd.si/en/default.aspx?ID=199
http://www.autostazionetrieste.it/

From Kranjska Gora, you may also take a taxi to Tarvisio, catch there an Italian State Railways bus up to Udin/Videm and go on from there by train via Gorizia Centrale - Monfalcone.

You can do the journey by regional trains in something like 4.5hrs, according to timetables:

Ljubljana to Sezana> Sezana to Nova Gorica > Gorizia Central to Trieste Centrale

Thanks for your replies. They reflect what I have already checked out. It sounds too complicated to coordinate with a group of 6, plus luggage. Just talked with my daughter. We will be renting a car in Ljubljana and using it for all trips from Trieste, possibly a border crossing into Croatia, and then back to Triglev National park where we will use as a base for other side trips. It will add to our expense, but this part our trip is to visit the homeland of my grandfather, Ljubljana and grandmother, Trieste. This is a once in a lifetime family excursion visiting our roots that has enough meaning to justify the extra expense.

Thanks again for replies.

I don't think it will be such expense. if you travel by public transport for one or two person is cheap, but more people rent a car is cheaper and no so time consuming.