Car Hire in Slovenia
The Best Option if You Want to See it All

The extensive and well-maintained road network of the small country, makes car hire in Slovenia very tempting. If you want to visit all corners of the country then car rental is your best bet. By hiring a car you can get to the farthest part of Slovenia in cc. 2-3 hours. Read on to find out about tips on driving around in Slovenia.

Fairly new motorways connect all the major corners of Slovenia so getting to your destinations by car will be easy. Traffic is lighter than in other western European countries, though in summer expect some traffic jams on roads heading towards the Slovenia coast.

Driving in Slovenia

Car Hire in Slovenia

Rental Agencies

If you come to Slovenia by flight you'll find offices of the major international car rental agencies at the airports at Ljubljana and Maribor:

Avis
Budget
Hertz
Europcar

ATET is a reliable local company that gives additional discounts to EasyJet, Ryanair, Wizzair, Adria Airways and Finnair clients.

Renting a Car Accross the Border

If you fly to Trieste, Venice or to other destiantions in the neighbouring countries and plan to drive into Slovenia by a rental car make sure you enquire at the rental agency whether cars can be taken accross the border. Most car hire agencies let you drive their Economy and Compact cars from Italy, Austria or Croatia to Slovenia. You're also allowed to drive to the neighbouring countries with your rental car without extra charges (but always check this at the agency before renting).

You have to have a valid driving licence for at least two years to hire acar in Slovenia. You're also asked to show your passport or valid national ID card.

Rental agencies operating in Slovenia offer cars in every category from mid range economy cars to family vehicles.. Car rental rates are around 35-80 €/day depending on the number of days you hire the car for (for more days you rent the less you pay for a day) and on the car category. Unlimited mileage,, collision damage waiver (CDW), theft protection (TP) and Personal Accident Insurance (PAI)are included in the rental fee.

Tips on Hiring a Car in Slovenia

To decide on what type of car to rent think through your travel plans. Will you travel with lots of luggage? Will you need a child safety seat (you can hire such seats for cc. 20€/rental, but make sure you book it in advane)?

If you travel on snowy, slippery roads in the mountains make sure you rent snow chain too. It's also best to check whether the car you want to hire is equipped with winter tyres. Some companies charge extra for winter tyres. If you go on a ski vacation you'll need ski racks.

Make sure you read and understand the terms and conditions of the selected car hire agency, paying extra attention on what's included in the insurance and for what damages you're liable for.

Always check how much petrol is in the tank. Especially if you paid for a full tank.

Make sure you know where exactly you have to return the car to and keep in mind that in most cases you're required to refill the tank.

Keep the car hire company's contact details with you in case emergency situations.

Most car rental companies charge on 24 hour basis so if you return the car late expect to pay for the extra time.

Useful telephone number: Road Emergency or Towing: 1987

Petrol price in Slovenia: cc. 1 € /litre

Major Driving Rules in Slovenia

Though driving around Slovenia is easy you have to abide to the driving rules to avoid heafty fines.

For visitors coming from the UK or Australia: traffic drives on the right in Slovenia.

Speed limits on Slovenian roads:

130 km/h on motorways
100 km/h on highways
90 km/h on main roads
50 km/h in built-up areas

You must have a valid driving licence or an international driving permit if you're from a non-EU country.

Minimum driving age is 18 in Slovenia however many rental agencies rent cars to those who turned 21.
Allowed blood alcohol level when driving is 0.05 %.

Both drivers and passengers must put their the seatbelts on.
Children under 12 must seat in a safety seat and wear the seatbelt.

You must use dimmed headlights both at night and during the day.

Police loves to fine tourists. The main traffic offences that can get you into trouble are exceeding the speed limits, blood alcohol level is over 0.5, and using mobilephones without the headset.

Parking

In largers town centres you must pay for parking. You can buy a parking coupon from vending machines and display it on the windshield (parking costs cc. 0.50 €/hour)

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