Slovenia info please

[wp1234]

We are hoping to spend July / August in the country and then drop down into Croatia but I wonder if someone could give me steer of a few things ?

Where do you purchase the DarsGo unit” box (I am over 3.5t) ? is it really required or is it easy enough to avoid the toll roads ?

What can I expect at the the Italy / Slovenia border - Passport stamping , fridge / food checks etc ?

Is there really enough to see and do in Slovenia for a month or so ?

Many thanks in advance

 

[Mr David]

If you enter Slovenia, from Italy, via the motorway system then the first services will have an outlet to obtain a DarsGo box. It is very easy to explore Slovenia without using their motorways, you just need to allow little more time. Because Slovenia is a Schengen country the borders between other Schengen countries is completely open without controls.
The border with Croatia, until Croatia becomes a Schengen country, is controlled for immigration purposes and your passport will be, or should be, stamped by both countries border guards. They are not interested with customs controls because of the single market.
Re things to do in Slovenia see this link:-

52 Places Slovenia — John W Bills

52 places, one country. Weekly dispatches from every corner of Slovenia, Europe's most magnificent country.

www.johnbills.com

Slovenia is a very beautiful country and even though it is small by European standard it is well worth visiting.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

We have just come back from Croatia and went via Slovenia.
Went from Austria to Slovenia non toll then decided to get a DarsGo to get to Croatia, €80 later and about 20 miles on a smash up closed the main toll road and we were directed across county by the SatNav
Seems expensive compared to other countries and you can go non toll but the road we went on was all through little town and not enjoyable.

The border at Croatia is just a passport check and then pay for the toll, we payed €3 ,

 

[MattR]

We are hoping to spend July / August in the country and then drop down into Croatia but I wonder if someone could give me steer of a few things ?

Where do you purchase the DarsGo unit” box (I am over 3.5t) ? is it really required or is it easy enough to avoid the toll roads ?

What can I expect at the the Italy / Slovenia border - Passport stamping , fridge / food checks etc ?

Is there really enough to see and do in Slovenia for a month or so ?

Many thanks in advance

Different people have different opinions about Slovenia. We spent 2 days there on our way to Croatia and I'm sure that there must be more to see but imho, there are many other places which are far more interesting to spend a month in; two days was enough for us. We much preferred Croatia and, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

[maz]

We are hoping to spend July / August in the country and then drop down into Croatia but I wonder if someone could give me steer of a few things ?

Where do you purchase the DarsGo unit” box (I am over 3.5t) ? is it really required or is it easy enough to avoid the toll roads ?

What can I expect at the the Italy / Slovenia border - Passport stamping , fridge / food checks etc ?

Is there really enough to see and do in Slovenia for a month or so ?

Many thanks in advance

Unless you need to cross Slovenia quickly by motorway there is really no need to get a DarsGo box.

As to whether there ‘is really enough to see and do in Slovenia for a month or so’, it depends on the sort of things you like seeing and doing. We enjoy walking and watching wildlife, as well as visiting castles and old towns, so there is plenty in Slovenia to keep us happy. We were even lucky enough to see beavers swimming and interacting only a few yards away from us. David took a video of them on his phone - I keep saying to him that he should post it on Fun. There are also brown bear watching trips that you can go on - something I’d like to do in the future.

The ’52 Places in Slovenia’ website that Mr David linked to is good for finding more out of the way places. So far John Bills has only written about 34 places but hopefully there will be more soon.

 

[Mr David]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Video of Beaver as seen this spring in Slovenia .

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Well I went to Slovenia and never see any Beaver

 

[maz]

Well I went to Slovenia and never see any Beaver

You’ll have to go back again until you do.

 

[sallys]

There’s lots of Slovenia info on my Polarsteps…we visited in 2019 and 2020. Beautiful country and lots to see and do. Message if you want my account details

 

[Solwaybuggier]

Ljubljana is an amazing city to visit - largely pedestrianised, very attractive, and friendly. We really enjoyed Slovenia as a whole - far preferred Lake Bohinj to the more popular Lake Bled.
If you do get a DarsGo box, make sure to check the details of registration etc - we only needed a vignette, but the garage we bought it from mixed up a 0 with a O in the reg no - when we eventually got home there was a penalty charge on the mat, which we successfully appealed.

 

[wp1234]

There’s lots of Slovenia info on my Polarsteps…we visited in 2019 and 2020. Beautiful country and lots to see and do. Message if you want my account details

Hi there would love to see your trip info .
Cheers
Wyn

 

[RobPullen]

Only thing I would add to travelling from Slovenia to Croatia off the motorways is be prepared for some narrow, steep and winding roads. No worse than places in the Alps or Pyrenees and many other European small village areas though. We were only there a short time but loved the countryside.

 

[WESTY66]

Only thing I would add to travelling from Slovenia to Croatia off the motorways is be prepared for some narrow, steep and winding roads. No worse than places in the Alps or Pyrenees and many other European small village areas though. We were only there a short time but loved the countryside.

Spot on

We traversed Slovenia to Croatia and back without dars box, and travelled on some, shall we say interesting roads
The inland roads of Croatia aren’t anything to shout about either

 

[wp1234]

Ljubljana is an amazing city to visit - largely pedestrianised, very attractive, and friendly. We really enjoyed Slovenia as a whole - far preferred Lake Bohinj to the more popular Lake Bled.
If you do get a DarsGo box, make sure to check the details of registration etc - we only needed a vignette, but the garage we bought it from mixed up a 0 with a O in the reg no - when we eventually got home there was a penalty charge on the mat, which we successfully appealed.

Can I ask - Is the Dars Go box like the Austrian one .You pay up front when you enter and return it when you leave . Can I also ask where did you stay when you visited Ljubljana , am struggling to find a safe site ?
Cheers.

 

[dpsuk999]

Well will be traversing through Slovenia on our way to Croatia later this month and in preparation I registered on the Darsgo website, sent details of my V5 and COC and printed out a barcode for me to take and collect from the first service station across the border.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

When we went Slovenia to Croatia I didn’t fancy non toll so went to the service station and the lady gave me a DarsGo, asked what route we were going then said €80
Assume if you change route you have to go into another service station and pay extra?

 

[dpsuk999]

I assume it’s similar to the Austrian GoBox where you load money into the box. Maybe she asked you which route to ensure the €80 was enough to cover the toll charges?

 

[Solwaybuggier]

Can I ask - Is the Dars Go box like the Austrian one .You pay up front when you enter and return it when you leave . Can I also ask where did you stay when you visited Ljubljana , am struggling to find a safe site ?
Cheers.

Sorry, when we went our van was under 3500kg, so just got a vignette, so no idea.
We stayed at https://www.ljubljanaresort.si/camping-info-en - outskirts of city but easy bus ride into centre. Site was fine, but it was 2015, so things may have changed?

 

[MGB575]

The Austrian and Slovenian boxes are both working on the same principal. we used motorways in both Austria and Slovenia in the past three months. The Dars box for Slovenia is available at the first services in Slovenia. The Austrian box is available at services in Germany.
We travelled North to South in Slovenia and we put 50 euros on the box, including the 4.99 euro rental. On leaving Slovenia for Italy we stopped at the last services listed and the took back the box and they gave us a Certificate of return. We were unable to get our money back at that time as none of our cards had the Iban details on them. We have since by email to Dars received back 22.56 euros which is minus their admin fee of 6 euros. So a total of 27.44 euros spent. Easy to do once you have done in once. The V5 and Euro rating certificate are all you need.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

The Austrian and Slovenian boxes are both working on the same principal. we used motorways in both Austria and Slovenia in the past three months. The Dars box for Slovenia is available at the first services in Slovenia. The Austrian box is available at services in Germany.
We travelled North to South in Slovenia and we put 50 euros on the box, including the 4.99 euro rental. On leaving Slovenia for Italy we stopped at the last services listed and the took back the box and they gave us a Certificate of return. We were unable to get our money back at that time as none of our cards had the Iban details on them. We have since by email to Dars received back 22.56 euros which is minus their admin fee of 6 euros. So a total of 27.44 euros spent. Easy to do once you have done in once. The V5 and Euro rating certificate are all you need.

Oops, still have mine on the screen
Didn’t go far on it as toll road shut due to accident so we were diverted across country