Complete guide about the public transport in Ljubljana & the Urbana card
Have you already booked your trip to Ljubljana, Slovenia? Then it is time to get to know how public transport works. Since we have lived in Ljubljana for many years now, we use buses and bikes every single day, so we’re here to share our tips with you.
To help you out, we have put together a complete guide about all the options available for public transport in Ljubljana and everything you need to know about the Urbana Card or App, which are must-haves if you intend on relying on the transport system.
In this past year, a lot of the rules have changed in a positive way, making the system more friendly for travelers and one-time users. But don’t worry, we update this article regularly to make sure you always have the latest info.
How to get around Ljubljana: types of public transport available
When it comes to getting around in Ljubljana relying solely on public transport, there are essentially two options: bus or bike.
The city also has trains but they are used mostly to connect Ljubljana to other destinations in Slovenia. The trains are very slow and there are not many stations within the city itself, which means this is not a very effective transport option for getting around town in most cases.
Let’s then explore the two main options in more detail.
Catching a bus in Ljubljana: the ultimate guide
The bus is the public transport in Ljubljana that has the widest reach. It connects most parts of the city and is also very frequent.
The public bus that runs in Ljubljana is from a company called LPP. There are also a few buses from other brands but they go out of town and are not part of the Ljubljana public transport system.
Within the city center, the bus stops are well-marked and visible, and you normally have the schedule either attached or displayed on a dynamic screen. As you move away from the center, you may get a few bus stops that are not that visible (only a small sign) and you will rarely have the dynamic screens to guide you, so it is very important to know where you are going.
But don’t worry, it’s not that hard.
Ljubljana public transport: Bus Timetable
The best way to find the routes and timetable of the Ljubljana bus is to use Google Maps. They often change the schedule of some bus routes between holiday periods and normal working hours depending on the time of the year, but from our experience, Google Maps is quite reliable and adapts fast to these changes.
LPP recently released the Urbana App which is the one app that allows you to check and control everything connected to the public transport in Ljubljana. This is now the easiest way of checking the Ljubljana bus timetable. Install the app and you can select the bus station to see the upcoming buses.
For an overview of all the bus lines available, you can check this pdf.
You can also check the bus timetable using the LPP website (only available in Slovenian though). Simply go to their page, select your bus station in the upper left part, then select the direction to the center (v center) or from the center (iz centra) and click “Prikaži”. You will see the list of bus lines available for this route and the approximate arrival time of the bus.
How much is the bus in Ljubljana?
The cost of a single bus ride for an adult is 1.50€. The single bus ride allows you to use as many buses as you need for a period of 90 minutes, starting from the time you first clock in your Urbana card (this is not applicable for payment with debit/credit card).
Important: Even if you change buses, make sure to always scan the card when you enter a new bus. If you are within the 90 minutes allowed, your second ride will be for free but you must still scan it.
How to pay for the bus ticket in Ljubljana?
There are now three different ways in which you can pay for your bus ticket in Ljubljana:
- With the Urbana card (more on how to get it below)
- With the Urbana App
- Via contactless payment using Visa or Mastercard – but there is a catch here. Tickets paid with this option only give you the right to use one bus ride, you cannot use the free buses within 90 minutes as with the other two.
Unfortunately, the public transport in Ljubljana doesn’t offer daily or weekly bus passes like in many other European cities, but there is an option to get the monthly pass, which we recommend for people who will be living in the city.
For tourists, the monthly pass is not worth it as you would need to have at least 25 single bus trips to compensate for the price. If you will be staying in the city center, it is very unlikely that you will need the bus this much.
However, you can get a Ljubljana Card, which includes transportation with selected time frame, admission to selected museums, galleries, Ljubljana Zoo, and so much more.
Read also: Best places to stay in Ljubljana
Can I pay for the bus ticket to the driver in Ljubljana?
No, you cannot pay for the bus ticket in Ljubljana to the driver directly.
It is still not possible to use cash to buy a bus ticket directly from the driver. But, with the new system, you can pay directly with your Visa or Mastercard on the machine.
The Urbana Card – How it works
The Urbana card is an electronic card that you can put in credits and use as a ticket when taking any public transport in Ljubljana.
Until last year, having an Urbana card was the only way of paying for the bus. Now, with the introduction of the Urbana App and card payments, the Urbana card is more useful for people staying in Ljubljana for longer periods of time. I don’t recommend it to travelers anymore because you need to pay €2 to get the card.
How does the Urbana Card work?
The idea is very simple:
- Buy the Urbana card
- Top it up with the money
- Every time you catch a bus, you scan the card at the entry machine
- The machine will deduct your ticket price and inform you of your remaining balance
You can also use your Urbana card to pay for the city bike (which we will explain below) and the funicular to visit the castle.
Read also: How to visit Ljubljana Castle
Where can I buy the Urbana card?
You can buy the Urbana card at:
- Urbanomat, the green machines at the bus stops (there is a sign for the Urbana card on them when they have them available) – The machines usually accept cash or cards, but not all cards
- Pošta (the Slovenian Post Office), which you can find almost everywhere
- Petrol stores
- Trafika 3dva, which are newspaper stands, also very easy to find around the city
- Ljubljana main bus station, located in the same place as the Ljubljana Train Station
- LPP Store located at the address Slovenska cesta 56 (on the bus stop Bavarski Dvor)
- The tourist office in the center
You can find the list with all the locations that sell the Urbana card on this link.
How much does the Urbana card cost?
The Urbana card will cost €2, regardless of where you decide to buy it.
After you pay for the card itself, you then need to top it up with the money that will be used for your individual bus rides.
Types of Urbana cards available
There are two types of Urbana cards available: anonymous and nominal.
The anonymous is ideal for short-term visitors in Ljubljana who just need to use public transport for a couple of days. They can be bought in all the locations above. You do not need to present any ID document to purchase the anonymous Urbana card.
The nominal Urbana card is connected to one specific person, as the name suggests. You can only get it at the Ljubljana Bus Station or at the LPP office. To buy one of these, you need to provide an ID document and an address in Ljubljana.
The biggest advantage of having the nominal Urbana card is the discounted fares for the monthly ticket (€37 for unlimited monthly rides). Students with the nominal Urbana card can get even more discounted fares for the monthly bus pass.
For travelers or tourists, the best deal is to use the Urbana App so you don’t have to worry about buying the card and topping it up. If you prefer to use the physical card, get the anonymous Urbana card.
Recently they released the Urbana app for Google Play and Apple App Store. With the Urbana App, you use all of the services that a physical Urbana card offers. The best thing is you can top your card up with your credit card directly on your phone, so there is no need to look for top-up machines.
Public transport from Ljubljana to zones outside of the city center
If you will be going somewhere further from the city center, the bus fare will cost a bit more:
- Zone 1: €1.50
- Zones 1 and 2: €2.50
- Zones 1, 2, and 3: €3.50
However, if you will be using Slovenia’s public transport to go to other cities, for example, if you will be going from Ljubljana to Bled, the best option will be to go to the main bus station. Most buses outside of town depart from there.
Public bikes in Ljubljana
Another great alternative for public transport in Ljubljana is the city bikes.
You can find stations all around town and they are a great way of exploring the city.
To rent a bike, you will need either your Urbana card/App or you will need to register with the app Bicikelj. The app has an English version which is what we mostly use, as it is very practical.
The Ljubljana city bike works with a yearly or weekly subscription model. It costs €3 per year for the yearly subscription and €1 for the weekly subscription. Don’t forget to cancel the renovation option if you don’t want it to automatically renovate. The yearly subscription is cheaper than 3 bus rides, and it is way more fun, I guarantee!
The subscription allows you to get the bike as many times per day as you want. Every single ride can last up to 60 minutes for free (additional minutes will cost extra). After the 60-min period, you can return the bike, wait a bit, and get another one.
Going around Ljubljana with a bike is one of our favorite things to do. The city is very bike friendly – especially the city center – where you have bike lanes almost everywhere.
FAQ about the public transport system in Ljubljana
What happens if I don’t pay for the bus ticket in Ljubljana?
There are officers who do random checks on the buses. They come in and check everyone’s tickets. If you don’t have one, you will get a fine. The fine is €40, so we don’t recommend playing with your luck (especially during a vacation!).
If you pay for the ticket using a Visa or Mastercard, you will be asked to show the same card you used to make the payment.
Is there any night bus available in Ljubljana?
Yes, there are special night buses (“Nočni prevoz”) with different routes operating during the evening. These lines usually last a bit longer than the regular, but only operate from 2.50 until 4.50, and from 22.30 until 0.20.
Can you pay for multiple bus tickets at once?
Yes, you can. You need to ask the driver before you scan your card and tell him that you want to pay for 2 tickets instead of one. He will then set the machine for the right amount, and you can scan to pay for both.
What is the Ljubljana bus station called?
The Ljubljana bus station is called Avtobusna Postaja Ljubljana (APL). It is located near the main train station. Its official address is Trg Osvobodilne fronte 4, 1000 Ljubljana.
Do I need to take the bus in Ljubljana?
If you will be visiting Ljubljana for a couple of days and staying in the city center, you will most likely not need to use the bus or any other public transport in Ljubljana.
The city is very small and if you are located next to the center, you can easily walk to all the main attractions and do everything on foot. This is why we always recommend choosing a hotel that is well located – it will save you time and the trouble of figuring out the bus system.
Read also: Best things to do in Ljubljana
Is there an Urbana online app?
Yes, there is! Recently they released the Urbana App for Google Play and Apple App Store. With the Urbana App, you can use all of the services that a physical Urbana card offers.
Overall, public transport in Ljubljana offers an efficient and affordable way to get around the city. Taking public transport can be intimidating at first since it operates fully in Slovenian, but with this guide, you will see it is easy and convenient.
Happy travels!
Will you come to Ljubljana by car? Read our additional guides:
Organizing your trip
To help you plan your trip to Slovenia, we have put together our favorite planning resources:
- Check out our page with curated Slovenia experiences
- Travel insurance: Make sure you are protected during your trip. We use SafetyWing whenever we are traveling abroad.
- Renting a car: We always use Discover Cars to get the best car deals.
- Accommodation: Find the best hotels and apartments on Booking.com.
- Activities: Get fun ideas of what to do and buy unique activities with Get Your Guide.
- SIM Card: Stay connected during your trip with Airalo.
- Slovenia Map: Check out our custom-made Map with 290+ must-see spots!
- Slovenia itineraries: Check out our pre-made Slovenian itineraries!
- Recommended hiking gear: Check our recommendations on Amazon if you will be hiking in Slovenia!
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