A day trip to Postojna Cave: all you need for a perfect visit
Postojna Cave is one of the most famous attractions in Slovenia – and you will soon understand why.
This incredible underground cave system is one of the most fascinating sites in the country. With the cave tour, you get a train ride down the cave and can explore the inside paths on foot with the group.
I was born and raised in Slovenia but, even so, I must admit that I have only visited Postojna Cave a couple of times in my life. It wasn’t until my latest visit in 2023 that I was reminded of how amazing this place is.
In this article, I’ll convince you that Postojna Cave is definitely worth a visit and show you how to best plan your day trip.
How to get to Postojna Cave from Ljubljana
Postojna Cave is located around 50 km away from Ljubljana. You have a few different transport options for going from Ljubljana to Postojna Cave:
By car
Driving is the fastest way to get from Ljubljana to Postojna Cave. If you will be traveling with your own vehicle or renting a car for your trip in Slovenia, all you need to do is take the A1 highway towards the seaside and exit in Postojna.
The cave is located very close to the highway exit, it is very easy to spot it.
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Parking at Postojna: There is an enormous parking lot located right across the river from the Postojna Cave Center. The parking price is not included in the ticket – you will pay € 6 for a full day.
By bus or train
There are daily buses going from Ljubljana to Postojna. The basic fare will cost you € 5.30 each way. You can check the timetable here: https://www.ap-ljubljana.si/en/timetable
Since Postojna has a train station, you can also go from Ljubljana to Postojna Cave by train. You can buy a single train ticket or you can buy a package that includes transport to both Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle. Check the options here.
By tour
If you don’t want the hassle of organizing the visit by yourself, you can simply book a day trip to Postojna Cave from Ljubljana. With the tour, the transport and ticket prices will already be arranged for you, so you don’t have to worry about anything.
The tour we mostly recommend is this one that includes pick-up in Ljubljana and a visit to Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle. Tickets and transport are included already.
Want to know the 5 best tours for visiting Postojna Cave?
Visiting Postojna Cave: Opening Hours
Postojna Cave has different opening hours depending on the season.
Summer is considered high season in Slovenia, so from May to September, Postojna Cave’s opening hours go from 9 am to 5-6 pm, with tours every full hour.
However, during the shoulder and low seasons, the cave has limited opening hours and tours. See the graph below for a full yearly schedule, or check it on their website.
PS: Besides the main cave, the whole exhibit center also has a Vivarium, an Expo Center, and special events. These may have different working hours than the cave, make sure you check their official website before you schedule your visit.
Can you get into Postojna Cave at any time?
No, you can only visit Postojna Cave within one of the scheduled visiting times. The reason for this is that you go down with a train and follow a guide through the cave. You can’t simply wander around and make your own schedule.
The times highlighted above describe when there is a group starting, and you will have to schedule your visit to Postojna Cave within one of the available hours.
Postojna Cave ticket prices
These are the ticket prices for visiting Postojna Cave in 2024:
| Ticket type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adults | € 29.90 |
| Students (16 – 25 y.o.) | € 23.90 |
| Children (6 – 15 y.o.) | € 17.90 |
| Children up to 5 years | € 1.00 |
They also offer different ticket bundles if you want to visit multiple attractions. One very interesting combo is the combined ticket to Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle. If you intend on visiting both places on the same day trip, this can be a great deal. Read more about it in the next section.
Combining Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle for the best day trip from Ljubljana
Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle are two of the most famous attractions in Slovenia and they are the perfect combination for a full day trip from Ljubljana.
Located only 10 km away from Postojna Cave, Predjama Castle is the most unique castle in Slovenia as it is built inside a cave. Are you starting to see why I say that these two attractions are the best day-trip combo? You will visit the inside of a cave AND a castle in a cave on the same day!
Another reason for combining the visit to Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle on the same day is that there is no public transport to go to Predjama Castle. However, there are many options for combined tours or you can easily drive between both destinations.
Predjama Castle is not only an interesting sight, but it also has a very unique story. Take a tour of the castle with the audio guide to learn all about the story of the castle and what makes it so unique.
When to visit Postojna Cave
The Postojna Cave is open all year round, so you can visit it whenever you want.
I personally recommend visiting Postojna Cave in the low or shoulder seasons because it is less crowded than during the summer. Being one of the most famous attractions in Slovenia, you can imagine how busy Postojna Cave gets during July and August.
Pro tip: Regardless of the month, our best tip is to visit Postojna Cave if you have a bad weather day during your trip to Slovenia. The caves are located underground, so you will have the same experience, whether it is sunny or raining outside. This is exactly what we did the last time we visited – during the one day that the weather was very bad, we went to Postojna Cave and it was great.
Temperature inside Postojna Cave
Since it is an underground cave system, the temperature inside Postojna Cave is always within the same range – at approximately 10o C all year round.
If you are visiting Postojna Cave during the summer, make sure to bring a proper jacket. If you are visiting during the winter, the temperature inside the cave may be slightly higher than the outside temperature.
Another good tip is to make sure that you wear closed shoes. The inside of the cave is always wet and with puddles, so I don’t recommend wearing sandals or open shoes.
How long does it take to visit Postojna Cave?
The visit to Postojna Cave lasts 1h 30.
Since the visits always need to be arranged with the official tour times, you cannot extend this or wander around by yourself.
The visit to Postojna Cave: Our experience
Now that you know all the main information about visiting the caves, let me walk you through what a visit to Postojna looks like.
A train ride down the cave
When you buy your ticket, you will have to choose the time you want to visit and you need to make sure to be there at the scheduled time. The visitors are organized into groups based on their language. They normally offer tours in English, Slovenian, Italian and German.
You can also get the audio guide if you want to know more information during your visit. However, the group guide will give everyone general information about the cave during specific spots of the visit, so you won’t be lost even if you don’t get the audio guide.
Every group is then taken for the train that takes you down to the cave. The train descends a couple of dozen meters and the ride is one of the most fun parts of the tour, in my opinion.
Walking tour of Postojna Cave
Once you arrive inside the cave, a guide will walk alongside the group and show the main spots of the cave. The tour takes 1h 30 and you will walk around 1.5 km.
As I said, you are not allowed to just wander by yourself because the group needs to go together and get the train back up together. That being said, you are able to take pictures and be a bit slower, etc. Just make sure you are not the one annoying person that the whole group needs to wait for.
The guide stops in 4 or 5 stops along the way and gives general information about the cave and what you are seeing. If you want more specific information during the tour, you can get the audio guide and listen to additional information. There are many spots marked for the audio guide along the way.
I, personally, did not think the audio guide was worth it. The reason for that is because the tour is quite well timed, so if you stop to listen to the audio guide all the time, you may find it is a bit rushed as you won’t have time to really take the place in and take pictures.
The human fish
Another thing that makes Postojna Cave extremely special is the Olm, also known as the human fish.
For many years, researchers believed that there was no life inside the cave because of the harsh environment. Throughout the years of research, several species of insects and little animals have been discovered and further studies have been made to better understand how the cave ecosystem works.
The most special of all the animals discovered in Postojna Cave is the Olm. This incredible animal is partially blind and prospers in the darkness of the cave. It looks like a long fish with little fingers, which is how they got the nickname of “human fish”. They live over 60 years and grow to around 30 cm.
In the last part of the visit to Postojna Cave, you will be able to see a couple of these human fish in a tank. These ancient animals can only be found in this region of Postojna, so they are protected by law.
FAQ: Popular questions about visiting Postojna Cave
How big is Postojna Cave?
Postojna Cave is currently over 24 km long (of which, only 5 km are accessible to the public).
However, Postojna Cave is still growing. It is an evolution that is still in progress and every year, the researchers discover more galleries and caves within this underground system.
How cold is Postojna Cave?
Postojna Cave is around 10o C at any time of the year.
How old is Postojna Cave?
The formation of the Postojna Cave is over 3 million years old, according to the official researchers of the Postojna Cave Park. You can read more about the cave on their official website.
Are dogs allowed in Postojna Cave?
No, dogs are not allowed inside Postojna Cave.
Are there any special events happening in Postojna Cave?
Yes. Postojna Cave is used for events here and there, but one of the most interesting events for tourists is the Living Nativity show that takes place between 25 – 30 of December with live Christmas-related performances. It is a great idea of thing to do if you will be visiting Slovenia during the Christmas season.
Read more: What to do in Slovenia during the winter
Is Postojna Cave worth visiting?
Absolutely, yes! Visiting Postojna Cave is one of the must-do activities in Slovenia.
The underground cave system in Postojna is very impressive and also very unique. I know the ticket can feel a bit pricey for an attraction, but I truly believe it is worth it based on how unique it is.
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Organizing your trip
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