Hiring a car in Slovenia, what I'd ask before signing

Car hire at Ljubljana Airport

Jože Pučnik Airport publishes a list of more than twenty companies, among them Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt and several Slovenian firms such as Agio, AvantCar and AdriaCar. There are two desk areas, one at the bottom of the PH car park building and another by the Terminal B arrivals, and each company’s listing says which one it uses. To return the car, follow the «rent-a-car return» signs from the main road to the PH and use the entrance marked with your company’s brand. Finding your way around the terminal is covered in Ljubljana Airport. If you’re not sure a car is worth it, first read Slovenia road trip.

The vignette, the first thing to ask

The Slovenian vignette is electronic and tied to the number plate, so a hire car may or may not have one. Ask when booking and, once you have the car, check the plate on the DARS validity tool. If it hasn’t got one, you buy it on the official website in moments, €16 a week for a car. Driving without one costs €300 to €800. The full detail is in the Slovenian vignette.

Driving requirements and winter kit

gov.uk says you can drive on a UK licence, but adds that hire companies often have stricter requirements than the law, such as a higher minimum age. In the legal winter season, mid-November to mid-March, and in snow or ice, the car needs winter tyres, or ordinary ones with chains on board; I’d confirm it when collecting. The car must also carry a hi-vis jacket, a first-aid kit and a warning triangle, so check they’re in the boot before you drive off. The other rules are in driving in Slovenia.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Bled for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.

Taking the car into Italy, Austria or Croatia

Slovenia is surrounded by tempting places, Trieste, Villach, Zagreb or Istria, but not every contract lets you leave the country. Ask beforehand, and bear in mind that Austria and Hungary need their own vignette. If you head for Villach on the motorway, the Karavanke tunnel is paid separately at the Hrušica toll booth, €9 per car. If you’re hiring a campervan or motorhome, also see Slovenia by motorhome.

Hiring in town

If you arrive via Venice or Trieste, you can also hire there and drive in, but then the border question comes first. Sometimes it’s simpler to cross by coach or train and hire once in Slovenia, and the options from each neighbouring airport are in airports near Slovenia.

So you do not lose the morning at the ticket office, browse tickets and tours in Bled on GetYourGuide.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Bled for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.