Your phone in Slovenia, without a shock on the bill

Roaming in Slovenia after Brexit

According to gov.uk’s guidance on using your mobile in EU and EEA countries, roaming without surcharges stopped being guaranteed for UK customers when Britain left, business travellers included. Several operators said at the time that they didn’t intend to change their policies, yet the government adds that this could change, so the only reliable check is your own operator’s terms before you go. Contracts differ widely, so read the roaming section of your plan rather than assuming it’s like your last trip.

The protections that remain

Two safeguards survive in UK law. One is a ceiling of £45 a month on what you can spend on data while abroad, so data stops unless you actively agree to spend more. The other is a pair of warnings, one when you’ve used 80% of that allowance and another when you hit the full amount. The cap prevents a nasty surprise, but £45 can still disappear fast if your operator charges by the megabyte. Customers in Northern Ireland also keep protection against roaming by accident near the border, gov.uk says, though that matters little in Slovenia. If you’ll be crossing into Croatia, Austria, Italy or Hungary on the same trip, check that your operator’s EU roaming terms cover each of them before you set off.

Coverage and local SIM cards

The Slovenian Tourist Board says you can use a mobile phone anywhere in the country, on the standard European frequencies. It names Mobitel and Simobil as the two largest operators and suggests that if your home operator charges a high price for calls, you buy a Slovenian SIM card or a prepaid phone, available from €10. For a week or two of maps, messages and the odd call, that’s often the simplest answer. More money-saving ideas for the whole trip are in Slovenia on a budget. If you’re planning long routes in the Julian Alps, download your maps before setting off, as I explain in what to pack for Slovenia.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Ljubljana on Expedia and filter by area before price.

Country code and emergency numbers

Slovenia’s country code is +386. For emergencies, dial 112, which also covers mountain rescue, and 113 for the police. On the road, the Tourist Board notes that Radio Si, the international station of the public broadcaster, gives traffic information in English and German every hour after the news, and four times an hour in July and August. More safety advice is in is Slovenia safe, and for charging your phone, see plugs in Slovenia.

If you are short on time, see the best tours in Ljubljana and pick one that fits your day.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Ljubljana on Booking.com and filter by area before price.