The cheapest way from Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport to Ljubljana is the public Arriva bus to the main bus and train station, which leaves from the stop opposite Terminal A. The airport is 26 km north of the city, about 20 minutes by car. A taxi to the centre costs roughly €38 to €64 on the airport's own fare list. Shared shuttles, which you book ahead, are the easiest way to get to Bled, Bohinj, Kranjska Gora or the coast in one trip. For Piran and Portorož, the closest airport is actually Trieste in Italy, not Ljubljana.
This guide covers each option from the airport (locals often just call it Brnik, after the village next to it), then the best way to each of the main destinations. For travel around the country once you have landed, see our guide to getting around Slovenia.
Quick facts (checked October 2026)
- Distance: 26 km to Ljubljana city centre, about 20 minutes by car.
- Public bus: Arriva, from the stop opposite Terminal A to Ljubljana's main bus and train station. Some buses also run to Kranj and Bled.
- Bus tickets: online through the national IJPP ticket portal (QR code on your phone), on board by cash or card, or from the ticket machine at the stop.
- Taxi: taxi rank in front of Terminal B. The airport publishes indicative fares: about €38–64 to Ljubljana bus station, about €44–74 to Bled bus station.
- Shuttles: shared and private transfers from several companies; the sales point is in Terminal B.
- Car hire: desks in Terminal B arrivals and on the ground floor of the parking garage.
Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport at Brnik, with the mountains to the north behind it. Image: Tiia Monto, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
How do you get from Ljubljana Airport to the city centre?
By public bus
Public buses at the airport are run by Arriva, the company appointed by the national public transport agency (DUJPP) for the area. The bus stop is across the road from Terminal A. Buses run to Ljubljana's main bus station, next to the railway station, on the edge of the city centre. The ride takes longer than the drive because the bus stops in villages along the way.
There are two kinds of bus at the stop. Some start at the airport and go to Ljubljana. Others are through buses that call at the airport on a longer route to Ljubljana, Kranj, Kamnik or Bled. The airport website links to Arriva's timetables for Ljubljana, Bled and Kranj. To see live departures, the airport suggests the Slomet app (search "Brnik / Airport Ljubljana" on the Intercity tab) or the pelji.se stop page.
You can buy a ticket in three ways:
- Online through the national IJPP ticket portal (vozovnica.ijpp.si). The ticket is issued at once, and you show the QR code on your phone when you board.
- On the bus, in cash or by card. The airport lists Visa, Mastercard and Diners as accepted.
- At the ticket machine at the airport bus stop, which takes cash and cards. The machine loads your ticket onto a plastic IJPP chip card, issued by Slovenian Railways. The same card works for buses and trains across the country, so you can buy a through ticket if you are going further.
The fare is a normal intercity bus fare of a few euros. Arriva's timetable shows the exact price. The service runs less often in the evening and at weekends, so if you land late, check the last departure before you fly. Going back to the airport: buses leave Ljubljana bus station from platform 28.
Ljubljana's main bus station, next to the railway station. Airport buses use platform 28. Image: Dibko, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
By taxi
The taxi rank is in front of Terminal B. Only taxis with a permit issued by the airport operator, Fraport Slovenija, can wait there. The current permits run from 16 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, and each taxi must show its permit behind the windscreen. Fares are not fixed: every driver uses a meter with a starting fee, a price per kilometre, a waiting charge per minute and sometimes a luggage charge.
The airport publishes the list of permitted taxis with their tariffs and indicative prices to common destinations, which can vary by about 10% either way. Across the 41 vehicles on the current list, the indicative fare to Ljubljana bus station runs from about €38 to €64, to Kranj bus station from about €14 to €30, and to Bled bus station from about €44 to €74. The price difference is large enough that it is worth checking the list before you get in.
The airport's advice: ignore drivers who approach you inside the terminal (soliciting is forbidden), follow the "Taxi" signs, check the permit and that the meter is on, ask for an estimate before you set off, and ask for a receipt that shows each part of the price. You can pay by card or in cash. A taxi you booked in advance may wait elsewhere in the car park; check the number plate against the one in your booking.
By shuttle
Several companies run shared and private transfers from the airport to Ljubljana and to the rest of the country. The Ljubljana tourist board lists five (GoOpti, Nomago, MNJ Shuttle, Markun Shuttle and ZUP prevozi), and the airport has a shuttle sales point in Terminal B for travellers who have not booked. Prices depend on the route, the time of day and how many people share the van. For one or two people, a shared shuttle usually costs more than the bus but less than a taxi, and it takes you to your hotel. Compare a couple of operators for your date; we don't recommend any one of them.
The apron at Ljubljana Airport, with the control tower and the mountains behind it. Image: Peter Nath, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Getting from the airport to Bled
Bled is the easiest of the lake and mountain resorts to reach by public transport. Some Arriva buses run from the airport to Bled directly, and the airport links to the timetable in both directions. If none fits your arrival time, take the bus to Ljubljana and change there: Ljubljana bus station puts the trip from Ljubljana to Bled at about an hour. Bled also works with a shared shuttle or a taxi (about €44 to €74 on the airport list).
Getting from the airport to Bohinj
There is no direct bus from the airport to Lake Bohinj. Buses to Bohinj start at Ljubljana bus station and run via Bled. Ljubljana bus station puts the whole trip at about two hours. You can also get to Bled first, then catch the Bohinj bus there. If you land in the evening with luggage, a shuttle or a hire car is the more practical choice for Bohinj.
Lake Bohinj from the bridge at Ribčev Laz. Buses from Ljubljana reach it via Bled. Image: DimiTalen, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Getting from the airport to Kranjska Gora
Kranjska Gora, in the Upper Sava valley near the Austrian and Italian borders, has no direct bus from the airport either. Go to Ljubljana and take a bus to Kranjska Gora from the main bus station, or check the Slomet app for a connection via Kranj. In winter, when people come for the ski slopes, a shared shuttle saves you a change of bus with skis and bags. If you drive, the road follows the motorway towards Jesenice and Austria, then the valley road west.
The centre of Kranjska Gora, below the peaks of the Julian Alps. Image: .snoopy., CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Getting from the airport to the coast: Koper, Portorož and Piran
There is no direct public bus from the airport to the coast. By public transport, go to Ljubljana first, then:
- take a bus from Ljubljana bus station to Koper, Izola, Portorož or Piran (Ljubljana bus station puts Koper at about 1 hour 20 minutes), or
- take the train from Ljubljana to Koper and continue by local bus.
From the airport, a shared shuttle or a hire car is usually simpler, especially with children or a lot of luggage.
Piran's harbour on the Slovenian coast, reached from Brnik via Ljubljana. Image: Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Is Trieste or Venice a better airport for the Slovenian coast?
Often, yes. Trieste Airport (in Ronchi dei Legionari, Italy) is 130 km from Ljubljana but much closer to Koper and Piran. It has its own railway station, and the airport says two trains a day run between there and Ljubljana, operated by Trenitalia and Slovenian Railways. Venice is 230 km from Ljubljana and further from the coast, but it has far more flights. The Ljubljana tourist board says shuttle companies run scheduled transfers from these nearby airports into Slovenia. If you are going only to the coast, compare flights to all three airports before you book.
Which airport is best for Maribor?
For Maribor and the east of the country, Graz Airport in Austria is the other option to check. It is 187 km from Ljubljana, but only a short drive from Maribor across the border. Zagreb (140 km from Ljubljana) and Klagenfurt (85 km) are also close enough to consider, depending on where your flight is cheapest. Ljubljana still has the most connections inside Slovenia once you land.
Hiring a car at Ljubljana Airport
Car hire desks are in two places: Terminal B arrivals (ground floor) and the ground floor of the parking garage. The airport website lists every company and which of the two locations it uses. To return a car, follow the "rent-a-car return" signs from the main road to the parking garage. If someone is picking you up or dropping you off by car, the drop-off area next to the terminal is free for up to 10 minutes.
You need a vignette to drive on Slovenian motorways. It is electronic and linked to the car's number plate. For a car, the DARS e-vignette costs €16 for a week, €32 for a month or €117.50 for a year (checked October 2026). A car rented in Slovenia should already have one, but ask at the desk. If you buy one yourself, use the official DARS shop at evinjeta.dars.si. In June 2026, DARS warned drivers about unauthorised online sellers.
For more on driving, renting a car and Slovenia's rail network, see our guide to getting around Slovenia.
An Arriva intercity bus in Kranj. Arriva runs the public buses that serve the airport. Image: VidicK01, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
New: direct flights from New York
According to the Slovenian Tourist Board, United Airlines will start direct flights between Newark (New York) and Ljubljana on 12 May 2027, four times a week from May to October. For travellers from North America, that means no change of plane in a European hub, and the same choice of transfers once you land.
Tips for arriving at Brnik
- Check the last bus before you fly. Evening and weekend buses run less often. If you land late, book a shuttle ahead or plan on a taxi.
- Buy your bus ticket online if you want to skip the machine. The QR code is issued straight away.
- Use the official taxi rank, check the airport's fare list, and ask for a receipt.
- For the coast, compare Trieste. It is closer to Piran than Ljubljana is, and it has its own railway station.
- Driving? Make sure the car has a valid e-vignette before you join the motorway.
