Villach to Ljubljana on the new FLIRT service

With a quick change at Villach Hbf, I'm onto the new SŽ Class 510 Stadler FLIRT EMU for its international run from Austria to Ljubljana in Slovenia.

Let's try out these new trains and also enjoy a beautiful run along the Sava valley.

Departure: Villach, Austria
Destination: Ljubljana, Slovenia
Distance: 102 km / 63 miles
Duration: 2 hrs 5 mins
Average speed: 49 km/h 30 mph

Example cost, adult single:
1st class: €28,10 / £23.80
2nd Class: €9,90 / £8.40

I was travelling with an Interrail Global Pass. No reservation was required and there were no supplements to pay on this route.

Date of Travel: May 2024
Operator: Slovenske Železnice (SŽ)
Motive power: Class 510 4-car FLIRT EMU
Manufacturer: Stadler
Entered service: 2022 onwards

Thank you to everyone that supports the channel by subscribing, liking, commenting or just watching these videos. I really appreciate it!

[walterfillingham]

Everything just looks so clean, modern and well maintained, from the trains to the roads you passed. Really puts our country into perspective! Again beautiful scenery 😊

[derekbryce]

Did this route last week to on a Vienna - Villach - Ljubljana ticket. Wonderful scenery the whole way. What a revelation Ljubljana's old town was: almost too pretty to be true.

[liamburke]

Was looking forward to this video, and it didn't disappoint! Great journey in a nice train, in a beautiful but underrated country 🇸🇮👍

[christinehodge]

Good video, nice views, thank you for sharing,

[spenny]

I think we would all like a 'Canoeing down the Sava river' series Johnny!

[stevecooksley]

I travelled from Villach to Kranj on the EC to get to the airport a few years ago - remember how scenic the route was, especially on the Austrian side. Very warm day and the air con was poor - hopefully the Flirts keep you a bit cooler.

[melturn]

Thanks for taking us along on your trips round Europe. Fascinating to see countries like Slovenia

[Fanw]

Another extremely good video Johnny. Throughout this video I was constantly going 'Wow!' out loud! My loudest WOW was when you showed OTOCE station. In this video you really showed your expertise in railway architecture. (Not so long ago Villach station was being rebuilt, so I am pretty sure that what you showed us is permanent!) The balance between 'trains' and 'travel' was just about right, except you did miss one important geographical point. Just before Godersdorf, the train you were on branched off from the Wien to Venezia (Vienna to Venice) main line. Villach is right where three major European cultures meet. The Germanic, the Slavic and the Latin.

[ampersand.]

Lovely relaxing jaunt as ever, thank you. Given the fares you showed it really doesn`t seem worth paying for first... Looking forward to the next episode - this really is our favourite channel at `& Towers` :)

[SimnTrains]

Nice scenic video, wouldn't want to be on those narrow platforms when trains pass through at speed

[Timstravels]

Lovely review, that 9 hour train to/from Croatia sounds right up my street! (Or railway)

[melvynbuckton]

My comment is what an interesting set of comments!

[rachelehrenberg]

May I once again be pedantic?
Ö B B. OOO BAY BAY. Like OOO LALA.
An Ö is best thought of as OE
That said I have totally enjoyed this series. Cheers, mate..

[WINGSANDRAILS]

Another interesting video!!! I feel like a new Interrail coming up!

[lukajakos]

I would rather take a train than a car anytime of the year becuase it is cheaper and depsite the slow speed you can just enjoy the outside also dont wory there is a huge project going on renowating the line from ljubljana to kranj the line will be double tracked and capable of speeds up to 160 kmh per hour so i think it will actualy reduce the travel time by quite some time anway a little a info from me i will always aprove of project like this also another problem is the higway it was build in the 90s i think and it is much more straight than the railway so that is the biggest problem at the moment i hope that they will manage to fix the problems with the trains in the future becuase that is the way forward anway an excelent video.

[horsehollerer]

Great stuff (and wonderful memories!), thank you!

BTW, do you know about the car train that runs 3-4 times a day between Bohinjska Bistrica and Most na Soči in Triglav National Park? You show up, pay the conductor 14 euros, and drive onto the train, handbrake ON lol, stay in your car on an open flatbed wagon, while it takes you through the mountains for a chunk of the branch line you mentioned earlier. Anyway, back in April, I rented a car and planned a whole day of driving around Slovenia and catching one of these trains in the afternoon ... the day was fantastic, but the train just never showed up. Couldn't find any info on why. Anyway, it looks wonderful from the videos I've seen! 🤣

Looking forward to your vlog of stunning Ljubljana! Cheers.

[GrantMcWilliams]

So the new trains are slower and less comfortable than the old trains. Interesting. I've taken this trip several times with the D train and it takes about 1 hr 40 minutes.

[opagodaswirling]

A very enjoyable video which brought memories flooding back . I took the same route on my way to Belgrade in the late 70s. The iron curtain still had a sort of influence on old Yugoslavia back then . My inter rail card cost somewhere in the region of forty quid if I remember correctly . Are there advantages in purchasing the modern version ? PS I do feel rather remorseful regarding my comments on the brutal structure that is Cordoba station . I quite like it and didn't wish to sound offensive . Looking forward to the next leg of your journey.

[anzebeton]

Why didn't you show the road crossing in Žirovnica, it was possible I was waiting with my car there

[maxart]

Slovenia is putting much effort in repelling people from taking trains and this is a perfect example. A Flirt with sub-standard interior used as an international train with a commuter train schedule (thousands of stops on the line which is already slow itself: 2 hrs for 100 km is ridiculous, travel times were probably the same in the times of K. und K., when the line was built), while it's priced as a regular international train with all amenities that one expects. 1st class is a 100% joke.