A new international rail link now allows passengers to travel from the Italian border through Slovenia to Rijeka for only €8. The daily service leaves the frontier station of Villa Opicina, directly linked by local bus with nearby Trieste, and heads across lush countryside to Croatia’s main port and transport hub.
The Slovenian-run train has space for bicycles and prams, and can welcome travellers with reduced mobility. After leaving Villa Opicina at 7.50am, it calls at six stations, including two in Croatia, before arriving in Rijeka.
The train then makes its way back to the Slovenian-Italian border from Rijeka at 6.25pm. There’s free WiFi on board.
The service runs right through spring and summer until the end of September. For the time being, tickets are available at individual stations.
The initiative is part of the SUSTANCE project to provide affordable connectivity across borders in Central Europe and promote sustainability. There will also be weekend trains to Sopron, on the Austro-Hungarian border, and a feasibility study carried out on rail connections with Pula.