Lake Bled has gained so much attention over the past few years as one of the top spots to visit in Slovenia. So how to get from Ljubljana to Lake Bled is a common question that’s been coming up.
Thankfully, because of this boom in popularity, it means it’s also easier to get from Ljubljana to Bled and back because the increased demand has increased the supply of busses, trains, and tours to Lake Bled.
After visiting and hiking the Velika Osojnica hike overlooking Lake Bled and spending time in the area, we understand why it’s become so popular.
The area is stunning with the Juliana Alps in the backdrop, the beautiful lake, and the stunning hikes. It’s the best place to be when it comes to exploring Slovenia!
The nice thing about travelling between Ljubljana and Bled is that trains and buses run quite frequently. If you end up flying into Ljubljana it’s quite easy to get to Lake Bled with or without a car.
There are also some amazing day tours to Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj if you’re looking for something a little more organized. Lastly, if you have a car it’s quite easy and fast to get between the two cities.
Let’s check out the different options…
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5 best ways to get from Ljubljana to Lake Bled
Getting from Ljubljana to Lake Bled is going to take you anywhere between 45 minutes to an hour by public transport. This trip can easily be done as a day trip since buses and trains operate frequently between the capital of Slovenia and Lake Bled.
However, we do recommend staying at least one night either in Lake Bled or Lake Bohinj because there are so many hikes and things to do in the area.
You’re surrounded by the Juliana Alps in the Triglav National Park so the hiking is endless with tons of different options around Bled and Bohinj. We spent 5 days there and it was far from enough!
Let’s get right into all the different options on how to get between Ljubljana to Lake Bled.
In this post, you will find all the different options, ticket prices, links to sites where you can book, and reasons why we recommend each option for the trip between the two cities.
#1 Ljubljana to Lake Bled by train
Average price: €5-10 one way (depending if you choose 1st or 2nd class)
Average time: Just under 1 hour
Convenience: 4/5
Where to book: Slovenia train site (Slovenske Železnice)
There’s something calming and relaxing about taking trains through the countryside. Especially a countryside like Slovenia’s with all the greenery and beautiful mountains.
The train from Ljubljana to lake Bled is fairly convenient and takes you from Ljubljana city center close to Lake Bled. The Ljubljana Train Station is located right in the heart of the city and is easy to get to from anywhere in the city.
The only downside of taking the train compared to the bus is that the train station isn’t right in Bled but it’s roughly 5km away from the lake. This means you have to either wait for a bus or take a taxi to Bled.
The train ride is roughly 50 minutes and then an extra 10 minutes to get from the train station near Bled to Lake Bled (Lesce Bled train stop). It may not be the best option since the train doesn’t go directly into Lake Bled but it is scenic and fun to take the train.
The last thing that’s good to know about the trains from Ljubljana to Bled is that they start running early at 4:45 am and then the last one leaves at 11 pm. You can check the timetable on the Slovenia train site here.
You can either buy the tickets online beforehand or at the train station once you actually get there.
#2 Ljubljana to Lake Bled by bus
Average price: €2-7 one way (depending on what day of the week you go)
Average time: Roughly 1.5 hours
Convenience: 4.5/5
Where to book: Ljubljana Bus Station website
If you’re planning to go to Lake Bled by public transport, this is the way to do it. The bus from Ljubljana bus station to Lake Bled is the cheapest and most convenient way to get between both cities and the buses run super often.
Depending on the season, the buses start operating anywhere from 5-7 am and run all the way until 10 pm. Of course, during the summer months, they run earlier and more often and off-season they run a little less frequently.
The buses run every 30-60 minutes between the two cities and it’s really quite cheap to travel using the bus so, all in all, the bus is our recommended way of travelling to Lake Bled if you want to go by public transport.
The bus station is located right next to the train station which is right in downtown Ljubljana. You can buy the tickets beforehand on the Ljubljana Bus Station website or you can buy the tickets in person at the bus station.
Lastly, there are two bus stops in Lake Bled. If you are staying in the center near the lake then get off at the stop called “Bled”.
The other stop, “Bled Union”, is slightly further from the center and you will have to walk a little bit to get to the center if you get off there.
Besides that, there’s nothing else you have to do. Arriva is the main bus company that does all these daily trips and as of now, FlixBus doesn’t operate between these two cities.
#3 Ljubljana to Lake Bled by private tour
Average price: €60 and up (depending on which tour you go on)
Average time: Full-day tours (roughly 6-8 hours)
Convenience: 5/5
Where to book: GetYourGuide
One of the ways you can see Lake Bled and even Lake Bohinj is to do a guided tour of the two lakes.
The main reason why we recommend a guided tour is because of how convenient it is. Especially if you only have a full day to see everything this is the best and most convenient way.
Guided tours are fun because everything is taken care of for you, and it’s a good way to learn more about the places you visit.
Of course, guided tours are slightly more expensive but they also allow you to see “everything” in one day which may not be possible if you don’t have a car and take public transport somewhere. It’s also nice sometimes to have someone local take you around and share with you local tips and experiences.
Since Lake Bled is quite a popular place there are quite a few different options and tours to choose from. For example one of them goes to Lake Bled and the castle. Another trip stops in Bled and also makes its way to Lake Bohinj.
There are also day trips from Ljubljana to Lake Bled where you can visit the Postojna Caves which is definitely one of the highlights.
If you’re looking for something a little bit more exciting you also do a more adventurous tour where you go rafting and canyoning around Lake Bled.
There really are quite a few different tours of Lake Bled that you can do if you want to go down this route. You just need to find the one that fits the type of day trip you’re looking for.
#4 Ljubljana to Lake Bled by taxi
Average price: €45 and up (depending on what size you get)
Average time: Roughly 45 minutes
Convenience: 5/5
Where to book: Online through Bled Taxi or Airport Ljubljana Taxi
The nice thing about taking a taxi to Lake Bled if you fly into Ljubljana Airport is that the airport is outside of the city and already in the direction of Lake Bled.
If you take a taxi directly from the airport you can avoid going into Ljubljana and wasting more time this way.
You can also use Bled Taxi if you are already downtown. It will just take a little longer than from the airport. You can book the taxis in advance on their website to make sure you get picked up when your flight lands.
A taxi is definitely more expensive than taking public transport from Ljubljana to Lake Bled but if you’re at least 2 or 3 people it may not be much more expensive. Plus it’s way more convenient to take a taxi than go by public transport.
#5 Ljubljana to Lake Bled by car or rental car
Average price: €25 per day and up
Average time: Roughly 45 minutes
Convenience: 5/5
Where to book: DiscoverCars
If you have a car then driving is by the far the most convenient way of travel (if you don’t want to go on a guided tour).
Having a car is so nice especially if you plan to do some hikes and visit some of the spots a bit further from all the main attractions.
For example, if you want to hike Osojnica Viewpoint overlooking Lake Bled it’s nice to have a car to drive to the starting point of the hike.
Even if you end up going to Lake Bohinj and doing some of the hiking trails there it’s so much easier and faster going by car.
If you’re looking to rent a car in Ljubljana, you can easily rent one from Ljubljana Airport or in the city center. By car, you have the most freedom to stop along the way if you see something you like or want to go a little more off the beaten path.
If you do rent a car, we recommend DiscoverCars and then picking it up from Ljubljana Airport since it’s usually the cheaper option.
We like using DiscoverCars because they compare the different rental companies and show you the cheapest and best options available for your travel dates.
Book your car rental from Ljubljana here.
You may also like…
- Top 5 Bohinj Hotels for an Unforgettable Stay
- An Unforgettable Day Trip From Ljubljana to Lake Bled in Slovenia
- Top 7 Accommodations in Lake Bled for an Enjoyable Stay
Recap on different ways of getting from Ljubljana to Lake Bled
These are the five different ways you can get from Ljubljana to Lake Bled if you’re planning on exploring Lake Bled, Bohinj, and the Triglav National Park. And if you have to go return to Ljubljana again, obviously, the same options work for that as well 😉
Slovenia tourism is trying to make it as easy as possible to get between the cities and to all the hikes — especially with public transport so the popular spots don’t get overcrowded with cars.
We hope you enjoy the day trip or multi-day trip to Lake Bled. From exploring all the different hiking trails to hanging out by the lake there’s so much to do and see in one of Slovenia’s national treasures!
If you have any questions about the trip to Bled to recommendations for hikes feel free to DM us on Instagram or leave a comment below. We’re more than happy to help with anything. Have a great trip!