1

There are more than a dozen direct trains from Ljubljana to Maribor daily, but the rail website currently displays dates only until December 8th, because December 9th is the day when the new train schedules come into effect. Dates from December 9th onward should be listed on the website soon, so keep checking back to see if it's been updated. The Slovenian railways site can be used in English, click on 'English' in the options at the top of the page.

Wildroo
The Goulash Train Blog

2

Hi....

As menioned above, you have to wait for the new timetable(s).

3

Hi.

One thing about Slovenia you should learn if you want to visit it is that you don't need to book transport in advance (except, of course, the airplane tickets). So don't worry, on the 30th you should just stroll into Ljubljana train station and buy the tickets there (at least one of the cashiers should speak passable English, perhaps even other foreign languages).

The price is the same if you buy them 5 minutes before the train leaves or 5 months in front (which I don't even think is possible). Ljubljana - Maribor is the main railway in the country and there are trains leaving on that direction every 30 minutes during normal working days and about one per hour on weekends.

You can always look the train schedule online (after the new one is available somewhere around the 1st of December) but there is absolutely zero chance that you won't get a seat or that you would have to pay more if you don't book the train in advance.

I also attach the current list of train fares for your chosen journey:
Regional (LP) trains ~3h: 9,02 € (for one-way, with one switch)
Intercity (IC) and international (MV) trains ~ 2h30m: 10,72 € (for one-way, usually direct)
Intercity Slovenia (ICS) trains <2h: 15,23 € (for one-way, direct)

I'm not sure what the prices for the return tickets are, but generally they are a bit cheaper than two one-way tickets since you only pay a single reservation fee (about 20% of the fare on IC and ICS trains). But as I said, the price doesn't change with time and seat availability as on other European railways.

Good luck with your trip and have fun in Maribor (it's a great place to spend New Year's, lots of free concerts and nice fireworks) :-)

4

Good morning lovely helpful people

You must be joking...

5

Many thank you's for your putting my mind at ease, had visions of hiring a Yugo and breaking down in some remote snow covered farmland and seeing the New Year in with Gilly the Goat et al.

Will keep an eye on the website. Meanwhile any suggestions as to where to go / eat / drink for NYE would be be warmly welcomed

6

*4....

My nomination for 'Post of the week ! !'