Castles & Palaces
Predjama Castle
A remarkable Renaissance castle built into the mouth of a cave in a cliff face, holding the Guinness record for the largest cave castle.
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Road trip route · Slovenia · Italy
Ljubljana to Venice drive time, distance, costs & the best stops
- Drive time
- 2 hr 38 min
- Distance
- 243 km
- Fuel (est.)
- €29
- Tolls (est.)
- €7
The Ljubljana to Venice drive
The drive from Ljubljana to Venice covers 151 miles (243 km) and takes about 2 hr 38 min without stops. That makes it a comfortable one-day drive. Leave in the morning and you'll arrive with the day ahead of you.
About 47% of it is on the A4, and most of the rest on the A1 and the RA13. On the way you go past Trieste, Portogruaro and San Donà di Piave, and you'll be near Monfalcone roughly 1 h 13 min in. The border from Slovenia into Italy comes between Ljubljana and Trieste, about 43 km in.
There's real climbing in this one: the road gets up to roughly 614 m near Trieste, with something like 440 m of ascent over the whole drive.
Expect fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) to cost around €29 one-way plus roughly €7 in motorway tolls. Slovenia requires a motorway vignette (~€16 sticker (10-day/weekly)). Prices shift monthly, so treat these as ballpark figures.
At 151 miles this is longer than 33% of the 144 routes covered here. Even in a single day it crosses 2 countries, so keep documents where you can reach them.
The road, kilometre by kilometre
Towns within a few kilometres of the fastest route, with the time it takes to reach them without stopping, plus where you cross the border.
- StartLjubljana
- 43 kmInto Italy
- 86 kmTrieste56 min in
- 112 kmMonfalcone1 h 13 min in
- 173 kmPortogruaro1 h 53 min ingood place to stop
- 200 kmSan Donà di Piave2 h 10 min in
- 226 kmMogliano Veneto2 h 27 min in
- 243 kmVenice
How high it goes
Roads you'll be on
- A4115 km · 47%
- A166 km · 27%
- RA1316 km · 7%
- A5716 km · 7%
Best stops between Ljubljana and Venice
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
Natural Wonders
Postojna Cave
A 24-kilometer karst cave system explored by underground railway, home to the rare cave-dwelling olm salamander.
Natural Wonders
Škocjan Caves
A UNESCO-listed cave system featuring one of the largest underground river canyons in the world at 146 meters deep.
Landmarks
Piran
A perfectly preserved Venetian coastal town perched on a narrow peninsula, Slovenia's most beautiful seaside gem on the Adriatic.
Famous Bridges
Solkan Bridge
The world's longest stone railway arch, an 85 m span of hewn limestone blocks: vaults the emerald Soča river just north of Nova Gorica, best admired from the riverside road below.
Castles & Palaces
Miramare Castle
White Habsburg castle built 1856-1860 for Archduke Maximilian on a promontory over the Gulf of Trieste, kept with original interiors and a 22-hectare park. The approach along the Strada Costiera is one of Italy's finest short coastal drives.
Landmarks
Lipica Stud Farm
The 16th-century birthplace of the elegant white Lipizzaner horses on the windswept Karst plateau.
What you need for this drive
Rules for each country on the route, in the order you meet them.
Slovenia
- Motorway
- 130 km/h · 50 in town
- Tolls
- E-vinjeta
- Must carry
- warning triangle, hi-vis vest, first-aid kit, spare bulbs
- Winter tyres
- 15 November - 15 March
Italy
- Motorway
- 130 km/h · 50 in town
- Tolls
- Autostrade
- Must carry
- warning triangle, hi-vis vest
- Winter tyres
- 15 November - 15 April
Low-emission zones: ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato).
Checked against national road authorities and the ECB reference rates. Rules change — confirm before you travel.
Famous drives in Slovenia and Italy
Legendary routes you could bolt onto this trip, with real distances and stop counts.
Ljubljana to Venice FAQs
How long is the drive from Ljubljana to Venice?
Driving from Ljubljana to Venice takes about 2 hr 38 min nonstop, covering 151 miles (243 km). Add time for breaks: most drivers stop every 2 hours.
How much does it cost to drive from Ljubljana to Venice?
Fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) costs roughly €29 one-way. Expect around €7 in motorway tolls. Slovenia requires a motorway vignette (~€16 sticker (10-day/weekly)). Estimates are indicative: prices change monthly.
Can I drive from Ljubljana to Venice in one day?
Yes, at about 2 hr 38 min of driving, Ljubljana to Venice is a comfortable one-day drive with a couple of breaks.
Which roads do you take from Ljubljana to Venice?
The fastest route uses the A4 (about 115 km), the A1 (about 66 km), the RA13 (about 16 km), the A57 (about 16 km). It passes Trieste, Monfalcone, Portogruaro, San Donà di Piave.
Where should I stop on the way from Ljubljana to Venice?
If you stop every couple of hours, Portogruaro comes up about 2 h in. All are just off the main road.
What other drives can I plan on Plan Your Road Trips?
We publish drive times, distances and fuel estimates for 144 routes across Europe and beyond, including 1 other drive in the same country. Browse them all on the routes index.
What are the best stops between Ljubljana and Venice?
Top-rated stops in the drive corridor include Predjama Castle, Postojna Cave, Škocjan Caves: see the full list of 7 stops on this page.
More drives from Ljubljana & Venice
Planning a bigger trip? Try the free Slovenia road trip planner, browse every destination we cover or the Italy planner, take it with you on the road, or read the driving in Italy guide.