2024 Convention Travel

Airports and Airlines:  

Airports:

• Ljubljana:  Ljubljana Jože Pučnik  Airport (LJU) is a smaller regional international airport serviced by these airlines:  Adria Airlines (part of the Star Alliance), Air Serbia, Air France, Aeroflot, Montenegro Airlines, Easy Jet, Lot Polish Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Wizz Airlines, Finnair, Transavia, and British Airways.

There are several ways for you to get to Portorož from these airports.

1. Fly into Venice, Italy, and take the GoOpti Shuttle from airport to Portorož hotel (about 2 hour drive) – cost is about 36 – 60 Euros one way.   https://www.goopti.com/en/
2. Fly into Venice, Italy, then Flixbus from Venice airport to Portorož bus station from approximately $18 – $30 one way (depending on time you arrive).  Then a taxi from bus station to hotel. https://www.flixbus.com/
3. Fly into Venice, Italy, (you could stay a few days in Venice perhaps and enjoy the unique and beautiful city of canals) then take public transportation to the  San Basilio port where you will take a ferry from Venice to Piran, Slovenia.  Cost is about 55 to 70 Euros one way.  Trip is about 2 hours.  Once arriving in Piran you would need to take a taxi to Hotel Bernardin in Portorož.   https://venezialines.com/
4. Fly into Ljubljana, Slovenia, then take GoOpti shuttle from Ljubljana airport to Portorož hotel about 40 to 60 Euros one way.
5. Fly into Ljubljana, Slovenia, then Flixbus from Ljubljana to Portorož bus station, 38 euros one way, then taxi to hotel  https://www.flixbus.com/
6. Or you can rent a car at either location.

Arrival Instructions:

Ljubljana:  Because you will probably have entered Europe at another city and already cleared customs, upon arrival in Ljubljana you would simply pick up your luggage and go out into the arrivals hall.  Outside you will find the GoOpti location for your transport to Portorož or the shuttle/taxi service to take you to the main bus station to get a bus to Portorož or you would take a taxi or shuttle to go to downtown Ljubljana where you can spend a few days in the beautiful capital of Slovenia before taking GoOpti, bus or rental car to Portorož.

Venice:  This might be your first entry into Europe so you will have to clear immigration, get your luggage, clear customs and exit to the arrivals hall.  Outside you will find the GoOpti transport,  the bus stop, or the rental car for your travel to Portorož.

Rental Car

Rental car is possible in both Ljubljana and Venice.  Each country may have specific rules and guidelines so be sure to check with the rental car agency and mention  the countries you will be traveling to.  Some companies will not rent a car if you are traveling to multiple countries so be sure to check.  For driving on motorways in Slovenia, it is mandatory for you to have a vignette. If you rent a car in Italy, you need an international driving permit.

Motor cycles, private cars and vans whose maximum permitted weight does not exceed 3.5 tons must display a vignette to use all Slovenian motorways and those express roads managed and maintained by the toll road operator.

More information on the DARS website (email: cuc@dars.si).

Purchase of vignettes

You can purchase vignettes at all petrol stations in Slovenia and in neighbouring countries as well as at branches of national and foreign automobile clubs, at post offices in Slovenia and at some kiosks. For more information there is a list of sales points.  Cost is 7.50 euros per week.  Do not risk driving on the motorways without the vignette sticker, since the penalties are severe. The penalty for driving on a motorway without a valid vignette or without paying the toll is a fine of EUR 300 to 800.

Taxi

Taxis are readily available in Slovenia.  Always ask for rates ahead of time.

Train:

Trains are available in Slovenia but only limited service to major cities.  Unfortunately, Portorož does not have train service.

Attire:

Business casual for meetings.

Business hours and local area:

Banks are usually open from 9:00 to 17:00 during the week, some close for an hour at lunch.  ATMs – You can withdraw cash 24 hours a day from most of the ATMs around Slovenia using the MasterCard, Visa, Maestro, Cirrus and Visa Electron Plus cards. There is an exceptionally high number of ATMs in Slovenia. In addition to cash withdrawals, many of them offer other types of services.

Museums are open from 9 or 10 and close at 17:00 or 18:00 but some are closed on Mondays.

Shops are usually open from 7 to 9 until 19:00 to 21:00 Monday to Friday; Saturday closing between 13:00 to 15:00; Sundays normally only large shopping centers will be open from 9:00 to 13:00.  The opening hours of shops are not strictly defined. There are 24 hour grocery stores in major cities. Certain essentials are available 24 hours a day at major petrol stations as well.

Climate: 

With its sub-Mediterranean climate, Portorož is considered to be in one of the warmest spots in Slovenia. It has many sunny days. The yearly average sunshine combines 2346 hours. Precipitation is low, between 1000 and 1100 mm a year.  The winters are typically mild, with the temperature rarely dropping below 0 and the summers are not too hot, ranging from 23 to 33C.

Currency:

Currency used in Slovenia is the Euro.  To check the conversion rate for your currency to Euro, go to https://www.xe.com/

Electricity:

In Slovenia the power plugs and sockets are of type F. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.  Check out the following pictures.

Health:

Portorož (Port of Roses) was known as a holistic healing centre as far back as the 13th century, when monks from the St. Laurence Monastery were treating rheumatic illnesses, amongst others, with concentrated salt water and salina mud.  Tap water is drinkable in Slovenia.

There are no specific vaccines needed to travel in Slovenia but you should be up to date on your routine vaccines. You can find a “Healthy Packing List” at this website https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/slovenia/traveler/packing-list

The closest hospital and emergency room is in Izola, only a few miles away.

SPLOŠNA BOLNIŠNICA IZOLA
Polje 40, 6310 Izola,
SLOVENIA
Telephone: +386 5 6606 000
Fax: +386 5 6606 305
E-mail: info@sb-izola.si
Website

There is a clinic in Portorož that is open during the week.

Insurance:

The Society of Wood Science and Technology is not responsible for the insurance of participants against personal injuries, sickness and theft or property damage incurred during the convention period.  Concerned participants should obtain insurance coverage.

Mobile phones: 

Slovenia’s country code is 386 and they have 6 area codes.  Portorož area code is 5.  Local SIM cards can be used in European, Australian and some American phones. Other phones must be set to roaming to work, but be wary of roaming charges. You can buy prepaid SIM cards if your phone accepts them. You can also rent/buy temporary cell phones.   One example of cell phone rental/purchase: www.mobal.com

• To call a landline within Slovenia, include the area code if the number you are calling is outside the area code.
• To call abroad from Slovenia, dial 00 followed by the country and area codes, and then the number.
• To call Slovenia from abroad, dial the international access code, 386 (the country code for Slovenia), the area code (minus the initial zero) and the number.

Passport & Visa:  

A passport valid for 6 months, with at least 1 blank page,  and issued within the last 10 years is required for all except those from Schengen countries holding a valid id card or passport for the duration of their stay.  Visitors from Australia, United States, Britain, and Canada are not required to have a visa but they must limit their stay to 90 days.  All others should check with their embassy to determine if a visa is needed.

Time Zone:

Portorož is in CEST – Central European Summer Time (GMT+2) To see the time in relation to your time zone, check

https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/@3192682

Tipping:

In Slovenia a tip is not an obligation, but is appropriate for good service.

Useful Telephone Numbers:

Foreign Embassy Contact Addresses in Slovenia:  

Embassy Contact Addresses