European Railroad Discussion > Five days in Slovenia

Some SLR shots from my five days in Slovenia last week. As you will see the sun shone from dawn till dusk every day, rather different from my visit in March.

Most of my time was spent on the electrified single track line which descends the limestone Karst to the port of Koper. This is set to change in the next couple of years when a new line, mostly in tunnel, is completed between the junction at Divača and Koper. Good news for the railway, bad news for railfans.

1: A train of empty autoracks leaving the yard at the port of Koper behind an ÖBB (Austrian) class 1216.
2: The yard at Koper is switched by switchers like SŽ 642 179, based on SNCF's BB63500 and built in Yugoslavia, under licence by Duro Dakovic.
3: From Koper the railway follows the valley of the Rizana river, SŽ 363 018 and another 363 on an eastbound intermodal entering Rizana Tunnel (66m)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/25 13:53 by 86235.

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4: The church at Hrastovlje is one of the tourist draws in the area on account of the macabre medieval frescoes. It's also a great setting for a photograph of a train of tanks descending from Zanigrad
5: Zanigrad is one of the best photo locations on the line on it's descent of the Karst. This SŽ class 541 is on loaded autoracks
6: An eastbound intermodal passing Hrastovlje station, the climb up the Karst really starts here, above the containers on the curve you can see the stone embankment leading to the station at Črnotiče, which is the top of the climb.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/25 15:01 by 86235.

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Enjoyed them all but number three is particularly nice. You know your way around Slovenia.

Apart from the scenery one of the other attractions of the railway scene in Slovenia are the 50 year old Alstom class 363 'nez cassé' locomotives. Sadly their replacement isn't far away, get them whilst you can.

7: A Koper bound intermodal heading downhill from Zanigrad behind 363 037
8: Another 363 on an eastbound intermodal exiting Dol Tunnel on the climb to Zanigrad
9: In the early evening 363 033 climbing past St Helens Church in Podpeč.

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10: At Crni Kal there is a spectacular motorway viaduct, under which you can see the railway viaduct on the Koper to Divača new line.
11: Dekani is a few miles from Koper, this SŽ 541 is on a train of large vans from Austria.
12: I stayed in an excellent b&b in the village of Podpeč, which is on the climb from Hrastovlje through Zanigrad to Črnotiče. Above Podpeč stands a Venetian watchtower, this part of the Slovenian Littoral was ruled by Venice until 1797. An ÖBB Vectron (class 1293) in helper service drifting downhill.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/25 15:00 by 86235.

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13: This is the junction between the old and new line just outside the town of Divača. On Saturday they were blasting, which came as a bit of a shock. In theory the new line is supposed to be complete by the end of this year, with testing & training starting in 2026.
14: Approaching Črnotiče a class 541 on a mixed consists of chemical hoppers and vans behind a class 541. Taken from the route 623 over bridge.
15: Last picture before I started my journey home, another 363 approaching the junction at Prešnica with the former Österreichische Südbahn line from Divača to Pula (now in Croatia).

I hope I'll get back before the new line opens



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/25 14:54 by 86235.

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NMlurker Wrote:
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> Enjoyed them all but number three is particularly
> nice. You know your way around Slovenia.

Thanks, I don't think you really get the feel of a place from a single visit. And there's still more to see, so I hope I'll get back soon.

I really enjoyed seeing so much of the country and so many freight trains.
Keep up the great work.

Another great bunch, the busy electrified freight ops through the mountains are very interesting for sure...

JG

Great shots, Nick! Especially like #3.

Posted from iPhone

Very nice, i had not heard about this line in the past.  Slovenia only has a small section of the Adriatic Sea for a seaport, not particularly well connected by land to Llubliana.  So it makes some sence that there is a circuitious rail line through the mountains to get there.  

Maps.  
https://openrailwaymap.org/?style=standard&lat=45.60803333396511&lon=13.944740295410156&zoom=11
You can see the new tunnel line in faint orange.  

https://mapy.com/en/zakladni?x=13.8990046&y=45.6169171&z=11

https://opentopomap.org/#map=12/45.5955/13.9475

Thanks for sharing
Ted in OR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/25 17:35 by gobbl3gook.

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Rome to Rio says it costs US$12 to take the 2.5 hour train from Llubljiana to Koper.  

And a couple zooms of the interesting "out and back" section of the line.  

 

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