The Slovenian Railways (Slovenske Železnice, SŽ) are in the midst of a train travel revolution. This is in light of new orders of trains from the Swiss manufacturer Stadler. The once abundant locomotive-hauled trains in Slovenia are quickly being replaced by sleek, modern multiple units. Recently, every time the twice annual European timetable change takes place in May and December, more of these trains appear each year.
For passengers, this is undeniably good news. These new trains are more accessible and offer amenities expected by the modern traveller, including air conditioning and screened journey information. I experienced one of these new Stadler trains of the Flirt family on the inaugural launch trip from Villa Opicina to Rijeka last summer – you can read about that here.
However, anyone searching for a wholesome nostalgic experience using the old-fashioned locomotive-hauled trains are going to find these increasingly hard to come by – for travel within Slovenia anyway.
For now though, a few international connections rely on these relics from a bygone era. One is the EuroCity Sava (train number EC 211 eastbound and EC 210 westbound).
The EuroCity Sava is a once-a-day service from Villach to Vinkovci, connecting southern Austria with Slovenia and Croatia in both directions. The 500km route that runs along the scenic Sava river, also connects Ljubljana and Zagreb – and beyond to the Croatian border with Serbia.
Slovenian Railways in partnership with Croatian Railways, recently launched more trains between these two capitals using these brand new SŽ Stadler Flirt trains. This and recent changes can only suggest that the EuroCity Sava, with its current stock may not have long left.
This summer, I took a trip on this train. Although I had planned to take this train from Jesenice on the Slovenian side of the Austrian border. Due to engineering work there was an unfortunate bus replacement for the first leg from Jesenice to Ljubljana – an important less to always check before you travel as changes happen. We picked up the EuroCity Sava from Ljubljana as far as Zagreb.
Before we take a look at what was in store, here’s an all important route map of the full trip from Villach from Vinkovci with the many stops the train takes:
Onboard the EuroCity Sava
After an hour of willing a bus journey to be over, our rail replacement service pulled up in the car park of the building site that is currently Ljubljana station. The station is undergoing major development work to bring it up to modern standards.
The EuroCity Sava came into view standing on the convienently placed, very high platform number Platform 91 (and in case you haven’t been to Ljubljana, there definitely aren’t 91 platforms). This made it an easy transfer and certainly reduced the inevitable stress as the train departure time passed and we were still sat on the bus in traffic.
The EuroCity Sava was formed of only four carriages today, exclusively Second Class accommodation. The train was missing the usual First Class carriage that you’d normally find on this train, presumably due to the engineering work.
As with many EuroCity trains, the carriages used are a mix of those from the various state railways the train operates in. On the day, two Second Class carriages were provided by the Slovenian Railways with another two provided by the Croatian Railways.
Second Class Accommodation
Presumably also due to the engineering work, we had a reservation for a carriage number that didn’t exist. A quick chat with the conductor on the platform gave us the permission for free reign to sit anywhere we wanted – there were no seat reservations in force today.
So, with multiple carriages to choose from, what were our options?
Firstly, the Slovenian carriages at the rear of the train, accessible by an old fashioned slam door and a big step up to the carriage, featured seating exclusively in compartments. Each compartment offered seating for up to six passengers. There was no air conditioning which meant only one thing – opening windows!
It was a warm August day, and the carriages were warm when we boarded with the train having been bathing in the sun awaiting the arrival of our bus and others. We decided to set-up camp in one of these compartments, sharing with two girls who were interrailing. This train is a popular connection for those place-hopping and understandably so being a key option for those connecting central Europe with the Balkan region. An older lady then joined the party who I helped put her case on the racks above the seats. Although we didn’t have a shared language, the instant joy of being in an international crowd became apparent as she showed her appreciation with facial expressions and hand actions.
Ready to set off, we opened the windows craving for the incoming blast of air generated by the train’s movement and got some just as the train set off at great speed through the suburbs of the Slovenian capital. Bliss!
The seats in the compartment featured the latest Slovenian Railways green moquette seen in Second Class accommdotion across their older fleets, and wooden panelling specific to this elderly fleet. The exterior of the carriage we selected hadn’t been modernised like its neighbouring carriage, sporting an older version of the Slovenian Railways’ livery with splashes of red. The compartments have lockable doors and offered comfortable seating with generous recline. The trip would be an opportunity for a technology detox with no power sockets on offer to charge devices – so you may want to bring a power bank if you don’t want this.
The other type of accommodation were compartment carriages provided by the Croatian Railways. These more up-to-date carriages featured the same six seats per compartment. At first glance you might think they came from the same era, with the interior colour choice provided by the Croatian Railways – they must have only had green to choose from from their palette and this applied to the walls, the seat fabric and even the glass between the corridor and the compartments. These carriages did feature air conditioning, however, which would have been a welcome choice on very hot days to escape the heat. In my opinion, the Slovenian carriages provided a much more pleasant environment though.
Settled into our accommodation choice, all there was to do now was to enjoy the journey. Despite the long end-to-end trip this train makes, there is no catering at all available on the EuroCity Sava – even when operating the full nearly ten hour trip, unlike the EuroCity Emona from Vienna to Ljubljana and Trieste. Therefore, it is wise to bring plenty of snacks and drinks to keep you sustained.
Border Crossing
En route from Ljubljana to Zagreb, the EuroCity Sava crosses the Slovenian-Croatian border at Dobova. At one time, a passport check took place here as Croatia hadn’t yet joined the European Union unlike its neighbour. I recall the crossing I took in 2019, en route from Villach to Belgrade as night fell and a border police search with a torch in the toilet of the adjacient train from Belgrade towards Switzerland.
Now the crossing is a moment of calm with only a crew change and the sound of the locomotives switching from a Slovenian one to a Croatian one – and no passport checks. I took the opportunity to get off the train to stretch my legs and take a look. Others opted to lean out through the open windows, stay in their seats or join the smoking contingent out on the platform.
Scenery Highlights
The EuroCity Sava takes the mainline route from Ljubljana to Zagreb which is highly scenic as it joins the Sava river and follows the valley for much of the journey. The vibe coming from the retro carriages and the ability to open the windows really enhances the experience, bringing the outside in.
En route we took in the characterful villages with their red-rooved houses in contrast to their churches detailing white washed bodies and black steeples. This was all accompanied by the immersive in the clickity clack of the train carriages. You can experience all of this from anywhere with our Scenery Showcase video below.
The EuroCity Sava train travels along the same route of the Optima Express, starting in Villach and then going through Austria and onwards to Türkiye. Check out our two-part travel report on this by clicking here if you’re interested.
Arrival at Zagreb Glavni kolodvor, Zagreb main station
The train arrived a few minutes late in Zagreb’s main station (Glavni kolodvor) after its delay in leaving Ljubljana waiting for passengers coming from buses.
Here the train gained some additional Croatian carriages and continued its long journey east to Croatia’s second city of Vinkovci. Zagreb main station offers the typical facilities you might expect from a busy railway station, including bakeries, a bar, a booking office, toilet facilities and left luggage lockers.
Don’t bank on the left luggage lockers as all of these were taken, with some bags having been left for multiple days as can be seen by the time counters. Do people forget to collect their belongings in station luggage lockers?
Booking the EuroCity Sava
Booking the EuroCity Sava train can be a challenge depending on the specific journey you’re travelling on. It is possible to book some trips online, namely if travelling to/from Austria or for travel within Slovenia. Tickets can be bought locally at stations for all destinations and for travel to/from Croatia.
Book travel to/from Austria at the website of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) here. Book travel within Slovenia at the website of the Slovenian Railways (SŽ) by clicking here. Otherwise, if you’re travelling to/from Austria you can book at Omio at the link below and help our Rail-Away with no additional cost to you.
| Journey Leg | Second Class Price |
| Villach <> Zagreb | from €29,00 |
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The future of the EuroCity Sava
The timetable change beckons once again next month (December 2025) and there are some changes to the EuroCity Sava route. The train’s current chapter of operating from Villach will close and the train will instead operate a new train from Rijeka via Ljubljana to Vinkovci with the same train numbers (EC 210/211). You can still enjoy the best the route has to offer, however, with carriages featuring opening windows.
Conclusion
The EuroCity Sava remains one of the last chances to experience classic, locomotive-hauled travel in this part of Europe. With modern Stadler units rapidly taking over and timetable changes already reshaping the route, its days in the current form may be numbered. If you want to enjoy this atmospheric, window-open, river-hugging journey, now is the time.
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