Keep your passport with you at all times. U.S. citizens can enter Slovenia and stay up to 90 days with a valid passport. A return or onward ticket is not required for entrance into Slovenia.
Pick which train you would like to take from Budapest, Hungary, to Ljubljana, Slovenia. Both the Avas and the Venezia Express connect the 2 capitals directly. The Drava connects Budapest to Venice, Italy, via Ljubljana.
Carry at least 5,000 forints per train ticket you intend to purchase. 5,000 forints is about what a first-class train ticket to Slovenia will cost, and credits cards and traveler's checks will probably not be accepted.
Choose a departure time from a timetable chart at a train station, or consult the official Hungarian railway Web site for schedules and fares, Elvira (see Resources). Trains from Budapest to Ljubljana will run frequently.
Decide whether your travel group will travel in first class or second class. The cost of first class is often only marginally pricier than second class.
Find a train station or the state railway's central ticket office in Budapest. The central ticket office will be better equipped to deal with foreign travelers in English, so go there if you can.
Try being as specific as you can when ordering the ticket to avoid miscommunication. Both ample patience and a Hungarian phrase book are recommended.
