Foreign and Commonwealth Office Notes on Travel in Slovenia

These travel notes have been edited down from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office website www.fco.gov.uk, where the full story may be read.

Edited by Barry and Margaret Williamson

October 2009

There have been cases of Swine Flu reported in Slovenia, but all are reported as being contracted outside of the country. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website at www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html has further details. You should monitor local media reports for any developments and advice. There is a dedicated Swine Flu page on the FCO website. Guidance on Pandemic Flu is available on the UK Department of Health website at: www.dh.gov.uk.

There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

All foreign Nationals visiting Slovenia must register with the Police within three days of arrival. See the Local Laws section of this advice for more details.

Around 91,000 British tourists visit Slovenia every year (Source: Slovene Nationality and Population Database). If you need to contact the emergency services in Slovenia 112.

From 1 July 2008, Slovenia introduced a "Vignette" system for motorway travel, which is compulsory if you wish to use the motorways in Slovenia. See the Road Travel section below for more details.

We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.

There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

Sensible precautions should be taken when carrying money in busy tourist areas.

Foreign visitors and residents can be targeted by scam artists. These scams can pose great financial loss to victims. If you receive an e-mail purporting to be from HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs) offering a tax refund on provision of your bank details you should make absolutely sure that it is not part of a scam.

Slovenia has a 'Vignette' system for motorway travel. Vignettes are available for weekly, monthly or yearly periods, and can be purchased at petrol stations and DARS (the Slovenian Motorway Company) offices in Slovenia as well as outlets in neighbouring countries near the Slovene border. The Vignette is compulsory for vehicles under 3.5 tonnes in weight. The police and DARS officials are monitoring motorway use, and are stopping motorists who do not have a Vignette. Failure to have or display a Vignette will lead to an on-the-spot fine of up to €800. For more information on the Vignette system and where to buy one, please visit http://www.cestnina.si/Dokumenti/Vignette_308.aspx.

Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes in weight (like us) pay the more expensive road tolls at regular intervals along the motorways.

If you are driving to Slovenia during the winter period, you should be aware that winter equipment is mandatory from 15 November until 15 March. This means that your car must be equipped with either winter tyres, or have snow chains and radial tyres with at least 4 mm tread depth. You can be fined 125 Euros for not having this equipment, or 417 Euros if you cause a delay on the road for the same reason.

By law, you must have your headlights on at all times, while driving in Slovenia. You are also required to carry a reflective jacket, a warning triangle and a first aid kit in the vehicle.

If you intend to hire a car and drive it into Slovenia you must declare this to the car hire company first, as you must have adequate car insurance cover.

Heavy on-the-spot fines are in place for traffic offences and jaywalking. The police are empowered to impose on-the-spot fines for offences including speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol and for using mobile phones without properly installed wireless headsets (Bluetooth).

In 2007 there were 293 road deaths in Slovenia (source: DfT). This equates to 14.6 road deaths per 100,000 of population and compares to the UK average of 5.0 road deaths per 100,000 of population in 2007.

The revised EU-wide security measures that came into effect for all passengers departing from UK airports in November 2006 are also being implemented in Slovenia. For more details about this see Airline Security

Remember to reconfirm your return flight if your airline advises it.

You should carry a copy of your passport at all times as a form of identification.

All foreign nationals visiting Slovenia must register with the Police within three days of arrival or risk paying a fine. If you are staying at a registered hotel or guest house, they will register you when processing your arrival. If you are staying in self-catering accommodation, you should check with your booking agent as to whether they will register your visit. If not, you will have to do so on arrival by registering your visit at the nearest police station. If you are staying with friends or family, you or your host will need to visit the nearest police station to register your presence in Slovenia.

For more general information for different types of travellers see Travel Advice Relevant to You.

UK Nationals do not require a visa to travel to Slovenia. You must hold a valid British passport to enter Slovenia. The Slovene authorities do not insist on a period of validity in a UK passport. As long as the passport is within the expiry date, you may enter the country.

Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country. For further information on exactly what will be required at immigration please contact the Slovenian Embassy in London.

You can gain access to medical treatment in Slovenia. You should obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. The EHIC is not a substitute for medical and travel insurance, but entitles you to emergency medical treatment on the same terms as Slovenian nationals. It also does not cover you for medical repatriation, on-going medical treatment or treatment of a non-urgent nature. For more general information see EHIC.

Tick-borne encephalitis is common to Slovenia, especially if you intend to visit forested areas during the summer months.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around less than 1,000 adults aged 15 or over in Slovenia were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at less than 0.1% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Slovenia and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

There have been cases of Swine Flu reported in Slovenia, but all are reported as being contracted outside of the country. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website at www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html has further details. You should monitor local media reports for any developments and advice. There is a dedicated Swine Flu page on the FCO website. Guidance on Pandemic Flu is available on the UK Department of Health website at: www.dh.gov.uk.

The Slovene Government confirmed on 12 February 2006, that the H5N1 form of Avian Influenza had been found in a swan in north east Slovenia. Tests are being done on eight other wild birds found dead in the same region. On 6 June 2006, the Slovene authorities announced that these tests were negative.

The risk to humans from Avian Influenza is believed to be very low. As a precaution you should avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds; and ensure that poultry and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked.

You should read this advice in conjunction with Avian and Pandemic Influenza, which gives more detailed advice and information.

Western Slovenia is on an earthquake fault line and is subject to occasional tremors.

We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. For more general information see Travel Insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are oversees then this is How We Can Help.

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

Ljubljana is a small capital city and an increasingly popular destination as its air services grow. We strongly advise that you arrange accommodation before travelling.

If you are planning a skiing or mountaineering holiday, we advise you to contact the Slovenian Tourist Board in the UK (Tel: 0870 225 5305) for advice on weather and safety conditions before travelling. You should be aware that off-piste skiing is highly dangerous. You should follow all safety instructions meticulously, given the danger of avalanches in some areas.

Address: British Embassy, 4th floor Trg Republike 3, 1000 Ljubljana

Telephone: (00) (386) (1) 200 3910, (00) (386) (1) 200 3940 Commercial

Website: http://www.british-embassy