The border crossing from Slovenia to Croatia can get very busy. A guide on how to beat the queues, from smaller crossings to live webcams.
- Crossing the border from Slovenia to Croatia – troubled times
- 2021 Reality: Epidemiological Measures
- Where are the border crossings between Slovenia and Croatia? A useful map
- What are the opening times of the borders from Slovenia to Croatia?
- Are there any webcams so I can see how busy the border crossing is?
- Tired of waiting? Go for a beer in a bar which is half in Croatia, half in Slovenia
Crossing the border from Slovenia to Croatia – troubled times
They were part of the same country less than 30 years ago, with no border issues whatsoever. And while Croatia remains a favourite tourist spot for Slovenians, the politicians are doing their best to spoil the party.
In recent years, it seems that each week brought a new crisis in relations between Slovenia and Croatia. The Piran Bay arbitration process, fishing rights, migrants and barbed wire, Croatia’s Schengen entry, the pandemic tensions… The list continues to grow.
And one of the tools of politics was traffic flow through the border between the two countries. Many Croats already regard the Slovenian motorway vignette (here is how to cross Slovenia without a vignette if you want to save the money) as a tax on Croatian tourism, and many were convinced that the slowdown at the borders between the two crossings were due to Slovenian politics.
Whatever the truth, it obviously pays to be prepared in advance.
2021 Reality: Epidemiological Measures
The reality of the COVID-19 epidemic is present on the Croatian-Slovenian border as well. Slovenia is a part of the Schengen area, Croatia is still not, that is the constant. However, everything else is fluid and changes rapidly: at some points, the situation is better in Slovenia, and sometimes it’s better in Croatia. The borders have been closed for a while completely, then it came to some border crossings being closed, and currently, as we’re writing this (late February 2021), the situation is as follows:
- You can enter Slovenia from Croatia if you have a negative PCR test (not older than 48 hours), negative antigen test (not older than 24 hours) or you must quarantine upon entry for 10 days. You’re allowed to transit through Slovenia without the test – you must leave within 6 hours.
- You can enter Croatia from Slovenia if you have a negative PCR test (not older than 48 hours) or you must quarantine upon entry for 14 days. You’re allowed to transit through Croatia without the test – you must leave within 12 hours.
- There are certain exceptions to those rules, such as exceptions for those living very close to the border and working on the other side of it, exceptions for those that can prove they’ve recently recovered from COVID-19, and in the case of entry into Slovenia, exceptions for those who can prove they’ve received both doses of the vaccinations.
This info is current at time of writing (Feb 2021) and will be updated periodically. For the latest news, please refer to COVID-19 in Croatia Travel Update or get an answer in real time from the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community (you will need to download the app).
Where are the border crossings between Slovenia and Croatia? A useful map
The main border crossing is on the road between Ljubljana and Bregana, and it can get VERY busy. It is not the only option you have, as you can see from the map below:
What are the opening times of the borders from Slovenia to Croatia?
Some border crossings are open 24 hours, but not all. Some more information below.
| COUNTY / POLICE AUTHORITY | Border Crossing | Opening hours | Can be crossed by |
| Istria (blue) | Plovanija | 0-24 | All passengers |
| Kaštel | 0-24 | All passengers | |
| Požane | 0-24 | All passengers | |
| Jelovice | 0-24 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Lucija | 6-22 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Slum | 6-22 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Karlovac (green) | Jurovski Brod | 0-24 | All passengers |
| Pribanjci | 0-24 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Prilišće | 8-20 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Pravutina | Mon-Sat 5-23 Sun 8-20 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Obrež | Closed | ||
| Vivodina | Mon-Sat 6 – 22 Sun 8-20 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Sveti Martin na Muri | 6-22 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Banfi | 0-24 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Primorje-Gorski kotar (purple) | Rupa | 0-24 | All passengers |
| Pasjak | 0-24 | All passengers | |
| Prezid | 0-24 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Brod na Kupi | 0-24 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Lipa | Oct 1 – May 31 Mon – Sat: 6-22 Sun: 7-20 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Prezid II | Mon – Sat: 5-23 Sun: 5-22 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Zamost | 0-24 | EU,EEA, CH | |
| Blaževci | Mon – Sat: 5-23 Sun: 7-21 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Čabar | 0-24 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Varaždin (red) | Dubrava Križovljanska | 0-24 | All passengers |
| Otok Virje | 0-24 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Gornja Voća | 6-22 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Cvetlin | 0-24 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Zagreb (grey) | Bregana | 0-24 | All passengers |
| Bregana Naselje | 0-24 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Harmica | 0-24 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Novo Selo Žumberačko | 8-22 | EU, EEA, CH | |
| Kraj Donji | 8-22 | EU, EEA, CH |
Are there any webcams so I can see how busy the border crossing is?
Yes! You can check out the real-time situation at the following border crossings. Simply click on the links below to get to the webcam.
You can also check www.hak.hr (Croatia Traffic Info) for news and updates.
Please note that there is also a smaller border crossing for EU citizens, called ‘Bregana – naselje’ at the town of Bregana, three kilometres from the big Bregana border crossing.
Tired of waiting? Go for a beer in a bar which is half in Croatia, half in Slovenia
Yes, really! Very close to the main Bregana border is a bar where you can enjoy a beer in two countries – just don’t tell the border guards. Learn more about the Kalin Tavern and Inn in Obrežje. (Latest update – sadly the bar is currently closed, as we found out when we visited)
For the latest between Croatia and Slovenia, follow the dedicated TCN page.
