Slovenia

Two aspects of this article have been examined;

  1. Rail travel
     
  2. Guide dogs

 

 

 

Rail

 

National Rail Travel
Regional Rail Travel
Urban Rail Travel
Transnational Rail Travel
Visiting Slovenia
 

National Rail Travel

In the Republic of Slovenia we have the national railway. Blind and visually impaired people pay full ticket price (they can also benefit from regular discounts offered by the railways for each group of passengers, such as students, pensioners, etc.) and their guides travel free. Identification document for the blind and partially sighted person is the membership card, issued by the Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted of Slovenia.

Top

Regional Rail Travel

Same as the national rail travel.
 

Top

Urban Rail Travel

We don't have urban rail system, only buses.

Top

Transnational Rail Travel

If the Slovenian resident buys a (return) ticket here in Slovenia for his travel abroad, the same rules apply as for national rail travel, which means he pays a full price and the guide travels for free.  In three or four bigger cities in Slovenia visually impaired people can ask for assistance, but he needs to order it at least two days in advance. In this case, he is not entitled to a free ticket for the guide.
 

Top

Visiting Slovenia

Foreign residents pay full ticket and get a free ticket for the guide if they buy the ticket for travel to Slovenia in their home country. The same right does not apply if they wish to buy a ticket in Slovenia, because the personnel at the railways do not know all different identification cards for visually impaired people across Europe.

It would therefore be good to have a uniform European visual impairment card which could be used to get different concessions or discounts.
 

Top

Guide Dogs

  1. How many guide dog users are there in your country? The number of guide dogs varies on a day to day basis as new dogs enter service and others are withdrawn. Please provide an estimate figure.

    There are 20 guide dog users in Slovenia at the moment.

    An additional 2 are in preparation of passing exams.

  2. What regulations, if any, govern guide dogs access to:

    We have regulation which allows guide dogs access to any public place including your chapters 2.1 to 2.5 (Law of protection of animals- Article13 - Official gazette RS, no. 98/1999).

    There is a problem with access to non-public places e.g. private shops, pubs and especially taxis, where the owners have no obligation to accept blind persons and guide dogs.
     

    1. Public buildings (administration, hospitals, schools, etc.)

      n/a

    2. Cultural and sports facilities (cinemas, theatres, museums, libraries, stadiums etc.)

      see above

    3. Leisure facilities (restaurants, hotels, holiday centres, beaches, etc.)

      see above

    4. Retail facilities (supermarkets, department stores, shops, etc.)

      see above
       

    5. Public transport

    There is no need to muzzle a dog in public transport. See above for taxis.
     

    1. trains
       

    2. underground
       

    3. buses
       

    4. taxis
       

    5. planes
       

    6. ships

     

  3. What are the regulations for the import and export of dogs into/from your country, including quarantine and vaccination procedures?

    Since we are part of EU, we accept EU legislation, so there is no problem to travel across EU countries. In other countries we have to respect their regulations. Basically our blind and their guide dogs only have to show the dog's passport at customs and don't need to fulfil any additional form. Any guide dog that passes the exam in Slovenia gets an identity card which is document of special treatment for this dog.
     

    1. Are exceptions made for guide dogs?

      Yes there is an exception; there is no need to muzzle a dog in public transport.

    2. Are the regulations such as to restrict spontaneous voyages?

      No

    3. How much time is needed to fulfil the requirements?

       

      1.  For the first time

         

      2. For subsequent visits with the same dog

        There is no need to fulfil any additional form.

  4. Is there a certification process for the training and provision of guide dogs? If yes, please provide basic details, in particular on the difference between mandatory and optional certifications.

    In Slovenia the Health Insurance establishment provides guide dogs for the blind. In the regulation there are some criteria (e.g. psychophysical, therapeutic etc.) which must be passed by the trainers, guide dog users and guide dogs.

  5. Is there an allowance or other financial aid to help guide dog users with the upkeep of their animals (food, veterinary, etc.)?

    Unfortunately in Slovenia we don't have any allowance or other financial help for supporting guide dog users for veterinary, food costs etc.

    Back to top menu