Benefits for Retirees in Slovenia
11.4.2024 |
We all like to save money when possible, but for seniors living on a fixed income, it is especially important. At Slovenia Estates, we get numerous enquiries from people considering a move to Slovenia where they plan to spend their retirement. Navigating the bureaucracy that comes with any relocation can be time-consuming and confusing. so in this article, we present some ways retired people can save money on shopping, transport and leisure.
First steps
The first step is to get your “pensioner’s card” which you can then present in order to claim discounts or free use of public transport. If your have been working in Slovenia, this card will be sent out to you when you retire. If you have not worked in Slovenia or have already retired when you arrive, you should contact the Pension and Disabilities Institute of the Republic of Slovenia.
Travel discounts
Like many European countries, Slovenia offers free public passenger transport for people living in the country who are aged over 65 and are not working. To take advantage, you need to apply for a card at any point of sale of public transport tickets. Card holders get free national bus and rail transport every day of the week. They can use the local public transport free of charge in larger cities. These are currently Maribor, Ljubljana, Novo mesto, Murska Sobota, Koper, Kranj, Jesenice, Celje and Krško.
For older people living in areas not covered by the card for local transport or where local transport is patchy or non-existent, some free ride schemes exist. These schemes are usually managed by the local municipality, so contact your local občina to find out if there’s a scheme near you.
Shopping discounts
If you’ve ever flicked through the leaflets supermarkets send out every week, you may have seen information about discounts for pensioners. For example, SPAR offers a 10% discount on the last day of every month and every second Wednesday. At LIDL pensioners get a similar discount on their entire purchase on the last day of every month.
All the main supermarkets offer some kind of discount for older people, but they can be dependent on day and, sometimes, on a minimum spend, so check the terms and conditions before you shop and remember to take your pensioner’s card with you.
As well as the supermarkets, many stores offer discounts to older customers, They include branches of FAMA, Kalia garden centres, Sanolabor, and Tkanina. Look for details of the discounts available on the stores’ websites.
Leisure discounts
Discounts for seniors are often available at cinemas, theatres, swimming pools, and at museums and other visitor attractions. In most cases you’ll need to present your pensioner’s card to enjoy the discount. For swimmers the best discounts are at municipal pools, but even small discounts are available at places such as Terme Zreče and Bioterme Nedelja.
Many seniors are members of local pensioners’ associations in their area. In addition to organising activities and events, these groups also sometimes negotiate discounts for the members at local businesses. These groups are a great way to meet people and organise lots of subsidised excursions and activities. In some localities, there are “intergenerational centres” which organise activities, workshops and social events for different age groups.
Some of the Slovenian internet and TV providers offer packages, for retired customers, so check what each company can offer.
