Figure 1: Avoiding the motorway between the Austrian border and the roundabout junction near Pesnica is simple. Parallel to the motorway exists a state road with two railway crossings (trains are fairly rare). Leave the Austrian motorway A9 at ramp Spielfeld and enter Slovenia at the old border crossing, then keep straight through Šentilj and Pesnica. In Šentilj the state road passes below a motorway bridge. (for a bigger view click on the figure)

Text description of the alternative route Graz - Pesnica - Maribor

GRAZ - MARIBOR in six steps: Spielfeld exit ramp - Pesnica-exit - Maribor-entry - major post office by main railway station - the bridge over Drava river near Europark shopping centre - traffic lights near Baumax/Mercator.

1. Exit Austrian motorway A9 at the last ramp Spielfeld. Turn left onto the state road toward Maribor. Old border crossing between Austria and Slovenia is 2 km ahead. Keep straight through Šentilj and Pesnica.
2. After you exit Pesnica you have two options:
• Figure 4A - the route that avoids the large roundabout junction near Pesnica: At a small roundabout just outside Pesnica take the third exit toward Spodnje Dobrenje and keep straight. After a while cross the bridge over motorway, enter Spodnja Kungota and finally cross the narrow bridge over the brook (beware, yield right of way). Turn left toward Maribor, leave Spodnja Kungota and keep straight through Dolnja Počehova. 2 km ahead at the end of the road turn right for Maribor and immediately after that turn right again at traffic lights toward Maribor-centre. 300 m further enter Maribor.
• Figure 4B - the route through large roundabout junction near Pesnica: straight from Pesnica is the large roundabout junction that interconnects two motorways and an expressway. Turn onto the state road toward Pernica and Lenart. At the first crossroad 300 m further turn right toward Kungota, pass below the motorway bridge and the expressway bridge and at the first traffic lights 1 km further turn right toward Maribor-centre.
3. Several km further you will drive past the major post office near main railway station on the left side. After that you have two options:
• Figure 5A - the simpler route: at the third traffic lights after the post office turn right, and then at the second traffic light left. 500 m further cross the Tito bridge over Drava river. You will drive past Europark shopping centre on the left side.
• Figure 5B - the faster route in the case of the traffic jam: turn right at the first traffic lights, then turn left at the first crossroad and immediately after that turn right at the next crossroad. At the following three traffic lights turn left, turn right, turn left. 500 m further cross the Tito bridge over Drava river. You will drive past Europark shopping centre on the left side.