Travel by Train

 

Trains in the Slovak Republic are a safe and agreeable way to travel. There are 10 different types of trains:

 

RJX	Railjet Express
IC	InterCity
SC	SuperCity
EC	EuroCity
EN	EuroNight
Ex	Express train
R	Fast train (in Slovak: “rýchlik”)
RR	Regional fast train ( in Slovak: “regionálny rýchlik”)
REX	Regional express train ( in Slovak: “regionálny expres”)
Os	Passenger train ( in Slovak: “osobný vlak”)

 

 

How to Find a Connection and Buy a Ticket

SLOVAK RAIL 

The websites of the Slovak Railways ( https://www.zssk.sk/en/ ) provides information about time schedules, prices, duration of the journey and whether you have to switch the trains at any point.

Tickets can be bought, of course, also at the train station ticket offices or at some train stations in ticket machines. If applicable, the employee may ask you what type of train you would prefer. To guarantee a seat, it is possible to buy a seat reservation ( in Slovak: “miestenka”), since the trains may be crowded, especially on Fridays and Sundays when students travel to and from schools. International trains run several times a day from several train stations in the country. In most of them, a seat reservation is mandatory.

For most trains it is also possible to buy a ticket online at the Slovak Railways website or via mobile application Ideme vlakom.

 

ONLINE ITINERARY SERVICE

Online itinerary service website provides a complex travel itinerary planner. You can search according to the means of public transport (bus, train, municipal public transport), and also search for optimal combination of them to find the shortest route.

 

REGIOJET 

Regiojet is a private railroad and bus transport provider in Slovakia and offers services of higher quality for reasonable prices. To find a connection or buy a ticket visit Regiojet website.  

 

Zero-fare Public Rail Transport Services in Slovakia

Full-time students under 26 years of age with EU/EEA/Switzerland citizenship or residence are entitled to zero‑fare public rail transport services. Eligible passengers are required to register at the Slovak Railways ticket desks or via the internet. Upon registration, they will obtain their rail customer cards that will allow them to travel for free.

Students from the countries outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland can also get a zero‑fare ticket once they have submitted a confirmation of enrolment for the current academic year at an HEI institution in Slovakia together with an official translation to Slovak language and their ID card or passport.

Zero-fare tickets are passenger specific and apply to the trains of all categories operated by the Slovak Railways (apart from private trains, e.g. Regiojet). Eligible passengers are required to secure one zero-fare ticket for each journey. For EuroCity/InterCity trains transit there is surcharge of 1  € for a seat reservation. When travelling outside Slovakia, the zero-fare transport is available only to the last train station in the territory of the Slovak Republic before crossing the border.

Detailed information about zero fare travel is available here. Students need to register fist to get right to a free transport, the registration form is available at the website of ZSSR.

Travel by Coach

While the trains are more comfortable, coaches are sometimes more direct; they connect most of the towns and villages in Slovakia and are reliable and satisfactory. The first thing is to check out the already mentioned online itinerary service website, where you can find useful information on time schedule, duration of the route, prices, stops, etc.

For international bus travel you can buy tickets at the ticket office or travel agency. Eurolines is one of the biggest providers operating international lines together with its domestic branch Slovak Lines. For international lines operated by Eurolines it is possible to buy/book a ticket online at their website.

You can also hop on a Flixbus connection in Slovakia, a transport company operating lines to over 2,500 travel destinations in 34 countries internationally within whole Europe.

Student Agency also provides several international and domestic lines with special prices for students (tickets can be bought online).

 

How to Buy a Ticket

Generally, when travelling by coach within Slovakia, tickets can be bought upon boarding. It is possible to buy a ticket with a seat reservation (in Slovak: “miestenka”) for long‑distance coaches at the ticket office of any bus station or in some cases online or via mobile application.

 

Travel by Plane

There are 3 international airports in Slovakia – in Bratislava (“M. R. Štefánik International Airport”), in Košice (“Košice International Airport”) and in Poprad (“Poprad-Tatry International Airport”).

Vienna airport in Austria, Budapest airport in Hungary, Katowice airport in Poland or Ostrava airport in Czech Republic are another international airports in neighbouring countries that are widely used by Slovaks as well as foreigners when arriving to Slovakia or travelling abroad from our country, as they are located very close and have great travel infrastructure with Slovakia.

 

Transportation between International Airports and Principal Slovak Towns

 

Bratislava International Airport

M. R. Štefánik International Airport is located 15 km from the Bratislava Old Town. A taxi into the town costs about €10   – 15  , depending on where in the centre you want to go. By bus, take the line No. 61 to “Hlavná železničná stanica” (Main Railway Station).

Košice International Airport

Košice International Airport is located 8 km from the Košice Old Town. The official airport taxi into the town costs from €10 , depending on where in the centre you want to go. There is also a public bus line between the airport and the city No. 23, connecting the airport with the main railway station and bus station (“Staničné námestie”).

Vienna International Airport (Austria)

Thanks to the short distance between Vienna and Bratislava (60 kilometres) it is also possible to use the Schwechat International Airport in Vienna , which is larger than the M. R. Štefánik International Airport in Bratislava and then take a bus or a taxi to Bratislava. Just in front of the arrival gate at Vienna airport, you will find the platform for departure of buses leaving to Bratislava, where you can change to bus/train to other Slovak principal towns, e.g. Košice, Banská Bystrica, Trnava, Žilina, Trenčín, Piešťany, etc. Most of the buses terminate at the Main Bus Station in Bratislava (“Hlavná autobusová stanica”) called “Mlynské Nivy”.

A one‑way ticket from the Vienna Airport to the Bratislava Central Bus Station costs from €10  € to €17 , plus charging from €3  to €5 per extra piece of luggage. For the bus schedule browse Regiojet, Slovak Lines or Flixbus.

 

Local Transport

Municipal public transport system is quite reliable. A network of public transport – usually buses and trolleybuses (also a network of trams in Bratislava and Košice) cover most of the towns. Operating hours are typically from 5:00 to 23:00. After 23:00 there are a few night-bus lines. Every town is responsible for running its own public transport (in Slovak: “mestská hromadná doprava”, abbr. MHD).

 

Common Features

Public transport is the most widely used means of transport in towns. Schedules can be found at every bus/tram stop and in public transport stands.

Tickets are usually sold either in buses or in newsstands, ticket machines, some bus stations or public transport kiosks. In principal cities, electronic SMS tickets are also available. Currently, there are also mobile applications for purchasing online travel tickets, and buying a ticket through the application is usually cheaper compared to using a ticket machine. The SMS ticket can be bought only from a telephone number assigned by a Slovak mobile operator.

To buy an electronic SMS ticket send an empty SMS message or an SMS with one character to a number you can usually find imprinted somewhere on a bus, but here is also a shortlist for you:

 

Bratislava	1140 (40 min journey) or 1100 (70 min journey)
Banská Bystrica	1133
Nitra	1177
Prešov	1144
Trnava	1122
Žilina	1155
Košice	1166

 

Tickets vary from town to town. There are time-tickets (you can change means of transport within a given period of time, e.g. in Bratislava) or single-use tickets (every time you change means of transport, you have to purchase a new ticket, e.g. Banská Bystrica). In some towns, the fare depends on tariff zones given by the town area. There are usually also tickets valid for several days upon validation after entering the vehicle. You should also have a ticket for any large pieces of luggage and animals.

If you are staying longer in a certain town and you know that you will be using public transport more often than once a day, it is recommended to buy a travel pass, for example 30-, 90-, 365‑day pass. To get a pass (30-, 90-, 365‑day pass) you need an up‑to‑date photograph (3×3.5 cm), your ID card and a completed application form. It is always helpful to consult with local people. Children, students and pensioners travel for reduced fares (ask for details, as conditions may vary from town to town).

 

Useful Glossary

Autobus	Bus
Električka	Tram
Trolejbus	Trolleybus
Zastávka	Bus / Tram stop
Cestovný poriadok	Schedule
Cestovný lístok	Single (one-time) ticket
Mesačný lístok/ električenka	Monthly travel pass
Zastávka na znamenie	Request stop

    

Information on the routes and schedules in Bratislava can be found at Bratislava public transport website. Information on public transport in Banská Bystrica, Košice, Nitra, Prešov, Žilina and other towns is available and a larger number of principal towns is available at itinerary planner website (section “MHD”), however, it is necessary to be familiar with the Slovak names of the bus stops. 

 

Travel by Car

Driving Licence

If you have a driving licence issued in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you can drive motor vehicles of the categories indicated in it when in Slovakia, as long as it is valid. In case you are granted a temporary or permanent residence in Slovakia, you may apply for a replacement of the driving licence after 185 days from being granted the temporary residence.

In case you are from a country outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland, residing permanently in a country that has signed the Geneva or Vienna Convention on Road Traffic (in 1968 and in 1949 respectively), you may drive a motor vehicle in Slovakia only if you have a driving licence issued by the country of residence together with a valid international driving permit.

If such a person is granted a temporary residence in Slovakia, he/she can use both documents only for up to further 185 days. Within 60 days after this period, it is necessary to apply for a replacement of the former driving licence at the respective police authority.

The minimum age requirements for driving in Slovakia are:

• 15 years for mopeds (with the required driving licence),
• 17 years for motorcycles over 50 cm³,
• 18 years for passenger cars and lorries.

Traffic Regulations

The current traffic regulations are the same as in other European countries. Seat belts are compulsory. The use of a mobile while driving phone is forbidden. All accidents should be reported to the police. It is prohibited to drink any amount of alcohol before or while driving. No level of alcohol in blood is tolerated. It is obligatory to have car lights on all year.

Speed Limits

     On a motorway: max. 130 km/h (80 mph), min. 80 km/h (50 mph)

     On a motorway in built‑up area: max. 90 km/h (55 mph), min. 65 km/h (40 mph)

     On an open road: max. 90 km/h (55 mph)

     In built‑up area: max. 50 km/h (30 mph)

Motorway Electronic Vignettes

Since 2016, a paper form of a motorway sticker has been replaced by an electronic vignette. They can be purchased online at Eznamka.sk. It is possible to buy an electronic vignette valid for a period of 1, 10 or 30 days, or one calendar year (from January 1^st, until January 31^st of the following year) or one year from the date of purchase. Motorbikers do not need electronic vignettes on motorways.

Petrol Stations

Petrol stations are located throughout the whole territory of Slovakia and easy to find. Many larger petrol stations operate 24/7, while opening hours may vary depending on the location.

Petrol stations are operated by both international and local fuel companies and usually offer diesel and unleaded petrol (most commonly 95 or 98 octane). A growing number of stations also provide alternative fuel options, such as LPG, CNG, and charging points for electric vehicles (for map of charging stations click here).

Most petrol stations offer additional services, including shops selling drinks and snacks. Toilet facilities are commonly available, and larger stations may also provide showers and additional services. Payment by debit or credit card is widely accepted.

Parking

Parking in towns is well marked by international traffic signs. Parking in forbidden places can result in being fined, towed or wheel-clamped. In bigger towns, some parking areas are designated specifically for residents with a parking card and parking in city centres is usually paid (tickets can be bought in automatic parking meters). Parking on pavements is prohibited unless there is at least 1.5 m space on the pavement left for walking.

It is also possible to pay your parking fee by sending an SMS in a pre‑defined format from your mobile phone to 2200 and receive a virtual permit via SMS. The service operates 24 hours a day. Detailed information is always imprinted on the specific parking meter belonging to the parking area.

 

Car Rental

In Slovakia, there are many car rental companies. Prices depend on the period over which the car is rented and the type of the car. To find out more about real companies operating in Slovakia visit for example Rentalcar.com.

 

Taxi

There are many taxi companies in Slovakia, although cruising taxis are seldom available. Taxi stands are located throughout the towns. Taxis ordered by phone have cheaper fares (sometimes significantly). The fare is flexible and varies from company to company. When taking a taxi, look for one with the company’s name on the car. For more information about the best taxi services in respective towns, it is advisable to consult with locals.

 

 

Uber in Slovakia operates in Bratislava, Banská Bystrica, Košice, Nitra, Poprad, Prešov, Trenčín, Trnava, Žilina. Apart from Uber, other ride-hailing services are also available, such as Hopin (operating in Bratislava, Košice, Prievidza, Martin, Humenné), and Bolt (operating in Bratislava, Dunajská Streda, Košice, Levice, Liptovský Mikuláš, Martin, Michalovce, Nitra, Nové Zámky, Piešťany, Poprad, Považská Bystrica, Prešov, Prievidza, Spišská Nová Ves, Trenčín, Trnava, Zvolen, Žilina). These services allow users to request a ride through a smartphone application, which automatically connects them with the nearest available driver. Hopin and Liftago work with licensed taxi drivers, while Uber and Bolt operate as ride-hailing platforms. More information is available on their official websites.

 

Cyclists

Under Slovak law, bicycles are considered vehicles. Therefore, cyclists must obey the same general traffic rules as other road users.

Cyclists should use the right-hand side of the road or designated cycling infrastructure where available and wear an approved, properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet outside built-up areas. Cyclists under the age of 15 are required to wear a helmet at all times.

If you ride at night or in conditions of reduced visibility, you are required to wear a reflective jacket and use a white front light (steady or flashing) and a red rear light, both visible from a distance of at least 200 metres.

The bicycle should also have reflectors on the pedals or wheels, visible from a distance of at least 50 metres when illuminated by a vehicle's headlights.

Make sure your bicycle is in good technical condition. Never ride a bicycle under the influence of alcohol. Keep to the right-hand side of the road, especially on bends. Do not ride side by side with another cyclist unless permitted, as this may endanger your safety and the safety of others.

If you do not own a bicycle, there are many bike rental companies across Slovakia where you can rent one to suit your needs. E-bike rentals have also become increasingly popular in recent years.