Slovakia

Public Transport 

Transport in Slovakia is possible by rail, road, air or river. Slovakia is a developed country in Central Europe with a well-developed network of railways and motorways. The main international airport is M. R. Stefanik Airport in the capital Bratislava. The most important waterway is the Danube River, which is used by passenger, cargo and freight ships. The two most important ports in Slovakia are the Port of Komárno and the Port of Bratislava.

Train

Slovakia has a number of rail connections that provide access to all of Slovakia within the country and from the rest of Europe. The rail network is very dense in the western and eastern parts of Slovakia, but less accessible in central Slovakia.

The only high-speed rail line in Slovakia is the Rychlik between Bratislava and Kosice - Via Zillina.
Most of the country's railways operate on the Tas REX - regional express.

  • your car is transported with you on the same train
  • avoid traffic jams
  • rest in our berth compartments
  • you may board the sleeping car after loading your car on the platform

  • Night Trains

  • High Tatras trains and cogs

    • 40 kilometres of routes
    • 22 stops and stations
    • trams and cogs
    • your ticket has to be stamped
    • for zero-fare transport, it is sufficient to have a customer card

SEASONAL RAIL PASSES IN HIGH TATRAS

                        regular fare          discounted fare

one-day ticket            4 €                    2 €

three-day ticket          8 €                    4 €

seven-day ticket       14 €                    7 €

monthly ticket           16 €                    - 

  • The company now bring you comfortably, safely and ecologically to your loved ones, business or to another city with the fastest train connection
  • Four pairs of IC train are available daily
  • IC 44 (Košice 07:02 – Bratislava st. 11:56 – Wien Hbf. 13:24)
  • IC 45 (Wien Hbf. 14:42 – Bratislava hl. st. 16:22 – Košice 21:13
  • IC 520 (Košice 6:07 – Bratislava hl. st. 10:45)
  • IC 521 (Bratislava hl. st. 06:22 – Košice 11:04)
  • IC 522 (Košice 12:03 – Bratislava hl. st. 16:41)
  • IC 523 (Bratislava hl. st. 12:22 – Košice 17:13)
  • IC 524 (Košice 18:03 – Bratislava hl. st. 22:41)
  • IC 525 (Bratislava hl. st. 17:22 – Košice 22:13)
  • available at ZSSK ticket-desks and online
  • Unlimited travel on the tracks Štrba – Štrbské Pleso, Poprad Tatry – Štrbské Pleso a Starý Smokovec – Tatranská Lomnica within the time of the ticket validity,
  • The tickets are also valid on the track Poprad Tatry – Studený Potok – Tatranská Lomnica.

Discounted fare can be used by

  • card holders of JUNIOR card, KLASIK card a SENIOR card,

  • holders of ŤZP, ŤZP-S cards,

  • parents travelling to visit their children with chronic illnesses

  • owners transporting the dogs,

  • children of the age 6-16

  • students with student cards,

  • seniors above 70 years of age.

Railway Companies that also work in Slovakia: 

Zero fare public rail transport services in Slovakia

  • Children aged under 15, students under 26, pensioners receiving social security income under 62, as well as seniors over 62 years of age with EU/EEA citizenship or residence are entitled to zero-fare transport services.
  • Eligible passengers are required to register at the Slovak Railways cash 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 can also get a zero-fare ticket once they have submitted the confirmation of enrolment for the current academic year at an HEI in Slovakia together with an official translation to the 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 IC and private trains, e.g. Regiojet).
  • Eligible passengers are required to secure a one time zero fare ticket for each journey. For Eurocity train transit there is a surcharge of 1 € and when travelling abroad the zero-fare transport is available only to the last train station on the territory of the Slovak Republic before crossing a border.

To find out more, visit the web page of the Slovak Railways.

Apps for planning trips on public transport in Slovakia and buying tickets

imhd.sk

Timetables and always up-to-date information about public transport in Slovakia - as well as recommended applications of the popular portal imhd.sk. You will know everything about public transport: schedules, ticket prices, changes in transfers and current closures. Information about transport in any city in Slovakia, about current traffic in real time.

Slovak Lines - Bus Tickets

Travelling between Bratislava, Vienna and Schwechat Airport? No need to print out your ticket, just show it on your mobile device. Before your journey, visit the International Lounge directly at the Nivy station. Free coffee and water, fast Wi-Fi are available for Slovak Lines passengers.

Cestovné poriadky CP

The official app for finding train, bus and public transport timetables for FREE.
CP works online, so it always uses up-to-date timetables, including information on delays and closures.

GoSlovakia

The app will help you discover, visit and experience:
• Popular places and hidden gems throughout Slovakia
• Regional events and experiences
• SMART map offers a clear view of attractions on an active map
• Bike paths and rides

Bratislava 

Bratislava has a well-organized public transportation system consisting of buses, trams, and trolleybuses.

Public transportation in Bratislava operates on bus, tram, and trolleybus lines, which run from approximately 4:20 a.m. to 11 p.m. After that time, you can find bus lines with the prefix "N", which means "night bus".

A ticket of the same format can be used once on any type of public transport in Bratislava.

Tickets differ in their validity:

15 minutes of travel costs 0.70 EUR - no transfers allowed; once you board one bus/tram/trolleybus, you cannot transfer to another with the same ticket.

30 minutes - for 0.90 EUR - transfers allowed, on weekends the ticket is valid for 90 minutes.

60 minutes - 1.20 EUR - transfers allowed, on weekends the ticket is valid for 90 minutes.

24-hour ticket costs 3.50 EUR,
72-hour - 8.00 EUR

168-hours (11.40€) transfers allowed; a good choice for tourists who plan to use public transport more often. It allows you to travel as much as you need on all types of transport.

Ticket Checking
You can use any open door throughout the vehicle to enter/exit. The ticket must be marked at the nearest ticket marker immediately after boarding. Marking devices are located at each door of public transport and work throughout the entire trip. However, if a ticket inspector enters the vehicle, all marking devices are blocked and tricksters cannot mark their ticket. If you do not mark your ticket, you will be fined.

Buying tickets

You must buy a ticket in advance and validate it on the transport. Don't forget to buy the appropriate ticket before using the services and validate it on the tram or trolleybus, bus.

You cannot buy a travel ticket from the bus driver. For this purpose, there are yellow coin acceptors, which are located at most stops, in newspaper kiosks and tourist information offices.

Student and children's tickets have a 50% discount. (Some stops do not have these machines, so it may be a good idea to have a spare ticket in your wallet.

You can also buy an SMS ticket, but it only works for customers of Slovak mobile operators (T-Mobile, Orange, O2 Telefonica, Tesco Mobile, FunFon). These tickets are valid for 70 minutes. The cost of your prepaid credit is 1 euro and can be transferred between lines.

 

If you are visiting Bratislava for a couple of days and know that you will need public transport several times, you can buy a multi-day tourist ticket for an unlimited number of routes, including night buses.

 

You can also buy "combined" tickets, which can be used to travel to smaller towns and villages near Bratislava. You will have to pay for each zone you cross. The city center counts as two.

Zero fare public rail transport services in Slovakia
Children aged under 15, students under 26, pensioners receiving social security income under 62, as well as seniors over 62 years of age with EU/EEA citizenship or residence are entitled to zero-fare transport services.

One-way ticket purchased using a payment card A ticket is purchased on public transport by placing a regular payment card (Mastercard, Maestro, VISA) on the ticket marker marked with a contactless payment symbol.

The Bratislava Tourist Board  - BTB -  is offering tourists and visitors to Bratislava a discount card called the Bratislava Card, valid for 24, 48 or 72 hours, which allows them to get discounts from 10 % up to 100 %, for example in museums, galleries, restaurants, sports venues, shops, transport and sightseeing tours of the city and its surroundings. When buying the card, the customer has the option to decide whether they want to use the card on public transport - BC with transport or BC without transport - cheaper version.

The holder of the Bratislava Card with transport is entitled to unlimited free use of public transport and regional transport - suburban buses and trains - within all tariff zones and with all three operators involved in the Integrated Transport System in the Bratislava Region: Dopravný podnik Bratislava, Arriva Mobility Solutions, Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko, during the day and night for a period of 24, 48 or 72 hours from the date and time of its activation-issuance. The card also includes free transport of one luggage and one child up to the age of 18 accompanied by a parent - the cardholder.

Card validity Price:     24 hours 26 €
                                   48 hours 32 €
                                   72 hours 36 €

In the case of ticket inspection in the vehicle, in addition to the Bratislava Card, it is also necessary to present an identity document. In Bratislava public transport vehicles it is not necessary to show the card to the driver, only to the ticket inspector in the case of an inspection.

The card can be purchased at the BTB Tourist Information Centre, at the Customer Service Centres of the Railway Company Main Railway station, underpass at Hodžovo square, underpass at Trnavské mýto, and at BTB's contractual partners - hotels. It can also be purchased online through the BTB website. The card can only be issued to persons aged 16 and over.

Trams are only available in Bratislava and Kosice.

KOŠICE

The ticket cannot be purchased from the driver!

Public Transport in Kosice T1: Tickets and Passes 

30 min./ basic -              1,00 €

60 min / basic -              1,20 €

60 min / basic night line 1,50 €

24 hours / basic             3,80 €

7 days/ basic                 12 €

all basic tickets include: 1 animal and 2 pieces of luggage

extra luggage 1,00 €

bicycle.           1,00 €

Preferential tariff for local residents:

30 min reduced-fare    0,50 €

60 min reduced-fare    0,60 €

24 hours reduced-fare 1,90 €

7 days reduced-fare    6,00 €

Travel Ticket by SMS  – send empty text to 1166 / wait for confirmation by return SMS before getting on the bus or tramT1

60 min. basic / day and night line1,50 €

Classic tickets you can buy at ticket machines - usually at stops, newsstands and customer service centres. It is possible to search for train, bus and tram connections on this page.

Sales Points

  • Railway Station: ticket machines available in front of the building, newsstand inside the building Airport:   ticket machines available
  • Osloboditeľov Square (junction lines)
  • Ticket machines in front of the Dargov department store and at the Double TreeHilton Hotel
  • Convenience stores at Aupark Shopping Centre
  • DPMK office, Rooseveltova Street number 3
  • More information about Preferential tariff: https://www.dpmk.sk/dpmk

Waterways

The Danube waterway is 172 km and is used by passenger, cargo, and freight ships of nearly all sizes.