Transport infrastructure in Slovakia
Railways
The railway network in Slovakia has a length of 3,665 km. Most highways are sections of international transport corridors and therefore fully comply with international standards.
The Slovak Railways guarantee that the lines comply with relevant international agreements with the railways.
The following international transport corridors pass through the territory of Slovakia:
- Corridor No. 4: Northwest Europe - Czech Republic - Kuty - Bratislava Sturovo - Hungary - Eastern Balkans
- Corridor No. 5A: Bratislava - Zilina - Cerna nad Tisou - Ukraine
- Corridor No. 6: Baltic Sea - Warsaw - Zvardon - Skalite - Chadka - Zilina - Corridor No. 5A
- Corridor No. 9: Warsaw - Krakow - Muzhina - Plavech - Kisak - Kosice - Chania - Hungary - Romania - Bulgaria - Alexandropolis (Greece)
Trains between the two largest cities in Slovakia - Bratislava and Kosice (445 km) - take 4 hours and 50 minutes on the Inter City train.
Car roads
Slovakia has a network of high-quality motorways with a length of 297 km. They communicate with the main European transport corridors:
- Corridor No. 4: Berlin - Prague - Bratislava - Budapest - Istanbul
- Corridor No. 5A: Bratislava - Zilina - Kosice - Ukraine
- Corridor No. 6: Gdansk - Katowice - Zilina
Further expansion of the motorway network up to 658 km is planned. In addition, first-class roads, which are also sections of transport corridors, can be used to transport goods and passengers.
Bratislava, located on the border with Austria, is the best point of entry into the European Union.
Water transport
The following European transport corridors pass through the territory of Slovakia:
- Corridor No. 4: Berlin / Norimberg - Prague - Budapest - Constanta (Thessaloniki) - Istanbul
- Corridor No. 5A: Bratislava - Zilina - Kosice - Uzhgorod
- Corridor No. 6: Gdansk - Warsaw - Katowice - Zilina
- Corridor No. 7: Danube (Danube course, Black Sea - Danube canal, Danube tributaries Kiliya and Sulina, Danube - Sava, Danube - Tisza channels, inland waterways connecting the Danube with the Black Sea)
The water corridor E81 - the Vakh waterway (AGN Agreement) is directly linked to the land corridors No. 5 and 6. The E81 - Komarno - Sered - Pukhov - Zilina - waterways of the Czech Republic and Poland connects the Vakh and Odra basins.
There are three ports for servicing cargo ships: Bratislava, Komarno, Sturovo.
The universal transshipment port of Bratislava is located on the Danube River and is a system of water surfaces, hydraulic structures, land transport terminals and technical infrastructure facilities.
The port of Komarno is a hub for water, rail and road transport. Its technical equipment and geographic location make it an optimal point for transshipment of bulk cargoes, especially agricultural ones.
The huge transport potential of Slovakia's waterways will be intensively used. The Vah Waterway project provides for the canalization of this river, the connection of Slovakia with international water corridors and the construction of several ports on this river.
Air Transport
6 international airports in Slovakia serve both passenger and cargo flights: M.R. Stefanik of Bratislava, Kosice Airport, Poprad-Tatry Airport, Sliač Airport, Pištani Airport and Zilina Airport.
Since the potential of Slovak airports has not yet been fully utilized, regular and non-scheduled flights from Slovakia to Europe and other parts of the world are also served by Schwechat Vienna Airport, which is located only 50 km from Bratislava. Between the capital of Slovakia and the specified airport there is a regular bus and railway service. In addition, the connection is carried out through the international airport of Budapest; it is separated from Bratislava by 250 km. It is possible to connect via Ruzyne Airport in Prague, which is connected by regular air flights to Bratislava.
Bratislava
The main airport in Slovakia is M.R. Stefanik, located 12 km from the center of Bratislava. It is distinguished by favorable weather conditions and a favorable location in the center of Europe. The airport serves scheduled and non-scheduled domestic and international flights. In 2004, 893,524 passengers used its services, and the cargo flow amounted to 6,972 tons.
The following carriers: Sky Europe airlines, Slovenske aerolinie, CSA, Austrian Airlines, Air Slovakia BWJ, Lufthansa, AMC Airlines, Easy Jet Airlines, Seagle air, Hemus Air, LOT, Tyrolean Airways, Aeroflot, Tunisair operate regular flights to: Venice, Kosice , Munich, London, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Kuwait, Larnaca, Leipzig, Moscow, Prague, Sofia, Split, Tel Aviv, Dilli, Tunisia, Milan, Zadar, Zurich, Vienna and Warsaw.
Kosice
Air communication with the eastern regions of Slovakia is provided by Kosice Airport, the second largest airport in the country. It is located 6 km south of the center of Kosice. In 2004, 231,400 passengers used its services, and the cargo flow amounted to 368.6 tons. In December 2004, a new passenger terminal was opened for 700,000 passengers a year.
Air flights connect the airport with almost all parts of the world. The lines are operated by the following carriers: Slovense aerolinie, SkyEurope Airlines, Austrian Airlines, CSA, Tyrolean airways. Airplanes fly daily to Vienna, Prague, Bratislava and Poprad-Tatry.
Poprad-Tatry
The Poprad-Tatry Airport is located near the High Tatras and offers another possibility of air communication with Eastern Slovakia. It can serve regular and non-scheduled passenger and cargo transportation, the needs of special aviation, the needs of Slovak and foreign flying clubs.
Pishtani
Pištany Airport is located near the spa town of Pištany in Western Slovakia. Serves regular and irregular passenger and freight traffic.
Sliach
Sliac Airport has a favorable geographical location in the center of Slovakia. It is connected by regular flights with Prague, and also serves non-scheduled flights, the needs of military, special and sports aviation. In 2004, 15,050 passengers used the airport's services.
Zhilina
Zilina Airport is located in northern Slovakia. Basically, it serves non-scheduled flights of Slovak and foreign air carriers, flights of corporate and private aircraft, the needs of sports, special and military aviation. Since June 2005 regular communication with Prague has been opened.
Air traffic in Slovakia. Schedule of local flights
Due to the small size of Slovakia, domestic air traffic is very poorly developed here. Currently, regular flights are carried out only on the Bratislava-Kosice route.
The search form located on our website will allow you to select and book a ticket online. Here you can also see the flight schedule and prices by choosing the cheapest option. Keep in mind that the earlier you book your ticket, the cheaper it can be.
Enter the respective cities in the fields " Point of departure" and " Destination»; specify the date of departure and other required information, and click " Find". You will see a complete list of flights between the cities you marked, with ticket prices. You can buy a ticket without leaving your computer. By clicking on the button " Buy”, you will be taken to the site, which contains all the necessary information about payment and delivery of the ticket.
Railways of Slovakia. Trains in Slovakia
In Slovakia, trains are the main mode of transport; to most destinations they leave every hour.
There are several types of trains in Slovakia:
Osobni(O) - slow regional trains stopping at all stops;
Rychlik(R) and Express(Ex) - fast trains;
InterCity(IC) and EuroCity(EC) - faster and more comfortable (but also more expensive) trains;
The journey from Bratislava to Kosice takes about 5 hours InterCity and 6-7 hours on fast trains.
Information about train timetables in Slovakia and ticket prices is available on the website of the Slovak Railways.
Public transport in Slovakia. Buses in Slovakia
Intercity buses in Slovakia are used primarily for short and medium distances, although there are also long-distance routes (for example, Bratislava-Košice). Buses are slightly more expensive than trains, but they run more frequently. You can buy bus tickets both at the box office of bus stations and directly from the drivers when boarding.
Public transport in the cities of Slovakia is represented by buses, trams and trolleybuses. One-time tickets can be purchased from orange vending machines located at bus stops; Tickets are punched upon boarding. In addition, there are travel cards of various validity periods, they are sold in underground passages, at kiosks and at ticket offices at railway stations. Travel tickets become valid immediately after purchase, so it is advisable to purchase them immediately before the trip.
Taxi in Slovakia
In Slovakia, taxis are ubiquitous. The fare is approximately 1-2 euros for landing and 0.5-1 euros for each kilometer run.
At some points, a taxi call is available online - for this you should use the search form below:
Fill in the required fields and click Find. A separate page will open a list of possible transfer options along the route you specified. Having chosen the right one, you can immediately place and pay for the order.
Rent a car in Slovakia
Roads in Slovakia are generally good, especially on the main routes. True, in the mountains they are sometimes excessively narrow and winding, and in some rural areas they are clogged with slow-moving agricultural machinery, which is difficult to overtake due to dense oncoming traffic. The maximum permitted speed on the roads of Slovakia in built-up areas is 50 km/h; on country roads - 90 km / h, on motorways - 130 km / h.
You can rent a car in Slovakia from car rental offices located in airport arrivals areas, some upscale hotels and other places. Representative offices of most international car rental companies operate in the country.
To rent a car in Slovakia, you need an international driver's license, passport and credit card. The driver must be over 18 years of age (sometimes drivers under 25 are charged extra). The search form below will allow you to select and pay for car rental in Slovakia online.
Enter the required information in the appropriate form fields and click " SEARCH FOR A CAR". You will see a complete list of cars offered for rent, with an indication of the rental price. Choose the car you like (by clicking on the " Choose”) – on the page that opens you will find all the necessary information about placing an order and online payment for renting this car.
Air Transport
Air transport within the country is far from the most popular type of transport, but the most expensive. International Airport M.R. Stefanik is located in the suburban part of Bratislava Ivanka (3 km from the center) In addition to it, there are airports in Kosice. Poprad and Slijace, as well as small airports in Piešťany and Prievidza serving local airlines. There are 9 airlines operating in Slovakia.
Railway transport
Slovakia is a small country. therefore, the population uses the railroad and buses much more often than the planes. and given the cheaper price of railway tickets, trains are the main mode of transport; to most destinations they leave every hour.
There are several types of trains in Slovakia:
Osobni (O) - slow regional trains stopping at all stops;
Rychlik (R) and Express (Ex) - fast trains;
InterCity (IC) and EuroCity (EC) are faster and more comfortable (but also more expensive) trains.
Information about train timetables in Slovakia and ticket prices is available on the website of the Slovak Railways. Tickets are purchased at the box office and kept until the end of the trip. A trip by train costs an average of $0.25-0.5, on long-distance trains - $3-12, depending on the distance. Discounts apply on weekends. There is also a European system of student and youth discounts.
Buses
Bus service is somewhat more expensive than rail, but more “flexible” and connects a larger number of settlements. Bus tickets are sold both at the box office of bus stations and from drivers. The average ticket price is about $1 per 50 km. way. As in rail transport, there is a European system of student and youth discounts, as well as a more extensive weekend discount system than on trains. The bus schedule may be subject to local changes, which must be posted on the bus station display (“premava” means “the bus runs”, and “nepremdra” - “does not run”). Advance sale of tickets is made for buses, which are marked with the letter “R” on the information board. There are also international bus routes.
City public transport
Public transport in the cities consists of an extensive tram network, buses and trolleybuses. The fare is paid for by coupons, which are bought from orange vending machines at bus stops and marked in a special device that marks the time of the first boarding in the bus. They are sold at DPHMB offices, underground passages, kiosks and ticket offices at railway stations.
In Slovak, urban public transport is called "mestska hromadna doprava", but more often they use the abbreviated name - "MHD". Stops are covered and open. But regardless of this, there is always a timetable for all routes passing through the stop. Covered stops also have additional information, incl. about upcoming changes in the schedule, etc.
What can be learned from the schedule at the bus stop:
- Carrier coordinates - in the very top line
- The name of this stop ("Halova"), the name of the final stop ("Autobusova stanica") and the route number ("88") - just below, in the largest font.
- The direction of movement, a list of all stops on the route and the position of this stop on the route - in the left column, where the arrow is down, the arrow starts from the current stop. Stops marked with a "z" are on-demand stops ("na znamenie"). About them - below.
- Travel time from this stop to EACH of the subsequent ones - in the same left column, to the left of the arrow. For example, from this stop to the stop "Bulikova" - 7 minutes.
- The time when the transport passes through this stop at each of the hours is on the right.
At the top - the schedule for weekdays, at the bottom - for weekends and holidays.
— Type of bus/trolley bus for each trip: normal or low draft - a scribble mark similar to the “&” sign next to the arrival time (in the right column).
- Sometimes there is also an additional block that describes the movement of the bus during school holidays (if there are a lot of schoolchildren on this route, then the transport schedule adjusts to the load).
Please note that all routes with the letter "N" in front of the number are night routes.
Jizdenka is a ticket for travel, in this case - for urban public transport. They are designed for a certain period of time. The most popular are 15- and 60-minute ones, but there are also 24-hour, 3-day, 7-day ones (very convenient for tourists). There are also combined ones, for example, for a family of 4 people. Ticket - one for all types of public urban transport. When boarding, the ticket must be validated.
The cheapest, basic (zakladny) ticket is 15 minutes, it is direct. More expensive tickets allow you to use any combination of MHD: after getting off the tram, you can network with the same bus ticket, etc. The main thing is that from the moment of the first entry (and the ticket mark) to the moment of the last exit, no more than the time for which the ticket was purchased should pass. By the way, 60-minute weekend tickets are valid for 90 minutes. Tickets can be purchased at both press kiosks and ticket vending machines. They are not available at all stops, and drivers do not sell tickets. So this has to be taken into account.
You can also buy an SMS ticket for 70 minutes for 1 euro - send an SMS to number 1100. You need to buy it a few minutes before the arrival of the transport, because the return SMS with the code arrives in 2-3 minutes, but according to the rules, the entrance to the transport must made with an already received e-ticket.
For tourists: if you have purchased the Bratislava City Card, then for the duration of its validity you will not only enjoy discounts in museums and restaurants, but also free travel to MHD Bratislava from half past five in the morning until 11 am.
You can buy a ticket - it will be both cheaper and more convenient. A travel ticket is a plastic card with a photo and data on the expiration date recorded on it, called elektricenka. To purchase it, you need to fill out an application, submit a photo about 3 by 4 cm in size, pay about 6 euros, and then pay the fare. Only the client number, the type of travel card (regular, student, etc.) and the date until which the fare was paid will be entered on the card - no information about you is visible on the card. If necessary, the card can be extended.
All city buses have a board that shows the final destination, the "main" stops through which the bus passes and the nearest stop. If the next stop is on demand, a corresponding warning will be shown.
If you are traveling with a baby in a stroller, it will be more convenient for you to use the bus with a low seating position. They usually have a wheelchair pictogram sticker on the windshield. This is very convenient: the bus drives up, stops and “goes down” so that the entrances become flush with the curb. After everyone enters and the doors close, the bus will rise to its normal height again and move on.
On newer buses, the doors at stops don't open by themselves, so don't forget to press the button.
A useful site where you will find all the necessary information on routes, tickets, etc. of all types of urban transport in major cities in Slovakia - http://imhd.zoznam.sk/ (in Slovenian and English).
Road traffic and markings in Slovakia comply with European standards. The quality of the road surface is quite good, but in mountainous areas and deep provinces, the roads are much worse, narrow and rather winding. Protracted repair work may be carried out in some areas. Agricultural machinery often creates long traffic jams when overtaking is difficult due to heavy oncoming traffic. Road signs, including those that warn of sharp turns, may not be sufficient.
Within the limits of the settlement, the maximum permitted speed is 50 km/h, outside the settlements - 90 km/h, on motorways - up to 130 km/h. It is necessary to turn on the dipped headlights at any time of the year and day, regardless of weather conditions. The use of seat belts is mandatory both in the city and on the highway. Drinking alcohol, even beer, is prohibited. It is forbidden to talk on a mobile phone while driving, as well as to install radar detectors in a car.
On February 1, 2009, new traffic rules came into force in Slovakia. They tighten the requirements for drivers and provide for large fines for violators. For exceeding the speed limit by 20 km/h, the driver will be forced to pay a fine of 20 euros, and exceeding the speed limit by 80 km/h - already 1,300 euros. Driving while intoxicated will cost 1000 euros. The fine can be paid on the spot either in cash or by credit card. At the same time, the policeman can withdraw a driver's license if the offender does not have the required amount.
Traveling by car in Slovakia is quite expensive due to the high cost of fuel (a liter of gasoline costs about 1.5 euros). Local drivers are quite reserved and are not seen to have a particular tendency to recklessness. Traffic rules are observed by them quite scrupulously both in cities and outside settlements.
The city center does not require the use of public transport. But if you need to get to more remote areas, convenient trams and buses will come to your rescue. The minimum fare is 48 USD = 0.70. EUR Detailed information is available on the website: dpb.sk/en/
Intercity buses in Slovakia
Bratislava – Vienna
]Bratislava – Budapest
Note: on some international destinations, without any prior warning, this company charges an additional fee of 34 RUB = 0.50 EUR for checked baggage. Luggage will not be allowed into the cabin.
Read also my review of useful sites for search
Car rental in Bratislava
Renting a car is relatively inexpensive. Examples of prices from international car rental companies when booking in advance 1 month in advance for a period of 10 days. For full insurance without deductible surcharge 8,1 USD = 10 EUR per day
- Vokswagen polo, manual 8,3 USD = 10 EUR
- Vokswagen golf, manual 12 USD = 12 EUR
The cost of car parking
- Parking usually costs 0,03 USD = 0.50 EUR for 30 minutes
- Parking 1,2 - 1,3 USD = 1.2 - 1.5 EUR per hour
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