Slovakia (ZSSK)


Country info: Slovakia (Slovensko)

Rail companies: ZSSK (Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko)

                             RegioJet

                             Leo Express

Slovak Rail Network Map 

Currency: Euro


Train travel in Slovakia: train types, tickets, fares, discounts & other useful info

 

National Train Service:

Train types in Slovakia: Local, Accelerated, Regional, Express, Fast, InterCity, SuperCity, RegioJet, Leo Express & EuroCity/EuroNight trains

Seat Reservation on domestic journeys within Slovakia cost only 1,00 euro (possible on 'R', 'Ex', 'IC', 'EC' or 'EN' trains)

Sleeper Reservations on ZSSK domestic connections:

Couchette reservations on Slovak trains within Slovakia:

Sleeper reservation on Slovak trains within Slovakia:

Validity of Trains Tickets in Slovakia: tickets (one way & return) for routes <100 km are valid on the day shown on them and on the next day till 4 a.m. Tickets for routes >100 km are valid on the day shown on them and on the next day till 12 p.m. Return tickets for routes >100 km are valid until the 24th hour of 3rd day of their validity

 

Discounts, special offers & ways to save money for passengers traveling by train in Slovakia (ZSSK):

  1. Purchase of train ticket online via Slovak Railways website gives additional 5% discount compared to the price you'll pay when buying via ticket counter
  2. For the overnight cross-Slovakian trains (Zemplín from Humenne to Bratislava & Poľana from Presov to Bratislava) ZSSK offers special relational fares (offer 'Slovak Expres': ticket+seat reservation for 14,90 euro, ticket+6 berth couchette for 17 euro, ticket+4 berth couchette for 19 euro, ticket+3 bed sleeper reservation for 21 euro, ticket+double bed for 29 euro & ticket+single bed reservation for 39 euro.  
  3. Passengers planning trips with ZSSK InterCity trains can enjoy a better price when buying train tickets in advance (e.g. on relation Bratislava-Kosice 2nd class ticket bought 60 to 9 days in advance will cost only 19,90 euro, same ticket bought 8 to 1 day in advance already 21,90 euro, while on the day of the journey passenger will have to pay 23,90 euro)
  4. Passengers planning short trips (< 60 km) within Slovakia can take advantage of the special ZSSK offer for regional journeys - by traveling with a help of local & regional trains (Os, Zr, REX) passengers receive 15% discount from the standard fare on any domestic tickets <60 km
  5. For passengers planning to visit couple destinations it is advisable to buy one through ticket (instead of more expensive combination of two separate ones). The trick here is really simple and totally legit - Slovak Railways allow one stopover during the validity period of the ticket, so passenger can actually purchase one through ticket from destination A to destination C via B, but de-facto make two journeys (first A to B and then B to C) on different trains and even days. For instance, you travel from Kosice to Bratislava and make a day long stopover in Poprad or Zilina.
  6. On certain domestic routes ZSSK offers special fares (relačné zľavy): from Zvolen to Banská Bystrica (1,00 euro), from Banská Bystrica & Zvolen to Bratislava (9,20 euro), from Presov to Bratislava via Kosice & Zvolen (18,76 euro)
  7. Passengers traveling on the main Slovak line (Bratislava-Trnava-Trencin-Zilina-Poprad-Kosice) might consider taking RegioJet trains instead of ZSSK trains, simply because RegioJet offers a better deal (e.g. Bratislava to Kosice for as low as 9 euro)
skoda_double-decker_train

 

International Train Service:

a) Regular discounts

Passengers can as well take advantage of special Multilateral Agreement between a number of Central European railway companies. It allows to get 30% (or 40% for youth<26 years old and 50% for groups more than 6 passengers) discount from regular SCIC-NRT tariff fare on any return ticket purchased for connections between countries participants of the tariff Agreement (Czech Republic (CD), Hungary (MAV), Romania (CFR), Poland (PKP), Slovakia (ZSSK), Bulgaria (BZD), Serbia (ZS) and FYR Macedonia (MZ)

Though at the same time potential passengers need to be careful and also consider possible bilateral agreements between Slovak Railways (ZSSK) and rail companies in other countries (those might be cheaper at the end). In case of Slovakia it's cheaper to purchase tickets to Hungary, Poland and Czech Republic with a help of other discounts (Bilateral agreements for Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland and  Citystar to Serbia)

b) Special offers (SparSchiene)

c) Citystars

* N.B. ZSSK-SBB and ZSSK-DB CityStars must be purchased at least 3 days before the first day of travel

Cross-border fares to neighboring countries:

zssk_rychlik

 

How to Buy Train Tickets in Slovakia:

National (domestic) & discounted international tickets (SparDay/SparNight) can be purchased online via Slovak Railways website - www.slovakrail.sk
 

For a good choice of hotels with discount prices visit Hotel in Bratislava for more information

zssk_train_compartment

 

 

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