Train is by far the best option to travel across Slovakia. The country's rail network is extensive, the trains are in general reliable and clean.
The Slovakian Railways are called ZSSK.
The InterRail Global Pass and InterRail Slovakia Pass are valid on all trains of the national railway company ZSSK.
Visit the website of the Slovakian railway company ZSSK
Rail network
Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is an intersection of all types of transportation: train, ship, road and air. The railroad tracks follow rivers and run through mountain valleys. The highest altitude train station, at 1320 meters above sea level, is the Strbske Pleso train station in the High Tatras.
The InterCity services are the best choice if you like to travel comfortable. IC trains link Bratislava, Žilina, The High Tatras and Košice. The travel time between the largest cities Bratislava and Košice is 5-6 hours, with connections almost every hour. On the ZSSK website you can find printable timetables.
How to get there
The easiest way to get to Slovakia by train from the west is via Vienna, the capital of Austria. Trains also travel to Slovakia from the Eurail countries Poland and Hungary.
Rail maps
Train types
- EuroCity (EC) and InterCity (IC): intercity trains, reservations are required only in the EC Vienna/Bratislava-Košice
- EuroNight (EN): international night trains, reservations are required
- Expres (Ex), Rýchlik (R) and Zrýchlený vlak (Zr): long distance interregional trains, reservations are not required
- Regional Expres (REX), Osobný vlak and Motorová jednotka: regional and local trains, reservations are not required.
- SC SuperCity: compulsory reservation for daily train to Prague
For details see the pages:
- reservation fees for domestic trains (InterCity, SC SuperCity)
- making reservations
