SLOVAKIA | Travel | Transport
Slovakia is situated in Central Europe and has common borders with Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, and Hungary. The capital of Slovakia is Bratislava. Vienna and Bratislava are the closest capital cities in the world with a distance of only 60 km. Budapest is 200 km from Bratislava, Prague 300 km and Brno 200 km.
Regional and Local Transport
You can travel to Slovakia by plane, train, bus or car. The public transport system in cities and towns is reliable. There is a network of trams, buses, and trolleybuses (trolleybuses are connected to an electric wire running over their route), which form the municipal public transport. There is no underground in Bratislava or any other city in Slovakia. There are taxis in all the larger cities and towns.
Air travel: Air travel is provided by Czech Airlines, Sky Europe Airlines (low-cost airlines) and Slovak Airlines. There are airports in Bratislava, Košice and Poprad. The Vienna airport, Swechat (50 km from Bratislava), is used by many visitors to Slovakia. You can take an international bus line (Eurolines) or a taxi (more expensive) from Bratislava to get there.
Train: Trains in Slovak Republic are the safest means of transport and are generally recommended. The website Slovak railwayprovides information about everything concerning trains.
Bus: The website Cestovné poriadky provides combined train and bus schedules. While the trains are more comfortable, the buses are sometimes more direct. When travelling by bus domestically, tickets can be bought while boarding after telling the driver the destination or in advance at the ticket office. For international bus travel, the ticket can be bought only at the ticket office.
The public transportation system is called MHD (city public transport). Operating hours are from 5 a.m to 23.20 p.m. After 23.00 there are a few night bus lines. A schedule is found at every stop. Tickets are not sold on means of public transport. Means of public transport are called trams, trolleybuses and buses. Tickets can be bought at newsstands or, from special ticket machines on some stops for trams, trolleybuses and buses. The purchasing system of a one-use ticket varies by town. There are two ways to pay for transport: either by one-time travel tickets or 1, 3, 6 or 12 month passes (highly recommended unless you have a car). Students travel at a reduced fare (the conditions may vary by town).
Taxi: Taxis can be found in all bigger towns. Sometimes taxis ordered by phone have cheaper fares.
Car: The current traffic regulations are the same as in other European countries. The use of mobile phones is forbidden while driving. All accidents must be reported to the police. No degree of alcohol in your blood while driving is tolerated. Seat belts are compulsory. All foreign national driving licenses are recognised.
Speed limits
- highway - 130 km/h
- open roads - 90 km/h
- built -up areas - 60 km/h
Road assistance service can be reached at 124 or 0124 and operates 24 hours a day.
Student Discounts
All young people aged 15-26 years (including foreigners) who travel by trains are eligible for a Junior discount. You can buy the Junior card at any railway station, but you have to submit your ID card or passport. To get discounts when travelling you can buy ISIC or EURO>26 cards. For further information see: ISIC information.