Last update for this page: 07 June 2009.
National railway system: ŽSR was split into two companies on 1 January 2002: railway infrastructure manager Železnice Slovenskej republiky (ŽSR), and railway operator Železničná spoločnosť (ZSSK).
Language: Slovak (Slovenský)
Currency: Euro
UIC code: numeric 56, alpha SK
Timetable: Cestovný poriadok, published annually. This includes introductory material in English, French and German, and contains details of the ŽSR-owned funicular railways and cableways. Timetable supplements are issued twice a year, usually in March and June: normally these are obtainable only at major stations and on presentation of the coupon in the timetable book. A fold-out route map shows principal stations. An English language on-line timetable is available at http://www.zssk.sk/en; downloadable timetables for the whole ŽSR network are available at http://www.zssk.sk/en/timetables.
Gauge: The main line network is Standard. The tramway between Trenčianská Teplá and Trenčianske Teplice is 760mm gauge. The Tatranské Elektrické Železnice (Tatras Electric Railways) system is 1000mm gauge.
There are two 1520mm gauge freight-only routes into Ukraine:
Electrification: Main line electrification is 3 kV dc except for the south west of the country which is 25 kV 50 Hz; the changeover point is just south of Púchov. The Trenčianske Teplice tramway is 600 V dc. The Tatra system is 1500 V dc. The cross-border line from Kittsee ÖBB to Bratislava-Petržalka is electrified at the Austrian standard 15 kV 16.7 Hz.
Rule of the road: Right.
Other railways:
There are several freight operators: BRKS Bratislava, U. S. Steel Košice, Slovenská železničná dopravná spoločňosť, LTE Slovakia.
Tourist lines:
Metro: None.
Trams: Bratislava, Trenčianská Teplá (ŽS operated), Košice.
In May 2009 the Russian, Austrian, Slovak and Ukrainian railways agreed a joint venture to examine the case for extending from Košice to Vienna the 1520 mm gauge railway from the Ukraine, to connect central Europe to the Trans-Siberian.
Line 167 - Roznava to Roznava mesto (one early morning train each way) closed with effect from 14 June 2009
Line 135 - Komárno to Komárom (Hungary) - has closed and reopened several times in recent years: closed by June 2001; reopened by 2 February 2003; closed 11 December 2004; reopened 9 December 2007; closed 13 December 2008.
Owing to severe financial difficulties the following lines closed as from 2 February 2003 inclusive (timetable numbers shown):
The following lines closed as from 2 February 2003 but re-opened on 15 June 2003 with financial support from the local region:
The following lines were threatened with closure as from 2 February 2003 but survived owing to regional support (perhaps closing for only a few days):
The complete Tatra mountain system has also been threatened.
Line 175 (Rimavská Sobota - Poltár) was replaced by buses in 2001 because very poor track condition but these have now been withdrawn.
The short branch from Komárno to Komárno zastávka closed sometime in 2001.
The cross-border route from Parndorf via Kittsee to Bratislava-Petržalka opened in May 1999 and now carries the principal Wien - Bratislava services in preference to the Marchegg route.
Special notes:
A route diagram of Bratislava with historical notes is available.
The Slovak timetable retains the useful train routing markings in the centre of the train timings column: a straight line indicates that the train runs through the listed stations, whereas a wavy line shows that the train runs via a different route.
Seat reservations are compulsory on IC trains, and casual travellers (even those with Euro Domino tickets) may be asked to pay a seat reservation charge.
The electric railway between Štrba and Štrbské Pleso is rack worked. The steeply graded line between Pohronská Polhora and Tisovec-Bánovo is rack fitted but not worked as such.
Maps: Slovakian railways are shown Quail Map Company's "Czech Republic and Slovakia Railway Map". This also includes details of tram routes and some historical information.
Last complete update 7 June 2009.
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