Slovakia is a rather less traveled country. Many visitors come from Vienna to see Bratislava. However, the countryside of Slovakia is diverse and has many activities to offer. Although it is not that easy to travel in Slovakia. English isn’t widely spoken, the tourist infrastructure is poor. Needless to say it is a hidden gem of Europe and if you want to avoid tourist crowds it is the place to go. In this blog post I give you insights on how to travel by train in Slovakia and what to take care of.
The railway network in Slovakia
The railway network in Slovakia is pretty extensive. You can reach many cities and towns by train. There are various train operators in Slovakia, the ŽSR (Železnice Slovenskej republiky) is the state-owned company. The RegioJet and LEO Express are private owned railway operators. LEO Express are train connections coming from Prague and stop at various towns in Slovakia. RegioJet only has a few train connections within Slovakia and to the neighboring countries (Czech Republic and Hungary).
You can compare journeys between these three operators. But it is most likely that you find most trips at the state owned company ŽSR. To find out which train to take and where the nearest station is, you can use Google Maps in combination with the ZSR app or website. The latter will give you the timetable of the train journey, you can buy tickets and make reservations.

By train through Slovakia – how to buy your train ticket
In Slovakia you can not find ticket machines at train stations for buying your train ticket. There are counters with actual people where you can buy the train ticket. But if you need help and you don’t speak Slovak try to ask other people around you. These counter employees do not seem friendly or helpful, at least that was my experience in Zilina and Bratislava.
You can still buy your ticket there if you know your destination. If you have a question about which platform the train leaves at or if you want to reserve a seat it’s better to find an English speaking person or use technology.
For everyone who wants to get train tickets fast and convenient you can use the Ideme vlakom app. Ideme vlakom means we are going by train and the app is provided by ZSK. You can download the app before your trip and book your tickets or reserve a seat. It’s pretty straightforward and simple to use. It could be that it all shows in Slovak but they do have English on the app.
The train fares are pretty cheap, a train ticket for a 200 km journey costs around 10 Euros.
Zero-fare transportation: students in Slovakia can get a discount up to 70 % for train journeys. This applies not only to Slovak students but also to European students or students that study in Slovakia.




Reserve your seat on trains in Slovakia
First you should know that the trains in Slovakia are often packed. Therefore it is important to book a seat, which is depending on the journey either free or very cheap 1-2 Euros. Usually the signs on the train that show that someone has booked the seat aren’t accurate. So it happens that people constantly get “kicked out” from their seats from other people that booked those seats.
If you haven’t booked a seat and you sit down anyways you most probably need to free the seat for someone who has booked it. And because the trains are packed you will end up standing the rest of the trip.
So make sure you have your train ticket including a seat.
The whole passenger railway system seems to be overstrained. At least that is the impression I had, while traveling in Slovakia. Which brings me the next topic that summed up to my impression:
Train delays
The few times I traveled by train in Slovakia every train had a 10-30 min delay or more. Train delays seemed normal. Which is a pity, it unnecessarily prolongs your train journey.
What I have experienced I can say train travel in Slovakia is chaotic. Coming from Austria where delays and cancellations are also part of the journey, it is still organized.
At Zilina train station for instance, passengers were standing in front of the board where the platform would be announced. The announcement appeared only a few minutes before the train arrived.
Train station infrastructure

The infrastructure at the train stations seems fair. You can find small convenient stores or bistros. At the platforms in Bratislava there are even drinking fountains on the platforms. You can also enjoy the free wifi at the train station. Which you probably need for translation.
But other than that the Bratislava train station didn’t seem to be a capital city main train station. There are a few self-storage luggage lockers, which partly don’t work. Then you can find a luggage store where an unfriendly employer works. With explanation signs in Slovak, no other language and high prices.
If you ask me I would say Slovaks hate tourists or visitors. This belief was also confirmed when I read some reviews on how tourists get ripped off in the public transport in Bratislava.
Being the capital’s main train station Bratisilava has a lot of work to do, especially when it comes to the unfriendliness of employees.

From Vienna to Bratislava by train
Traveling from Vienna to Bratislava takes around one hour and is around 20 Euros. The train leaves directly from the Vienna main train station and goes to Bratislava-Petrzalka. Unfortunately it doesn’t go to Bratislava Hlavna, where the trains towards Slovakia leave from. This means you need to hop on a city bus that takes you to the Bratislava Hlavna station. The bus leaves from the opposite side of the train station (not where the DM store or some small shopping mall is). At the bus stop is a ticket machine for your bus ticket. The bus number 93 to Hlavná station takes you directly to the main train station, the journey takes around 20 minutes. You can also check the connections on google maps or on the app for public transportation in Bratislava.
Hopefully, this guide has helped you navigate your journey through Slovakia, especially when it comes to train travel, ticket purchases, and making reservations. Train travel becomes even smoother as you continue your journey in Austria. A comprehensive guide to public transportation can assist you in navigating the system effortlessly.


The author of the blog
Lisi is an adventurous, mostly solo traveler from Austria. She likes to travel slowly, discover underrated countries/regions, and of course, learn about cultures. She has been traveling the world and creating travel content since 2016. With a degree in tourism management and a passion for travel and cultures, she wants to tell stories that inspire her readers and help them travel more consciously.