Railways in
Slovakia
The first railway in Slovakia opened in 1840 between Bratislava and
Trnava, a distance of about 50km. Trains were originally drawn by horses,
locomotive traction followed later.
The majority of main line railways in Slovakia were built to standard
(1435mm) gauge. One notable exception is a Russian gauge (1520mm) line
connecting the steelworks at Hutníky (near Košice) to the Ukrainian border.
There were many narrow gauge minor railways, especially in the mountainous
areas, several of which are still in operation as tourist railways.
- ŽSS national
passenger operator
- ZSSK Cargo
national freight operator
- Bratislava Rail
independent freight operator
- LTE independent
freight operator
- SŽDS independent
freight operator
- ŽSR track and
timetabling authority
- The High Tatras website
has background information on the electric railway, rack railway and funiculars
- ČHŽ narrow gauge
forest railway between Chvatimech and Čierny Balog, a distance of 12km
with a further 2km available for special trains. Steam hauled or diesel
railcars. Operates during the summer months and by private charter at
other times (Site in Slovak)
- HLÚŽ 760mm gauge forest railway from the Kysucke
Open Air Museum near Cadca to Kubatko, a distance of 8km including
steeply graded lines with switchbacks. Steam or diesel hauled (Site
in Slovak)
- Košice
Children’s Railway metre gauge railway about 4km in length, operated
by young people. Operates weekends during the summer months and on holidays
throughout the year. Steam or diesel hauled (Site in Slovak)
- Liptovský Hrádok Forest Railway narrow gauge railway
about 11km in length. Steam or diesel hauled (Site mainly in Slovak
with some details in English)
- Nitra Field Railway
760mm gauge railway at the Slovak Museum of Agriculture, Nitra. About 1.6km
of line within the museum grounds with a 1km extension linking with the
Agrocomplex exhibition ground. Steam or diesel hauled (Site in
Slovak)
- Trenčianske Teplice 5.9km, 760mm gauge electric
tramway linking the ŽSR station at Trenčianska Teplá with the spa town
of Trenčianske Teplice (No website located at present)
- Bratislava trams
- Košice trams
(Site in Slovak)
