Stopping off at Poprad-Tatry

[alex397]

I’m mainly posting this as I’m being indecisive (as usual!) while trying to plan my holiday.

Next month, I’m in Slovakia for a week. From Bratislava, I will travel to Košice by train. I am very tempted to stop off at Poprad-Tatry to use the Tatra Electric Railway and the rack railway. I’m not sure if I want to just stay on the train to get to Košice, or make myself stop off. I doubt I’d be in the area again anytime soon so I should probably make the effort to go!

So I’m just wondering if anyone has any advice or tips on this. Will connections generally work well, how reliable, and how busy it is.

My plan is as follows, on Wednesday 17th July.

Bratislava 09.27
Štrba 13.14
Štrba 13.26 rack railway
Štrbské Pleso. 13.39
Štrbské Pleso. 14.16 TER
Poprad Tatry. 15.25
Poprad Tatry 15.33
Košice. 16.53

I probably could spend longer exploring that area, but will be quite eager to get a train to Košice.

I’ve never travelled by ŽSSK trains before, so are the generally fairly reliable, especially for that connection at Poprad Tatry - have I given myself enough time?

The timetable for the TER appears to be mostly hourly when looking in advance. Will the timetable change before then at all? And would this service be exceptionally busy even on a Wednesday? I’ve heard it can be at peak times and I guess it will be school holidays in Slovakia. I’d have wheelie luggage too (hand luggage size), so would I have to pay extra for that?

Thanks for any advice to help with my indecision!

 

[30907]

Definitely do the Tatra line, though the views from the main line are good too.

The Ex-trains can be pretty busy, so I would book a seat out of Bratislava.
Trains on the main line are not known for punctuality, so allow an extra hour (which will be 100min by the time you reach Košice* - the Os trains are fine but stop everywhere).
The TEZ runs punctually, and I doubt would wait at Strba; it will be busy, but boarding at S.P. means you will get a seat, and they are used to people with all sorts of baggage.
No charge for bags.

This site will give you an idea of punctuality today ohttps://t.idos.idnes.cz/en/vlakyautobusymhdvse/spojeni/

*note that Kosice in CZ is a different place, so select carefully!

 

[MattSGB]

If you are travelling in Slovakia, I would recommend only using IC trains where possible. A couple of weeks ago, the Ex trains were awful every time. They are supposed to have restaurant cars but they seem to have vanished. Also they were invariably stuffed with standing passengers (especially Fridays). The IC trains have mandatory reservations. You can book on ZSSK.SK/en and it gives you a seating map to choose from. The train you have chosen is an Ex. I strongly suggest first class with a reservation and don't count on the restaurant car.

You don't need extra tickets for the luggage (at least I never have had them in 20 years and maybe 30 holidays).

I was going to suggest going up to Štrbské Pleso but you are planning that already. Your connection at Štrba is very risky. There are often delays, depending on engineering work. If you get stuck at Štrba, there is a basic little buffet (pub) on the station platform.

You could book your ticket from Poprad on your phone when you know you will make the connection. Worst case you can get a local (Os) train from Poprad to Kosice if you have to. The connection at Poprad itself is pretty safe, but it's likely you will get delayed by an hour at Štrba.

Alternatively, you could just go up and down to/from Štrba. You get most of the views from that journey and you can get a late lunch at Reštaurácia Zubačka. The mountain railway is mostly in forest and you don't see much more than you would going up to Štrbské Pleso.

One more thing... If you do bypass the mountain railways, book a seat on the left for the best views between Štrba And Poprad.

 

[30907]

Couple of additional thoughts - in July there will be extra travellers using the ZSSK Summer Ticket (2nd class only) which is valid on the Ex services. I would concur with going 1st - unfortunately ZSSK have cut those trains from 13 to 10 cars in the relatively short time I have known the system (no doubt thereby allowing the considerable increase of services in the Western half of the country).

While you don't get spectacular views into the Tatra between Strbske Pleso and Stary Smokevec, that section is still worth doing for the curves, and then the line down into Poprad is much more open, allowing views backward.
The ZSSK journey planner shows a half-hourly service S.P.-S.S.-Poprad from 1416 which might prove handy if your connection at Strba doesn't make.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Does anyone know if the Lomnický štít cable car setup (3 legs) from Tatranska Lomnica is (a) worth it, and (b) likely to be crowded around 0900 on a June Saturday (next year)?
On ŽSSK, I think the over-70 fare is available to everyone, am I right? (ie no card needed except passport for ID).
That's: Over 70/No discount/not eligible for 100% discount. €16.30 First Class, with reservation, on Ex Bratislava-Poprad.
Does that sound right?
Good value if so, for something like London-Lancaster.

 

[MattSGB]

Does anyone know if the Lomnický štít cable car setup (3 legs) from Tatranska Lomnica is (a) worth it, and (b) likely to be crowded around 0900 on a June Saturday (next year)?
On ŽSSK, I think the over-70 fare is available to everyone, am I right? (ie no card needed except passport for ID).
That's: Over 70/No discount/not eligible for 100% discount. €16.30 First Class, with reservation, on Ex Bratislava-Poprad.
Does that sound right?
Good value if so, for something like London-Lancaster.

I think you are correct the over 70 fare is for anyone (but not the free over 70 fare, which is only for Slovaks). Over 70s get a nominal fare for 2nd class or 25% off first class.

I have been up to Lomnický štít twice, but most recently around ten years ago. It used to be very cheap but the prices went mad in recent years. Currently even a senior ticket for the cable car is €66. It is a very good experience if you get good weather, but you won't know that until a day or two before. They even offer accomodation up there but it is €€€€ expensive.

A more interesting experience for me was in the other mountain range (the low tatras). It is aimed at couples, but if you aren't travelling as a couple it's a good day trip too. If you can stretch to €300 - €400 you can spend a night in one of the 3 luxury rooms in the top cable car station on Chopok mountain. When the cable car closes, you get an inclusive four course fine dining experience in the restaurant. Cable car tickets included. You would get to the first base cable car station via bus or taxi from Liptovský Mikuláš. https://www.tmrhotels.com/a-night-on-mt-chopok/en/

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I think you are correct the over 70 fare is for anyone (but not the free over 70 fare, which is only for Slovaks). Over 70s get a nominal fare for 2nd class or 25% off first class.

I have been up to Lomnický štít twice, but most recently around ten years ago. It used to be very cheap but the prices went mad in recent years. Currently even a senior ticket for the cable car is €66. It is a very good experience if you get good weather, but you won't know that until a day or two before.

A more interesting experience for me was in the other mountain range (the low tatras). If you can stretch to €300 - €400 you can spend a night in one of the 3 luxury rooms in the top cable car station on Chopok mountain. When the cable car closes, you get an inclusive four course fine dining experience in the restaurant. Cable car tickets included. You would get to the first base cable car station via bus or taxi from Liptovský Mikuláš. https://www.tmrhotels.com/a-night-on-mt-chopok/en/

That's very useful, thanks. I'll have a look at the low tatras.
I do want to visit Skalnate Pleso observatory on Lomnicky, whatever the weather is doing on top.
Although I have ticked off Slovakia trip-wise, I was on a Budapest-Warsaw train and never actually "set foot" in the country...
This trip is to remedy the omission.

 

[MattSGB]

I'm sure you will have a great time. Just to reiterate for when the time comes to book - always prefer an IC train if a suitable service exists. They have compulsory reservation, always have a restaurant car and are faster. The Ex services suddenly became an awful experience this year for some reason.

 

[30907]

That's very useful, thanks. I'll have a look at the low tatras.
I do want to visit Skalnate Pleso observatory on Lomnicky, whatever the weather is doing on top.

No trouble with getting that far as there's plenty of capacity, it's just the single-car top section that is the problem (if the cloud isn't down!).

 

[alex397]

Many thanks for the invaluable info here folks, I can always rely on this place!

Seems the connections are a bit poor for this, but I will try and fit it in somehow.

With Ex trains, these seem to be the majority of the trains between Bratislava and Košice, especially if I wanted to plan around a visit to the Tatras.

I will post here what I finally plan to do!

 

[rvdborgt]

We used an Ex train last week 2 hours earlier (with reservations in 1st class) and it was very punctual (enough buffer in its timetable). 8-minute change in Štrba was fine; in Štrbské Pleso we had a 7-minute change which is more than enough time.

 

[30907]

With Ex trains, these seem to be the majority of the trains between Bratislava and Košice, especially if I wanted to plan around a visit to the Tatras.

Yes, there's a big gap in the IC service just when you might want it - and it doesn't stop at Strba.
You could always try the 7.55 semi-fast to Zilina which connects into the Pendolino from Prague, but I very much doubt that would be punctual!

I suppose it depends on what your moves either side are how critical your timings are; my instinct would be to start earlier rather than finish later, because that's how life is in Central Europe.

 

[MattSGB]

When I was travelling around a couple of weeks ago, the Ex trains were really struggling. As I said, they had all lost their restaurant cars, most seemed to have been lengthened by at least one carriage but were still packed. When we later resorted to buying 1st class to get around the chaos, one of the two first class carriages wasn't attached to the train, so first class was full and standing too.
They also seem to be operating an extended express reservation system, where every seat can be reserved at zero notice, so if you don't have a reservation you have no idea if your seat is free, and you are likely to get moved. České dráhy do this too but it works for them because they only allocate a small number of seats for this. If you do have a reservation and the train is late, you will be forced to get on carriage quickly and then may not be able to get through the corridors stuffed with standing passengers.
I would like to hope I was unlucky, but a Slovakian friend who travels regularly on the line said that she only uses ICs now (even though they are more expensive).
In terms of punctuality, it really depends on engineering work at the time - there always seems to be at least one section operating a single track. They have been doing a lot of route-straightening in recent years.
I've travelled on this route for close to two decades and it was never like this before. It seems like suddenly increased demand, because most trains are lengthy. Let's hope it returns to normality next year.

 

[alex397]

Many thanks for your invaluable info, but I have booked the IC train direct from Bratislava (11.34) to Košice. The rather poor connections, and the fact I’ll have my luggage with me, has put me off stopping off at the Tatras. My increasingly difficult disability is also a factor in this. However it’s certainly invaluable info for future trips. I may even pop up to the Tatras on a day trip from Košice seeing as it’s only about 1hr30 from there.

 

[MattSGB]

Hope you have a good time. A day trip from Košice should be a good compromise. One thing to note for next time is that most main train stations on that line offer left-luggage facilities, usually directly from the ticket office. Both Štrba and Poprad offer this. I hope you enjoy beer, as there are loads of good places for a beer in Košice. At the train station there is a brewery restaurant on the top floor (they also supply the beers in for restaurant carriages on the trains).

 

[87015]

The Kosice Ex trains have certainly not all “lost their restaurant cars”. They are generally one short and tends to be the Kosice out and back 350 diagram sadly - that obviously being far preferable to Vegtrons

 

[alex397]

Just thought I’d give an update on what I actually did.

I didn’t stop off at the Tatras this time, and that was probably a good decision.

I caught the 11.34 IC service from Bratislava to Košice. It ran to time, and the conductor was really friendly and spoke English. I was in first class in seat 11, right at the back of the train, in a lovely air-conditioned coach. While seeing the Tatras was great, I think the best scenery was before that, amongst the hills and rivers. Certainly one of the best train journeys I’ve taken.
There was a restaurant car, but also a trolley through the first class (and presumably it went through second class too) where there were snacks and drinks. I drank a lovely Slovakian wine while travelling through the scenery, certainly a great way to travel!

 

[shredder1]

I’m mainly posting this as I’m being indecisive (as usual!) while trying to plan my holiday.

Next month, I’m in Slovakia for a week. From Bratislava, I will travel to Košice by train. I am very tempted to stop off at Poprad-Tatry to use the Tatra Electric Railway and the rack railway. I’m not sure if I want to just stay on the train to get to Košice, or make myself stop off. I doubt I’d be in the area again anytime soon so I should probably make the effort to go!

So I’m just wondering if anyone has any advice or tips on this. Will connections generally work well, how reliable, and how busy it is.

My plan is as follows, on Wednesday 17th July.

Bratislava 09.27
Štrba 13.14
Štrba 13.26 rack railway
Štrbské Pleso. 13.39
Štrbské Pleso. 14.16 TER
Poprad Tatry. 15.25
Poprad Tatry 15.33
Košice. 16.53

I probably could spend longer exploring that area, but will be quite eager to get a train to Košice.

I’ve never travelled by ŽSSK trains before, so are the generally fairly reliable, especially for that connection at Poprad Tatry - have I given myself enough time?

The timetable for the TER appears to be mostly hourly when looking in advance. Will the timetable change before then at all? And would this service be exceptionally busy even on a Wednesday? I’ve heard it can be at peak times and I guess it will be school holidays in Slovakia. I’d have wheelie luggage too (hand luggage size), so would I have to pay extra for that?

Thanks for any advice to help with my indecision!

You should have no issues doing that itinerary, Ive just about been on every line in Slovakia now, the trains are generally on time and Ive usually always managed to find a seat. If you get change have a run out to Ukraine border at Cierna nad Tisou from Kosice, lots of yards and a mixed gauge depot, the 125 broad gauge route follows the line in part, enjoy In over again in September.

 

[CS2447]

Ive done a detailed report in regard to Slovak rail on a previous trip . Get of at Strba to do the Poprad loop . Also Margecany to Banska Bystrica well worth doing , up to Horna Stubna And over to Prievidza , you are advised to do seat reservations on there rail app if your on a Railpass , its easy to do and costs about 1€