Approximately every two hours, trains depart Bratislava’s main railway station (Bratislava hlavná stanica) bound for Slovakia’s second-largest city, Košice. Direct trains on the route via Žilina are categorised into two train types, “InterCity” (“IC”) trains and “Fast” (“R” or Rýchlik) trains.
There is little to differentiate the two types with both being served by similar loco-hauled sets, offering First Class and Second Class accommodation and a fully fledged restaurant carriage serving freshly prepared meals en-route. The main difference between “IC” and “Fast” trains, the latter also named Tatran after the mountain range in the north of Slovakia, are the journey times and the stations served en route with the “Fast” trains ironically taking longer and having more stops en route. The “IC” trains take around four hours, fifty minutes while the more frequent “Fast” trains take typically five hours and twenty-five minutes.
In September 2023, I took a trip on three “Fast” Tatran trains on the course of my visit. One from Bratislava to Košice and a day return trip from Košice back to Poprad-Tatry en-route to the High Tatras, specifically Lomnický štít – Slovakia’s version of Switzerland’s Jungfrau which I covered in a previous travel report here if you’re interested. Travelling on three of these trains allowed me to sample three different restaurant carriages – one of them was particularly interesting and unique across Europe, if not in the world!
Before I go into more detail, here is the all important route map of the full route from Bratislava to Košice which stops in Poprad-Tatry.
Departure from Bratislava hlavná stanica
Bratislava’s main station is situated 1.3 km from the splendid old town that boasts a hilltop fortress (complete with gardens) and the beautiful Blue Church with its glazed tiles. The city is a perfect place to spend a few days. The main station is a hive of activity with international “EuroCity” services to Czechia, Hungary, Germany and Poland and “Regional Express” services to nearby Vienna as well as long distance and regional services to destinations across Slovakia. I have been fortunate to experience two EuroCity trains that serve Bratislava hl. st., including the EuroCity Hungaria from Budapest to Hamburg (a personal favourite) and the EuroCity Báthory from Terespol (and Warsaw) to Budapest.
Facilities in the station built in 1848 include a ticket office, left luggage facilities and the odd café to grab a bite to eat. Do check out the ‘socialist realism’ mural on the wall by the entrance painted in 1960. I love the retro vibes of this station and that most of the trains are still ‘loco-hauled’ as many parts of Western Europe have moved away from this older way of doing things.
Onboard the Tatran Fast train
There are two types of accommodation on the “IC” and “Fast” services connecting Bratislava and Košice – First Class and Second Class as well as catering provided in the form of the aforementioned Dining Car and trolley service – the former is a real treat for any long distance rail journey.
First Class Accommodation
First Class accommodation typically comes in the form of two different carriages types – one is seating in an open saloon with 2+1 seating while the other is seating in compartments of six seats. It’s a lottery which one you get, though you can check the insightful Vagonweb that posts scheduled train compositions, with pictures, for the train number. The open saloon, which I had travelled in, had recently been refurbished with journey information screens, smart leather seats with dark wood tables – a very comfortable way to travel for the long trip. The seats in both carriage types recline and have generous legroom and all carriages are air-conditioned.
In common with trains in Czechia, once the Slovakian conductor had come around to check our tickets, a complimentary bottle of still water was handed out to First Class passengers. I struck lucky on this trip as I ended up with not one but two bottles – either the conductor thought the previous person had left an empty bottle or I looked thirsty, which was accurate having walked in the hot Slovakian sunshine from Bratislava’s old town.
Second Class Accommodation
Second Class accommodation is not dissimilar to First Class accommodation with also the choice between compartment and open saloon carriages, again depending on the specific departure. The compartment carriages have six seats in each compartment, however, the compartments are less spacious than those in First Class. The open saloon carriages have seating in a 2+2 configuration. All Second Class carriages have air conditioning. First Class on these trains offer more elbow and leg room and tends to be a quieter environment to enable a more enjoyable trip.
Slovakian Dining Cars
Dining Cars are commonplace on both the “IC” and “Fast” trains serving freshly cooked meals throughout the trip at reasonable prices, with the catering provided by the external company Wagon Slovakia. ZSSK do operate different types of Dining Car on these trains and I was lucky enough to sample three of them that feature on the route on this trip.
Food is very important to me, so I’m going to talk a little technical to show the different menus in operation depending on the type of Dining Car. It’s important, so you know what to expect.
The first one is a “WRmz” type and was recently modernised and re-launched in 2021 featuring leather seats and a more modern ambiance. The air conditioning was slow to get going on this one since leaving Bratislava, so staying for breakfast in the name of ‘research’ was a challenge, though we could have taken this away in a box if we wanted to. Thankfully, when we had returned for lunch it had considerably cooled down. For breakfast, I opted for the ham salad. For lunch I opted for the delicious Maďarský guláš, or Hungarian goulash, with steamed dumplings and a beer followed by Marlenka, or honey cake.
The following day we were graced with a “WRRmeer” type Dining Car complete with more retro salmon pink curtains. This type of Dining Car has a separate bar area but, more importantly, still offered the same full menu available as the “WRmz”. The menu can be viewed here.
At the time of travelling, the most unique of all the Dining Cars is the “WGmeer” type. Normally used as a carriage that can be booked for special events, e.g. conferences, but used as a fill-in Dining Car. This has been recently taken over as an art gallery showcasing the work of visual artist Luka Brase for ZSSK’s 175th anniversary! An art gallery on a train must be a first, surely? I really liked the concept, which made up for the fact that it did have a reduced menu in place compared to the regular Dining Cars on this route – only sandwiches and drinks were available.
Scenery
The scenery en route, particularly east of Žilina, was delightful with blue skies on this hot late summer’s day. The trip included travelling alongside the High Tatras providing a backdrop. Bliss. Be sure to check out my scenery showcase video below for the main scenic parts of the trip.
Arrival into Košice
Opened in 1860, Košice’s railway station is home to a variety of international and domestic trains, including the two hourly EuroCity services across the border to Budapest and day and night services to Prague. The station has a ticket office as well as its own supermarket and shopping centre.
Košice is a lovely stop-over destination with its old town featuring the 14th-century St.Michael’s Chapel and the vast St. Elisabeth Cathedral.
Booking and Fares
Fares are fixed on the route, which means whenever you book you will be presented with the same price. These are available to book approximately one month in advance. Reservations are recommended and in First Class specifically these are compulsory, so be sure to book as soon as you can to secure a seat. Bookings can be made direct with ZSSK as well as reservation only bookings if you have an InterRail Pass, for example.
The differential between Second Class and First Class is definitely worth the upgrade in my opinion for the quieter more spacious ambiance.
| Journey Leg | First Class Accommodation | Second Class Accommodation |
| Bratislava to Košice | 25,00€ | 18,68€ |
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Conclusion
Trains on the Bratislava to Košice route may be erring on the retro side, however, they are comfortable enough for the long trip. A great selling point of the trip was the Dining Car in operation with good value, freshly cooked meals and a good selection at that! I didn’t expect to be graced with a unique Dining Car on one of the trips and although disappointed with the lack of food choice, I did like the uniqueness of this concept. I would definitely recommend upgrading to First Class to enjoy less busy carriages and more space between the seats.
This travel report was first published in January 2024.
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