Slovakia - Tram services over obscure routes

Introduction

Some tram systems advertise their depot workings and enable one to ascertain the regular use by passenger-carrying services of junctions or sections of line that do not otherwise see public service. This occasional series lists such services that have come to notice. While the data for each system is current at the date stated, it is not the intention to endeavour to keep every entry up to date at every service change - the listing serves as a guide for travellers as to the sort of services they can look out for, enabling them to check current published timetable material at their time of travel.

To assist in tracing services, the route and/or timetable number for each journey is shown in parentheses, e.g. (1). Days of operation are in English notation (respectively: Su, M, T, W, Th, F, S) - plus "O" for only, "X" for excepted. Su (Sundays) usually includes public holidays in mainland Europe - but check locally.

Listings for other systems throughout the world - in the same format as shown below (please include date of timetable validity) - will always be welcomed.

Bratislava

As at September 2025.

Timetables but note that there are different schedules for Mondays to Fridays on school days, Mondays to Fridays on non-school days, and Saturdays Sundays and holidays. English language can be selected, and appears to give the same results as the Slovak language version.

Route map (July 2025). Line 3 has recently been extended from Jungmannova to Južné mesto.

All of the Obscure Routes listed below are "depot return" workings and are listed in general terms for simplicity. Detailed times are provided on the at-stop printed timetables, though some are not shown at stops close to the divergence from the normal route. For example, times for trams via the curve at Centrum are shown at the stop at Astronomická but not at Poštová or Centrum platform C. Workings from the depots have not been examined.

On the trams themselves, and at the electronics displays at most tram stops, these workings shows a right-pointing arrow (►) instead of a route number, with the service terminus tram stop name.

To find the exact times for these workings in advance, the following procedure seems to work:

• on the timetable web site, type a stop name into the "Find line, stop, vehicle, text" box at the top of the page - for example, "hlavna" or "Astronomická", the full name does not need to be entered. By default, this will give a list of the next departures from this stop.
• At the bottom of the list of "Lines at this stop", click on "All Departures from this stop". This will produce a list of all departures from this stop "today", from 00:00 to 23:59.
• This list can now be text searched using your browser tools, e.g. for "Depo Jurajov dvor". Also look for the arrow (►) as the line number.
• For a different date, click in the "Today" box to open a calendar. Select a required date or day of the week, then click "OK".

Úrad vlády SR - Blumentál

This curve is used by workings from Hlavná Stanica returning to the depot (depo) at Jurajov dvor. These occur as the Line 1 service frequency reduces at the end of the morning peak on Mondays to Fridays, and during the mid to late evening on all days. Workings via this curve are marked on the at-stop timetables with note J "From Úrad vlády SR to Depo Jurajov dvor".

(Krížna -) Vazovova - Račianske mýto

Note: Vazovova tram stop is on the street of the same name on route 9 between the stops at Krížna and Blumentál, but is not shown on the system map.

This curve is used by workings from Astronomická returning to the depot (depo) at Krasňany. These occur as the Line 9 service frequency reduces at the end of the morning peak on Mondays to Fridays, and during the mid to late evening on all days. Workings via this curve are marked on the at-stop timetables with note V "From Krížna to Stn. Vinohrady".

Centrum platform C - Centrum platform B

Note: Centrum tram stop has two pairs of platforms, as labelled on the tram stop signs: A and B on lines 3 and 4; C and D on line 1. These lines converge south of Centrum, but this curve links the two pairs of platforms to form a triangular layout.

This curve is used by workings from Astronomická returning to the depot (depo) at Jurajov dvor. These occur as the Line 9 service frequency reduces in the late evening on Saturdays Sundays and holidays. Workings via this curve are marked on the at-stop timetables with note J "From Poštová to Depo Jurajov dvor".

Magnetová - Depo Jurajov dvor

This short section leads to the depot at Jurajov dvor from line 4 at Magnetová. It is used by any of the services listed above as running to Depo Jurajov dvor, and perhaps others. The public tram stop is outside the depot gates. It is a short walk back to the nearest line 4 stop at Jurajov dvor.

Košice

A route map dated 21.3.2022 is here, and timetables here. Background details for the system are on the DPMK website.

US Steel Works services summary

From an unknown date there is no regular route covering the 10.6km branch from the "catherine wheel" grand junction at Kruhový objazd Moldavská to the Steelworks. Its only services are intermittent routes R1 - R8 linked to 24/7 shift changes which run to/from the ends of normal route branches or unique turning points in Košice, using a few rare curves as a consequence. However as the rear entrance to the network's only Tram Depot is located just south of the first stop on this line, the timetables reveal most of the services via unusual curves are in fact Depot workings using the R1 - R8 route numbers and do not run to/from US Steel. These can be caught to/from a stop not shown on the 2010 Doprava track map just to the south of the [shown as a grand junction] Kruhový objazd Moldavská roundabout.

As a consequence the entries below are split, the first showing those using the branch from/to Kruhový objazd and US Steel, others for details of use of rare curves.

Kruhový objazd south to US Steel

As at April 2025 and note some services skip stops on the branch.

Departures from Kruhový objazd at 04:50/52/54, 05:00/02/04/06/11/14/16/18/33, 06:03/19/21/22/34, 07:01/27/29/31, 13:01/03/05/16/36/51, 14:01/21/51, 15:21/25/27/41, 17:01/03/05/16, 21:02/03/04/17 SSuX 05:00/03/17, 13:02/03/04/18, 17:02/03/04/18, 21:02/03/04/17 SSuO

Departures from US Steel at 05:11/16/21/35/41/51, 06:03/08/11/23/28/33/40/45/48, 07:17/42/57, 14:01/07/10/13/19/22/25/30/35/51/53/55, 15:11/16/48/50, 16:11, 18:11/31/33/35, 22:08/11/23/28 SSuX 06:11/23/28/33, 14:11/23/28/33, 18:11/31/33/35, 22:08/11/23/28 SSuO

Note a few services do not run on non-schooldays, please double check the Journey Planner for details.

North to west curve between Amfiteáter and Zimná

• route R4 from Botanicka zahrada at 04:49 Daily to US Steel, 07:21, 07:24, 07:27 to Bernolákova, 08:03, 09:03, 10:48, 12:33, 13:33, 15:08 to OC Optima, 15:13 to Bernolákova SSuX or 20:38 to Bernolákova SSuO
• route R4 from Amfiteáter at 04:42, 05:54, 06:23, 07:12/15/18/21, 08:44/54, 09:10/34, 12:14, 13:14, 14:43/54, 15:08 SSuX or 07:58 SSuO

Note there are significant variations between academic, school or university term days so check the Journey Planner

Spoločenský pavilón south to west and branch to the DPMK Tram Depot entrance

Officially only

• route R6 departing Kruhový objazd at 07:02/05 "University break" days only...
• route R6 departing DPMK at 13:28, 14:08/13/28 school term SSuX or 13:28/58, 14:08/28 school holidays SSuX

but a traveller in May 2025 advises stop timetables showed r 6 and 9 journeys terminating at Spoločenský pavilón, and passengers were allowed to remain on board around the curve to the Depot stop. However it is not guaranteed you will reach it as trams are driven into the Depot by shunters so they may be stacked back along the access track.

Spoločenský pavilón north to west and branch to the DPMK Tram Depot entrance

The curve here is guaranteed to be used by any tram shown terminating at Spoločenský pavilón from the north as the junction is before the non-Depot access passing stop and there is one of the same name after the curve. Again it is not guaranteed you will reach the stop at the Depot gates as trams are driven into the Depot by shunters so they may be stacked back along the access track.

VSS, križovatka west to south

• route R8 departures from Autocamping at 04:49 & 04:51 SSuX schooldays, 04:49, 05:49 & 06:42 SSuX non-schooldays
• route R8 departures from Socha Jána Pavla II at 04:58 SSuX to US steel, or 16:58 SSuX school term, 16:38 SSuX school break, 21:54 SSuX to Alejová, gymnázium. Note neither the timetable nor journey planner show these continuing in service to Spoločenský pavilón and the DPMK Depot.

Kruhový objazd Moldavská "catherine wheel" junction

This entry identifies which parts of the tracks radiating in four directions are in use only by routes R1 - R8

• West to south curve off the junction by all R journeys towards OC Optima or US Steel
• South to east curve off the US Steel branch by all R routes
  
• North to south on the west side of the junction between stops SOŠ Automobilová [routes R1, R2, R5] or Alejová Gymnázium [R8] & Kruhový objazd, Addionally from SOŠ Automobilov on the limited SO dates route 5's at 18:20, 19:00/20 20:00/20, 22:19 & 23:09 towards OC Optima or US Steel, check the Journey planner.

Note the south to north connection on the east side of the junction is not rare as it is in use by daily route 6 heading for Košice railway station [Staničné námestie] in addition to routes R1 & R5 from US Steel and limited route 5's SO evenings.

Hlavna Ulice Horse tram

• A Tourist horse tram was operating up to at least 2010 along a 1km part of the 1986 closed, de-electrified and pedestrianised Hlavna Ulice in the city centre. Later recent year articles on the DPMK website show displays of historic trams on this section for special events which at least means the rails remain connected to the network at the north end and are partially useable.