Slovakia - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services
Introduction
This list is based on the timetable dated from 09 December 2018 to 14 December 2019, unless otherwise shown. Standard abbreviations are explained in General Information.
IMPORTANT NOTE: in the Slovak Railways timetable (Cestovný poriadok), the "crossed hammers" working days symbol means "Mondays to Fridays" not, as for most other railways, "Mondays to Saturdays".
Obscure services
In the heading to each entry, the map reference for the line in the European Railway Atlas 2016 published by M.G. Ball is shown.
Zbehy – Jelšovce
[140,141] (ERA 204A3) SK20/1
This curve is used by trains running directly between Prievidza and Bratislava, avoiding Lužianky. There are regular trains throughout the day and these can be readily identified in the ZSSK timetable as follows: For southbound services use timetable 140 and look for trains starting from Prievidza callling at Topoľčany with a black line below as far as Jelšovce and destination Bratislava hl.n. For northbound trains use timetable 141 and look for trains starting from Bratislava hl.n. with a departure time from Zbehy but seemingly no further stops until the destination of Prievidza.
Kysak avoiding line: Veľká Lodina (Kysak výh. č 35/36) – Obišovce (Kysak výh. č 39/40)
[180, 188] (ERA 202A3) SK20/2
This curve is used by trains between Prešov and Margecany which are not booked to call and reverse at Kysak. Note that trains designated 'EC' are services of private operator Leo Express, so ZSSK tickets/concessions are not valid. Between Košice and Prešov and vice versa, Leo Express services may carry a different train number from that shown below.
EC1263 | Praha hl.n. – 03:11 Spišská Nová Ves - Prešov | ||
FO | R15711 | Bratislava hlavná stanica – 20:41 Margecany - Humenné | |
EC1257 | Praha hl.n. – 21:23 Spišská Nová Ves - Prešov | ||
EC1254 | 05:38 Prešov - Praha hl.n. | ||
SuO | R17612 | Humenné – 15:36 Prešov - Bratislava hlavná stanica | |
EC1250 | 23:42 Prešov - Praha hl.n. |
Čierna nad Tisou – Čop (Ukraine)
[190] (ERA 202C1-C2) SK19/3
This international route and the station area at Čop are dual gauge 1435/1520 mm. Public passenger services (2 return journeys daily) are 1435 mm gauge, operated by ŽSR. Cross border freight traffic uses both gauges are there are 1520 mm gauge tracks to and from the gauge-changing and transfer facilities in the Čierna nad Tisou area.
8860 | 09:00 Čierna nad Tisou - Čop (arr 09:40) | ||
8862 | 17:07 Čierna nad Tisou - Čop (arr 17:47) | ||
8861 | 10:35 Čop - Čierna nad Tisou (arr 11:39) | ||
8863 | 18:35 Čop - Čierna nad Tisou (arr 19:41) |
As well as the public passenger trains, ŽSR is thought to operate unadvertised staff trains on this route. The compilers would appreciate information from anybody visiting the area, regarding routeing, timings and operating procedures.
Žilina – Žilina-Teplička
(ERA 200A3) SK19/4
Staff trains run to and from the marshalling yards east of Žilina, probably using the flyover east of Žilina and the goods lines. The following are 2018 timings. The compilers would greatly appreciate any information on the routes used by these trains.
9901 | 05:35 Žilina - Žilina-Teplička (arr 05:49) | ||
9903 | 17:35 Žilina - Žilina-Teplička (arr 17:49) | ||
9900 | 06:06 Žilina-Teplička - Žilina (arr 06:20) | ||
9902 | 18:06 Žilina-Teplička - Žilina (arr 18:20) |
Ružomberok – Zápalkáreň
(ERA 90A4 not shown) SK19/5
Shuttles ran along this 3 km freight line on 4,5,11,12,18,19,25,26,30,31 August and 1,2 September 2018, departing Ružomberok hourly from 10:00 to 18:00 and returning from Zápalkáreň 09:30 to 18:30. It is not known whether they will run again in 2019. There may be more information in due course on the Train Korýtko Ružomberok webpage.
Trams
See Slovakia - Tram services over obscure routes
Other sparse services
The following lines have few trains (relative to service levels generally in this country) - fewer than four trains each way on at least three days a week - or do not run each weekday:
112 | Zohor - Plavecký Mikuláš | Summer weekend only service |
122 | Trenčianska Teplá - Trenčianske Teplice | Four train pairs ran in 2018 - for operating dates in 2019 see the operators' website [1] |
123 | Horné Srnie - Vlárský průsmyk(CD) | |
165 | Plešivec - Muráň | SO train from Košice 04 May - 22 June 2019. See for details |
166 | Plešivec - Slavošovce | SO train from Košice 04 May - 22 June 2019. See for details |
169 | Košice - Hidasnémeti (Hungary) | |
173 | Červená Skala - Dobšinská Ľadová Jaskyňa | |
174 | Brezno-Halny - Tisovec | |
185 | Stará Ľubovňa - Plaveč | |
186 | Spišská Nová Ves - Levoča | Numerous return journeys on 6 & 7 July 2019 only |
188 | Lipany - Plaveč - Muszyna (Poland) | |
190 | Čierna nad Tisou - Čop (Ukraine) | Two return journeys daily. See also Obscure Service SK19/3 above. |
191 | Medzilaborce mesto - Lupków (Poland) |
Deletions since previous edition
SK19/3 | Čierna nad Tisou – Čop (Ukraine) | No longer a spearse service |
Lines without services
The following lines have no passenger service, but are still included in the Cestovný poriadok:
135 | Komárno - Komárom (Hungary) |
190 | Slovenské Nové Mesto - Sátoraljaújhely (Hungary) |