Slovakia - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services

Introduction

This list is based on the timetable dated from 11 December 2022, unless otherwise shown. Standard abbreviations are explained in General Information. Trains running only certain days of the week are shown using ISO 8601 weekday numbers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_week_date).

Map references for each route entry are given in parentheses ( ). References prefixed "ERA-E" refer to the European Railway Atlas (All-Europe Edition) by M.G. Ball. References prefixed "ERA-R" refer to the European Railway Atlas (Regional Series - Czech Republic and Slovakia) by M.G. Ball.

IMPORTANT NOTE: in the Slovak Railways timetable (Cestovný poriadok), the ⚒ working days symbol means ① to ⑤ not, as for most other railways, ① to ⑥.

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-E 89C2; ERA-R 204A3) SK23/1

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 northbound trains use timetable 140 and look for trains starting from Bratislava hl.n. or Leopoldov with blanks against stations until a black line starts at Jelšovce and calls at Topoľčany and Prievidza. For southbound services use timetable 140 and look for trains starting from Prievidza calling at Topoľčany with a black line below as far as Jelšovce and destination Bratislava hl.n.

Kysak avoiding line: Veľká Lodina (Kysak výh. č 35/36) – Obišovce (Kysak výh. č 39/40)

[180, 188] (ERA-E 91A4; ERA-R 202A3) SK22/2

This curve is used by trains between Prešov and Margecany which are not booked to call and reverse at Kysak.

		EC1267	Praha hl.n. – 03:12 Spišská Nová Ves - Prešov
	⑤	Ex15621	Bratislava hlavná stanica – 19:17 Margecany - Humenné
		EC1259	Praha hl.n. – 20:34 Spišská Nová Ves - Prešov
D	⑦	REX1699	21:56 Margecany – Prešov
		EC1256	05:50 Prešov - Praha hl.n.
D	⑦	REX1682	15:36 Prešov - Banská Bystrica
	⑦	Ex17630	Humenné - 16:05 Prešov - Bratislava hlavná stanica
		EC1248	23:22 Prešov - Praha hl.n.

Lipany – Plaveč

[188] (ERA-E 91A5; ERA-R 201C4) SK23/3

This is part of the former international route between Kraków and Košice but now has a very restricted service.

D	⑥⑦	REX1660	Košice - 7:36 Lipany - Stará Ľubovňa
D	⑥⑦	REX1662	Košice - 13:10 Lipany - Stará Ľubovňa
	⑥	8350	17:05 Lipany - Stará Ľubovňa
	⑦	8352	18:05 Lipany – Stará Ľubovňa
D	⑥⑦	REX1661	Stará Ľubovňa - Košice - 7:36 Lipany -
D	⑥⑦	REX1662	Stará Ľubovňa - Košice - 13:10 Lipany - Stará Ľubovňa
	⑥	8350	Stará Ľubovňa - 17:05 Lipany - Stará Ľubovňa
	⑦	8352	Stará Ľubovňa - 18:05 Lipany – Stará Ľubovňa
D	⑤⑦	8529	Stará Ľubovňa - Lipany

Plaveč – Čirč – Muszyna[PL]

[188] (ERA-E 91A5; ERA-R ERA-R 201C4) SK22/4

This west to north curve is part of the former international route between Kraków and Košice. Two seasonal ⑤ & ⑦ train pairs are the only trains to use this curve AND continue to Muszyna in Poland. SK22/3 uses the curve but trains terminate at Čirč, the last station before the border.

D	⑤⑦	RR8360	Poprad–Tatry - 08:52 Plaveč - Muszyna
D	⑤⑦	RR8362	Poprad-Tatry – 16:43 Plaveč – Muszyna
D	⑤⑦	RR8361	09:59 Muszyna – Poprad-Tatry
D	⑤⑦	RR8363	17:56 Muszyna – Poprad-Tatry

Žilina – Žilina-Teplička

(ERA-E 90A4-A5, not shown: ERA-R 200A3) SK22/5

Click on thumbnail for a map showing the lines likely to be used:-

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)

There are extensive engineering works taking place east of Zilina as at mid August 2022 and confirmed reports of eastbound trains in July and August 2022 being diverted via Zilina yard.
It seems that eastbound services currently (late August 2022) run via the western flyover and yard to Varin or via the eastern flyover to odb. Potok and that westbound services use the single track main line. Click on thumbnail for a map showing the lines believed to be used in the eastbound direction for trains routed via Varin but note a recent report that a train took the eastern flyover route not marked on the map:-

Reports would be welcomed by the compilers

Ružomberok – Zápalkáreň

(ERA-E 90A4; ERA-R 200B3) SK22/6

It appears that shuttles ran along this 3 km freight line in July-August 2020 and 2021 with Covid-19 measures. Trains also run in 2022 and dates and times can be found at https://www.ruzomberok.sk/oznamy/leto-s-korytkom-2022.html.

Obscure services: Lines used on an occasional basis for engineering work diversions

Zvolen avoider

[160, 170] (ERA-E 90A3; ERA-R 200B1) SK22/7

This north to east curve was last used between 5 - 23 November 2021 by trains to/from Banska Bystrica and Zvolen reversing at Zvolen nákladná stanica due to local engineering works.

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. Where dates and times have not yet been published for 2022, 2021 plans are shown below. Note some operating days to Muráň, Slavošovce & Dobšiná were revised on 27 July 2020:

112	Zohor – Plavecké Podhradie	No services shown in 2021-22 timetable. Three pairs from Bratislava Hl s ran ⑥ between 4 July and 15 September 2020. See for details
122	Trenčianska Teplá - Trenčianske Teplice	For operating dates of this NG electric tramway see the operators' website Trez
123	Horné Srnie - Vlárský průsmyk(CD)
165	Plešivec - Muráň	⑦ train from Košice 5 July - 13 September 2020 plus 1 & 15 September 2020. See for details
166	Plešivec - Slavošovce	⑥ train from Košice on 4, 18 July, 8, 22, 29 August, 12 September 2020. See here for details
167	Rožňava - Dobšiná	⑥ train from Košice on 11, 25 July, 1, 15 August, 5 September 2020. See here for details
173	Červená Skala - Dobšinská Ľadová Jaskyňa
174	Brezno-Halny - Tisovec
185	Stará Ľubovňa - Plaveč
186	Spišská Nová Ves - Levoča	The usual numerous return journeys are scheduled for 2 & 3 July 2022 in connection with a Religious event.
188	Lipany - Plaveč - Muszyna (Poland)	See SK22/3 and SK22/4
191	Medzilaborce mesto - Lupków (Poland)

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)