Social ConventionsShaking hands is the customary form of greeting. Punctuality is appreciated on social occasions.
International Travel:Getting There by AirThe Slovak Republic is served by its national airlines,
Air Slovakia (GM) (website:
www.airslovakia.sk).
Departure TaxNone.
Main AirportsBratislava Airport (BTS) (M R Štefánik) (website:
www.letiskobratislava.sk) is 9km (6 miles)
from the city.
To/from the airport: Buses run to the city (journey time - 30 minutes). Taxis are also available (journey time - 20 minutes).
Facilities: Duty-free shops, bank, post office, restaurant, bar, snack bar, left luggage, tourist information and car hire.
Kosice Airport (KSC) is 10km (6 miles) south of the city (website:
www.airportkosice.sk).
To/from the airport: Taxis are available (journey time - 15 minutes). Buses are also available.
Tatry-Poprad Airport (TAT) is 5km (2.5 miles) from the city.
Note: Vienna International Airport (VIE) (website:
www.viennaairport.com) in Austria can also be used as it is only 50km (31 miles) from Bratislava.
Getting There by WaterMain port: Bratislava (website:
www.spap.sk) is the country’s main port.
International connections from Austria are possible on the
Danube which flows into the Black Sea, and is also linked with the Rhine and the Main. Services run as follows: Bratislava-Vienna-Bratislava; Bratislava-Hainburg-Bratislava; and Vienna-Bratislava-Budapest, both ways.
LOD (tel: (2) 5293 2226; website:
www.lod.sk) is one of the main operators.
River cruise ships also stop in Bratislava on their journeys along the Danube.
Getting There by RailThe most convenient route to the Slovak Republic from western Europe is via Prague or Vienna. The Slovak Republic’s network also provides direct connections with Berlin, Bucharest, Budapest, Hamburg, Krakow, Kyiv, Lviv, Moscow, St Petersburg, Vilnius and Warsaw.
Rail PassesInterRail: offers unlimited first- or second-class travel in up to 30 European countries for European residents of over six months with two pass options. The
Global Pass allows travel for 22 days, one month, five days in 10 days or 10 days in 22 days across all countries. The
One-Country Pass offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month in any of the countries except Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. Travel is not allowed in the passenger’s country of residence. Travelers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children’s tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on
Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from
Rail Europe (website:
www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
Getting There by RoadThe Slovak Republic can be entered via Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland or Ukraine. There is a motorway from Bratislava via Brno to Prague.
There are
Eurolines bus links from Bratislava and other important towns to major cities such as Cologne, London, Munich, Paris, Venice and Vienna. For further information, contact
Eurolines (tel: 0870 580 8080, in the UK; website:
www.eurolines.com).
OverviewThe following goods may be imported into the Slovak Republic by visitors 18 years of age or older without incurring customs duty:
200 cigarettes,
100 cigarillos, 50 cigars and 250g of tobacco products;
1l of spirits and 2l of wine;
50g of perfume or 250ml of eau de toilette;
gifts up to the value of €175;
foodstuffs,
fruits and flowers for personal use;
medicine according to personal use.
Note: (a) All items of value, such as cameras and tents, must be declared at customs on entry in order to facilitate export clearance on departure. (b) Only half the above quantities are permitted if stay is less than two days. (c) Arms and ammunition require a license. (d) House pets can only be transported with veterinary permission. (e) Objects of art and historical value need a license and customs duty.
Abolition of duty-free goods within the EUOn 30 June 1999, the sale of duty-free alcohol and tobacco at airports and at sea was abolished in all of the original 15 EU member states. Of the 10 new member states that joined the EU on 1 May 2004 and the two states that joined on 1 January 2007, these rules already apply to Cyprus and Malta. There are transitional rules in place for visitors returning to one of the original 15 EU countries from one of the other new EU countries. But for the original 15, plus Cyprus and Malta, there are no limits imposed on importing tobacco and alcohol products from one EU country to another. Travelers should note that they may be required to prove at customs that the goods purchased are for personal use
only.
Internal Travel:Getting Around By AirThe domestic airlines are
Air Slovakia (GM) (website:
www.airslovakia.sk),
SkyEurope Airlines (NE) (website:
www.skyeurope.com) and
Slovak Airlines (9S) (website:
www.slovakairlines.sk).
Note: Slovak Airlines was on the verge of bankruptcy at the end of January 2007. All flights were cancelled and the airline’s future is uncertain.
Getting Around by WaterThe Danube is the main artery for transport by ship which is operated by
Slovak Shipping & Ports (tel: (2) 5293 2226; website:
www.lod.sk). Cruises covering historic and tourist interests are also operated. There is also regular passenger transport on the Danube.
Getting Around by RailThe rail network is operated by
Railways of the Slovak Republic (ZSR) (tel: (2) 2029 1111; website:
www.zsr.sk). There are several daily express trains between Bratislava and main cities and resorts. Reservations should be made in advance on major routes. Fares are low, but supplements are charged for travel by express trains.
Rail PassesInterRail’s
One-Country Pass offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month within the Slovak Republic. Travel is not allowed in the passenger’s country of residence. Travelers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children’s tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on
Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from
Rail Europe (website:
www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
Getting Around by RoadTraffic drives on the right. The major routes run from Bratislava to Presov and Kosice, via Kralovany and Poprad. The network of roads and supporting services is dense and reliable. Roads are standardized as motorways, first-, second- and third-class metalled roads, and are generally in good condition, particularly on the main arteries. Motorways are equipped with emergency telephones every half a mile or less. The
Slovakia emergency system provides a fast and reliable network of garages, tow trucks and medical services. Road signs comply with European standards.
Bus: The extensive network covers all areas and is efficient and comfortable.
BBDS (tel: (48) 414 5426; website:
www.sadbb.sk) is one of the main domestic bus operators.
Car hire: Self-drive cars may be pre-booked through the tourist office in main towns and resorts.
Regulations: Seat belts are compulsory. The speed limit in towns is 60kph (37mph); outside towns 90kph (56mph); and on motorways 130kph (81mph).
Emergency breakdown service: Tel: 18123.
Documentation: Most hire companies require a valid international driving license.
Getting Around Towns and CitiesBuses, trolleybuses and trams exist in Bratislava and several other towns. All the cities operate flat-fare systems, and pre-purchase passes are available. Tickets should be punched in the appropriate machine on entering the tram or bus. A separate ticket is usually required when changing routes. There is a fine for fare evasion. Blue badges on tram and bus stops indicate an all-night service.
Taxi: These are available in all the main towns and are metered and cheap; higher fares are charged at night.
Journey TimesThe following chart gives approximate journey times from
Bratislava (in hours and minutes) to other major towns in the Slovak Republic.
| | Air | Road | Rail |
| Poprad | 0.45 | 4.00 | 4.30 |
| Košice | 1.00 | 5.30 | 5.00 |
| B. Bystrica | - | 2.30 | 4.10 |
| Piešt’any Spa | - | 0.50 | 0.50 |
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