On this page you can find important insights of transportation in Žilina, its surroundings and around the Slovakia.
If you are planning to drive a car in the area of Slovakia, please mind the fact that being under any influence of alcohol or drugs is strictly prohibited - so there is ZERO tolerance for drivers of cars.
Transportation IN Žilina
Žilina is smaller city in terms of the size. So, whole city center and its surroundings are easily accessible by walk. There are also city quarters, which can be distanced more, for that reason, usage of free shared bikes is great option. If you need to transfer from one end to another, public transport is great choice. In case of urgency, comfortability or night-time, TAXI and Bolt are best means of transport.
Public transport
Žilina city provides public transport in form of trolleybuses and buses. Altogether with local trains and regional buses it forms integrated transportation in Žilina region.
Cost range: 0,45€ - 1,3€/ride
Availability: Public transport in Žilina is quite precise and punctual (except traffic peaks and bad weather condition). From 5:00 to 23:00 connections are densely distributed (mainly according to working hours). From 23:00 to 5:00 there is only one connection (bus number 50), that goes around whole city and goes only few times during the night.
Time efficiency: moderate
Main website: https://www.dpmz.sk/en/
Time-tables: https://mybus.dpmz.sk/?lang=en (bus connections are also available on Google Maps)
Official guide: https://www.dpmz.sk/userfiles/Sprievodca%20MHD/EN_20220710.pdf
Tickets: Current fares are available here. In order to get reduced fare, you have to have activated ISIC card issued by University of Žilina. There are four forms of tickets:
- Electronic tickets (best price) - those can be purchased in the bus by payment card (only in yellow ticket-validators) or by transportation card.
- Paper tickets (worse price) - possible to buy in the DPMŽ offices (here), some kiosks and ticket-machines on selected bus stops
- SMS tickets (the worst price) - send empty SMS message to (+421) 1155
- Transportation card - rechargable, can be obtained in the DPMŽ offices (here) or on the website.
KIA Bikes
Let's move your bones and make something for environment by riding a free* bike in Žilina!
Cost range: 0-0,75€*
Availability: Bikes are available on dedicated bike-stations. Some stations are more favourite than others, so it can happen, that there is no bike available on that particular station. Bikes are available only during months with better weather - usually from March till November.
Time efficiency: moderate to high
Main website: https://bikekia.sk/en/
Booking: via application BikeKIA (available on Google Play - here and Apple Store - here).
Policies: In order to ride for free, you can use one bike for 15 minutes. If you exceed this time, you are charged 0,25€ for each started 15 minutes - so it is really affordable, since you normally don't need more than 30 minutes for transport within Žilina city. However, if you buy annual ticket for 10€, you can use bikes each time for 30 minutes for free. But be careful, one single ride cannot exceed 60 minutes, otherwise you are charged 20€ penalty. You have to return your bike to one of dedicated stations (listed here). If you encounter any issue with returning bike, there is support service available in the app - you will not be charged, if there is not possibility to return your bike, because of technical issue. You should follow all traffic rules and ride safely (ideally sober - maximal tolerance for bike-riders is 0,5‰).
Rules: As a cyclist, in Slovakia you can drink some alcohol before/during the ride if you meet these requirements:
- The total amount of alcohol in your blood can not exceed 0,5 promile (approximately 1-2 beers/shots)
- You have to ride in the city or on cyclo-path if outside of the town (that means outside of the city it is forbidden to be under influence of alcohol)
The fact you can be under some influence of alcohol doesn't mean you should or have to. So please, be careful and responsible.
*Bikes are free only first 15 minutes of their usage. After this perion, foreach started 15 minutes you pay 0,25€. However, if you buy annual ticket for 10€, you can use bikes each time for 30 minutes for free. But be careful, one single ride cannot exceed 60 minutes, otherwise you are charged 20€ penalty.
Bolt cars
International company Bolt is available also in the city of Žilina. Great option for faster transport (e.g with luggage) within the city.
Cost range: 2€ - 10€/ride
Availability: Usually there is no problem with Bolt availability, but since Žilina is smaller city and Bolt came here in last years, sometimes there can be only limited number of available drivers. This can occur in least frequent hours - nights during working weeks/early mornings. However, during Friday and Saturday evenings and nights, there is more drivers.
Time efficiency: moderate to high
Main website: https://bolt.eu/en-sk/cities/zilina/
Booking: via Bolt Application (available on Google Play - here and Apple Store - here).
Taxi
If you need faster transport from point A to point B whenever, Taxi can be option for you.
Cost range: 3,5€ - 10€/ride
Availability: Whereas there is more Taxi providers, drivers are available nonstop.
Time efficiency: moderate to high
Providers: Taxi Fantázia, ZAJO Taxi, GOLD Taxi, Taxi KAČKO and many others... (see more here)
Booking: via call (numbers are available on websites)
Walking
Walking daily at least 30 minutes improves imunity, reduces risks of cardiovascular diseases and helps to burn excess body fat. With that being said, walking is great option for transportation in Žilina, while it is not huge city and you can get from one end to another in less than one hour of walking.
Cost range: burned calories, reduced risks of diseases
Availability: Nonstop and wherever
Time efficiency: low
Transportation AROUND Žilina and Slovakia
Our city is surrounded by various mountains, which are usually acessible by hiking-paths. Other than that, you can experience strongly cultured villages (e.g. Čičmany) and regions (Kysuce, Orava, Liptov) just few (tens of) minutes from Žilina by regional buses or FlixBus. We have also well-connected cities by railway.
Regional buses
Each bigger city in Slovakia has a provider of regional buses, that goes in its surroundings.Concerning Žilina, company is called SAD, but we believe, that you will be not sad with their services. Buses connects nearby cities for affordable prices. Selected buses also enable transport of bikes during summer season.
Cost range: 0,60€ - 5,60€/ride
Availability: Buses drive from around 4:30 in the morning till around 22:30 (depends on the connection and current date)
Time efficiency: moderate
Main website: https://www.sadza.sk/
Time-tables:
- Website - https://www.sadza.sk/cestovne-poriadky-primestska-doprava/
- Application Cestovné poriadky - CP (available on Google Play - here and Apple Store - here)
- Google Maps also provides current time-tables
Tickets: You can see the prices here. In order to get reduced fare, you have to have activated ISIC card issued by University of Žilina with purchased TRANS addon (3€). Tickets can be bought in the bus - drivers sell them, or in the bus station of Žilina (here)
Trains
Most of Slovakia is covered with railway infrastructure and Žilina is not an exception. In fact, Žilina is one of the main nodes in railway transport - all InterCity trains stop here and is always on the route of main "fast trains" from Bratislava to Košice (and back), as well as those from Prague to Košice (and back). From Žilina there is a specific local train "Rajecká Anča" that goes to Rajec (and back). You can find a similar one "Oravka" in Orava region, that goes from Kraľovany to Trvrdošín. With sorrow, we must say, that trains in Slovakia are usually delayed. Some trains are adapted for bikes (they are marked with bicycle sign) and some of them provide a restaurant wagon.
Cost range: 0€ - 22€/ride
Availability: Trains go mainly from early morning - around 4:00 till night - around 23:00, but there are also night-trains with sleeping beds.
Time efficiency: moderate
Main website: https://www.zssk.sk/en/
Time-tables: https://predaj.zssk.sk/search and Application Ideme Vlakom (available on Google Play - here and Apple Store - here)
Tickets: Prices for trains differ. In order to have a free transport you have to be a student old no more than 26 years with issued card from ZSSK - possible to get on railway station (here). Please bear in mind, that free tickets are following these rules:
- You have to "buy" ticket, even if it is for free.
- Local train (osobný vlak) has all seats for free.
- Fast train (rýchlik/expres/regionálny expres) has only limited number of free seats, so it can happen, that you will have to pay a reduced price for your ticket. To maximize your chances for traveling for free, you have to buy the ticket in advance.
- InterCity and EuroCity trains don't have any free seats and it is also mandatory to buy seat allocation.
Simple ticket doesn't guarantee you seat-place, so if you want prevent yourself from standing in the train, buy yourself allocation of the seat-place for 1€ (applies for all trains except IC, EC and trains from different provider than ZSSK).
FlixBus
Flixbus is a great option for traveling between (bigger) cities not, only in Slovakia. With your ESNcard you have a discount for each ride, so what are you waiting for?
Cost range: 2,50€ - 25€/ride
Availability: Buses drive from around 5:30 in the morning till around 22:30 (depends on the connection)
Time efficiency: high
Main website: https://global.flixbus.com/
Time-tables:
- Website - https://global.flixbus.com/
- Application FlixBus (available on Google Play - here and Apple Store - here)
- Google Maps also provides current time-tables
Tickets: You can see prices and buy a ticket on the website or in the application
Transportation OUTSIDE Slovakia
Planes
In Slovakia we have five international airports:
- Bratislava - the biggest airport in Slovakia, has the greatest variety of destinations and transports more than 4times more passengers than other three summed
- Košice - mainly seasonal flights and flights in neighbouring countries, but you can get to Istanbul or London by regular connection
- Poprad-Tatry - only seasonal flights and regular flight connection to London
- Sliač - the smallest airport, only seasonal flights (for example to Hurgada, Egypt)
A nearest bigger airport outside of Slovakia is in Wien, Austria and provides over-sea flights
Don't forget to apply your discount for Ryanair flights and luggage! (Applicable only for ESNcard holders) Have nice flight!
