ZSSK / ZSR

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The ŽSR (Železnice Slovenskej republiky) and its associated train operator ZSSK (Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko) are the Slovak state railways and the most important railway operator in Slovaika.

Summary

  • ZSSK accepts FIP Coupons and FIP 50 Tickets.
  • Reservation required in IC and SC trains.
  • Reservation required in 1st class in all trains.
  • Offers for free travel for certain groups (children between 6 and 16, students up to 26, and pensioners from 62 years) regardless of FIP.

Validity of FIP Tickets

Validity FIP Coupon

First select the issuer of your FIP Card. If you are eligible, you can request the FIP Coupons through your employer. Please note that we are unable to assist with the issuance of FIP Coupons. You can find an overview of all FIP Coupons in the FIP Application.

Please select a FIP Card issuer first.

Validity FIP Reduced Ticket

Railway companies typically offer a discount with FIP, also known as FIP50 or FIP75. The discount is usually 50 %, sometimes 75 %. To find out what discount applies to you, first select the issuer of your FIP Card. You can find an overview of all discounts in the FIP Application.

Please select a FIP Card issuer first.

FIP Coupons and FIP 50 Tickets are valid on ZSSK connections with the restriction that some (or all in 1st class) trains require reservations. For cross-border journeys, either a continuous FIP 50 ticket or FIP Coupons from both countries must be available.

Train Categories and Reservations

Important Information

Reservation required for SC and IC trains. Other ZSSK trains only require a reservation in 1st class. 1

SuperCity (SC)

FIP accepted Reservation required

Fast tilting trains (Pendolino) running between Prague (Czech Republic) and Košice, with few stops.

Reservations

Cost: From € 7, depending on route and occupancy (including surcharge for train category).

Intercity (IC)

FIP accepted Reservation required

Currently, the operation of Intercity trains has been suspended for economic reasons. The trains are being replaced by Ex trains.

Cross-border long-distance trains operated commercially by ZSSK and CD, usually running between Prague and Bratislava/Zilina with few stops and high average speed.

Reservations

Cost: From € 7, depending on route and occupancy (including surcharge for train category).

Eurocity (EC) / Railjet (RJ)

FIP accepted Reservation partially required Risk of confusion

Cross-border trains between Slovakia and the Czech Republic, Austria, or Hungary. They often run with few stops and relatively high average speed. RJ trains are Railjet trains of the Austrian Federal Railways, which can also be used with ZSSK Coupons on the Slovak section.

Risk of Confusion

RJ is also the abbreviation for RegioJet, where no FIP Tickets are valid.

Reservations

Reservations are required only in 1st class.

EuroNight (EN)

FIP accepted Reservation required

EN are international night trains that require reservations and offer the option to pay a surcharge for couchette or sleeper cars. Otherwise, they are similar to EC trains.

Reservations

Cost: Depending on route and occupancy as well as car category (including surcharge for train category).

Express (Ex)

FIP accepted Reservation partially required

A type of InterRegional train with fewer stops than a regional train but more than, for example, IC trains. They often have a dining car and run with comfortable locomotive-hauled trains.

Reservations

Reservations are required only in 1st class.

Rychlik (R)

FIP accepted Reservation partially required

Fast regional trains stopping at the main stations in the region, a type of regional express with very varied rolling stock.

Reservations

Reservations are required only in 1st class.

Osobní vlak (Os)

FIP accepted Reservation partially required

Standard regional trains that usually stop everywhere (there are exceptions). Especially on branch lines, they often run with outdated rolling stock. They are sometimes marketed as S-Bahn trains, but without really running on an S-Bahn schedule.

Reservations

Reservations are required only in 1st class.

Bus

FIP not accepted No reservation possible

Buses are excluded from FIP discounts. On rail replacement buses, FIP discounts apply when they replace a train on which FIP would have been valid.2

Ticket and Reservation Purchase

Online

ZSSK Website

For national connections including IC & SC
Reservation FIP 50 Tickets
Reservation Costs:
1st Class: € 2 2nd Class: € 1
FIP 50 Tickets

In the purchase process, the discount “Držiteľ lístka FIP 50%” can be selected.

Reservations

In the connection search, you can select “I have the ticket already I want to purchase only reservation or additional service” on the English website. Then choose “Reservation” and select “International ticket/Rail Pass” as the discount in the passenger selection, ensuring “Entitled for 100% discount” is selected.

To Booking Website

DB Website

Excluding IC & SC
Reservation FIP 50 Tickets
Reservation Costs:
1st Class: € 6.90 2nd Class: € 5.50
Reservations

The reservation price is calculated per journey. This means that for connections with transfers, you only need to pay once for multiple trains.

Seat reservations can be purchased via the Deutsche Bahn website. To do so, select the “Book seat only” option in the search.

Book DB reservation
Important Information
If an error occurs while booking trains requiring reservations, it may be that reservations are not yet available for that connection. Please observe the relevant advance booking deadlines and, in this case, try again later, check the connection on the operator's website, or use other booking methods.
To Booking WebsiteAdditional Information

On-Site

ZSSK Ticket Office

Reservation FIP 50 Tickets
Reservation Costs:
1st Class: € 2 2nd Class: € 1

In Slovakia, there is an extensive network of ticket counters even at smaller stations. It is advantageous to speak some Slovak or Czech or have the appropriate translator app, as English is often not widely spoken.

FIP 50 Tickets

FIP 50 Tickets for domestic journeys can be purchased at the ZSSK ticket office.

Reservations

Reservations can be made for all domestic connections at ZSSK ticket offices.

Additional Information

DB Ticket Office

Excluding IC & SC
Reservation FIP 50 Tickets
Reservation Costs:
1st Class: € 6.90 2nd Class: € 5.50

Deutsche Bahn ticket offices are called DB Reisezentrum and are located in many larger stations throughout Germany.

FIP 50 Tickets

At DB ticket offices, FIP 50 Tickets can be purchased for journeys within Germany and to many European countries.

It is also possible to issue FIP 50 Tickets where only the section outside Germany is charged, and an additional ticket is required for the German section. This is especially important for DB employees, as FIP 50 Tickets are not valid in their home country.

Reservations

The reservation price is calculated per journey. This means that for connections with transfers, you only need to pay once for multiple trains.

Reservations can be made not only for Germany but also for a large number of trains throughout Europe.

Additional Information

On the Train

If no ticket counter is available or open, a ticket (or reservation in Ex) can be purchased on board the train from the conductor if approached immediately.2

Discounts

The FIP Discount generally applies to adult fares and not to children’s fares. For this reason, it should be checked whether public fares are cheaper. The discounts in the following table therefore only apply to public fares and are not additionally applicable to FIP. More information in the FAQs.
AgeDiscount
0–5 yearsFree3
6–15 years50% discount3
from 16 yearsRegular price3

Surcharges for Children

Additional surcharges apply to children on top of the ticket price:

On EC trains: surcharge of €1 per child (except children up to 6 years, who travel free of charge)On SC trains: €1 (2nd class) / €3 (1st class)On IC trains: surcharge with mandatory reservation2

Free 6-16 years

To obtain free travel for children aged 6–16, a photo (2x3cm) and proof of identity (or birth certificate plus parent’s ID) must be presented at the ticket office for registration. Processing takes up to three working days, after which an attestation is issued and must be shown on board. The free ticket (€ 0) should then be reserved on the ZSSK website by selecting “beneficiary of the 100% discount”.

Additional surcharges apply, see Surcharges for Children.

Free travel for students and seniors

Students under 26 years old and seniors aged 62 and over from the EU, as well as international students in Slovakia, can also travel for free. For students, registration at a ZSSK counter is required at least 3 days before the first trip. A registration form must be completed and signed by the school/university. More details can be found on the ZSSK Zero Fare page.

Special Tariff Conditions

Break in the journey

A break in the journey is only possible for distances of 101 km and more.

Rail Replacement Services

On rail replacement buses, FIP discounts apply when they replace a train on which FIP would have been valid.2

Sources

  1. ZSSK Reservierungen ↩︎

  2. Rail Delivery Group ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  3. ZSSK – Children and Students ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎