Train journeys between Slovakia's two largest cities, Bratislava and Košice, could become almost half an hour faster. The Ministry of Transport is considering canceling stops for express trains in the cities of Púchov and Považská Bystrica to reduce the total travel time.
This idea is part of the preparation for a new train schedule (grafikon vlakovej dopravy). If approved, it will be a significant change for thousands of passengers who use this key route.
What is the proposal about?
The main goal is to make rail connections between the west and east of the country more competitive compared to road transport. Currently, an express train journey from Bratislava to Košice takes an average of 4 hours and 43 minutes. According to the Košičák publication, canceling two stops would reduce this time by about 26 minutes.
The proposal specifically concerns trains in the Expres (Ex) category, which are the fastest on this route. According to the plan, they would no longer stop at Púchov and Považská Bystrica stations. The ministry's intention with this decision is to increase the attractiveness of rail travel for long-distance passengers.
Position of the cities and passengers
Representatives from Púchov and Považská Bystrica have already expressed their concerns. Both cities are important industrial and transport hubs in the Považie region. Every day, thousands of people travel from there to work and study in larger cities like Žilina, Trenčín, or Bratislava.
For them, canceling express train stops would mean:
- Increased travel time. Passengers would have to use slower rýchlik (fast trains) or regional trains, which make more stops.
- Worse transport accessibility. Losing the fastest connection might cause some people to switch to cars, which would increase traffic on the D1 highway.
- Inconvenience for business and tourism. Worse logistics could negatively affect local businesses and the region's tourism appeal.
The mayors of the cities emphasize that such a decision goes against the goal of developing public transport and could isolate their communities from the country's main transport artery.
What does this mean for passengers?
The changes will affect different groups of passengers differently:
- **For those traveling from Bratislava to Košice (or to other major cities like Žilina or Poprad) without stopping in Púchov or Považská Bystrica, ** the journey will become faster and more convenient.
- **For residents of Púchov, Považská Bystrica, and surrounding villages ** who regularly use express trains, this will create significant inconvenience. They will have to either change trains at larger stations or spend more time traveling on slower trains.
It is important to note that the cities will not be completely without rail connections. Rýchlik (fast trains) and regional trains will continue to run on their usual schedule, but they are significantly slower than express trains.
What are the next steps?
Currently, the Ministry of Transport's proposal is under discussion. The final decision will be made when the new nationwide train schedule is approved. This process usually includes consultations with regional authorities and the carrier, which is the state-owned company Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko (ZSSK).
Passengers can follow updates and check future changes directly on the official ZSSK website, where all current schedule information is published. Until the new schedule is approved, all trains will run according to the current timetable.
