If you plan to travel by train this week from Košice, Prešov, or Humenné — allow at least half an hour extra for your trip. Starting Monday, August 3, scheduled track repairs began in eastern Slovakia, some trains were replaced by buses, and due to the heat, speed limits on some sections were additionally reduced to 50–80 km/h.
The restrictions are related to maintenance and modernization work on the tracks carried out by the company Železnice Slovenskej republiky (ŽSR) (Railways of the Slovak Republic). The changes affect the Košice and Prešov regions: some sections are closed for only 1–3 days, but on the routes Košice – Plešivec and Košice – Moldava nad Bodvou, the restrictions will last until August 31. Details were collected by the regional portal Košicak, and we have organized everything below. You can conveniently check current train and bus schedules between cities in our transport in Slovakia section.
Where trains were replaced by buses
On these routes, náhradná autobusová doprava (replacement bus service) operates — there will be no trains at all, look for the bus near the station:
- Sabinov ⇄ Veľký Šariš (August 3): trains 1946, 1948–1955, and 1957.
- Snina ⇄ Dlhé nad Cirochou (August 3–5): trains Os 9406–9409, Os 9412, Os 9413, Os 9416, and Os 9417.
- Veľký Šariš ⇄ Lipany (August 4): trains 1946, 1948, 1950–1955, 1957, and 1959.
- Lipany ⇄ Sabinov (August 5–6): trains 1946, 1948, 1950–1955, 1957, and 1959.
- Čečejovce ⇄ Moldava nad Bodvou mesto (August 6–7): trains Os 6408, Os 6411, Os 6412, Os 6415, Os 6416, and Os 6419.
- Košice ⇄ Moldava nad Bodvou (August 6–7): trains R 911, R 913, R 914, R 915, R 916, and R 918.
- Humenné ⇄ Dlhé nad Cirochou (August 6–7): trains Os 9406–9409, Os 9412, and Os 9413.
Platform and schedule changes
Not everything is so radical — sometimes you just need to board from the other side of the tracks:
- Kostoľany nad Hornádom ⇄ Kysak (August 3, 08:10–13:10): at the Trebejov stop, boarding and alighting towards Kysak will be from the opposite side, to the left in the direction of the train. Applies to trains Os 7808, Os 7810, Os 7812, Os 7814, Os 7816, Os 8508, Os 8512, and Os 8516.
- Výhybňa Ružín ⇄ Margecany (August 4–8, 06:40–13:20): similar platform change at the Margecany zastávka stop for trains Os 7805, Os 7807, Os 7809, Os 7811, Os 7813, Os 7815, and Os 7817.
- Malá Lodina ⇄ Výhybňa Ružín (August 4–8, 06:40–13:20): platform change at the Ružín stop for trains Os 7804, Os 7806, Os 7808, Os 7810, Os 7812, Os 7814, and Os 7816.
- Poprad-Tatry TEŽ ⇄ Stará Ľubovňa (until August 10): the Poprad-Spišská Sobota stop is temporarily not served.
For high-speed trains R 920, R 926, and R 927, only departure and arrival times have changed. The new schedule is already in the system, so rely on current data, not usual times.
How long delays will be and what about transfers
Expected train delays on sections under repair are about 15 minutes. But there is a nuance: the carrier ZSSK warns that if the delay is longer, connecting trains are not obliged to wait. If you have a connection, choose a trip with extra time because the second train may simply leave without you.
Weather also plays a role. Due to extreme heat in areas with a third-degree meteorological warning, ŽSR has proactively limited train speeds to 80 km/h, and in some places to 50 km/h. The reason is the risk of track deformation caused by high temperatures. According to Aktuality.sk, no critical damage has been recorded yet, but restrictions will remain until the heat subsides.
What to do before your trip
If you plan to travel east of the country in August — check your train in advance. The full list of current restrictions with dates and train numbers is updated on the Výluky a dopravné informácie (Closures and transport information) page — there you can also see which trips are replaced by buses on specific dates. A ticket bought for the train is valid on the replacement bus as well, no extra payment is needed.
