Slovakia: Free Train Travel for Students up to 25 and Individuals aged 62 and above

In Slovakia, students up to the age of 25 and individuals aged 62 and above can travel by train for free. And the best part is that you don’t have to live in Slovakia; this offer applies to all residents of EU member states.

To take advantage of this offer, you need to register at the local ticket counter. This process is much simpler for seniors compared to students.

Details and Conditions

There are several conditions to be aware of for free train travel:

• Prior registration is required at the ticket counters of ZSSK (Slovak Railways).
• You will receive a corresponding customer card that proves your entitlement to free travel.
• The tickets are not transferable to other individuals.
• For trains classified as “Os” or “REX,” there are no specific train reservations. You can use any train on the respective route.
• For trains classified as “R,” “RR,” “Ex,” “EN,” “EC,” and “SC,” train reservations are mandatory. You need to decide in advance which train you want to take and obtain a “Zero-fare Ticket” for that specific train.
• An additional fee of €1 applies for EC trains, and a reservation fee of €5 is required for SC trains.
• The ticket is not valid for cross-border routes.
• Free travel is generally not available on IC and Railjet xpress trains.

Although there is a reservation requirement for EC and SC trains, it is not a significant disadvantage. For example, a journey from Bratislava to Kosice by InterCity takes approximately 4 hours and 50 minutes, and by Express train “Ex,” it takes around 5 hours and 30 minutes.

Required Documents

To obtain the customer card for free travel, different types of documents are required depending on the eligibility group. Here is an overview:

Students up to 25 years old:

You need to fill out this form and have it confirmed by your university or college to verify your enrolment. We recommend using the official registration form, as it includes all the necessary details. Additionally, a copy of your ID or passport is required. You also need a recent passport-sized photo (2×3 cm) showing your front-facing view against a neutral background.

You must submit these documents collectively at a ZSSK ticket counter. You will then receive the necessary customer card within 3 working days, which enables you to travel by train for free.

Individuals aged 62 and above:

For individuals aged 62 and above, the registration process for free train travel is much simpler. They only need to present an identification document to prove their eligibility. No additional forms need to be filled out.

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