Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko (ZSSK) — Slovak Railway Company
Slovakia
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The Journey
Navigate from Poprad-Tatry (mainline interchange station, Poprad, Slovakia) to Štrbské Pleso (alpine resort station, Štrbské Pleso, Slovakia) across a span of 35km.
Scenery Highlights
View of the High Tatras (Vysoké Tatry) massif from the Poprad-Tatry departure, with Gerlachovský štít (2,655 m) — Slovakia's highest peak — and Lomnický štít (2,632 m) visible to the north on clear mornings
Poprad industrial belt transit with the Bata shoe factory at Svit, then transition through the Važec foothills
Spruce forest canopy along the Važec → Lučivná section, with the Važecká dolina valley visible to the west
Mountain-pine (Pinus mugo) transition zone at Tatranský Lieskovec saddle, with dwarf pine scrub characteristic of the alpine-treeline ecotone
Tatranská Štrba saddle panorama over the Liptov Basin to the south, with the Low Tatras (Nízke Tatry) range on the horizon
Štrbské Pleso alpine lake terminal, the highest settled lake in the Tatras (1,350 m a.s.l.) with the iconic Kempinski hotel on its north shore
Autumn larch colouring across the upper valleys (late September to mid-October), with golden-yellow needles in the alpine-fir belt above Tatranská Štrba
Winter snow-loaded spruce canopy along the Važec → Lučivná section, with skis and snowboarders visible at the Tatranská Štrba ski slope
Spring snow-melt rush on the Studený potok river crossing near Tatranská Štrba (late April to May)
Quick Facts
Duration
1.12 hours
Distance
35 km
Est. Price
Low — €5.00 adult single Poprad-Tatry → Štrbské Pleso (June 2026), €2.50 child / €3.50 student / €2.50 senior; family return ticket from €13 (2 adults + 2 children); through-ticket from Bratislava (€24.90 onward) or Košice (€8.50 onward) covers the TEŽ connection; no supplements, no reservation required on TEŽ
Stadler GTW 2/6 articulated electric multiple-unit (ZSSK units 495.94 series); 3 kV DC overhead electrification; Jacobs bogie low-floor central section; traction motors in end power modules; regenerative braking
Locomotive Weight
Stadler GTW 2/6 unit ~64 tonnes (tare); ~80 tonnes fully loaded with 138 passengers; 36.5 m long
Track Gauge
1,000 mm (metre gauge)
Braking Technology
Regenerative electric braking via Stadler GTW traction motors; electro-pneumatic service brake; magnetic track brake on steepest sections; emergency parking brake
Route Engineering Challenges
Mountain-pass alignment with 35‰ maximum gradient approaching Tatranská Štrba saddle — limiting adhesion-only traction and requiring careful acceleration / braking scheduling
Single-track alignment with passing loops at only four intermediate stations (Svit, Važec, Tatranský Lieskovec, Tatranská Štrba) — service frequency limited by the section capacity between passing loops
Cold-weather operation in the High Tatras — sub-zero temperatures from November through April require winterised traction motor cooling and anti-freeze lubrication
Mixed adhesion / cog operations adjacent to the parallel TŽ rack section — must interface with the rack-railway without electrical or track-side conflicts at Tatranská Štrba
Avalanche risk along the upper sections between Tatranský Lieskovec and Štrbské Pleso — winter service occasionally interrupted by avalanche-control detonations
TANAP permit enforcement along the section approaching Štrbské Pleso (free TANAP hiking permit endorsement on conductor's discretion)
Sharp curvature in the foothill sections near Poprad-Tatry (curve radius as tight as 80 m) limiting line speed to ~30 km/h through the Svit and Batizovce sections
Bear / storm advisories in summer — Tatra rangers and ZSSK conductors coordinate on wildlife and weather bulletins
Model
Stadler GTW 2/6 (articulated 2-car electric multiple-unit; 6 delivered 2015–2018)
Max Speed
80 km/h line speed limit (Stadler GTW design maximum 100 km/h)
Configuration
Articulated EMU with Jacobs bogie central section; end power modules each with a single driver's cab and 1 traction motor bogie
Temperature Range
Operating range −30 °C to +35 °C (winterised for High Tatras alpine climate)
Bodyshell
Aluminium lightweight construction; 36.5 m × 2.65 m × 3.65 m envelope
Carriages
Each GTW unit 36.5 m long; 138 passengers total (60 seated + 78 standing); 4 wheelchair spaces with securement points
Train Numbers
ZSSK units 495.941–495.946 (6 Stadler GTW units); 495.931–495.940 series (older ČKD Tatra T3G EMUs, retired)
Route Distance
Poprad-Tatry to Štrbské Pleso, 35 km
Electrification
3 kV DC overhead, supplied by ZSSK Tatranská Štrba and Tatranská Lomnica substations
Traction
Two traction motor bogies (one per power module); 4 × 200 kW asynchronous traction motors per GTW unit
Loading Gauge
1,000 mm gauge; envelope 2.65 m wide × 3.65 m high
Booking Window
No reservation required; tickets sold at any staffed halt, on-board conductor, or via ZSSK mobile app
Operator
Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko (ZSSK) — Slovak Railway Company, successor to ČSD and ŽSR
ČKD Tatra T3G-based EMUs (1965–2024); replaced progressively by Stadler GTW units from 2015
Bilingual Service
Slovak/English/German on-board announcements; ZSSK customer service line +421 911 700 700
Historical Note
Opened 1908–1913 under the Hungarian Kingdom's KsOd (Košice–Bohumín Railway) electrification programme; first section Poprad-Tatry → Starý Smokovec 28 September 1908
Quick Facts
Duration
1.12 hours
Distance
35 km
Est. Price
Low — €5.00 adult single Poprad-Tatry → Štrbské Pleso (June 2026), €2.50 child / €3.50 student / €2.50 senior; family return ticket from €13 (2 adults + 2 children); through-ticket from Bratislava (€24.90 onward) or Košice (€8.50 onward) covers the TEŽ connection; no supplements, no reservation required on TEŽ