Rail transport in Slovakia

The history of the rail transport in Slovakia begins on 21 September 1840, with the first line being opened from Bratislava to Svätý Jur (at that time in Kingdom of Hungary, horse-powered line) and of steam power on 20 August 1848 (line to Vienna).

Company Železnice Slovenskej republiky was established in 1993 as a successor of the Československé státní drahy in Slovakia. Until 1996 it had formal and since then de-facto monopoly on railroad transportation in the country.

Since 2002 a law divided the company: ŽSR was left with infrastructure maintenance and personal and cargo transport was moved into company "Železničná spoločnosť, a. s." (ZSSK). In 2005 this new company was further split into "Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko, a. s." (ZSSK) [cite web| url=http://www.slovakrail.sk/generate_page.php?page_id=113| title=ZSSK Slovakrail Hlavná stránka| ] providing Passenger transport services and "Železničná spoločnosť Cargo Slovakia, a. s." (ZSSK Cargo) [cite web| url=http://www.zscargo.sk/en| title=ZSSK Cargo| ] providing cargo services.

Freight transport is operated by ZSCS and around 30 private companies. Private passenger service operators do not exist (except three narrow gauge railways companies, shown below).

Companies

* Železnice Slovenskej republiky ("ŽSR") - state-owned railway infrastructure operator in Slovakia
* Čierny Hron Railway ("ČHŽ") - RailGauge|760 narrow gauge railway owned by villages placed on ČHŽ lines
* The Historical Logging Back Swath Railway, Vychylovka ("HLÚŽ" or "OKLŽ") - RailGauge|760 narrow gauge railway owned by Museum of Kysuce
* Nitra Agricultural Museum Railway ("NPŽ") - RailGauge|760 narrow gauge railway
* Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko a. s. ("ZSSK") - state-owned passenger train Operator
* Železničná spoločnosť Cargo Slovakia a. s.("ZSSK Cargo" or "ZSCS") - state-owned freight train Operator

tatistics

Data taken from [http://www.zsr.sk/docs//vyrSpravy/vyrSprava2006.pdf Year bulletin of ŽSR 2006 (in Slovak)]
*Total length of lines: convert|3658|km|abbr=on
**single track: convert|2639|km|abbr=on
**double or more track: convert|1019|km|abbr=on
*RailGauge|1520 broad gauge: convert|99|km|abbr=on
*RailGauge|sg standard gauge: convert|3509|km|abbr=on
*narrow gauge: convert|50|km|abbr=on
*electrified: convert|1577|km|abbr=on

ee also

* Railway gauges in Slovakia
* Slovenská strela

References