Slovakia by train

Our price includes all transport, accommodation and a personalized itinerary for your trip. Byway's travel experts are also available on WhatsApp throughout for disruption support and travel tips.

No, flights to Europe aren't included, but all transport and accommodation once you're here is. Short-haul flights are highly carbon-intensive, and traveling around Europe by train, ferry or bus is an easy, enjoyable alternative.

Yes. Different hotel options are available to choose from on the trip page, and any room upgrade requests can be added in the booking form. Our team will then find upgrade options and discuss them with you.

No. If you'd like to leave Europe from a different city, our concierge team can build you a custom one-way trip.

Yes. Prices on our trip pages are shown in your local currency by default, or you can select your preferred currency, including USD, CAD, EUR or CHF, from the dropdown in the top right corner of the trip page. The payment page will always show the price in your chosen currency.

You can generally bring as much luggage as you can carry, as long as it fits in the luggage racks or overhead space. On Eurostar, UK and most European trains, the standard allowance is two large bags and one smaller item, provided you can manage them yourself; let us know in advance if you're planning to bring anything oversized. Since you may need to change stations or walk to hotels, packing light makes the journey more comfortable.

Most European train tickets are digital and sent to you by email. A few, including tickets for Spain, Portugal and some EuroCity trains, require paper tickets, which can be mailed to a hotel on your itinerary.

No, Byway trips are self-guided, not part of a group tour. You'll have on-demand personalized support by WhatsApp, text or phone throughout, so all the planning and booking is done for you, and any disruptions are handled without you having to worry about them.

May to September is the best time to visit Slovakia for hiking and city sightseeing, with the warmest weather and hiking trails in the High Tatras fully open from mid-June. December to March is the best time for skiing in the High Tatras. May, June and September offer a quieter, more affordable alternative to peak summer. There are highlights year-round: Bojnice Castle hosts its International Festival of Ghosts and Spirits every spring, autumn brings Vinobranie grape harvest festivals with folk music and grape-stomping to wine regions like the Little Carpathians, and Christmas fairs fill town squares with mulled wine and handcrafted ornaments through December.

The best things to do in Slovakia include exploring Bratislava's old town, hiking in the High Tatras, and visiting Slovakia's castles and thermal spas.

• Exploring Bratislava's old town and riverside castle, with its 9th-century origins overlooking the Danube

• Hiking or skiing in the High Tatras, Slovakia's highest mountain range

• Relaxing in thermal spas near the Tatras and around the country

• Wandering the wooden churches and folk architecture near Košice, and the UNESCO-listed village of Vlkolínec

• Visiting Spiš Castle, one of the largest castle complexes in Central Europe

• Touring the Dobšinská Ice Cave, accessible year-round including winter

• Climbing wooden ladders and boardwalks through the Suchá Belá gorge in Slovak Paradise National Park

• Touring the fairy-tale towers of Bojnice Castle, said to be Central Europe's most romantic, complete with a 600-year-old lime tree in its grounds

Slovakia is reachable from London via a change of trains in Brussels, with a Nightjet sleeper train connecting onward through Frankfurt or Vienna to Bratislava. Daytime trains also connect Bratislava with Vienna, Prague and Budapest. Within Slovakia, trains connect Bratislava with towns and cities across the country.