Getting There

The entry point for the High Tatras area is the railway station in the city of Poprad.

By Air

The nearest airport is Poprad, however only a few flights land there. So we recommend flying to Bratislava, Košice or Vienna (Austria). From these points you can take a direct IC express or a fast train to Poprad.

By Train to Poprad-Tatry

There is a direct connection by IC express or fast trains to Poprad from the following cities:

  • Bratislava (4 hours, departures approximately every 2 hours)
  • Košice (2 hours, departures approximately every 2 hours)
  • Vienna (Austria) (6 hours, connection through Bratislava with changing trains at Bratislava–Hlavná Stanica - main station. There are direct trains from Vienna–Südbahnhof to Bratislava–Hlavná Stanica station approximately every hour (duration about 1 hour). There are also trains to Bratislava–Petržalka from Vienna, but the move between Petržalka and Hlavná Stanica within Bratislava is complicated)
  • Prague (7-9 hours, there are 4 direct trains a day, three of them being overnight trains with sleeping wagons, and several other connections with changing trains either in Bratislava or in Žilina).

Timetables can be found here:

Our advice is not to buy a train ticket just to Poprad, but rather directly to Nový Smokovec via Poprad (if it is possible). This saves you from looking for a ticket counter at the Poprad train station, and standing there in queue. If it is not possible to buy a ticket directly to Nový Smokovec, you can buy a ticket from Poprad-Tatry to Nový Smokovec here: http://www.slovakrail.sk/en.html (use GP webpay as your payment method to use VISA/Mastercard)

From Poprad-Tatry to Nový Smokovec

From Poprad take a direct connection from the Poprad railway station by Tatra's Electrical Railways (a mountain narrow-gauge train). The access to the platform for this train is upstairs from the hall in the railway station building. Take the trains directed to Štrbské Pleso. When you get to the station Starý Smokovec, prepare yourself for getting off at the next stop, which is Nový Smokovec (New Smokovec). After getting off, you will find yourself 50 meters from the entrance to the Atrium hotel.

When travelling by Tatra's Electrical Railways, you must validate your ticket immediately after boarding the train in a date-stamping machine. For more details visit: Rail Travel Self-Service System.

Timetables can be found here:

By Car

When travelling by car, please note that in Slovakia, you need to have a highway-toll ticket, which can be bought at every petrol station. Moreover, because of low winter temperatures (−25°C to 10°C) and snow, you must have tires for winter season and also chains for the tires.

  • Coming from the west by Road E50 or D1, i.e. from Žilina, you have to follow E50 up to Tatranská Štrba where you turn to the left in the direction to Štrbské Pleso. Then drive in the direction to Starý Smokovec/Smokovce. After passing by the sign announcing the city limits of Nový Smokovec/Smokovce you will see the Atrium hotel on your left after some 500 meters.
  • Coming from the east by Road E50, i.e. from Prešov or Košice, you will first pass through Poprad where you should watch for the signs navigating you to Starý Smokovec/Smokovce. After coming to Starý Smokovec/Smokovce and crossing the railroad, turn immediately to the left, follow the main street in Smokovce for about 1km and watch for the Atrium hotel on your right.
  • Coming from the north, i.e. from Poland, crossing the border in Lysa Polana/Javorina, follow the signs for Tatranská Lomnica and then to Starý Smokovec/Smokovce. After crossing the city limits of Horný Smokovec/Smokovce, follow the main street for about 2km and watch for the Atrium hotel on your right.