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Day-to-day Living in Slovakia

How do I get to Slovakia?

By air - Regularly scheduled flights come to Kosice (from Prague, Vienna and sometimes from Brno and Moscow) and Bratislava (from many cities, including Zurich, Prague, Moscow, Tel Aviv and Persian Gulf states). Other destinations are added from time to time, but these are fairly stable.
Charter flights reach many more regional airports, most notably to Poprad, the gateway to the Tatras mountain ranges.

By train - Many of Europe's busiest train routes pass through or very near Slovakia (for example, Vienna's position 100 km from Bratislava makes connections easy and practical). It is especially simple to travel from neighbouring countries. There are also regular trains directly to and from key cities in Germany, Italy and Russia.

By bus - Most countries in Europe are connected with Slovak destinations by regular service, usually direct.

By car - Slovakia is now in the process of connecting its key cities by express motorways, but this project will not be complete for many years. At present, dual carriage motorways are limited to the areas around the larger cities, with the longest section running some 100 km north from Bratislava.? However, smaller roads are generally in good condition.

What is the television like?

Television stations in Slovakia broadcast in PAL format. Broadcasting is mostly in Slovak language, state owned channels have some dedicated broadcasting for ethnic minorities (always subtitled). Foreign language movies with exception of Czech movies are always dubbed. Czech production is mostly broadcasted in original, with the exception of juvenile programs. Often foreign movies are broadcasted with Czech dubbing.

Public channels:

• STV1
• STV2
• Commercial Channels
• Markiza
• TV JOJ
• TA3- news dedicated channel

And radio?

• FUN radio - Bratislava, 02/524 94 626, 02/524 91 375
• Express Radio - Bratislava; every 20 minutes traffic information
• OKEY Radio - Bratislava, 02 / 43 339 740
• HEY Radio - Bratislava, 02/59 30 30 30; plays only Czech and Slovak music
• Jemn? mel?die - Bratislava, more music
• Lumen Radio - Banska Bystrica, Catholic radio
• Beta Radio - Bojnice, 046/540 30 33
• Radio Slovakia - 02 57273 734/731, broadcasting on different frequencies specializing in: Slovak, English, German, French, Russian, Spanish
• Slovensky Rozhlas - news
• Regina Radio - towns and cities
• Dev?n Radio - cultural
• Radio FM - music
• Patria Radio - for minorities living in Slovakia

The newspapers?

There are several weekly and daily newspapers in Slovakia. The best known newspapers include daily newspapers Sme, Pravda, Nov? cas, Hospod?rske noviny, N?rodn? obroda, ?port, Plus jeden den, Av?zo. The best known weekly newspapers include My, Katol?cke noviny, Bratislavsk? noviny, Trend and some regional newspapers.

News Agency of the Slovak Republic provides online daily news in English. New scan be redelivered by email. Daily newspapers offer online news in Slovak and English on their websites.

You can buy Newspapers early in the morning at news agents, markets or supermarkets. In Bratislava, you can buy also English and other foreign newspapers or you can get it delivered to your house.

Is the water safe to drink?

In all parts of Slovakia there is drinking water. Water coming from the tabs in households, restaurants or hotels is drinking and can be used for cooking as well as for drinking. In public places, water is usually signed whether drinking water (pitn voda) or non-drinking water (??itkov? voda) intended for washing your hands only.

Insurance companies in Slovakia

General Health Insurance Company (Veobecn zdravotn poistovna)

D?vera Health Insurance Company

Apollo Health Insurance Company

Union Health Insurance Company

Common Health Insurance Company (Spoloc n? zdravotn poistovna)

What are the opening hours of shops and businesses?

Authorities

Authorities in Slovakia are open only during working week, usually from 8 am till 3 pm. Official working days for the offices apart from regional authorities are usually Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays depending on type and location of the authority.

Shops

Opening hours for shops in Slovakia are similar throughout the country. Opening hours for food markets are usually from 7 am till 6 pm from Monday till Friday; on Saturdays it is usually from 7 am till 12 am. Only few shops are open on Sundays. Other types of shops including mobile operators shops are usually open from 9 am till 5-6 pm, on Saturdays from 9 am till 12 am or 1 pm. They are closed on Sundays.

Banks

Banks are generally open from Monday till Friday, approximately from 8 am till 3-5 pm. They are usually closed on Saturdays.

Pharmacies

Pharmacies are open from 7:30 am till 3:30 pm during the working week. Only few pharmacies are open also on Saturdays. There are pharmacies on duty open usually until 10 pm.

Restaurants, caf?s and pubs

Restaurants, caf?s and pubs are open from 10 am till 10 pm seven days a week. Opening hours on Saturdays and Sundays can be longer.

Shopping centres

Opening hours for shops, groceries, banks and pharmacies can vary in big shopping centres. Big shopping centres are usually open from 9 am till 9 pm, opening hours vary for different shopping centres. In shopping centres banks or pharmacies are open daily; from Monday till Sunday. Big supermarkets such as Tesco, Kaufland, Hypernova, Billa and Lidl are usually open from 7 am till 8-12 pm, in big cities even nonstop.

Petrol stations

Most petrol stations are open 24 hours seven days a week, some of them can be open from 6 am till 10 pm only.

Electricity

In Slovakia voltage is 220V/50Hz. Electric sockets are of Type E of two pin with earth connector.
Plugs: Type E of two pin with earth connector. Widely used are also type C plugs of two pin connectors.

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