First EuroNight train between Slovakia and Croatian coast arrives 

EuroNight train arrives in Split (Photo: HTZ)

The first EuroNight train from Bratislava, Slovakia, arrived in the Croatian city of Split on Saturday. 

Operated by Slovak Railways (ZSSK) in collaboration with Austrian Federal Railways ÖBB, the route from Bratislava to Split passes through Vienna, Austria.

The service will run through the summer and into autumn and will end on October, 5th, the Croatian Tourist Board said in a statement. 

The service will operate to Split every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, with return journeys to Bratislava every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. 

Alongside passengers, this route also allows for the transportation of vehicles, including cars and motorcycles, from Vienna. It’s anticipated that over 20,000 visitors from Slovakia will travel to Split via this route during this season.

The inaugural train was welcomed by the President of the Slovak Railways representation, Peter Helexa, along with other representatives from ZSSK and the director of the Croatian Tourist Board representation for the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Miodrag Mlačić.

“The Split-Dalmatia County has been a favorite destination for Slovak guests for years, with a significant increase in visitors year after year. We are extremely pleased that Slovak Railways and ÖBB have recognized this interest in our region, and we are confident that this new connection will be crucial for further improving the results of our tourism in two exceptionally important markets, Slovakia and Austria. The establishment of this route only confirms their love and commitment to Dalmatia. This line also has additional significance as it will operate for a period of six months, providing us with the opportunity to achieve even better results outside the summer season. 

With hopes for successful cooperation with our partners from Slovak Railways and ÖBB, we look forward to the positive impact of this new connection on our local economy and tourism industry,” said Ivana Vladović, the director of the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, upon the arrival of the first train from Bratislava.

“The Slovak market is one of our most important source markets, from which we recorded a record 520,000 arrivals and 3.3 million overnight stays in 2023. In the first 4 months of the current tourist year, we have achieved 20,000 arrivals and 75,000 overnight stays, which is 7% more compared to the same period last year. Slovaks favor the Split-Dalmatia County, and last year they recorded 800,000 overnight stays.

EuroNight train arrives in Split (Photo: HTZ)

This excellent result has undoubtedly been contributed to by the option of arriving by train. This year, the train will run three times a week from May 3rd to October 5th, and Slovak railways inform us that they expect even more passengers, as well as cars and motorcycles, to be transported,” said Miodrag Mlačić, the director of the Croatian Tourist Board representation for the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Slovakia ranks among the top ten countries, specifically ninth, in terms of the number of overnight stays in Croatia. The majority of overnight stays occur in the Split-Dalmatia County (25% of Slovak tourist overnight stays, approximately 800,000 during 2023). These guests are primarily interested in nature, gastronomy, and destination exploration, alongside “sun and sea.”

On average, Slovak guests spend €141.5 per day in Croatia, and according to data from the Croatian National Bank, around €211 million in revenue was generated from this market during 2023.