Travel Information in Slovakia

May, June and September are the prime visiting months for Slovakia, although April and October are colder and often cheaper alternatives. Most Slovakswill take their holidays in July and August when hotels and tourist sights are usually crowded. Centres like Bratislava and mountain resorts can cater for visitors all the year round. Elsewhere, from October or November until March or April, most castles, museums and other tourist attractions, and some associated accommodation and transport, close down.

Currency
As of January 1, 2009 Slovakia became the 16th member of the Eurozone and Euro has become the official national currency.
Coins:
€ 0.01, € 0.02, € 0.05, € 0.10, € 0.20, € 0.50, € 1, € 2
Bank Notes:
€ 5, € 10, € 20, € 50, € 100, € 200, € 500

Banks and Money Exchange
Only exchange money in banks and certified exchange offices. Exchanges offices can be found in all major hotels, travel agencies and department stores. They are denoted as ZMENAREN (Exchange / Cambio / Wechsel). Most freely convertible currencies can be exchanged into Slovak crowns (SKK) at these exchange bureaus Credit Cards and Checks:
Euro card, Master Card and VISA are accepted at most financial institutions. Banks also accept Diners, American Express, and Euro cheque's although with less regularity. International hotels also accept most credit cards. It is recommended to use preferably the VISA and Master Card in Slovakia. Credit cards are starting to be widely used and are accepted at most hotels, gas stations, more exclusive restaurants and shops.
Travelers' cheque's are generally not accepted in stores, small hotels or restaurants, although Euro cheque's are taken at some locations. Banks and exchange offices will exchange travelers' cheque's for a fee. A convenient way of accessing cash outside business hours is to use an automated teller machine (ATM), usually marked as BANKOMAT (bank machine). Most Slovak ATM's belong to one of the major international banking systems such as Master Card, VISA, Plus, Maestro or Cirrus.

Time zone
Slovakia uses Central European Time (CET) along with other countries like Germany, Poland and Italy. Officially it is GMT + 1 hour (London), EST + 6 hour (New York) PST + 9 hour (Los Angeles).

Shopping hours:
Most establishments are open between 9 a.m. to 6 or 9 p.m., but some take lunch breaks. Banks usually close at 6 p.m. On Saturdays, most stores close by noon, and few are open on Sundays. If you would like to do some shopping then you have a choice of some shopping centres in Bratislava.

Driving
An International Driving License is required and valid in Slovakia. Slovkia's road signs and rules comply with all European standards. On motorways drivers must have a yearly toll label that can be purchased at border crossings, post offices, and petrol stations. Take care after the winter months as the condition of some of the roads is quite unsafe. Look out for pot holes

Speed limits are 60km/h in cities and towns, 90km/h on open roads and 130km/h on multilane freeways (unless otherwise marked). Seat belts are compulsory for all passengers. Children under 12 and animals are not allowed in the front passenger seat. Be aware that all vehicles must have a first aid box, towrope, hazard triangle and a spare tire. If you are caught violating any of these laws a fine is payable on the spot or your vehicle will be impounded.

The blood-alcohol level in Slovakia is 0.0. Basically, if you drink any alcohol you can't drive.
Gas (BENZIN) is sold in several unleaded varieties (Natural 95 & 98) with a special mixture (UNI91) for older cars. Diesel fuel is also available. Many multinational companies (OMV, Shell, ESSO) have their gas stations in Slovakia. The domestic producer of gas is Slovnaft, which is the most common in Slovakia.
Road conditions are generally up to Western standards. A new transnational highway is being built between Bratislava and Presov.

Smoking
Smoking is very widespread in Slovakia - over a third of the population smoke. A ban on smoking has been in force since September 2009 - banning all smokers from every establishment serving food although some pubs do have seperate rooms for smokers.

Telecommunications
Slovakia is slowly upgrading its telecommunication system. Data communication services (e-mail, Internet) are quickly expanding throughout the country as another forms of communication.
Country telephone code:
+ 421 (Bratislava: + 421 2)

Local telephone calls
Public phones charge 10 cents a unit (about 8 seconds of local talk time), but most public phones require telephone cards, which can be purchased at post offices, railway stations, department stores, kiosks and hotels. Card phones are available in 50 or 100 unit denominations.
International telephone calls:
To call from Bratislava directly to other countries, use the international access code 00, than your country code (US - 1, Germany - 49 etc.), the city code, and then the local number.

Video system
PAL/SECAM (incompatible with NTSC system in North America)
Voltage & Adapters:
220 volts / 50 Hz, Slovakia uses the standard continental European "Euro plug", with 2 round pins, socket and plug system also found in Germany, France, etc.example, we have selected "Home".