Decoding Slovak Timetable note

[ainsworth74]

Would someone be able to assist me in decoding this notation at the bottom of a Slovakian Railways timetable?



The notes to the Slovakian Railways timetable can be found here (scroll down to find the English translation).

I've been trying my best however I'm struggling somewhat but I think what it's trying to say is "Runs Saturday & Sunday to 21 June and from 5 September and 22 December to 5 January. From 27 June to 31 August runs daily"? Any advance on that translation?!

 

[StephenHunter]

Yes, that looks correct.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Would someone be able to assist me in decoding this notation at the bottom of a Slovakian Railways timetable?

View attachment 197138

The notes to the Slovakian Railways timetable can be found here (scroll down to find the English translation).

I've been trying my best however I'm struggling somewhat but I think what it's trying to say is "Runs Saturday & Sunday to 21 June and from 5 September and 22 December to 5 January. From 27 June to 31 August runs daily"? Any advance on that translation?!

Strictly speaking the "cross" sign is Sundays and (Slovak) holidays.

 

[ainsworth74]

Thank you both

 

[StephenHunter]

Strictly speaking the "cross" sign is Sundays and (Slovak) holidays.

That's correct. Which they even used during the CSSR days, when the Slovak arms were replaced by a fire and a mountain.

 

[ainsworth74]

Hello, me again with another question

I'm now trying to work out whether a service is either a) fully bustituted throughout or b) only between two stations and if it's only between two stations if the journey planner actually is taking account of that!

I am looking at REX 1786 the 1407 from Margecany to Banská Bystrica (a 1812) on a weekend in late March 2026. The ZSSK journey planner warns that replacement bus transport applies and: "In the period from 14.12.2025 to 09.05.2026 from 00:00 until 23:59 replacement bus service is introduced in the section Červená Skala – Telgárt." Which is one stop. If you go the linked Closures and traffic information page (which doesn't appear to be available in English so I'm using my browser to translate) and find the relevant section for this service it says under "Trains that will be replaced by replacement bus service" regarding this train: "Zr 1786 Margecany 14:07 – Telgárt 15:52 – Červená Skala 16:14 – Banská Bystrica 18:12".

So does this mean that the bus is just between the two highlighted stations and if so is that accounted for in the journey planner? Or is the whole train replaced by a bus? I have visions of arriving at Margecany and being directed to a bus for the next four hours or alternatively arriving at Cervena Skala on the bus from Telgart to see the tail lamps of a train departing and being stuck there for four hours until the next train at 2014!!

 

[Segedunum]

If its like any other Slovak bus replacement (on a local line like that anyway). You'll probably find that the driver and conductor jump off with you onto the bus and leave the train behind for the next crew coming the other way.

But yes - its just on the short section between Červena Skala and Telgart and you won't be left behind.

Vagonweb also explains below:

vagonWEB » Řazení vlaků » 2026 » ZSSK REX » REX 1786

www.vagonweb.cz

Additionally the train has a booked stop from 15:59 to 16:14 at Červena Skala - so this will absorb the delay of switching from train to bus then back.

 

[ainsworth74]

Excellent thank you!

 

[Peterthegreat]

If its like any other Slovak bus replacement (on a local line like that anyway). You'll probably find that the driver and conductor jump off with you onto the bus and leave the train behind for the next crew coming the other way.

But yes - its just on the short section between Červena Skala and Telgart and you won't be left behind.

Vagonweb also explains below:

vagonWEB » Řazení vlaků » 2026 » ZSSK REX » REX 1786

www.vagonweb.cz

Additionally the train has a booked stop from 15:59 to 16:14 at Červena Skala - so this will absorb the delay of switching from train to bus then back.

You've beaten me to it but I concur with everything you say!

 

[Cloud Strife]

I've been trying my best however I'm struggling somewhat but I think what it's trying to say is "Runs Saturday & Sunday to 21 June and from 5 September and 22 December to 5 January. From 27 June to 31 August runs daily"? Any advance on that translation?!

Just to confirm that your translation is correct, it's exactly the same system used in Poland.

 

[ainsworth74]

Thank you all

 

[dutchflyer]

That's correct. Which they even used during the CSSR days, when the Slovak arms were replaced by a fire and a mountain.

Those signs-in the days of Europe railways coöperating and before there was this www etc, I think these figures were universal across all countries/state railways to make life a little easier for those sitting in info-buro¨s to help people out with travelplans. And a sign that was peculiar for a certain country meant it had a kind of unique significance. Probably work from the UIC.
The exception, as so often must have been BR in the UK: different tables weekdays//ends in fone-book thick books?
The meaning of these cumbersome signs in this case is in effect quite simple: on all days OFF of schoolkids.
As it includes all weekends later there came a sign (when saturdays off became more universal) as C in a circle which meant ´weekends´.

 

[30907]

I've been trying my best however I'm struggling somewhat but I think what it's trying to say is "Runs Saturday & Sunday to 21 June and from 5 September and daily from 22 December to 5 January. From 27 June to 31 August runs daily"?

Small clarification in bold (refers to 2025 of course!)

If its like any other Slovak bus replacement (on a local line like that anyway). You'll probably find that the driver and conductor jump off with you onto the bus and leave the train behind for the next crew coming the other way.

I'd bet on there being a booked crew swap at C Skala - I've experienced that further down the valley in loco-hauled days (summer 2022)

But yes - its just on the short section between Červena Skala and Telgart and you won't be left behind.

The timetable won't be altered, the train will just run a couple of minutes late.

 

[ainsworth74]

The timetable won't be altered, the train will just run a couple of minutes late.

As long as we wouldn't be trapped for 4 hours a few minutes of delay is acceptable

 

[30907]

As long as we wouldn't be trapped for 4 hours a few minutes of delay is acceptable

It's not as if ZSSK works to T+1 standards of punctuality anyway

 

[Segedunum]

It's not as if ZSSK works to T+1 standards of punctuality anyway

My experience of ZSSK is that they'll either be remarkably efficient (eg. Tatra Electric Lines) or so sloppy it'll drive you to tears

Funnily enough this thread ended up having me wanting to tick off the line via Červena Skala (despite the small break in service) so I've booked up to do just that next month...

 

[30907]

My experience of ZSSK is that they'll either be remarkably efficient (eg. Tatra Electric Lines) or so sloppy it'll drive you to tears

Funnily enough this thread ended up having me wanting to tick off the line via Červena Skala (despite the small break in service) so I've booked up to do just that next month...

Definitely worth doing, CS to Telgart is before the most interesting section.
BTW I didn't realise Telgart had become a passenger stop again - it was just a crossing loop for several years, as T Penzion is much more convenient.

 

[Panceltic]

I have been staring at this and still can't quite grasp it. So, until 21/06 it runs on weekends, between 27/06 and 31/08 it's daily, from 05/09 it's on weekends only, except between 22/12 and 05/01 when it's daily again?? I could think of a few easier ways to convey that!

 

[StephenHunter]

Those signs-in the days of Europe railways coöperating and before there was this www etc, I think these figures were universal across all countries/state railways to make life a little easier for those sitting in info-buro¨s to help people out with travelplans. And a sign that was peculiar for a certain country meant it had a kind of unique significance. Probably work from the UIC.

I suppose the non-Communist countries outvoted the Communist ones at the timetable conferences.

 

[The exile]

I suppose the non-Communist countries outvoted the Communist ones at the timetable conferences.

If there was dissension I doubt it was on politically ideological grounds.

 

[DeverseSam]

The guide in the first post says that the cross denotes:

holidays (Sundays) 24., 25., 26. XII. 2022, 1., 6. I., 15., 18. IV., 1., 8. V., 5. VII., 29. VIII., 1., 15. IX., 1., 17. XI. 2023

whereas a Sunday is denoted by a 7 in the guide.

Therefore I am not sure that the train actually does run on Sundays outside summer, otherwise the timetable would show 7.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Feb 2026 ==

Also, seeing the em dash in the timetable note, I was curious to see whether a large language model would be able to interpret the timetable note, however the answer is unclear as it was influenced by this very thread!

 

[Tester]

Also, seeing the em dash in the timetable note, I was curious to see whether a large language model would be able to interpret the timetable note, however the answer is unclear as it was influenced by this very thread!

Definitely a sign of the times!

 

[signed]

Same signs used in Italy on all transport means

Note that in Italy, Feriale is Monday-Saturday included and Festivo is Sunday and bank holidays

 

[30907]

The guide in the first post says that the cross denotes:

holidays (Sundays) 24., 25., 26. XII. 2022, 1., 6. I., 15., 18. IV., 1., 8. V., 5. VII., 29. VIII., 1., 15. IX., 1., 17. XI. 2023
whereas a Sunday is denoted by a 7 in the guide.

I can't see that information (which is 3 years old)

Therefore I am not sure that the train actually does run on Sundays outside summer, otherwise the timetable would show 7.

The online timetables show that + has its conventional meaning

Same signs used in Italy on all transport means

Note that in Italy, Feriale is Monday-Saturday included and Festivo is Sunday and bank holidays

CZ and SK both use the crossed-hammers symbol for Mondays to Fridays excluding holidays, logically but contrary to the UIC convention.

 

[The exile]

The guide in the first post says that the cross denotes:

holidays (Sundays) 24., 25., 26. XII. 2022, 1., 6. I., 15., 18. IV., 1., 8. V., 5. VII., 29. VIII., 1., 15. IX., 1., 17. XI. 2023

whereas a Sunday is denoted by a 7 in the guide.

Therefore I am not sure that the train actually does run on Sundays outside summer, otherwise the timetable would show 7.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Feb 2026 ==

Also, seeing the em dash in the timetable note, I was curious to see whether a large language model would be able to interpret the timetable note, however the answer is unclear as it was influenced by this very thread!

Traditionally, the dagger / cross is Sundays and Public Holidays, whereas the circled 7 relates purely to Sundays.

 

[Panceltic]

I still don't quite understand what the note means, the dates are not adding up for me. Would anyone be kind enough to explain please? Thanks

 

[30907]

I still don't quite understand what the note means, the dates are not adding up for me. Would anyone be kind enough to explain please? Thanks

The train runs:
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays throughout.
22 December (2025) to 5 January and 27 June to 31 August it runs daily (ie during the school Christmas and summer holidays).

Is that clearer? The original is somewhat unclear about the Christmas period.

 

[Panceltic]

The train runs:
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays throughout.
22 December (2025) to 5 January and 27 June to 31 August it runs daily (ie during the school Christmas and summer holidays).

Is that clearer? The original is somewhat unclear about the Christmas period.

Yeah that makes more sense, thanks.

But what about the “until 21/06 and from 05/09” bit?

 

[Segedunum]

Yeah that makes more sense, thanks.

But what about the “until 21/06 and from 05/09” bit?

It only runs on weekends/public holidays until 21/06 and from 05/09.

 

[Panceltic]

Gosh that’s worded really confusingly, isn’t it? They could have just said “runs on weekends/public holidays only, except 27/06–31/08 and 22/12–05/01 when it’s daily”, no?

Although that does leave out 22/06 which is a Sunday.