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Major city · Slovakia

Košice

Give Košice 2 nights: the old town fits in a day, and the second day is for the mountains or a slow café morning before you move on.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Košice is Slovakia's second city and the eastern end of most rail routes, with the country's largest protected old town wrapped around St. Elisabeth Cathedral. Almost everything worth seeing sits inside a 15-minute walk, so it works as a two-night stop between the High Tatras and the Hungarian or Ukrainian border, not as a week-long base.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
EUR
Best months
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jan–Feb (cold, grey), July–August heat spells
Airport
KSC
Nights
2
Rules in force · 7Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Central Europe ↗Six of the nine countries here — Austria, Switzerland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia — charge a time-based motorway vignette, mostly digital and linked to the number plate; buy it before the first motorway past the border, because cameras, not toll booths, do the checking.
  • Central Europe ↗Temporary police checks at internal Schengen borders are common in this region in 2026 (Germany, Austria, Poland, Slovenia among others — check): keep your passport on you on every cross-border train, bus and road even though there is no fixed control post.
  • Slovakia ↗Slovakia is in the EU and the Schengen area: check entry rules, the EU Entry/Exit System and any travel authorisation requirement for your passport on official sources.
  • Slovakia ↗Motorways and expressways need an electronic vignette bought before you drive on them.
  • Slovakia ↗Many high trails in Tatra National Park close seasonally (roughly November to mid-June); check the park's current closures before planning a hike.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Košice112 ▾

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Košice, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee in the old town€2–3.50 (≈ US$3–5)
  • Sit-down mealDinner with a drink€12–25 (≈ US$14–30)
  • BeerLocal beer, 0.5 l€2–4 (≈ US$3–5)
  • Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi across the centre€5–8 (≈ US$6–10)
  • Metro or bus ridePublic transport single ticket€1–1.20 (≈ US$2)
  • Museum or sight ticketCathedral tower or museum entry€3–8 (≈ US$4–10)
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per person€18 (≈ US$25)
  • Mid-range bedDouble room, mid-range hotel, a night, per room€90 (≈ US$110)
  • High-end bedDouble room, mid-range hotel, a night, per room€160 (≈ US$190)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget €45 (≈ US$55) · Mid €75 (≈ US$90) · High €140 (≈ US$170)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

St. Elisabeth CathedralHlavná ulica and the singing fountainEuropean Capital of Culture 2013Eastern Slovak food and wine bars
Airports
KSC Košice International Airport (6 km (3.7 mi) south of the centre; bus 23 runs to the city, check times for your arrival.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    1°C (34°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    4°C (39°F)

  3. Mar

    not flagged

    10°C (50°F)

  4. Apr

    Best

    17°C (63°F)

  5. May

    Best

    21°C (70°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    25°C (77°F)

  7. Jul

    Avoid

    27°C (81°F)

  8. Aug

    Avoid

    27°C (81°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    21°C (70°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    15°C (59°F)

  11. Nov

    not flagged

    8°C (46°F)

  12. Dec

    not flagged

    2°C (36°F)

Best: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct. Avoid: Jan–Feb, Jul–Aug. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (27°C (81°F)), coolest Jan (−5°C (23°F) low), wettest Dec (13 rain days), driest Sep (9). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Košice: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

1°C (34°F)

−5°C (23°F)

12 rd

Feb

4°C (39°F)

−4°C (25°F)

11 rd

Mar

10°C (50°F)

0°C (32°F)

11 rd

Apr

17°C (63°F)

5°C (41°F)

11 rd

May

21°C (70°F)

10°C (50°F)

12 rd

Jun

25°C (77°F)

13°C (55°F)

12 rd

Jul

27°C (81°F)

15°C (59°F)

12 rd

Aug

27°C (81°F)

15°C (59°F)

10 rd

Sep

21°C (70°F)

10°C (50°F)

9 rd

Oct

15°C (59°F)

5°C (41°F)

10 rd

Nov

8°C (46°F)

1°C (34°F)

12 rd

Dec

2°C (36°F)

−3°C (27°F)

13 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The centre is walkable end to end in about 20 minutes. Trams and buses (DPMK) cover the rest, roughly 05:00–23:00, with a few night buses. Buy a 30- or 60-minute ticket from a machine, an app or the driver, and validate it on board the first time you ride.

Nearest full guides

Straight-line distance, not travel time

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Jahodná and Kavečany hills

go

Door to door: About 1 h

City bus from the centre to the trailheads, then marked forest paths

Half-day hike straight from the city; wear shoes with grip.

Spiš Castle and Levoča

caution

Door to door: 2–3 h

Train or bus towards Poprad, then a local connection

A long day by public transport; easier with a car.

Prešov

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Train or bus, frequent services

Compact regional centre; a half-day add-on.

High Tatras (Poprad)

overnight

Door to door: 2–2.5 h

InterCity train east, then the TEŽ or bus up to the resorts

Too far for a comfortable return day; sleep in the mountains instead.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Old town (Hlavná and side streets)

Walk to every sight, restaurant and bar; the only area most visitors need.

Around the railway station

10 minutes on foot to Hlavná; useful for a late arrival or an early train.

Suburbs (Terasa, Sídlisko)

Cheaper beds and free parking, but you rely on trams and buses.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
€45–70 (≈ US$55–85) excl. bed
Mid
€70–120 (≈ US$85–140) excl. bed
High
€120 (≈ US$140)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Double room, mid-range hotel1 × 2 nights × €90€180
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × €75€300
Airport bus 23, one way2 × €1 · check€2
24-hour public transport ticket2 × €4 · check€8
eSIM, about a week of data2 × €10€20
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge€51
Trip total≈ €140 per person per day, bed included€561≈ US$700

2026 estimate in euro; travel to Košice excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee in the old town€2–3.50 (≈ US$3–5)
Lunch menu (daily special)€6–10 (≈ US$7–12)
Dinner with a drink€12–25 (≈ US$14–30)
Local beer, 0.5 l€2–4 (≈ US$3–5)
Public transport single ticket€1–1.20 (≈ US$2)
Taxi across the centre€5–8 (≈ US$6–10)
Cathedral tower or museum entry€3–8 (≈ US$4–10)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Košice is calm by day and the centre is well lit at night. Watch your bag on trams and around the station, and avoid unlit side streets and the area around the main station after dark.
  • Validate your ticket in the machine on board; an unvalidated ticket counts as no ticket.
  • Buying from the driver costs more than a machine or app ticket.
  • Parking in the centre zone is expensive per 24 hours; check the zone signs before you leave the car.
  • Some regional trains take a slower route through central Slovakia; check the journey time, not just the departure.

Emergency numbers

All emergencies
112
Ambulance
155
Police
158
Fire
150
Mountain rescue
18 300

Pocket card

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Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

KošiceKošice

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Na túto adresu, prosímTo this address, please

Emergency

  • All emergencies112
  • Ambulance155
  • Police158
  • Fire150

Embassy

Slovakia has few embassies outside Bratislava; most countries cover Košice from their Bratislava embassy or a consulate (check).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Airport → centre, bus 23: about €1.20 (≈ US$2), about 20–25 min (check)
  • Train Košice → Bratislava: from about €20 (≈ US$25), 5–6 h (check)
  • Train Košice → Budapest: about 3.5 h, promotional fares exist (check)

Say or show

  • Dobrý deň — Hello (DOB-ree dyen)
  • Ďakujem — Thank you (JAH-koo-yem)
  • Prosím — Please (PRO-seem)
  • Kôľko to stojí? — How much is it? (KOL-ko to STO-yee)
  • Môžem platiť kartou? — Can I pay by card? (MO-zhem PLA-tit KAR-toh)
  • Kde je toaleta? — Where is the toilet? (gde ye TOA-le-ta)

Tip about 10% or round up in restaurants and bars.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Košice. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jan–Feb (cold, grey), July–August heat spells · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for KSC: bus 23 times field-checked, taxi fallback, late-arrival rung.
  2. Three walking clusters with anchors: Hlavná and the cathedral, the eastern parks and museums, the station quarter.
  3. Place pages with verified opening hours (cathedral, St. Urban's Tower, East Slovak Museum) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Mountain day-trip fixtures for Jahodná and Kavečany so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Slovakia

Sources