ZSSK Introduces Service Fee for Buying Tickets at Ticket Offices and on Trains

Bratislava, March 14 (TASR) - Passengers will pay more if they buy rail tickets at ticket offices or directly on a train, as state-run passenger carrier ZSSK is introducing a new service fee as of Saturday (March 15), ZSSK spokesman Dominik Drevicky announced on Friday. Passengers will pay an extra €1 if they buy a ticket at a ticket office and an extra €3 if buying tickets on a train. ZSSK explained that the new service fee should cover the costs related to personnel, i.e. the work done by cashiers and train conductors, ticket printing and maintaining a distribution network. The service fee doesn't apply to those who buy tickets online via an e-shop, ZSSK's app, or by SMS. Seniors or severely disabled people who need an assistant are also exempt from it. "Issuing a paper ticket at a ticket office costs more than €1, while its digital sale is five times cheaper - less than 30 cents. Selling one on a train is even more expensive. The service fee aims to cover these costs and support more convenient digital services," said ZSSK general director Peter Helexa. ZSSK has launched an information campaign at railway stations. ZSSK assistants will help passengers at ten stations to buy tickets online if they don't know how to do this. They will be available at Bratislava's main station and at the stations in Trencin, Trnava, Nitra, Nove Zamky, Banska Bystrica, Zilina, Poprad-Tatry, Kosice and Presov until March 21. They will help passengers to download the application and show them the procedure for and benefits of buying tickets online. ko/df