TELEPHONE AND MAIL SERVICES
Slovak telephone and mail services are widely available and efficient. Public phones are mostly in good working order, and there are generally no problems with making a call, local or international. Post offices can be found in all towns and larger villages. The number of Internet cafés is steadily increasing; they are mostly situated in the centres of large towns.
The payphones in Slovakia are both coin and card-operated. The service is quick and efficient, but not all public telephones allow for international calls. Those that do not allow outgoing calls to international and mobile numbers are marked with an orange sticker. If you are in doubt, seek advice at a post office. Phone cards can be purchased at post offices and news kiosks and are easier to use for international calls. They are sold in 75 and 150 units.
Some major towns have telephone exchanges in which you can make a phone call and pay the total cost at the end. Calls from hotel telephones tend to be expensive; it is advisable to check the rates before making an outward call. There are currently two mobile phone operators in Slovakia: Orange and EuroTel.
Using a phonecard telephone in Slovakia
Lift receiver and wait for dialling tone.
Insert card with arrow pointing upwards.
Display will show number of units left, and instruct you to dial number.
Dial number and wait to be connected.
Press this button if you wish to make another call, without replacing the receiver. The card slides out when you replace the receiver.
Slovak news kiosk, one of many selling telephone cards
The Slovak telephone network is currently undergoing modernization, which can make life harder when you are trying to get a connection. Three-digit area codes have been introduced (the first digit is always 0), and when making a long-distance call you should dial the area code of the town or the region, followed by the subscriber’s number. Local calls do not need the area code. The new area codes for Slovak telephone numbers are included in this guide.
- Dial these prefixes before the Slovak number (including area code) when calling from abroad: from the UK and Ireland 00421; from USA and Canada 011421; from Australia and New Zealand 0011421.
- International directory enquiries: 0149.
- Directory enquiries within Slovakia: 120.
Post offices can be found in all towns and larger villages. They generally open from 8am until 6pm, Monday to Friday, and 8am until 1pm on Saturday. In large towns you can find some post offices that open on Sundays. A postage stamp (známky) for an ordinary letter costs €1; a parcel up to 2 kg (4.4 lb) costs €4; an international package up to 1 kg (2.2 lb) in weight costs €25.
As in the Czech Republic, a poste restante service is available in the main post office (Pošta 1) in each major town. You will need your passport in order to collect your mail.
Slovak post box
Internet cafés are not quite as prevalent as in the Czech Republic, but can nevertheless be found in many towns. They are opening up on a regular basis, so finding them should not present too many difficulties. Sometimes a sign may be hung along the main street, but the actual entrance may lead through gates, corridors and back yards. These kinds of establishments are often located in cellars. They charge about €1.50–€2 per hour, with the total charges being calculated by the minute. Many hotels offer Internet access to guests.
