Košice →
Prešov

The shortest motorway link between regional capitals

From Košice to Prešov is just over half an hour on the D1. The short stretch is two-lane in both directions and in normal traffic moves almost without delay. The thickest traffic occurs in the morning northbound to Prešov (between 7:00 and 8:30) and in the afternoon southbound. The typical commuter rhythm of two university cities that economically and academically operate practically as a single organism.

For students of P. J. Šafárik University and the Technical University of Košice, as well as the University of Prešov, carpooling is the most-used alternative to public transport. The €3–5 fare covers fuel costs for the driver and saves the passenger time (compared to waiting for trains or buses).

Prešov: Šariš in brief

Prešov is Slovakia's third-largest urban agglomeration and the centre of the eastern Slovak region of Šariš. The atmosphere differs from Košice: more compact centre, more urban cohesion, less cosmopolitan feel. The Main Street forms the historic core and is registered as a municipal heritage reserve.

The city's most striking structure is the Co-Cathedral of St. Nicholas, a Gothic church whose construction began in the 14th century. The tower reaches 71 metres, and 220 steps lead up to a viewpoint. From a height of a good 70 metres, the entire centre is literally laid out below. Access is open to the public during the season.

On the city's edge stands Solivar, a complex of 17th-century buildings where salt was extracted by boiling natural brine. It is one of the most significant technical monuments in Slovakia, today managed by the Slovak Technical Museum, with an exhibition inside the preserved Leopold shaft, boiling house, salt warehouses and blacksmith's workshop. For technical museum enthusiasts, this is far more interesting than the name "Solivar" might suggest.