In the Košice region, traveling for spring and summer tourist experiences will be more affordable again. Cyclists can look forward to several options for bicycle transport. The popular cycle bus will make it possible to visit the Tokaj vineyard area, and the possibility of cycle transport will also be part of several regular bus connections to Spiš, Zemplín, Gemer and within Abov.
The popular cycle buses, which the Regional Tourism Organization Košice Región Turizmus, in cooperation with the Košice self-governing region, has successfully operated for the past two years, are returning. While in the past years it was possible to explore the region on two wheels almost exclusively through specially scheduled connections, this year bike transportation will also be provided on regular lines across the entire Košice region.
Košice self-governing region in cooperation with regional carriers ARRIVA Michalovce a.s. and eurobus a.s., and under the management of Košice Región Turizmus, will start transporting cyclists this year already during the spring period. The first Cycle bus to Tokaj will be dispatched on Saturday, May 13, 2023. The president of the Košice self-governing region, Rastislav Trnka, expressed his belief that visitors of the region will appreciate the new possibilities of making cycle route starting points accessible: “I am pleased that for the third year in a row we can bring an attractive method of combined transportation to cyclists in our region. Compared to previous seasons, the popular Cycle bus to Tokaj will be available to visitors already during the months of May and June. A cycle bus with a transport capacity of 30 bicycles will operate every Saturday in the given months on the route Košice – Slanec – Čerhov – Borša – Streda nad Bodrogom, while each passenger has the opportunity to choose from the many hiking and cycling routes that this vineyard area offers.“
The cycle bus to Tokaj is, as in the past, also available to hikers who like to discover new places, attractions and gastronomic experiences. Visitors can purchase tickets in person at the Regional Information Point at Hlavná 48 in Košice and/or online at vylety.kosiceregion.travel.
According to the director of Košice Región Turizmus Lenka Vargová Jurková, anyone who wants to leave their car at home can choose from a number of available bus connections, which in the current season also offer the option of bicycle transport: “Since one of our priorities is the creation and support of ecotourism products, we are strengthening our portfolio with increasingly popular method of “green” transport, which is the technically undemanding transport of bicycles in bicycle carriers on the regular lines of the carriers ARRIVA Michalovce a.s. and eurobus a.s. For the individual stops of the selected routes, we have also prepared a variety of tips for cycling trips of varying difficulty, so that every cyclist, both advanced and recreational, can find their own enjoyment.”
It will be possible to transport bicycles to Spiš, Gemer and Abov by eurobus a.s., which on selected bus routes offers the possibility of transporting bicycles using bicycle carriers with a transport capacity of 6 bicycles. As stated by the head of the department of suburban and urban transport eurobus a.s. Ing. Rudolf Dzuruš “the first bus connection, offering the possibility of transporting bicycles, on the regular line 801409 with the route Košice – Gelnica and back, will be in operation from June 3 to September 30, 2023, always during weekends and holidays. Only Saturdays will belong to another regular connection on line 802431, which will take cyclists along Abov to Zlatá Idka or on line 802437 to Kostoľany nad Hornádom from 1/7/2023 – 30/9/2023. During the given period, a bus on the regular route 808405, heading as far as Rožňava, will also operate with a bicycle carrier, which will make locations in the Gemer area accessible, regularly on Saturdays.” Visitors can purchase bicycle transport directly from the driver and its price is 1,50 EUR up to 50 km and EUR 3 for distances over 50 km.
A slightly larger transport capacity will be provided on bus lines 810438 on the route Spišská Nová Ves – Čingov – Kopanec sedlo – Stratená – Dobšinská ice cave – Dedinky – Palcmanská Maša. As stated by Michaela Kriváňová, executive director of OOCR Slovenský raj & Spiš, “the bus connections to Slovenský raj will be equipped with a bicycle trailer with a capacity of 15 bicycles, as in previous years. The novelty compared to the previous seasons is that they will be in operation daily, even during weekends and public holidays, in the period from 1.7. until September 3, 2023. Visitors can buy tickets directly from the driver. The fare for transporting a bicycle is 1,50 euros up to 50 km and 3 euros for distances over 50 km.”
ARRIVA Michalovce, a.s. offers cycle transport with a capacity of 6 bicycles to Zemplín on the regular line 809401 Košice – Remetské Hámre and cycle transport to Tokaj on the regular line 811407 Košice – Malá Tŕňa. “Both mentioned connections with bicycle transport will be available to visitors daily from 3.6.2023 to 15.10.2023, while the connection to Zemplín will go as far as the popular Morské oko during weekends and holidays. Tickets for cycle transport can be purchased directly from the driver, but it is also possible to reserve a place in advance by calling the company dispatching phone number +421 905 931 945, no later than 3 p.m. before the day of cycle transport,” explains the transport director of ARRIVA Michalovce, a.s. Milan Kuchma.
Visitors can find more information about the seasonal bicycle transport and its complete offer, including the tips for trips, on the website www.vylety.kosiceregion.travel.
TS KSK
Foto: Dominik Krčmár
