Public transport in Košice

The Košice public transit system operates in Košice, Slovakia; services are managed by the Košice Transit Company (Slovak: Dopravný podnik mesta Košice (DPMK)).

Košice Transit Company
Dopravný podnik mesta Košice
New Vario LF2 plus tram with city colors
Overview
LocaleKošice, Slovakia
Transit typeTram and Bus
Number of lines65
HeadquartersBardejovská 6
Websitedpmk.sk
Operation
Began operation25. May 1994
Operator(s)City of Košice
Technical
System lengthTrams: 177 km (110 mi)
Buses: 743.1 km (461.7 mi)
Trolleybuses: 25.1 km (15.6 mi)

History

The Košice transit company was founded in 1891 by Stefan Popper,[1] who built the first track for a horse-drawn tramway. The company had the Magyar name Kasai közuti vast - KKK ("Košice Street Railway").[2] In 1914, all tram tracks were electrified and the transit company was renamed as Sakai villa mos közúti vast (English "Košice electric lines").

The tram system was destroyed in World War I and again in World War II. In 1945, at the end of hostilities, the system was rebuilt again. Nowadays, the public transport company is called Dopravný podnik mesta Košice ("Transit Company of the City of Košice").

System
Košice tram and trolley map

The Košice public transit system includes trams, buses, and trolleybuses. There are 15 tram lines, with a total length of 177 km, 41 bus routes with a total length of 743.1 km, and two trolleybus routes with a total length of 25.1 km. The system extends from the city center to industrial areas and outlying villages near the city.[3]

Fares

The fare has changed over the years, costing 6 SKK for students and children less than 15 years of age, and 12 SKK for people 15 years and older as of 2008. Slovakia adopted the euro in 2009.[4] In 2010, the tickets cost 0,25 € for students, and children less than 15 years of age, and 0,55 € for people 15 years and older. In 2019, a strike caused tickets to become more expensive. As of 2020, tickets cost 0.90 € for adults 15 to 62 years of age, and 0.45 € for children and adults over 62 years of age.[5] All travellers must have a valid travel ticket.

Passengers older than 70 years, handicapped people, and members of parliament travel for free. Tickets are single-use and time-limited to a particular day, week, or month, though students have concessions to this requirement. Contactless smart cards issued by most Slovak public transport companies are accepted. Passengers using them can obtain tickets at lowered prices upon boarding in card validators. Cards are also the only way of obtaining season tickets, like for one, three, and six months. Cards, which are not time-limited, are available to employees. Tickets can also be bought using SMS for 1.10 €.[6]

Vehicles

Trams
The Vario LF2 trams in front of Košice Railway station

In use
  • T6A5 (manufactured 1991–1992): 29 are still in use, one was retired after crashing into a truck in 2009. Injuries were only caused to people, and the tram was badly damaged in front.
  • KT8D5 (manufactured 1986–1991): 18 are still in use, 21 were sold off. The KT8D5R.N2 trams are a variant of this tram with a low-floor middle carriage, and were built between 2003 and 2009. Eight are still in use.[7]
  • Pragoimex Vario LFR.S (manufactured in 2011): only one was bought.

Retired
  • T3SUCS (manufactured between 1963–1989): one is still used by DPMK. It is a technical tram, and many were retired or sent to other cities. The last remaining tram in Košice no longer takes passengers.

Buses
Public bus in Košice

In use
  • SOR NB 18 City: the number of these buses still in use is 65.
  • Solaris (manufactured between 1999–2006 by Solaris Bus & Coach SA): the Urbino 12 and Urbino 15 are still in use. One Urbino 12, 22 Urbino 15 and Urbino 15 CNG were retired, and all three Urbino 18 buses were sold off.
  • TEDOM C12 G (manufactured from 2007): four models are still in use, although will be retired soon.
  • Irisbus Citelis (manufactured from 2009)[8]

Retired
  • Karosa (manufactured between 1994–2005 by IVECO): these buses were diesel or CNG powered. All models - the C734, C744, B731, B732, B741, B932, and B941 - were retired from 2013–14.
  • Novoplan C12 (manufactured in 2002): all 3 are retired.
  • Ikarus (manufactured between 1989–1997 by Ikarus Bus): all three models - the Ikarus 280, Ikarus 415, and Ikarus 435 - were retired.

Trolleybuses

There are three models of trolleybuses in use - the Škoda 15Tr, Škoda 15TrM' and the Škoda 14 Tr - which were manufactured by Škoda between 1989–1993 and were modernised between 1998–2006 by Škoda Works Ostrov.[9] In 2015, the city underwent a mass track reconstruction which resulted in the temporary stoppage of these services. The Škoda 14TrM returned to service in 2018, and it travels on Sundays. DPMK also refurbished a Škoda 15Tr which restarted service on the 22nd of June 2019 - the same day as the reconstructed 15Tr - and was used on a "trolleybus day" trip that took passengers to the "trolleybus cemetery", where trolleybuses in 2015 or earlier were discarded.

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See also

References
  1. "História MHD v Košiciach: Počiatky a konce konskej a parnej sily v doprave (1881 - 1909)". imhd .sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  2. DPMK. "História košickej hromadnej dopravy -1. časť". dpmk.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 25 June 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "Slovakia and the euro". European Commission - European Commission. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  5. "EXCERPT FROM THE PRICE LIST FOR FOREIGN VISITORS | Dopravný podnik mesta Košice". www.dpmk.sk. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 March 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. All of the information about trams is at "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 22 June 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. All of the bus information are at "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 30 April 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. All of the trolleybus information is at"Archived copy". Archived from the original on 3 August 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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