| Type | state-owned enterprise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transport |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Headquarters | Bratislava, Slovakia |
| Key people | Ing. Štefan Hlinka (CEO) and Mgr. Juraj Mravčák (Chairman of Board of Directors) |
| Products | network infrastructure services |
| Website | www.zsr.sk |
Railways of Slovak Republic (Železnice Slovenskej republiky, ŽSR) is the state-owned railway infrastructure company in Slovakia.
The company was established in 1993 as the successor of the Československé státní drahy in Slovakia. Until 1996 it had formal and since then a de facto monopoly on railroad transportation in the country.
In 2002 a law divided the company: ŽSR was left with infrastructure maintenance, and transport was moved into company "Železničná spoločnosť, a. s." (ZSSK). In 2005 this new company was further split into "Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko, a. s." (ZSSK)[1] providing passenger services and "Železničná spoločnosť Cargo Slovakia, a. s." (ZSSK Cargo / ZSCS)[2] providing freight services.
ŽSR provides transportation and services that correspond to the interests of state transport policy and market requirements, including related activities[3]
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Railway has become an important prerequisite for economic and social development of the country.
In 1837, it was started the construction of the first European Railway Highway. Its construction has become a potential threat to market of agricultural goods and timber from western Slovakia. Therefore, it was founded a company in aim to build horse railway that would link the 5 royal cities between Bratislava and Trnava. The service was providing until the first half of the 70th of the 19th century.
At beginning, the construction of the railway was in the hand of the state. Later in year 1854, the state entrusted railway building to private entrepreneurs.[4]
The intensity of construction changed after settlement in 1867. It was established Ministry of Transport and Public Works. Its main objective was the construction of transport communications independent of Austria. In Slovakia, it has meant an extensive construction of railways.
In the period between 1867 and 1873 was built a number of major railways:
Hungary tried to use private capital for the railway construction. The lack of solvency threatened the construction of railways and Hungary started in 1868 to build railways on their own.
The railway construction was accompanied by a series of scandals and corruption affairs among aristocracy, politicians and businessmen. In spite this fact, the basis of the railway network was set up in relatively short time.
Bankruptcy of the Vienna stock exchange was the beginning of an economic crisis affecting the economy of the monarchy throughout the first half of the 70th of the 19th century. Changing economic circumstances was reflected on the further construction of railways. During this period, the country was aware of the strategic importance of railway transportation for economy and policy.
The state responded to the situation with a number of actions: stopped the construction of expensive railways and created legal conditions for the construction of local railways.
After the formation of Czechoslovakia, the most important task was to maintain run of the rail network defined by new boundaries. Two divisions, which were set up in the cities Košice and Bratislava, were responsible for the network managing. Slovakia inherited rail network that was insufficient for the new state requirements.
The only one efficient line was Košice-Bohumín. The state therefore decided to take over operation of all private railways and extend the rail lines. The pressure of competition from the road freight transport stimulated further developments. The speed of freight trains has been increased up to 70 km/h by applying continuous braking. Significant progress in passenger traffic has been attained by motorization of local railways.
On March the 3rd, 1939, the Slovak State was established. However, it was dependent on the Germany . The war caused the high intensity of freight transport. The key role has played export of raw materials, agricultural and food products. Passenger transport has been characterized by extensive seasonal movements of agricultural and industrial workers from Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine and Russia travelling to the Germany.
After the World War II, Czechoslovakia was renewed. The first task needed to be solved was the reconstruction of the rail network. In the 1948, the regime of communism began. All private railways were nationalized. The overloaded line Čierna nad Tisou – Košice Žilina – Bohumín was the drive to extend the rail network on the South of Slovakia. At the same time, the electrification of railways was carried out.
The new constitution in 1960 defined Czechoslovakia as a socialist state. Rail transport was marked on the Stalin conception of“iron and steel”. There was a strong concentration in transport of raw materials, building materials, fuels and food.
Industrialization had a significant impact on the growth of passenger transport - people have traveled for work and school large distances. The growth in intensity caused imbalance between demand and technical capabilities. The situation became relaxed during the 70th years due to the development of individual motoring and the density in rail transportation started to decline.
On 1 January 1993 Slovak Republic became independent. At the same time, the company Railways of Slovak Republic was established. The bad initial situation requested measures to execute consolidation as quick as possible. The most important was to create conditions for privatization and to optimize rail activity for business requirements. The strategic objective was to provide access to European Union trade market and capitalize on convenient territory of Slovak Republic and its touristic attractiveness.
The governing bodies of ŽSR are the Management Board and General Director.
The Management Board is the top body of the railways. It has nine members - six members of them are experts from the transport sector, finance, banking, economics and law, three are elected for representatives of the railway employees. Board members are appointed and dismissed by the Minister of Transport, Posts and Telecommunications of the Slovak Republic, three of them are appointed and dismissed by the proposal based on the election of the employees.
Office of the Management Board of ŽSR provides administrative and technical operations. General inspection SR ŽSR performs inspection and control of organizational units of ŽSR and provides tasks associated with improving of the management system and compliance with legislative regulation, monitors implementation of decisions of ŽSR and gives suggestions for their implementation.
General Director manages the activities of ŽSR and is responsible for its performance and the results to the Management Board. General Director is a statutory body of ŽSR. He represents the company externally and is acting on its behalf in all matters with except of the matters that are in the exclusive competence of the Management Board or the Ministry of Transport, Posts and Telecommunications.
General Director is represented by four agents responsible for specific departments of ŽSR. General Director is appointed and dismissed by the Minister of Transport, Posts and Telecommunications.
General Director manages Department of Director General and has four deputies who are in charge of handling the activity in other departments. Sections and branches associated to the departments are subject to deputy.
Railways of Slovak Republic is further divided into Headquarters and Management and maintenance of railway infrastructure.
Departments of Director General Departments of Deputy Director General for Development and IT Departments of Deputy Director General for Economy Departments of Deputy Director General for Operation Departments of Deputy Director General for Human Resources
All departments are located in the capital city, Bratislava.
This section has two local departments. The first one is situated on the West of Slovak Republic in Trnava and the second location is on the East of Slovak Republic in Košice.
Maintenance of railway infrastructure is divided into two regional headquarters and two divisions.
Railways of Slovak Republic are represented in international organizations in Brussels, Belgium and Warszawa, Poland.
Detailed information about pricing are published on the websites of individual companies providing passenger transport
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Oravsk%C3%A1-lesn%C3%A1-%C5%BEeleznica/155185894526739
http://kruzok.sk/newkruz/ http://www.vlaky.net/zeleznice/spravy/002495-Oravska-lesna-zeleznica-po-rokoch-ozila/ http://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kysucko-oravsk%C3%A1_lesn%C3%A1_%C5%BEeleznica http://www.vlaky.net/zeleznice/spravy/003304-Expedicia-VLAKYNET-na-Oravu-a-Kysuce-1-cast-OLZ/ http://www.vlaky.net/zeleznice/spravy/003306-Expedicia-VLAKYNET-na-Oravu-a-Kysuce-2-cast-HLUZ/
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