Soldiers and Their Family Members Now Eligible for Free Rail Travel

Bratislava, 9 November (TASR) - Members of the Slovak Armed Forces can travel by train free of charge, according to the agreement between the Defence Ministry and national passenger rail carrier ZSSK, announced by Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) and Transport Minister Jozef Raz (a Smer-SD nominee) at a news conference on Monday, adding that this benefit will also apply to their immediate family members.
        Soldiers may use free second-class rail travel for commuting to work as well as for visiting their families. "They are constantly performing their duties, often far away from home. It's therefore important to enable them to travel efficiently without incurring extra costs, while also allowing them to see their families, whom they cannot be with every day," explained Kalinak. According to him, the benefit will also extend to the soldiers' immediate family members. "This is a step that will make it somewhat easier to manage the often very challenging family situations that naturally accompany such separations," he said, adding that members of the National Defence Forces (volunteers and reservists) will also be eligible to use this benefit.
        The transport minister, together with Kalinak, highlighted not only the social aspect of the measure but also its ecological dimension. "The Transport Ministry very much welcomes any initiative that encourages people to shift from cars to trains. This means cleaner air, less congested roads, and safer transport," noted Raz. At the same time, both ministers mentioned a "secondary positive effect" of the measure, pointing to the training and readiness of professional soldiers to respond in critical situations. "Having as many individuals as possible on board who are capable of handling an incident or providing first aid will also help increase passengers' sense of security," they explained.
        According to ZSSK Director General Ivana Pinosova, the benefit under the signed agreement is already practically in place. "Technical arrangements are currently being finalised, including the issuing of travel passes," she added.
        The officials explained the timing of the announcement by efforts to prevent the issue from being misused during the campaign ahead of local elections, in which the transport minister was running for the post of Bratislava mayor.