Košice is Slovakia's second city and its old town is one long, car-free main street, Hlavná, lined with baroque and art nouveau houses around the easternmost Gothic cathedral in Europe. It has the cafés, wine bars and old-town evenings people go to Prague for, without the stag parties or the queues. It is also the base for Spiš Castle and the Slovak Paradise gorges. Two days for the city, three or four with day trips.
Compare Košice with another place →
When to go
May to September is warm and the café terraces on Hlavná are full; it is the best time for Spiš Castle and Slovak Paradise. October is cool and quiet. December has a Christmas market on the main street. January to March is cold and grey.
Košice right now and the next 7 days
Loading the forecast…
Košice on the map
Tap anything in the list: the map zooms straight to it. Tap your starting city to see the way there.
The area
Getting there
Places to see
Day trips
Košice · Open in Google Maps ↗
Map by Google. Places are found by name, so check the exact spot in Google Maps before you go.
Step 3 of 11Next: Cost↓What your trip costs
Change anything and the numbers update. Prices are per the way you travel, not a package.
Ballpark ranges, not live quotes. Page updated 18 October 2026. Prices move with season and demand, so check live fares before you book.
On the ground: stay, food, local travel and tickets. Pick a route above to add the journey.
Check live prices
Košice in 3 days: a day-by-day plan
Our suggested plan, in a sensible order with times. Move things between days, remove them or add more. It saves on this device, and you can share it.
- 11:00St Elisabeth Cathedral1 h · price to check · The nave is free. The tower, crypt and royal staircase each have a small separate ticket of a few euros; check the current price.
- 12:30Lunch break
- 13:30Walk Hlavná and the Singing Fountain2 h · free · The fountain plays to music in front of the State Theatre in the evening in summer.
- 08:00Lower Gate underground museum45 m · price to check · Medieval fortifications excavated under the main street. Fee not confirmed.
- 13:00Lunch break
- 17:15Wine bar evening on Hlavná2 h · ₹500 each · Tokaj and other east Slovak wines by the glass. Cheap by Western European standards.
- A slow morning before the journey home.
How to get to Košice
One-way prices per person. The cheapest sensible option is marked. Each button opens live times and fares for the date you picked above.
Train Cheapest
₹2,300Hourly through the Tatra mountains, one of the best rail rides in Central Europe. Buy on the ZSSK app or regiojet.com. Fare varies by train and date.
Flight
Check fareAustrian Airlines flies daily. Usually far dearer than the train; worth it only on a tight connection.
Bus
Check fareA few departures a day. Slower than the train and rarely cheaper.
City bus Last leg
₹100A single city ticket costs about €1.10. Buy it from the machine or the app before boarding.
Getting around once you're there
Tram and bus
₹100About €1.10 a ride. You will barely need it: the old town is walkable end to end in 20 minutes.
On foot
FreeHlavná is pedestrianised. Everything worth seeing in town is on or just off it.
Taxi
₹140About €1.50 to start plus €1.10 a km. Cheap enough for the station run with bags.
Regional train
Check priceFor Spišské Podhradie (Spiš Castle) and Slovak Paradise. Check the ZSSK app for the connection.
Where to stay in Košice
Price per night for the room. The buttons open live availability for your dates.
Dorm
₹930/nightDorm beds average about €10 a night. Few hostels, so book ahead for weekends.
Private room
₹2,700/nightAbout €29 a night. The cheapest way for two to stay central.
Budget hotel
₹5,100/nightRoughly €40-70 a night. Plenty of choice within a few minutes' walk of Hlavná.
Mid-range hotel
₹7,000/nightAverage hotel nights run about $81. Ask for a room off the street on weekends.
What to eat, and what it costs
Weekday lunch menu (soup and a main)
₹600About €5-8. Every pub and canteen chalks one up at noon. The cheapest proper meal in town.
Meal at a cheap restaurant
₹840About €9. Try bryndzové halušky, potato dumplings with sheep's cheese.
Three-course dinner, mid-range
₹2,330About €25 a head before drinks. Local Tokaj wine from just over the border is good value.
Half-litre of draught beer
₹230About €2.50 in town.
Things to do in Košice
Tap “Add to my plan” and it goes into your day-by-day plan above.
St Elisabeth Cathedral
Check priceThe nave is free. The tower, crypt and royal staircase each have a small separate ticket of a few euros; check the current price.
Walk Hlavná and the Singing Fountain
FreeThe fountain plays to music in front of the State Theatre in the evening in summer.
Lower Gate underground museum
Check priceMedieval fortifications excavated under the main street. Fee not confirmed.
Spiš Castle
₹740One of the largest castle complexes in Central Europe, a UNESCO site, about 90 km west. Adult entry €8 by the Spiš Museum's price list.
Wine bar evening on Hlavná
₹500Tokaj and other east Slovak wines by the glass. Cheap by Western European standards.
Day trips and next stops
Spiš Castle and Levoča
Check fareTrain or bus via Spišská Nová Ves or Prešov
Slovak Paradise (Slovenský raj)
Check fareTrain to Spišská Nová Ves, then local bus
Tokaj wine region, Hungary
Check fareTrain via the Hungarian border
High Tatras
Check fareTrain to Poprad, then Tatra electric railway
Know before you go
Mistakes to avoid
- Weekday lunch menus end around 2 pm. Dinner prices are roughly double.
- Trains to the Tatras and Spiš fill on summer weekends. Buy a seat in advance on the InterCity.
- Spiš Castle is exposed and windy on its hill; parts close in bad weather and it has winter limits. Check opening before you set off.
Ways to spend less
- Take the train from Bratislava instead of flying: five hours through the Tatras for a fraction of the airfare.
- Eat the main meal at lunchtime off the daily menu and you halve your food spend.
- Base yourself here for Spiš and Slovak Paradise. Rooms in Košice are cheaper than in the Tatra resorts.
Before-you-go checklist
Košice in pictures
Tap a photo to see it full size.
Step 11 of 11Next: FAQ↓Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Košice?
May–Sep is the best time. May to September is warm and the café terraces on Hlavná are full; it is the best time for Spiš Castle and Slovak Paradise. October is cool and quiet. December has a Christmas market on the main street. January to March is cold and grey.
How do I reach Košice?
Train: Bratislava → Košice (ZSSK InterCity or RegioJet), About 5 h, about ₹2,300 one way.
How much does a 3-day trip to Košice cost?
On the ground (stay, food, local travel and tickets), one person spends about ₹8,400 on a shoestring, ₹14,400 mid-range or ₹22,800 in comfort over 3 days. Add the journey: the cheapest sensible option is train (Bratislava → Košice (ZSSK InterCity or RegioJet)) at about ₹2,300 each way.
How many days do you need in Košice?
3 days is right for most people. That covers St Elisabeth Cathedral, Walk Hlavná and the Singing Fountain, Lower Gate underground museum, Wine bar evening on Hlavná without rushing.
Is Košice good for families or solo travellers?
Košice works best for solo, couples, groups, families. Solo travellers find it easy and cheap.
Is vegetarian food easy to find in Košice?
Fine in the old town: cafés and several restaurants have proper vegetarian dishes, and potato dumplings, cheese and pancakes are everywhere. Vegans have a harder time in traditional pubs, where even soups use meat stock, so ask.
Will my phone and cards work in Košice?
EU roaming applies. Local prepaid SIMs from Orange, Telekom, O2 and 4ka are cheap. Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere, including trams and most cafés. Slovakia uses the euro. Small cash is handy for market stalls and the cathedral tower.
Guides for Košice
Longer reads from our blog that cover this trip.
Sources and last check
Checked 11 October 2026. Fees, hours and rules change, so confirm on the official site before you pay.
- nmag.snm.sk OfficialSpiš Castle adult admission €8 (Spiš Museum price list, via search summary)
- numbeo.comCheap meal €9, mid-range meal for two €50, cappuccino €3.07, beer €2.50, water €0.72, local ticket €1.10, taxi €1.50 + €1.10/km (updated 15 Oct 2026, 540 entries)
- hostelz.comHostel averages about €10 dorm bed and €29 private room a night
- itimaker.comLunch menus €5-8; budget hotels €40-70
- championtraveler.comAverage hotel about $81 a night
- rome2rio.comZSSK train Bratislava-Košice about 5 h 10 m hourly, about ₹2,300-4,100; buses 6-7 h; Austrian Airlines VIE-KSC daily
- wanderlog.comCathedral free to enter; tower and crypt small separate fees (visitor reports vary €1.50-3)
Similar underrated places
WrocławA city of twelve islands and a hundred bridges, with a market square as grand as Kraków's and hundreds of…From ₹2,900/day · May–Sep
PlovdivA Roman theatre you can sit in for the price of a coffee, a stadium under the shopping street, and painted…From ₹2,900/day · May, Sep
OhridA clifftop chapel over one of Europe's oldest lakes, Byzantine frescoes in every second church, and a…From ₹2,100/day · May–Jun, SepMake the plan yours
Set your dates and group at the top, shape the days, then book each piece directly.
Back to the planner ↑Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we sell nothing, take no commission, and every booking link goes straight to the provider. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.
By Gokul · Updated 18 October 2026 · Photo: Maros M r a z ( Maros ) · CC BY 2.5 · source · Photo: Ladislav Luppa · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Bubamara · CC BY 2.5 · source · Photo: Maros M r a z ( Maros ) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · Photo: Bubamara · Public domain · source
