Železnice Slovenskej republiky
| 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 |
 EUR 4.832 million (2014) |
|
| Website | www.zsr.sk |
Railways of the 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) providing passenger services and "Železničná spoločnosť Cargo Slovakia, a. s." (ZSSK Cargo / ZSCS) providing freight services.
ŽSR provides transportation and services that correspond to the interests of state transport policy and market requirements, including related activities
Railway has become an important prerequisite for economic and social development of the country. In 1837 the construction of the first European Railway Highway started. Its construction became a potential threat to market of agricultural goods and timber from western Slovakia. Therefore, a company was founded to build a horse railway that would link the five 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 hands of the state. Later, in year 1854, the state entrusted railway building to private entrepreneurs.
The intensity of construction changed after settlement in 1867. Ministry of Transport and Public Works was established. Its main objective was construction of transport communications independent of Austria. In Slovakia this meant extensive construction of railways.
In the period between 1867 and 1873 a number of major railways were built:
Hungary tried to use private capital for railway construction. The lack of funds threatened the construction of railways and Hungary started in 1868 to build railways on its own.
The railway construction was accompanied by a series of scandals and corruption affairs among , politicians and businessmen. In spite of this fact, the basis of the railway network was set up in relatively short time.
Bankruptcy of the Vienna 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.
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Wikipedia