Collision at Pezinok: Late‑Evening Train Crash Shakes Slovak Rail Network

On the evening of November 9, 2025, a serious railway collision occurred near Pezinok, a town roughly 20 km northeast of Bratislava on Slovakia’s main rail corridor. One train rammed into the back of another in what appeared to be a rear‑end collision, producing a sudden and terrifying impact. The two trains involved were the Tatran Express, journeying from Košice to Bratislava, and a regional express from Nitra to Bratislava. Witnesses described a loud, explosive “bang” as carriages shuddered violently, followed by panic and confusion. Despite the force of the crash, there was no derailment: both trains remained on the tracks, though the front of the trailing unit and the rear of the leading train sustained significant structural damage.

Preliminary reports estimate that more than 800 passengers were aboard the two trains at the time of the accident. Dozens of people were injured: 79 were hospitalized, although officials emphasized that none of the injuries appear to be life‑threatening. Many passengers were treated at the crash site, while others were transported to hospitals in Bratislava for further care. According to the police, the collision did not involve a head-on impact; rather, it seems consistent with a rear-end crash. Emergency services—both professional and volunteer firefighters—responded rapidly. To enable rescue operations and the safe transfer of the injured, rail traffic on the corridor between Pezinok and Svätý Jur was immediately suspended. The sudden closure disrupted both commuter and freight services, and authorities warned that the interruption might last for several days while investigations and safety inspections are carried out.

In the wake of the accident, the Slovak government reacted decisively. Prime Minister Robert Fico pointed to preliminary findings suggesting human error as a likely cause of the collision, highlighting serious concerns about operational discipline and safety oversight. The crash was especially alarming because it came less than a month after another major incident in eastern Slovakia, raising fears that systemic weaknesses may be undermining rail safety. The national rail operator ŽSSK is cooperating fully with the investigation, which is now scrutinizing train logs, signal operations, and the deployment of the European Train Control System (ETCS). While one of the trains was equipped with ETCS, the other was not, limiting the system’s full preventive potential. As a precaution, authorities have indicated that the corridor will remain closed until the investigation is complete, with damage assessments, personnel interviews, and comprehensive checks of signal and safety systems underway. Meanwhile, the government has pledged tighter monitoring protocols and a rigorous safety audit, promising major reforms to prevent similar tragedies in the future.