Most journeys to Štrbské Pleso pass through Poprad, the working town of 50,000 in the basin below the mountains. Main-line trains from Bratislava, Košice and Prague stop here, the Tatra Electric Railway starts from the station’s upper platforms and the small Poprad-Tatry airport lies on the edge of town.
It is not a destination to rival the mountains, but it is a useful one on a wet day — and the view of the whole Tatra front from the town is the classic postcard.
What to see and do: Poprad
AquaCity Poprad
A large water park fed by geothermal water, with indoor and outdoor pools, slides and saunas. It is the standard bad-weather plan for families staying in the Tatras; check current opening hours and prices.
Spišská Sobota
Once a separate Spiš town, now a quiet quarter of Poprad about 2 km from the centre. Its lens-shaped square of burgher houses surrounds the Church of St George, which holds an altar from the workshop of Master Paul of Levoča.
St Egidius Square
The long central square has the early-Gothic Church of St Egidius, a Renaissance bell tower, cafés and the Podtatranské Museum nearby. The Tatra Gallery occupies a former steam power station close to the railway.
Day trips onwards
Poprad is the springboard for Levoča and Spiš Castle (UNESCO), Kežmarok, the Slovak Paradise gorges and the Dunajec rafts. See the tours we list for organised options.
How to get to Poprad
- TEŽ from Štrbské Pleso to Poprad-Tatry: about 70 minutes. Or rack railway to Štrba and a main-line train: often quicker.
- By car: about 30 minutes via the D1 motorway or the Cesta slobody road.
- Poprad-Tatry airport has limited, partly seasonal scheduled flights; check current routes before planning around it.
Insider tips
- If you are arriving late from Bratislava or Prague, consider a night in Poprad and the first train up in the morning.
- Supermarkets in Poprad are much cheaper and better stocked than the small shops in the resort.
- Left-luggage and taxis are available at Poprad-Tatry station.
Tours that fit: Poprad
These GetYourGuide experiences pair well with Poprad:
Private tour from €79 per group From Poprad: Levoča & Spiš Castle Private Tour
The only product here that starts at the foot of the Tatras: a private run from Poprad to Levoča, with Spiš Castle named in the description. It is a new listing with almost no reviews, so read the inclusions carefully — but the per-group price is attractive for two or three people.
- Private car and driver from Poprad
- Historic centre and town walls of Levoča
- Priced per group, not per person
Small-group day trip from €99 From Košice: Prešov, Spiš Castle, Levoča & Štrbské Pleso Tour
Eastern Slovakia’s greatest hits in one line on the map: the old centre of Prešov, the vast ruin of Spiš Castle, medieval Levoča and finally the High Tatras for a walk around the lake. Well reviewed, small group, with pickup in Košice.
- Spiš Castle, one of the largest castle complexes in Central Europe
- The walled UNESCO town of Levoča
- A scenic walk around Štrbské pleso
Ticket from €52 Dunajec River Gorge Rafting: Entry Ticket
A classic day out for drivers staying in the Tatras: the Dunajec gorge on the Polish–Slovak border, roughly an hour and a quarter by car from Štrbské Pleso. This ticket is for the Polish raft harbour; rafts also leave from Červený Kláštor on the Slovak bank. Rafting is seasonal, typically April to October.
- Traditional wooden rafts steered by highlander raftsmen
- Limestone cliffs of the Pieniny gorge
- Skip the ticket queue
Walking tour from €20 Košice: Guided Walking Tour
Many visitors reach the Tatras through Košice airport or railway station. This short, inexpensive and well-rated walk shows you the handsome old centre before you head west to Poprad and the mountains.
- St Elisabeth’s Cathedral, Slovakia’s largest church
- The long main street and its singing fountain
- Easy add-on before a train to the Tatras
