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Before you go
Your trip to Starý Smokovec.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Starý Smokovec – Prešov Destination High Tatras
How to get there
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Letisko Poprad-Tatry (TAT) Poprad · 14 km
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Starý Smokovec 1 km
Approximate distances. Check flights and bus, train or boat schedules before you travel.
From Poprad, the Tatra electric train reaches it in about 25 minutes; the same line continues to Štrbské Pleso and, with a transfer, to Tatranská Lomnica. By car, take the road that leaves Poprad to the north — about 15 km.
How many days
One day for Hrebienok, the waterfalls and a walk through the village. As a base, Starý Smokovec works well for three or four days in the Tatras, due to its central position on the train line.
When to go
From June to October, for trails and waterfalls; the path from Hrebienok to the waterfalls stays open year-round. In winter, Hrebienok has a small ski and sled area. In July and August, leave early: the funicular has lines.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
No. The electric train stops in the center, the funicular departs a few minutes’ walk from the station, and the trails start at Hrebienok. Parking is paid and usually fills up in summer.
Suggested itinerary
An order that works
Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.
One day in Starý Smokovec
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Morning
Funicular to Hrebienok and waterfalls
Take the funicular near the station up to Hrebienok. Follow the trail that descends to the Studený potok valley, view the Obrovský vodopád from the Magistrála bridge and continue to the other drops of the cascade. Stop at Rainerova chata, the oldest refuge in the Tatras.
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Afternoon
Descent on foot and walk around the village
Return to Hrebienok and descend on foot via the forest trail to Starý Smokovec, in about 40 minutes, or use the funicular. In the late afternoon, stroll among the old spa buildings around the central park.
Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.
Before you go
Frequently asked questions
What to do in Starý Smokovec?
Ride the funicular up to Hrebienok and walk to the Studený potok waterfalls. The village is also a base for trails to the central-valley refuges of the massif during the summer season.
How to get from Poprad to Starý Smokovec?
By Tatra electric train, in about 25 minutes, from the Poprad-Tatry station. By car, it’s about 15 km.
Is Starý Smokovec a good base for the High Tatras?
Yes. It lies in the middle of the string of villages and is the main junction of the electric train, with connections to Štrbské Pleso, Tatranská Lomnica and Poprad.
Can you walk from Starý Smokovec to Hrebienok?
Yes, via a forest trail that climbs in about 50 minutes. The funicular makes the trip in a few minutes.