After a 15-year hiatus, direct air service between the Czech capital and Slovakia’s High Tatras region is back on the map. In an announcement covered by Czech weekly Reflex on 10 October 2026, low-cost carrier Wizz Air confirmed that it will launch a thrice-weekly route between Prague (PRG) and Poprad-Tatry (TAT) from 25 October 2026. The flights—operating on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays—will reduce door-to-door travel time from roughly seven hours by car to less than 60 minutes. The restoration follows 18 months of negotiations involving Slovakia Travel, airport operator Letisko Poprad-Tatry and regional tourism boards in Vysoké and Nízké Tatry. Poprad airport CEO Patrik Františka said the link is strategically timed ahead of the winter ski season and could boost inbound arrivals by up to 25 %. Czech visitors already constitute the largest foreign segment in Slovak tourism statistics; easier air access is expected to drive both leisure and short-stay corporate demand. For Czech-based corporates the route offers a fast alternative for meetings in the Poprad–Liptov industrial corridor, home to automotive suppliers and a growing tech-outsourcing cluster. Travel managers note that Wizz Air’s “business fare” bundle—allowing date changes and seat selection—could make the service attractive for day trips. The airline hinted it may expand frequency over Christmas and consider year-round operation if load factors exceed 80 %. Prague Airport welcomes the move as part of its strategy to diversify short-haul point-to-point traffic after the pandemic. The airport handled 73 % of 2019 passenger volumes on intra-European routes in 2025; new regional links are key to surpassing 18 million passengers by 2027. Travellers should note that Poprad-Tatry is a Schengen airport, so door-to-slope transit will be visa-free for EU nationals and quick for other eligible passport holders under the EU Entry/Exit System now fully operational. However, from late 2026 visa-exempt third-country travellers will also need an approved ETIAS authorisation before boarding.
Source: Reflex.cz
