Straddling the border between Poland and Slovakia, the High Tatras is one of Europe’s finest mountain ranges. Bears, lynx and chamois roam across its forest foothills, whilst the region’s snow-capped summits offer alpine drama and spectacle at every turn. Whilst mountaineers and winter sports enthusiasts flock to the Tatras for high-octane drama and adventure, those looking for a less arduous day out should consider catching the cable car to the top of Lomnický štít.
Surrounded by striking cliffs, jagged ridges and swirling clouds, Lomnický štít is a jewel in the crown of Slovakia’s mountainous regions. Standing at an impressive 2,634 metres, the peak is the second-highest in Slovakia and offers sublime views across the entire High Tatras range.
Lomnický štít can be climbed on foot – indeed, we met two mountaineers who had just completed the scramble when we arrived at the summit. However, the vast majority of visitors choose to travel by cable car. Once at the top, a series of walkways allow visitors to experience the full spectacle of the mountains, whilst the marvellous summit observatory is a perfect spot to shelter when the weather turns.
From buying tickets to catching your ride, here is our guide to the Lomnický štít cable car.
Where is the Lomnický štít cable car?
The summit of Lomnický štít lies just inside Slovakia, near the border with Poland. The cable car journey begins in the small Slovakian ski resort of Tatranská Lomnica, near the city of Poprad. In total, three cable cars – all in Slovakian territory – transport visitors to the top of Lomnický štít.
The history of the Lomnický štít cable car
The High Tatras mountains have been a popular destination since the railway arrived in the nearby city of Poprad in 1871. Since then, word of the area’s beauty spread until, in the mid-1930s, a plan was hatched to open a cable car route to one of the region’s tallest mountains.
Construction on the cable car began in 1936. The painstaking, high-stakes project took over five years to complete, with a dedicated team of 70 porters and engineers working to make the ambitious vision a reality.
Eventually, on December 20 1941, the first cable car made the journey from Skalnaté pleso to the frozen summit of Lomnický štít.
Since then, thousands of visitors have enjoyed the chance to journey through the clouds and admire the views of the High Tatras.
The route to Lomnický štít by cable car
For most visitors, catching the cable car to the summit of Lomnický štít will involve three separate journeys.
The first cable car is a short journey from Tatranská Lomnica station (903m) to Štart (1,165m). This is a pleasant, 11-minute trip in a four-person cable car.
The second cable car takes you from Štart (1,165m) to Skalnaté pleso (1,751m). These cable cars carry 15 people, with a journey time of 12 minutes.
The final cable car travels from Skalnaté pleso (1,751m) to the summit of Lomnický štít (2,634m). For many, this is the highlight of the trip, with the 14-capacity cable car taking 10 minutes to reach the top.
How to buy tickets for the Lomnický štít cable car
There are two ways to purchase tickets for the Lomnický štít cable car – online or in person.
Buy tickets online through the GoPass website
To buy your tickets online:
1: Open the GOPASS ticket website.
2: Choose the “Cableways” option.
3: Choose the 1-day ticket option.
4: Choose the “Lomnický štít – Return ticket” option
5: Select the number of passengers
6: Choose the Tatranská Lomnica – Lomnický štít option. If you prefer to hike to Skalnaté pleso from Tatranská Lomnica, you can choose to buy a return ticket from Skalnaté pleso
7: Choose your date and time
8: Add to your basket and complete the checkout process.
Note: You will need to register for a GoPass account as part of the purchase process.
There is no need to print your tickets. They will be sent to your email address, and you can scan the QR code at the turnstile directly from your phone.
Buy tickets in person at a cable car station
If you prefer the flexibility of buying a ticket in person, you can purchase tickets at Tatranská Lomnica, Štart and Skalnaté pleso cable car stations.
However, whilst this option provides flexibility, there is no guarantee that tickets will be available for the final leg to Lomnický štít. For the other legs – from Tatranská Lomnica to Štart and Štart to Skalnaté pleso – there will be no problems buying tickets on the day.
Top Tip: We highly recommend booking your tickets to the summit of Lomnický štít in advance. We bought our tickets online, securing the first available cable car to the summit (09:20). Even early in the morning, the cable car was completely full.
What to wear for your trip to the summit of Lomnický štít
Keep in mind that the temperature and weather conditions at the summit can differ significantly from lower stations. When we visited, the temperature was forecast to be 5 degrees Celsius at the top of Lomnický štít, whilst Tatranska Lomnica was due to hit 20 degrees.
Here is what we wore:
- Long, lightweight trousers: Whilst we did not want to overheat lower down the mountain, we knew the summit would likely be cool and breezy.
- A lightweight base layer: Both of us opted to wear technical T-shirts as our base layer. This gave us the flexibility of wearing just a t-shirt lower down, whilst being able to layer up when we reached the summit.
- A warm fleece or jumper: Although we visited in May, with temperatures beginning to creep upwards, we knew we would be far more comfortable wearing a warm fleece at the top. We put our jumpers on at Skalnaté pleso, just before boarding the cable car to the summit.
- Hiking shoes and socks: Although plenty of people were wearing trainers, which is perfectly acceptable for this experience, we opted for footwear that would allow us to explore the trails around the cable car station.
- Sunglasses and a cap: With sunny weather forecast, sunglasses were a must-have to take advantage of the views.
We also packed our lightweight Mac-in-a-Sac waterproofs. Although there was no rain forecast, conditions in the mountains can change rapidly. It’s always better to be prepared.
Finally, we made sure to pack plenty of sunscreen, water and snacks.
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Stage One: Tatranská Lomnica to Štart
We arrived at Tatranská Lomnica station just after 8am. Having booked our tickets online, the website advised leaving Tatranská Lomnica at least one hour before your departure from Skalnaté pleso to Lomnický štít.
The cable car from Tatranská Lomnica leaves from the station just above the row of souvenir stalls. Look for a large, flat building with an LED sign at the entrance. You can see the building on Google Maps here.
When we visited, the LED sign informed us that the first cable cars started at 08:30. A small queue – perhaps two dozen people – formed outside the doors. Right on time, a member of staff unlocked the doors the moment the clock hit half past.
When you enter the building, you need to scan your QR code at the turnstile. The light should flash green, and you will be able to proceed to board your cable car.
Frequent cable cars ensure plenty of capacity
Each cable car from Tatranská Lomnica to Štart holds four people. There is a constant stream of cars arriving and departing. With a capacity of 900 people an hour, it is unlikely that you will have to share your car with strangers except on extremely busy days. People will, generally, wait for the next empty car to arrive.
To board the cable car, simply wait for the cabin to slow down. Once the doors have opened, jump in and take a seat. The doors will automatically close, and you will begin your journey to Štart.
This first leg offers excellent views across the lower slopes of the High Tatras. Beneath you, the towns of Tatranská Lomnica and Starý Smokovec sit above the nearby city of Poprad. On a clear day, the distant rows of tower blocks and chimneys offer a visual clue of the city’s boundaries.
As you soar above the trees, keep an eye out for the elusive brown bears that roam the High Tatras. Slovakia is home to an estimated 2,500 bears, with infrequent sightings around the mountain resorts.
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Stage Two: Štart to Skalnaté pleso
As you approach Štart, get ready to disembark your cable car. The cabin will slow to a snail’s pace, and the doors will open once you enter the station.
Hop off the cable car. Whilst there are several hiking trails to explore from Štart station, most people – ourselves included – choose to continue to Skalnaté pleso straight away.
Follow the bright blue signs to board the next cable car. The starting point for the trip to Skalnaté pleso is a ten-second walk from where you have just disembarked.
The next journey is a 12-minute ride. These cable cars are noticeably fancier, with a capacity of up to 15 people.
When we visited, we had a cable car to ourselves. Indeed, with a capacity of 2,400 people every hour, you would be unlucky to end up sharing your journey with another party.
Stage Three: Skalnaté pleso to the summit of Lomnický štít
The star of the show is the 10-minute, journey from Skalnaté pleso to the summit of Lomnický štít, which features 883 metres of abrupt, jaw-dropping ascent.
Instantly impressive from the moment you spot the tiny red cabin soaring towards the sky, experiencing this marvel of engineering is the highlight of many trips to the High Tatras.
We were no exception. We felt a tingle of anticipation – and, perhaps, a little trepidation – when we saw the steep angles involved. A handful of ropes draped precariously from the summit, stretching down into a small rocky nook where the cable car was waiting for its first trip of the day.
When arriving at the Skalnaté pleso station, the entrance to the Lomnický štít cable car is easy to find. Simply follow the path to the right, heading towards the small lake. As you turn the corner past the end of the visitor centre, you will see the ropes leading to the start of the cable car. Ten minutes before your departure time, head up the steps, follow the signs and turn left to wait with your fellow passengers.
Take off your rucksack and bag a good spot
The cable car gets very full, so be sure to take any rucksacks off before you board and keep them by your feet. The operator may ask you to do this, should you forget.
On a clear day, the views are remarkable. Poprad’s urban sprawl looks tiny. Vast granite cliffs rise up next to you as the cabin makes its way slowly towards the top. Cloudy weather serves only to heighten the drama, with swirling mist occasionally lifting to reveal the slightest glimpse of what lies beyond.
Top tip: At busy times, it is worth arriving early and positioning yourself near the front of the queue for the cable car to the summit. When full, it resembles a packed train at rush hour. Grab yourself a corner of the cabin to avoid being crammed into the middle.
When you arrive at the summit, you will receive a plastic card with a number on it. Each group has 50 minutes to enjoy at the top, before boarding the cable car once more and descending to Skalnaté pleso. A tannoy announcement will call your number to let you know when your time is up.
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Things to do at the summit of Lomnický štít
1: Take a photo on the walkway
For those with a penchant for heights, the small walkway at Lomnicky Stit’s summit offers an ideal opportunity to grab the perfect photo.
Stretching out into the empty space beyond, those who brave the vertigo-inducing drops are rewarded with an unforgettable view.
2: Admire the views of the High Tatras range
The jagged peaks of the High Tatras surround the summit of Lomnický štít. A handful of information boards offer guidance, tracing the outline of distant summits to give you a sense of what you are looking at.
Clouds swirl and dance beneath you. See if you can spot the distant Téryho mountain hut, where hikers can rest and recuperate.
3: Enjoy a drink or a snack at the café
Serving beers, coffee, tea and liqueur, the summit café is a well-stocked outlet. Many of our group chose to retreat inside for a warm drink when the clouds descended – a cosy finale to your summit visit.
4: Admire the gallery and learn about the history of the observatory
Adorning the walls of the summit centre, dozens of photos tell the story of the mountain and its visitors through the decades.
Each photo is marked with the year and, occasionally, a short caption describing the image.
Elsewhere, a number of information boards tell the history of the observatory, giving glimpses into the meteorological and astronomic work that’s carried out in this most improbable of locations.
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Stage Four: The descent from Lomnický štít
When the tannoy calls your number, it is time to depart. There is no need to rush back to the meeting point – take your time to avoid any slips or falls. You will have a few minutes until the cable car arrives at the station to take you back down.
You will follow the same route, with three different cable car trips. If you have a train to get from Tatranska Lomnica, we recommend allowing yourself at least an hour to descend from the summit. Whilst you may not need that long, a bit of flexibility will ensure you avoid any last-minute rushes.
For those with time to spare, you may want to enjoy the opportunity to explore the hiking trails around Skalnaté pleso. Many visitors opt for the circular walk around the lake, whilst the nearby Skalnata hut serves beer, hot drinks and warming food.
If you do decide to stay a little longer, make sure to take note of the closing times for the cable cars. These should be clearly advertised at each station.
How to do it:
- Wizz Air fly to Poprad-Tatry from London Luton. Flights from £18 one way.
- There are direct trains from Poprad to Tatranská Lomnica. Alternatively, change at Starý Smokovec. Buy tickets from the ZSSK website.