Changes in Networking of Rural Centres Through Direct Public Transport Connections : Case Study of Prešov Region, Slovakia

The peripheral non-centrally located Prešov region (NUTS 3) from North-Eastern Slovakia (Fig. 1) is, according to the OECD methodology on urban-rural typology, a “significantly rural (intermediate) region”. Its territory consists of 13 smaller spatial units – predominantly and/or significantly rural LAU1 territories – districts of which centres (district towns) were selected for the comparative analysis of the changes in their networks of usually relatively long-term stable direct public transport connections. The changes between 2003 and 2017 were studied based on the existence and frequency of direct transport connections (transport accessibility) between them and other district towns in Slovakia. The presented outcomes show the influence of a top-down governmental decision (zero-fare railway public transport for selected categories of passengers) and other transport related issues (changes in modal split, transport infrastructure and organization of transport) on the new, restructured and mainly weakened pattern of rural centres public transport networking shape and quality