Slovakia many similarities to the aforementioned Czechia and it is often challenging to tell these two countries apart. Indeed, Czechia and Slovakia were once one country. Both countries have identical looking bollards. They both have similar looking utility poles in which the wooden cylindrical pole has a crucifix style horizontal bar on the top. Slovak utility poles often have street lights on them, white boxes and a number of wires whereas Czech poles tend to have just one wire running down them. The Czech and Slovak houses can look similar with identical roof tile styles and colours. Czechia may have more wooden houses whilst Slovak houses may be more likely to have skylights and TV satellites. Slovakia is a tiny bit more mountainous than Czech. The Slovak landscape largely consists of rolling hills, trees with few leaves and well-maintained roads. The Slovak language is remarkably similar to Czech. Slovak has more z’s and p’s than most other languages. It also has the letters á, é, í, ý, č, š and ž. To distinguish the language from Czech, look for ä, ľ, ĺ, ŕ, ô, dz and dž. Directional signs in Slovakia are rectangular and have small white arrows. This contrasts directional signs in Czechia which have a large arrow that forms the shape of the sign (pictured in the above Czechia section). Town name signs in Slovakia have a slightly thinner black outline around them when compared to Czechia signs (a Czechia town name sign is pictured in the above Czechia section). The Slovak houses can look similar to the aforementioned Czechia. Note the colour and type roof tiles that are also common in Slovakia. Many houses have skylights in Slovakia as well as satellite dishes. The Slovakian bollards generally look the same as the Czech bollards. There are a small number of Czech bollards that are painted a completely different colour from top to toe such as blue. Additionally, some standard Slovak bollards have a black base. The rear of the Slovakian bollards also look the same as the rear of Czechia bollards. Utility poles in Slovakia are concrete and cylindrical. They also look the same to the aforementioned Czechia utility poles (this same pole is also found in other locations). Slovak and Czech utility poles often have extras on them such as a street light, a white box and a wire running up them. The Slovakian landscape largely consists of rolling hills. The roads are well maintained. Trees with few leaves are also a common sight across Slovakia. These guardrails which feature a wide central section (enough for 3 top sections to fit in) are only found in Europe within Slovakia and Czechia. The Slovak language has more z’s than most other languages. Like Czech, the letter p also appears abundantly. Slovak contains the letters: á, é, í, ý, č, š and ž. Slovak is very similar to Czech. To distinguish the language from Czech look for ä, ľ, ĺ, ŕ, ô, dz and dž. Slovak also has more “ia” and “ie” within their words compared to Czech. In general, the Slovak language reminds me a bit of Polish but with more marks over the letters. 

Bollards in Slovakia have orange double reflectors on the front and a single white reflector on the back. There are also rarer blue and red variants.

The only other country with the same design is Czechia.

Slovakia and Czechia both use a special kind of type B guardrail, which is wider than the normal type. No other European countries use the same kind.

While Czechia uses this type fairly consistently, Slovakia also uses other types occasionally. For a good overview of European guardrails, see this infographic.

Slovakia and Czechia most commonly use wide, round concrete poles, which are quite often attached in pairs.

Slovak and Czech poletops typically feature short metal bars that hold the insulators.

Two support bars holding up the metal bar on pole tops, resembling an upside down triangle, can sometimes be found in Slovakia and Czechia.

This is also found in Germany, Albania, Serbia and Romania.

It is common in both Slovakia and Czechia to see sign posts coated in red and white stripes.

Sign posts in Vienna and Innsbruck often have stickers coloured like the Austrian flag. However, while the colour scheme is similar, the size, position on the post and number of stripes will typically be noticeably different.

Slovak and Czech chevrons are white with red arrows.

Roofs with diamond shaped tiles are common in both Slovakia and Czechia.

This is also somewhat common in Hungary.

The Czech and Slovak languages might look quite similar for someone who does not speak either, however they both have some distinct letters:

Slovak uses the letters Ľ, Ô, Ä, Ŕ and Ĺ;

The Slovakian landscape varies between very mountainous and completely flat. Generally speaking, Czechia is hillier, but less mountainous.

Slovakian road signs commonly have the painted sign border right at the edge of the sign.

The borders on Czechian signs are almost always separated from the edge of the sign by a strip in the signs background colour.

Slovakian highway signs can be either blue or green, and have a white border right at the edge of the sign.

House numbers in Slovakia are typically written on white signs with a thin red or black border.

These white street signs with blue text and a thin red border are by far the most common in Slovakia.

Slovakian pedestrian signs have five stripes, which are typically very condensed to the middle of the sign.

While very rare, pedestrian signs with similarly condensed stripes can also be found in Czechia.

Slovakian road signs normally feature a very bold font.

Slovakian kilometre markers typically have two sections divided with a black horizontal line. The top section contains the road number.

Czech kilometre markers do not have a black horizontal line.

Window shutters are considerably more common in Slovakia than in Czechia.

They are also very common in Hungary.

Many Slovakian houses have the short side facing the road with the roof ending in a hip end.

Grey metal roofs are very common, particularly in the eastern parts of Slovakia.

Apart from the most mountainous areas, it is far less common in Czechia.

While Czechia has a lot of Generation 3 winter coverage, Slovakia has a lot of Generation 3 spring coverage.

The Slovakian railway crossing sign has a white rectangular background.

It is fairly common to see small signs with double sign posts in Slovakia.

While large signs may have double sign posts, small signs rarely do in Czechia.

It is somewhat more common to see wooden poles, and in turn, white concrete supports in Slovakia rather than in Czechia. 

Bollard:

Slovakian bollards are white with a black segment containing a white or orange reflector.

There are on occassion colour variations featuring entirely blue poles or a handful of other colours.

Road Lines:

Slovakia uses all white lines.

Road Signs:

Slovakian signs feature a white outline.

Slovakian settlement signs are in white.

Electricity poles:

Slovakia uses wooden poles.

License plates:

Slovakia uses the standard EU plate style.

Vegetation/Landscape:

Slovakia has a mix of flat and hilly terrain with mountains towards the north.

