In Žilina a number of important enterprises act. The oldest industrial enterprises are the textile works Slovena (drape-producing) which started working in 1891, the Považské Chemical Works (1892), paper mill Tento (1906), woodworking plant Drevoindustria (1907). All of them rank among the most important industrial plants in the town's territory until now. Of considerable importance are: the engineering plant ZVL (anti-friction bearings), Slov-Avia, Elektrovod, the foodstuff plant Lactis (the Žilina Dairy), Peza (bakery), Hyza (poultry) and many others. In Žilina their seat have also important building companies, among which dominates Váhostav j.s.c. - one of the largest in Slovakia. The company participates in the construction of several decisive water works in Slovakia including the Gabčíkovo-Nagymaros Danube Dam. In Žilina their seat have also The Slovak Energetic Co. (general management, distribution). The Žilina electric works Helios, the today's distribution enterprise, was founded in 1896. In 1908 it obtained concession to supply the town by electric energy. In Žilina is also The Slovak Energetic Dispatching. In the city are branches of almost 20 banks, and the management of the First Communal Bank.
In Žilina act several important institutions for the support of entrepreneurs and trade. Regional chamber of the Slovak Commercial and Industrial Chamber broadcasts its activities well beyond the confines of Žilina Region. The Slovak-Polish commercial chamber and the Slovak Trading Chamber have all-Slovakia competence. To the development of Upper Váh River Valley (Považie) contributes also the Regional Agency for Development acting within the frame of the EU programme Phare.
Transportation
Žilina ranks among the most important railway and motorway junctions in Slovakia. Already in ancient times our town was crossed by roads of international importance - from Danube through the Váh River Valley up to the Baltic Sea with the road to East Slovakia. The bridge over Váh River to Budatín is mentioned as early as in 1438 and 1499.
Today Žilina lies on the crossroad of European multimodal corridors Va (Trieste - Vienna - Bratislava - Žilina - Ukraine) and Vl (Gdansk -Bielsko-Biała - Zwardoň - Skalisté - Žilina), which were approved in a Conference of Ministers of Transportation in Helsinki (1996).
Rondel - crossing of roads north-south, east-west
The city communal transportation started in Žilina in 1949, and is managed by the Transportation Co. of the City of Žilina. Among the most important enterprises in recent years ranks the construction of city trolley bus transportation realised solely from the town's own material resources. The trolley bus transportation is a substantial contribution to the quality of living environment of Žilina; it is being introduced gradually to the most demanding routes. First trolley bus entered the town's streets in November 1994. Currently Žilina possesses 4 lines of trolley bus transportation (69.9 km) and 13 lines of bus connection (290.8 km).
Žilina is crossed by international routes of road transportation E 50 (Paris - Prague - Žilina - Ukraine), E 75 (Baltic - Žilina - Beograd - Athens) and E 442 (Dressden - Žilina). In the near future near Žilina an important intersection of European motorway routes will be completed. Currently the end of the motorway D 1 from Bratislava is about 40 km from Žilina (Ladce). East of Žilina there is a motorway behind Ružomberok (about 60 km). The works on the section leading to our town continue. Under construction are the highway tunnels Ovčiarsko and Višňové-Dubná Skala. Within the construction of the motorway network in Žilina under construction are several motorway inlets, which will substantially improve the traffic situation in the city. Bus and coach connections are to all important towns of Slovakia and abroad.
Traffic node near the Sport's Hall
Of high importance is also the railway junction of E 42 and E 52, which according to the international AGG agreement, function as main international routes. The busiest traffic of express trains is on the route Bratislava-Košice. Direct railway connections are to Prague, Warsaw, Moscow and Budapest.
Situated about 10 km to the west of Žilina, near Dolný Hričov, is the Žilina Airport, owning the statute of international airport with irregular connections. The airport is able to manage aircrafts with the capacity up to 60 passengers. The landing runway is 1,150 m long. In the past a regular line to Prague was maintained. The future connection with Vienna and the general extension of the airport are at planning stage.
Žilina Airport in Dolný Hričov
Plans are being made for making the River Váh navigable up to Žilina, which will enable connection of our city with several seas of the world.