Cremation in Slovakia and Transporting an Urn with Ashes to Ukraine

In brief in 30 seconds.

• Cremation is regulated by the Funeral Services Act (zákon č. 131/2010 Z. z. o pohrebníctve).
• The funeral is ordered by the "funeral arranger" (obstarávateľ pohrebu): the person who holds the death certificate and makes arrangements with the funeral home.
• In Bratislava, cremation in a coffin costs €172.20 including VAT (Marianum crematorium, prices effective from August 1, 2026).
• The urn is released to the funeral arranger, the funeral home, or a person with a power of attorney bearing an officially certified signature.
• Transporting an urn with ashes to Ukraine costs from €800, with no prepayment.

Source: Marianum: Cenník služieb, platný od 1.8.2026, 2026

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Who Gives Consent for Cremation in Slovakia

The decision on cremation is made by the funeral arranger (obstarávateľ pohrebu). The law defines this person as someone who confirms their status with a death certificate or a laissez-passer for a corpse and orders the funeral. The crematorium is obliged to act in accordance with the will of the funeral arranger (§ 11).

Usually, the funeral arranger is a spouse, child, or another close relative. It is best if the family agrees in advance on who this will be. This prevents disputes at the crematorium.

Citizenship does not matter: a Ukrainian is cremated under the exact same conditions. If the family is in Ukraine, we act as the funeral home under a contract and a power of attorney.

How Long Is the Wait for Cremation

The law sets general timeframes for the body: without refrigeration, burial must take place within 96 hours of death, but no earlier than 24 hours. If the body is kept in a refrigerator, the timeframe is 14 days from death, and in a freezer unit, 30 days (§ 3). We schedule the cremation within these limits.

The exact date is given by the crematorium depending on their queue. Weekends and public holidays add extra days. In Bratislava, the crematorium offers expedited cremation for a 15% surcharge.

An interesting detail: the law allows the funeral arranger or close relatives to be present when the coffin is placed into the cremation chamber. The crematorium records the process on video and keeps the recording for at least 12 months.

Urn for Transport

The crematorium places the ashes in a sealed urn marked with a cremation record number (číslo záznamu o spopolnení). This number links the urn to the documents.

For travel, a durable metal or plastic urn is better. If you are flying, the urn is usually taken in carry-on luggage by prior agreement with the airline, and it is X-rayed at security. Each airline sets its own rules, so check in advance.

Can You Transport the Urn Yourself

Yes. However, keep in mind: the crematorium releases the urn to the funeral arranger, the funeral home, or a person holding a power of attorney with an officially certified signature. If the funeral arranger is in Ukraine and another relative is picking up the urn, they will not release the urn without such a power of attorney.

A power of attorney from Ukraine is drawn up by a notary. Before you sign it, we check whether an apostille and a Slovak translation are required by the specific crematorium. That way, you will not have to redo the document.

Other common issues include missing translations, discrepancies in the spelling of names, or the airline not approving the urn. If you cannot travel yourself or are short on time, it is better to entrust this to us.

Burial of an Urn in Ukraine

An urn can be buried in a grave, placed in a columbarium, or interred in an existing family grave. You will need the cemetery's permission and the documents that come with the urn. Details are in the article on urn burial.