This Bratislava transportation page will tell you all you need to know about travelling in and around Bratislava. Use our Bratislava Destination Guide or click on our Slovakia Country Guide or Slovakia Transportation Guide if you want to know more about travelling to beautiful Bratislava or Slovakia.

Bratislava Transportation Guide

Reaching Bratislava by Air

Bratislava's principal airport, M.R. Stefanik, is located 9 kilometres (5.5 miles) northeast of the city centre. It is also the largest international airport in the Slovak Republic and serves both international and domestic routes.

Airlines flying to Bratislava

Aeroflot - http://www.aeroflot.org/
Air Ukraine - http://www.ukraine-international.com/
Czech Airlines - http://www.csa.cz/
Tunis Air - http://www.tunisair.com.tn/
Tyrolean Airways - http://www.tyrolean.at/
Lufthansa - http://www.lufthansa.com/
Easy Jet - http://www.easyjet.com/
Austrian Airlines - http://www.aua.com/
Ryanair - http://www.ryanair.com/
Aeromost Kharkov- http://www.aeromost.com/

Bratislava is connected to almost all important international cities in the world. It is connected to principal European cities like London, Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam, Birmingham, Varna, Stuttgart, Venice, Milan, Barcelona, Leipzig, Munich, Frankfurt, Rome, Warsaw, and Copenhagen. The other cities in the world Bratislava is connected to are Amritsar and Delhi in India, Kuwait in the Middle East, Tel Aviv in Israel and Larnaca in Cyprus.

Connections to M.R. Stefanik Airport

The Bratislava Airport can be reached from the city centre by the D1 motorway. The public tramline and bus line 61 connect the airport to the city centre and main railway station. This line also reaches the main railway station ZSR, the Slovak Republic railways. Taxis are also available at the entrance to the airport. Many shuttle buses also operate from this airport to Vienna (45 kilometres from Bratislava), where the International Airport of Schwechat is located. Connections from the bus station of Mlynske Nivy to the airport are provided by the joint stock company SAD, a division of Euroline.

Visit our partner Air Valid for Airline Reviews and Information about Slovakia.

Flights to Bratislava

Reaching Bratislava by Train

Bratislava is an important railway junction with five rail routes connecting the city, namely, the Czech Republic, Austria, Poland, Ukraine and Hungary. The Petržalka railway station connects Bratislava with Austria.

Several routes connect other European countries to Bratislava:

Bratislava to Austria: The railway connection between Bratislava and Vienna is perhaps the most important rail route. It has the best links with this city. If your country is not directly connected to Bratislava by air, then the next best route is to fly to Vienna and take a train to Bratislava.

Two popular routes are the Vienna - Marcheg - Devinska Nova Ves - Bratislava route; and the Vienna - Kittsee - Bratislava -Petrzalka route.

Bratislava to Czech Republic: Some routes to Bratislava from the Czech Republic are the Brno - Břeclav - Kuty - Bratislava route; and the Ostrava - Otrokovice - Břeclav - Kuty - Bratislava route. Czech Railways now runs the fastest service between Prague, Olomouc, Ostrava, Bratislava and Vienna using Pendolino trains. A new timetable has also been introduced in this railway sector in the year 2006-2007. The chief feature in the new timetable is the introduction of SC Pendolino expresses on two international routes - the SC ‘Slovenská strela' between Prague and Bratislava and the SC Johann Gregor Mendel and SC Smetana on the Prague - Vienna - Prague route. This locomotive has cut down the travelling time to Bratislava.

Bratislava to Poland: Some of the routes from Poland to Bratislava are the Warsaw - Katowice through Ostrava - Břeclav - Kúty - Bratislava route; the Krakow - Cadca - Zilina - Trencin - Trnava - Bratislava route; and the Bratislava - Zwardon - Krakow route. These routes are also extremely scenic. Booking your trip on a EuroCity route will guarantee that you will enjoy the trip, as these trains are known to be some of the most modern and well-organized trains available.

Bratislava to Hungary: Bratislava is only 194 kilometres (about 120 miles) from Budapest and is the nearest European capital to Budapest, Hungary. Most trains to Bratislava depart from the Budapest-Keleti train station. However, there is one daily departure from the Budapest-Nyugati train station. There are two international routes from Hungary, namely, Budapest - Gyor - Rajka - Bratislava; and Budapest - Szob - Sturovo - Nove Zamky - Galanta - Bratislava. The Hungarian state railways also offer discounts to students and senior citizens.

Railway connections also take you to other towns and villages of Slovakia from Bratislava. The northern and southern rail routes are the two main rail routes. The northern route connects Bratislava with Košice through High Tatras and the southern through Zvolen and Banská Bystrica.

Reaching Bratislava by Bus

Currently, regular inland and international bus transport is provided by the joint-stock company SAD, a.s. In addition a division of Eurolines runs regular lines from Bratislava to several important European cities. Buses from Vienna run regularly from the Sudtirolerplatz Bus Terminal and usually stop by the Wien Schwechat Airport on the way. There are bus connections from Prague to Bratislava and the distance is about 320 kilometres. Buses to Bratislava leave from the Florenc Bus Terminal in Prague. Bratislava's bus terminal Mlynske Nivy is located very close to the city centre.

European Cities connected to Bratislava by Bus

The other cities connected to Bratislava by bus are Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Paris, Venice, Zurich, Munich, Cologne, Dortmund, Stuttgart, Frankfurt-on-Main, Nice, Makarska, Geneva, Hamburg, Gyor, Nantes, Bordeaux, Salzburg, Milan and Utrecht.
Information about bus timings is available on the link http://www.eurolines-pass.com/index.php?id=149.

Reaching Bratislava by Boat

The Danube River, or Dunaj as the Slovaks call it, is Europe's second longest river and has been an important port in Bratislava for international passenger and freight transportation. Passenger boats primarily use the port for excursion cruises to Devi, Hainburg, and Vienna on one side of the Danube and to Gabickovo and Budapest on the other.

International connections from Austria and Hungary are possible on the Danube, which is also linked with the Rhine, Main and the Black Sea, through the interconnection of the North Sea.

Boats, and the hydrofoil service on the Danube from Budapest to Vienna, which takes 5 and 1/2 hours, and Budapest to Bratislava, which takes 4 and 1/2 hours, operate daily from April to October. At Bratislava you can embark or disembark at the SPAP Boat Pier, SK-811 02 Bratislava, Fajnorovo nábrezie 2. At Budapest the International Boat Pier Belgrad rakpart is close to the Admiral Restaurant. In Vienna, you embark at the DDSG Boat Pier, Handelskai 265. Reaching Bratislava is recommended if you want to savour the scenic country side, villages and castles which you see during the trip.

Reaching Bratislava by Car

Bratislava is connected to the capital cities of other European countries by a good network of motorways, which measures nearly 17,700 kilometres. The roads are largely free of any traffic jams and you can get from one point to another very quickly. The SLOVAKIA rescue system provides 24-hour free call service at telephone no. 154 or Eurotel *55. You can park only at specified parking slots.

International Routes to Bratislava

- Motorway E65 connects Bratislava to the Czech Republic, and the D-2 motorway to Hungary.
- The international transport routes E75 and E58 connect Bratislava to Austria.
- Bratislava is connected to the international airport of Schwechat at Vienna by route E 58 and E75, which proceeds to Poland and Ukraine.
- To reach Bratislava from Prague a motorway runs eastwards to Brno and then route E50 takes you further east to Trenčín, where you join motorway D1, which takes you to Bratislava. This route connects Western Europe to Slovakia.

Taxis in Bratislava

ABC Taxi, tel. no.: 16100
ABA Taxi, tel. no.: +421 2 5441 1178
AA Taxi Euro, s.r.o., tel. no.: +421 903 807 022
Airport Service Bratislava, tel. no.: +421 2 4364 3033
Euro Taxi, tel. no.: 16022
Fun Taxi, tel. no.: 16777
Hapl Taxi, tel. no.: 16111
Lady Taxi, tel. no.: 16011
NAI Taxi, tel. no.: +421 904 353 535
Freight taxi, tel. no.: +421 903 412 643
Freight taxi, tel. no.: +421 905 447 504
Otto Taxi, tel. no.: 16322
Taxi Bratislava Profi, tel. no.: 16222
Taxi BP Servis, tel. no.: 169 99
Taxi SUPER, tel. no.: 16 616
Taxi Trend, tel. no.: +421 2 5564 2137
Top Taxi, tel. no.: 166 11
VIP Taxi, tel. no.: 160 00
Yellow Expres, tel. no.: +421 2 4444 1111

Car Rentals in Bratislava

Adecar, tel. no.: +421 2 4488 1572
Autoprogress, tel. no.: +421 2 4487 1916
Auto V.K.M., tel. no.: +421 903 707 712
Hertz, tel. no.: +421 2 4329 1482
Le Car, tel. no.: +421 2 6353 3812
Profit Car, tel. no.: +421 2 4488 5003
Sixt Rent a Car, tel. no.: +421 2 5341 3301
Stop Car, tel. no.: +421 2 6542 7201
Vrablik Rent a Car, tel. no.: +421 2 4524 7407

Parking in Bratislava

If you are driving to Bratislava by car, then it is advisable to know the parking rules in the city, lest you take the risk of having your car towed away or your wheels clamped. To retrieve a towed car, one has to pay a hefty fine. There are specific parking lots in the city that are mainly underground and several surface parking garages too. It is recommended that visitors use them rather than using the streets, as the city centre is largely a pedestrian zone.

A one-hour parking card can be purchased at a price of SKK 10 (Euro 0.29). These can be purchased on the streets from vendors in yellow vests and also at some newsstands.

Car Registration

In order to register a car in Slovakia you must provide the following:

- Original Vehicle Title (must contain the technical specifications)
- Document showing vehicle was de-registered in your home country
- Documented proof of ownership
- Residence permit
- Certificate of Conformity proving vehicle was made for the EU market

The Slovak Republic requires motorists who wish to use the Slovak toll-road system to purchase a windshield sticker or stamp, which is utilized in lieu of paying road tolls in cash. The toll sticker or stamp is valid for one year. Short-term 15 day permits are also available. There is a substantial fine for not displaying the toll sticker on your windshield. The stickers are available at border crossings, gas stations, post offices and some retail outlets.

Speed limits are strictly enforced with radar. The maximum speed allowed in built-up areas and towns is 60km/h. Outside of urban areas it is 90km/h, and on expressways it is 130km/h. There is zero tolerance for driving under the influence of any alcohol whatsoever. Seatbelt use is mandatory.

Bratislava City Public Transport

Sightseeing in Bratislava old town can be done on foot, as most of the attractions are close to each other. The whole walk can be completed in two hours. However, if you choose to go elsewhere there is a good network of public transport systems, consisting of 11 tram lines (numbered 1 through 14) which operate chiefly around the city centre.

There are 11 trolleybus lines (numbered 201 through 212) which ply around the hilly areas and the suburbs of Bratislava. Around 77 bus lines, which consist of 59 day lines numbered 20 to 99, 151, 191, X12 and X50, and 18 night lines numbered 501 to 518 run across the city.

Day lines run from 5 a.m. to about 10 p.m. and night buses serve the city from midnight onwards. Night lines originate mainly at the main railway station. Their frequencies vary according to the time of day. Public transportation is run by the city run DPB, the Transport Company of Bratislava.

Detailed schedules and fare information for public transportation in Bratislava are available in English at imhd.sk/ba

Ticketing Procedure

The Slovakian ticketing system requires passengers to purchase tickets ahead of the journey either by using ticket machines at public transport stops or at newsstands. Tickets are not sold on buses, trams or trolleybuses. Upon entering the vehicle, a commuter has to mark the tickets by inserting them in the orange marking machines. These will stamp the time of entry. It is not necessary to mark another ticket if you need to change to another means of transport. The expiry date is also mentioned on the ticket.

Ticket inspectors specially target tourists for spot checking of tickets. If the procedure has not been followed, the fine levied is SKK 1400 (EUR 41.23). Inspectors are issued identity cards by the Bratislava Transport Company. In the event a passenger is fined, the inspector hands over a receipt or a certificate which has the hologram of the Bratislava Transport Company (a horse rider with an original round seal).

Ticket Pricing

Basic tickets cost SKK 14 (EUR 0.41) for journeys up to 10 minutes and SKK 18 (EUR 0.53) for journeys up to 30 minutes. A one-hour transfer ticket is SKK 22 (EUR 0.65). You require to buy a separate ticket if you are carrying large pieces of luggage. Children under the age of 6 are not charged at all, while children under 15 can avail of a discount of 50%. To travel free by public transport you can purchase Bratislava's official Bratislava City Card, the charges of which vary depending on the number of days you intend using it. It is SKK 200 (EUR 5.89) for one day, SKK 300 (EUR 8.84) for two days and SKK 370 (EUR 10.9) three days. Note: The prices may be subject to change.

Getting Around Bratislava On Foot

The historical city centre, where most of sights of culture and history may be found, is a reserved pedestrian zone of the town. You may find not only the best and biggest hotels and restaurants within a walking distance, but also galleries, museums, theatres and historical sights.

You will get more detailed information on historical sights of the city as well as on their accessibility and options of board and lodging, spending leisure time as well as on current events on http://www.bratislava.sk/ or in Bratislava Culture and Information Centre in Klobucnicka St. 2.