How to get to Bratislava
You can get to Bratislava by plane, train, bus, car, or even boat.
Being right in the heart of Europe, Slovakia is becoming an increasingly popular tourism destination. Unsure why you should visit? The following pages provide you with a complete guide to Bratislava and Slovakia: visitbratislava.com, slovakia.travel.
BY PLANE
VIENNA-SCHWECHAT (VIE) AIRPORT – OPTION WITH THE MOST CONNECTIONS
Official website: viennaairport.com
The airport at Vienna-Schwechat is only 40 kilometres west of Bratislava and Slovaks mainly use it for long-haul flights. It is one of the main gateways to Slovakia. Buses to Bratislava depart at 30 to 60-minute intervals. Tickets can be bought on the bus; check the following companies eurolines.sk, regiojet.com, flixbus.com.
A taxi by a Slovak company from the airport to Bratislava is about 50 € .
You can order a Slovak taxi from Schwechat airport in advance here:
https://www.taxi-bratislavaschwechat.sk/en/
https://cartrans.sk/en/index.html
BRATISLAVA AIRPORT (BTS)
Official website: www.bts.aero
There are direct flights to a number of destinations in Europe and a number of airlines operate their direct routes to Bratislava – RYANAIR, Pobeda, flydubai, Cyprus Airways, Smartwings, air cairo, Wizz Air. Bratislava airport can be reached from the city centre in 15–20 minutes. To get to the city center you can take a taxi – do not forget to ask about the price in advance or use HOPIN mobile app. If you travel on the budget, take the bus no. 61 to the main train station. From here, you can walk to the city centre in 15 minutes or take bus no 93 (exit Hodžovo námestie) or tram no 1 (exit Námestie SNP). Bus tickets are available from ticket machines at bus stops or in kiosks. The tickets which cost around EUR 1 must be validated in the buses.
BY TRAIN
Official website: zssk.sk
Bratislava connects to the main lines from Prague, Budapest, Vienna and various regions in Slovakia. Bratislava has two railway stations – the Main Station and Petržalka. The Main Station is well connected to the rest of the city via trams, buses or trolleybuses and you can get to the Old Town on foot in only 15 minutes.
From the train station in Petržalka, the no. 80, 91, 93 buses take you to the city centre.
Official website: regiojet.com – Here you will find information on trains to Prague, Brno and Pardubice.
BY BUS
Official website: slovaklines.sk
Bratislava is also conveniently connected with many European cities via a network of bus lines. It has frequent service to the surrounding areas and also to other regions in Slovakia. Buses arrive and depart from Mlynské Nivy bus station. Coaches between Bratislava and Vienna run at one-hour intervals. eurolines.sk, regiojet.com, flixbus.com
BY BOAT
Official website: www.floratour.sk
Due to its position on the Danube river, Bratislava has regular connections by boat with Vienna. The centre of Vienna (Schwedenplatz) is connected with Bratislava by a fast catamaran Twin City Liner and another fast hydrofoil, which is berthed at Vienna Handelskai. For transport, you can also use the company lod.sk.
BY CAR
Bratislava is situated at the intersection of several important motorways. The distance to Prague is 330 km, Budapest 200 km and Vienna 65 km. If you are bringing your own car, you need to display a valid motorway tax sticker (known as ‘dialnicka znamka’), available at borders or petrol stations. The minimum validity period is of ten days (costs around EUR 10).
Approximate distance and travel time from selected European cities to Bratislava:
Vienna: 70 km, 1 hour.
Budapest: 200 km, 2 hours 15 minutes.
Prague: 340 km, 3 hours 30 minutes.
Zagreb: 420 km, 4 hours 50 minutes.
Krakow: 420 km, 5 hours 30 minutes.
Munich: 490 km, 5 hours 30 minutes.
Belgrade: 570 km, 6 hours 10 minutes.
Berlin: 690 km, 7 hours 30 minutes.
Warsaw : 675 km, 7 hours 30 minutes.
Rome: 1150 km, 12 hours
Brussels: 1200 km, 12 hours.
Paris: 1330 km, 13 hours.
Kiev: 1330 km, 18 hours.
London: 1560 km, 16 hours.
Visa Info
For EU citizens: a valid personal ID is sufficient.
For Non-EU citizens: you can consult the list of countries, which need a valid visa to enter Slovakia. This list is from the home page of the Slovakian Ministry of foreign affairs – https://www.mzv.sk/en/web/en/visa-and-services/schengen-visa
If you do not find any information concerning your country, we would advise you to contact directly your Embassy or Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
If you need an official invitation letter, please contact komunikacne@slposta.sk