Travel Information

Arriving to Bratislava

From 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 city center is 15-20 minutes away from the airport.

To get to the city center you can take a taxi – do not forget to ask the price in advance before you enter the taxi – or take the bus no. 61 to the main train station. Bus tickets can be purchased from ticket machines at bus stops or kiosks and cost around €1 – do not forget to validate your ticket once you are in the bus. Once you reach the main station, 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).

From VIENNA AIRPORT (VIE)

Official website: viennaairport.com

Vienna airport (Vienna-Schwechat) is situated 40 kilometers west of Bratislava and it is one of the main gateways to Slovakia. Buses to Bratislava from Vienna airport depart with 30 to 60-minute intervals. Tickets can be purchased directly in the bus or prior to your trip online via the following websites: eurolines.sk, regiojet.com, flixbus.com

Transfer from the Vienna Airport (“Schwechat”) by taxi Schwechat Vienna Airport – Bratislava, price: around 50€

https://www.taxitax.sk/?lang=en

Tel.: +421 915 678 456 or +421 907 365 600, e-mail: info@taxitax.sk

Bus from the Vienna Airport (“Schwechat”)

www.flixbus.sk

www.slovaklines.sk

www.regiojet.sk

The cost is about 10€, you can either pre-book your ticket or just hop on and buy one from the driver. When you get to the Bratislava bus station you can get a taxi to get to the hotel – this also should not be more than 8€.

 BY TRAIN

Official website: zssk.sk

Bratislava connects Prague, Budapest, Vienna and various regions in Slovakia. There are 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. From the train station in Petržalka, the no. 80, 91, 93 buses take you directly to the city Centre.

BY BUS

Official website: slovaklines.sk

Bratislava is also connected with many European cities via a network of bus lines. It has frequent services to the surrounding areas and other regions in Slovakia. Buses arrive and depart from Mlynské Nivy bus station. Coaches between Bratislava and Vienna run at one-hour intervals.

Some useful online links: eurolines.sk, regiojet.com, flixbus.com

BY CAR

Bratislava is located 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 ten days (costs around EUR 10).

CROSSING THE BORDER

From 2004, Slovakia has been a member of the EU therefore visitors to Slovakia travelling from other EU countries, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland can travel using either a passport or a valid ID card. In 2007, Slovakia became part of the Schengen group of countries without border controls. A list of the countries whose citizens will not require a visa to enter Slovakia can be seen in the following link: www.slovakia.com

Public Transport around Slovakia

Tickets for public transport are valid for a certain period of time and are available from ticket-machines or kiosks. Tickets are valid for all means of public transport in the city and remain valid when changing from one means of transport to another; however the ticket should always be validated once inside the tram/bus. The minimum validity of a ticket is 15 minutes and the longest 7 days. For schedules, journey planners, routes and tickets please visit the following link:  imhd.sk.

Public transport is generally reliable and safe. More info at http://imhd.sk/ba/public-transport. You can buy a 30-minute ticket for 0.9€ or a tourist ticket for 3 days for 9€.

The nearest bus stop to the Crowne Plaza is Hodžovo námestie. You can approach it:

–              From Central Bus Station by line 42

–              From Main Train Station by line 42, 83, 84, 93

–              From the Airport by line 61, on the bus stop Hlavná stanica (Main Train Station) you switch to line 42

TRAMS

Trams are the most popular and fastest form of public transport in the city. They are reliable and on time and run from 5 a.m to 11:30 p.m.

BUSES

Buses also play a substantial role in the public transport system of Bratislava. Limited- stop services run on the longer routes through the city and after midnight. Night buses operate in Bratislava with roughly one-hour intervals.

TROLLEY BUSES

Trolley buses in addition are operating in the city center, mainly in its hilly parts. They have a long tradition in Bratislava and have been operating here for more than 100 years.

TAXIS

Please note: never enter a taxi waiting on the street outside an airport or a station, and never try to hail a taxi! Call a taxi by phone, or use an app. Entering a waiting taxi usually ends up being very expensive. Many of these taxis are unregulated and charge exorbitant amounts. All decent taxi services run by phone/app appointments only.

It is less expensive to order a taxi over the phone than to hire a taxi from a taxi stand or stop a taxi on the street. The minimum charge for a short-distance trip is around € 5. We recommend checking the price with the driver prior to getting in the vehicle. Every taxi must have a price list displayed in a visible location, and a fare meter must be used. Taxi drivers are obliged to issue receipts on request.

Taxi services in Bratislava:

EasyTaxi: +421 918 555 555 or +421 907 440 440

Green Taxi: +421 905 660 660

Correct Taxi: +421 914 155 155 or +421 902 66 70 70

From Bratislava Airport to the city center you should not pay more than 8€.

It is also convenient and useful to order a taxi via UBER, HOPIN or BOLT application.

Car parking

The Crowne Plaza hotel has car parking available for an extra charge. Please contact the hotel reception for information.

 

Tourist information centres

CITY CENTRE 

Address: Klobučnícka 2, 811 01 Bratislava

Opening hours:
April ‒ October: Mon ‒ Sun 9:00 ‒ 19:00
November ‒ March: Mon ‒ Sun 9:00 ‒ 18.00

Contact:
+421 2 16 186, +421 2 5441 9410 (Mon ‒ Fri 9:00 ‒ 16:30)
+421 2 5935 6651 (Mon ‒ Fri after 16:30, at weekends and holidays)
touristinfo@visitbratislava.com (Mon ‒ Fri 8:00 ‒ 16:30)

HLAVNÁ STANICA CENTRAL RAILWAY STATION

Address: Námestie Franza Liszta 1, 811 04 Bratislava
Opening hours: Mon ‒ Sun 9:00 ‒ 17:00 (lunch break 13:00 – 13:30)

 

More info

FREE WI-FI

In Bratislava you can find free Wi-Fi network “Visit Bratislava” in 13 locations in the city center. Register your device on the network by agreeing to the Terms of Use of the Public Wi-Fi network “Visit Bratislava”. After a successful login you will be presented with a welcome page where you will find all the essential information about Bratislava and its surroundings.

WEATHER

Bratislava has a temperate continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. The average daily temperature in summer (July, August) reaches 21 °C (maximum 38 °C), the average daily temperature in winter (December, January) –1 °C (minimum – 20 °C). The months with the highest rainfall are July and September; on the other hand May and October are relatively dry. The best times to visit Bratislava are from mid-April to mid-October and just before Christmas.

CZECHS, SLOVAKS

Slovaks are proud of their identity and language. Only a few foreigners are aware that the former Czechoslovakia was a federation of two republics – Czech and Slovak – and that, historically, two official languages always existed side by side: the Czech and the Slovak languages, also that Czechs and Slovaks are two separate nationalities, despite being close.

TIPS

Tips are usually rounded up; with higher expenses there is a rule of a 10% tip but the actual tip depends on your satisfaction. In ordinary restaurants the waiter will usually bring your bill, tell you the sum and wait until you pay. As a rule, the total sum including a tip is paid or you indicate by a gesture that they may keep the change.

TRAVELING WITHOUT A TICKET

In comparison with other cities, traveling without a ticket on the various forms of urban transport is treated quite severely in Bratislava. Checks are frequent therefore in order to avoid an unpleasant situation, remember that the tickets must be validated on board.  Please note that tickets are not sold on board the urban transport and can only be purchased at a ticket machine or from a kiosk.

TELEPHONE CODE

The country code for Slovakia is 00421, Bratislava 02 (just 2 if calling from abroad); local telephone numbers have 8 digits.