How to get to Bratislava

1. Arriving by air:

• to Bratislava International Airport (BTS)

Milan Rastislav Štefánik Airport, to give it its official name, is close to the city centre.  Buses to the main railway station, leaves from the airport (letisko) every 15-20 minutes all day, every day(a night bus leaves hourly between midnight and 4am). As you leave the airport arrivals terminal look for the large, covered bus stop (about 50 metres straight ahead and slightly to your left). There are several yellow ticket machines at the front of the stop.

Outside the arrival hall, you can also take a taxi.

For more information please visit: www.airportbratislava.sk

• to Vienna International Airport (VIE)

There are regular bus services from Vienna Airport to Bratislava bus station, operated by Slovak Lines. Buses leave the airport from just outside the arrivals hall; the journey takes approximately one hour. For times, please check the Slovak Lines website.

For more information please visit: www.viennaairport.com

2. Arriving by train:

• to Bratislava main railway station

The main railway station (hlavná stanica) is not one of Bratislava's more modern facilities, but is relatively small and manageable. The quickest way to reach the city centre from the station is by tram. Tram number 13 leaves every 10 or 20 minutes, depending on the time of day, and takes you directly to Ľudovít Štúr Square (Námestie Ľudovíta Štúra), on the Danube Embankment near the Carlton Hotel. Most city-centre destinations are within easy walking distance of this stop, or the three preceding stops (Vysoká, Poštová and Jesenského).

For more information please visit: www.slovakrail.sk

• to Bratislava Petržalka railway station

Some trains from Vienna arrive at Petržalka railway station. To reach the city centre, use the passageway under the tracks, then cross the road, and take a number 93 bus to Zochová (the first stop after crossing the Danube River), which is on the edge of the old town. Alternatively, stay on the bus until it terminates at the main railway station (hlavná stanica) and follow the directions above. The service is very frequent and takes less than 10 minutes.

For more information please visit: www.slovakrail.sk

3. Arriving by bus:

• to Bratislava bus station

Bratislava's bus station (autobusová stanica) is connected to the city centre and the main railway station by trolleybus. City-centre trolleybuses (numbers 202 and 205) leave from a stop on the main road to the left of the bus station main entrance. The bus to the main railway station (number 210) leaves from the second stop in front of the bus station (slightly to the left).

For more information please visit: www.autobusovastanica.sk

4. Arriving by riverboat:

It is also possible to reach Bratislava by riverboat from Vienna (or even Budapest). The passenger terminal is on the Danube embankment right next to the old town.

For more informatin please visit: http://www.lod.sk

5. Arriving by car:

Bratislava has direct multi-lane highway connections with Vienna (E58), Budapest (E75), and Prague (E65), as well main routes heading north-east towards central and eastern Slovakia (E50), and Poland (E75). Within Slovakia, highways converge on Bratislava from the north-west (D2), south (D2) and north-east (D1). The speed limit on open sections of Slovak highway is 130km/h, but lower limits apply around Bratislava: watch for the signs. The urban speed limit is 50km/h.

Photo: sxc.hu