How to make the most of a quick trip from Vienna to Bratislava
With only about 80 kilometres between them, Vienna and Bratislava are two of the closest capital cities in the world, with the Slovak capital ideal for a quick cross-border weekend or day trip.
Getting to Bratislava from the Austrian capital is about as easy as it gets, with more than a few Vienna residents having made several such trips.
With plenty of options for things to see or ways to get there at an affordable price, it’s a simple international treat for a Vienna visitor or resident.
Once you’re in Bratislava, your wallet may well thank you as well. While estimates vary depending on index, the cost of living in the Slovak capital is about one quarter less expensive than Prague, and about a third less than Vienna.
Slovak sights: what to see
Travel gurus sometimes label Bratislava as “The Little Big City.” It may feel larger and is ultimately a European capital, but it has only about 400,000 residents compared to Vienna’s nearly two million, and it's easy to navigate on foot or with public transport.
The city has two castles to delight visitors. The first is the well-known Bratislava castle, perched on a hill above the old town. Dating back all the way to the 10th century, the castle has many uses today – from acting as a representative place for members of the Slovak parliament to host guests, to housing the Slovak National Museum of History.
The Castle also contains the Museum’s Treasury – with its collection of gold and silver. The city’s second main castle, Devin Castle, sits just outside town and right on the border with Austria, with its Maiden Tower right at the confluence of the Danube and Moravia rivers.
Bratislava's Most SNP, or "UFO Bridge" housing a restaurant and observation deck. Photo: Vlastimil Starec, Pixabay
On the other side of the charming Old Town’s main square from Bratislava Castle, sits the Catholic Church of St. Elizabeth, a blue-coloured Art Nouveau treat for the eyes. You’ll also find the Slovak Presidential Palace, numerous art galleries, and even the infamous Most SNP – a UFO-like structure sitting on top of Bratislava’s New Bridge – where you can check out the view from either the restaurant or observation deck.
READ ALSO: Five of the best weekend getaways from Vienna
How to get there: ÖBB’s Bratislava-Ticket
For a single day’s trip, Austrian rail company ÖBB will offer you the Bratislava-Ticket for €18, or €9 for children between six and 14 years old.
With it, you can use it to travel between Vienna and Bratislava on either ÖBB or Slovak ZSSK, the Slovak rail company. But it doesn’t stop there. You can also use the same ticket on all public urban transport within Bratislava, as well as on regional ÖBB trains within Vienna.
Most train and bus services from Vienna to Bratislava leave via Vienna's central station. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)
Given the ticket's usefulness among commuters and students, you can also get weekly tickets for €42.50 or monthly ones for €143.80. Ticketholders can also sometimes get walking tour discounts.
Alternatively, you can typically get a train ticket from Vienna to Bratislava for less than €10, with the journey lasting just over an hour.
READ ALSO: What international border towns can you travel to on Austria’s KlimaTicket?
How to get there: By Bus
Numerous buses leave every day from Vienna to Bratislava and in reverse. Flixbus provides the most common services, although their prices are about the same as what you’d be paying out for a train ticket – around €10. The travel time is also mostly the same, clocking in at just over an hour.
RegioJet shuttles also make regular runs between the two cities.
How to get there: By Car
If you have your own car, Vienna to Bratislava is a piece of cake – doable in just over an hour’s drive. Otherwise, there are several taxi or driver services that shuttle people between the two cities – especially from Vienna Airport. These are more expensive though, with many running up at around €75 a ride.
How to get there: By Bike
Lastly, cyclists with a bit of spare time can try out the Vienna to Bratislava bike trail. Forming a part of the much larger Danube Cycle Path stretching from Passau in Germany all the way to Budapest, the Vienna to Bratislava section clocks in at around four hours of cycle time along the EU's longest river, with almost no car traffic to speak of.
How to get there: By Boat
If you fancy a trip between the two capitals on the Danube River, but aren't willing to do the cycle, there are boat services connecting the two cities.
Bratislava as seen from the water. A boat trip from Vienna takes about 75 minutes. Photo: Helena Jankovičová Kováčová, Pexels.
The most regular of these is from a company called Twin City Liner, which operates a catamaran at least once daily in low season, and more often in high season.
As a highspeed catamaran, it also barely takes longer than a train or bus ride, completing the trip in about 75 minutes. It's much cheaper than a taxi service, but definitely more than a train or bus, with most tickets running at about €35.
READ ALSO: How to save money while travelling around Austria
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Getting to Bratislava from the Austrian capital is about as easy as it gets, with more than a few Vienna residents having made several such trips.
With plenty of options for things to see or ways to get there at an affordable price, it’s a simple international treat for a Vienna visitor or resident.
Once you’re in Bratislava, your wallet may well thank you as well. While estimates vary depending on index, the cost of living in the Slovak capital is about one quarter less expensive than Prague, and about a third less than Vienna.
Slovak sights: what to see
Travel gurus sometimes label Bratislava as “The Little Big City.” It may feel larger and is ultimately a European capital, but it has only about 400,000 residents compared to Vienna’s nearly two million, and it's easy to navigate on foot or with public transport.
The city has two castles to delight visitors. The first is the well-known Bratislava castle, perched on a hill above the old town. Dating back all the way to the 10th century, the castle has many uses today – from acting as a representative place for members of the Slovak parliament to host guests, to housing the Slovak National Museum of History.
The Castle also contains the Museum’s Treasury – with its collection of gold and silver. The city’s second main castle, Devin Castle, sits just outside town and right on the border with Austria, with its Maiden Tower right at the confluence of the Danube and Moravia rivers.
On the other side of the charming Old Town’s main square from Bratislava Castle, sits the Catholic Church of St. Elizabeth, a blue-coloured Art Nouveau treat for the eyes. You’ll also find the Slovak Presidential Palace, numerous art galleries, and even the infamous Most SNP – a UFO-like structure sitting on top of Bratislava’s New Bridge – where you can check out the view from either the restaurant or observation deck.
READ ALSO: Five of the best weekend getaways from Vienna
How to get there: ÖBB’s Bratislava-Ticket
For a single day’s trip, Austrian rail company ÖBB will offer you the Bratislava-Ticket for €18, or €9 for children between six and 14 years old.
With it, you can use it to travel between Vienna and Bratislava on either ÖBB or Slovak ZSSK, the Slovak rail company. But it doesn’t stop there. You can also use the same ticket on all public urban transport within Bratislava, as well as on regional ÖBB trains within Vienna.
Given the ticket's usefulness among commuters and students, you can also get weekly tickets for €42.50 or monthly ones for €143.80. Ticketholders can also sometimes get walking tour discounts.
Alternatively, you can typically get a train ticket from Vienna to Bratislava for less than €10, with the journey lasting just over an hour.
READ ALSO: What international border towns can you travel to on Austria’s KlimaTicket?
How to get there: By Bus
Numerous buses leave every day from Vienna to Bratislava and in reverse. Flixbus provides the most common services, although their prices are about the same as what you’d be paying out for a train ticket – around €10. The travel time is also mostly the same, clocking in at just over an hour.
RegioJet shuttles also make regular runs between the two cities.
How to get there: By Car
If you have your own car, Vienna to Bratislava is a piece of cake – doable in just over an hour’s drive. Otherwise, there are several taxi or driver services that shuttle people between the two cities – especially from Vienna Airport. These are more expensive though, with many running up at around €75 a ride.
How to get there: By Bike
Lastly, cyclists with a bit of spare time can try out the Vienna to Bratislava bike trail. Forming a part of the much larger Danube Cycle Path stretching from Passau in Germany all the way to Budapest, the Vienna to Bratislava section clocks in at around four hours of cycle time along the EU's longest river, with almost no car traffic to speak of.
How to get there: By Boat
If you fancy a trip between the two capitals on the Danube River, but aren't willing to do the cycle, there are boat services connecting the two cities.
The most regular of these is from a company called Twin City Liner, which operates a catamaran at least once daily in low season, and more often in high season.
As a highspeed catamaran, it also barely takes longer than a train or bus ride, completing the trip in about 75 minutes. It's much cheaper than a taxi service, but definitely more than a train or bus, with most tickets running at about €35.
READ ALSO: How to save money while travelling around Austria
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