Bratislava, Slovakia — Travel Tips
Getting There By Air
Two airlines currently offer direct flights to Bratislava from the UK: Ryanair and Air Slovakia. Other airlines flying to Bratislava include Air France and Czech Airlines and budget airline Danube Wings.
M R Štefánika (BTS)
Tel: (02) 3303 3353.
Website: www.airportbratislava.sk
Bratislava's airport is located 9km (5.5 miles) northeast of the city center.
Airport facilities
Facilities include a post office, several 24-hour bureau de change and an ATM, located in the customs building some distance from the main entrance, as well as left-luggage facilities, children's play area, medical services, bars, fast-food outlets and car hire from Avis and Hertz. A Business Club with computers, internet and fax, is available, as well as a VIP lounge.
Transport to the city
Public transport bus 61 runs regularly between MR Stefanik and the main railway station. There is also a door-to-door shuttle service (tel: (02) 4363 6222; www.airportshuttle.sk) between the airport and the city center.
Approximate flight times to Bratislava
Flight time from London to Bratislava is approximately 2 hours and from Birmingham is 2 hours 30 minutes.
Getting There By Road
In Bratislava, traffic drives on the right and the minimum driving age is 18 years. The network of roads and supporting services is dense and reliable, and roads are generally in good condition, particularly on the main arteries. Speed limits are 60kph (37mph) in towns, 90kph (56mph) outside towns and 130kph (81mph) on motorways. Drivers wishing to drive in Bratislava will need a valid international driving license, as well as third-party insurance.
Emergency breakdown services
Emergency road service (tel: 18124); Road rescue (tel: 154); Police/Emergency services (tel: 112).
Routes to the city
The major routes run from Bratislava to Presov and Košice, via Kralovany and Poprad. Bratislava is also linked to international transport routes and motorways through the motorway E65 to the Czech Republic, D-2 to Hungary and international transport routes E75 and E58 to Austria. International transport route E58 connects Bratislava to the Schwechat Airport in Vienna, while route E75 crosses Slovakia to Poland and Ukraine.
Driving times to the city
From Poprad - 4 hours; Košice - 5 hours 30 minutes.
Coach services
Slovak Lines (tel: 18211; www.slovaklines.sk) buses, which run from the Central Bus Station in Bratislava, Mlynske nivy 31, provides service to numerous European cities (in partnership with Eurolines), and it is advisable to book well in advance. Tickets are available at the central ticket office or from the Slovak Lines/Eurolines office, also in the station. Tickets for national lines can be bought from the driver when you board the bus.
Getting There By Rail
Rail Services
Services run by Slovak Republic Railways (ŽSR) (tel: (02) 2029 1111; www.zsr.sk) are for the most part modern and fast, with several daily express trains between Bratislava and main cities and resorts. Reservations should be made in advance on major routes. Fares are low, but supplements are charged for travel by express trains. The trains depart from Hlavna stanica (Central Station), a 20-minute walk from the Old Town at Predstanicne námestie 1, or the recently built Petrzalka Station, Kopcianska Ul across the Danube.
Rail Operators
The rail network is operated by the Slovak Republic Railways. Intercity (IC) trains are slightly faster and require seat reservations For more information on traveling by train in Slovakia, the 24-hour customer call center number is 18188.
Connections
From Vienna - 1 hour; Budapest - 3 hours; Prague - 4 hours; Košice - 5 hours; Žilina - 3 hours; Poprad - 4 hours 30 minutes.
Getting Around in Bratislava, Slovakia
Taxis
Taxis in Bratislava are rather less likely to cheat you than in some other parts of the world, and prices are reasonable. Fun Taxi (tel: 16777), AA taxi EURO (tel: 16022) and Caribic Taxi (tel: 16555) are reputable companies.
Driving in the City
Driving in Bratislava can be quite inconvenient because of the many pedestrian areas around the Old Town, numerous (and poorly marked) one-way streets, limited parking and sharp-eyed traffic police. Parking in the city center is fairly restricted. Car parks with free spaces are listed at www.parkovanieba.sk.
Car Hire
Providers in Bratislava include Avis (tel: (02) 5341 6111; www.avis.sk), Hertz (tel: (02) 5720 1261; www.hertz.sk), Europcar (tel: (02) 4926 2637; www.europcar.sk) and Rent Point (tel: (02) 6825 0270; www.rentpoint.sk).
Bicycle Hire
Slovakia is superb for biking. Bratislava Sightseeing, Fajnorovo nábrezie (tel: 907 683 112; www.bratislavasightseeing.com), hires bikes and also offers guided bike tours. There are flat cycle paths alongside the Danube and Morava Rivers.
