CIty Public Transport

Bratislava is not a very big city, nearly all sights and main monuments are situated in the city center and can be reached by walking. However, on your way to airport / dormitory / school, you might need public transport.

Buses, trams, and trolleybuses are operating approx. from 5am to 11pm. In the nighttime, there are several night-bus lines with prefix "N" (stands for ‘night’). Please, be aware that the service is reduced to one per hour. We highly recommend you arrive at the bus stop at least 5min before the departure, because buses don’t automatically stop at all bus stops, so they might arrive earlier. Also, at some bus stops you might have to wave as the bus approaches your stop. Most of the bus stops are equipped with live departures.

Also note, that bigger stops (e.g., near Bernolák) have several stopping points spread around, so be sure to check the letters on the platform signs.

Bratislava has an understandable system of public transport consisting of buses, trams, and trolleybuses. They convey at regular intervals according to timetables, which and be found at bus stops or on the website iMHD, nowadays you can also use Google maps, they show the departure times accurately. You can also find any information regarding changes in the schedules, tickets, or plan your trips on the mentioned website.

Tickets

Tickets are valid for certain period, and you can buy them in KIOSKS or TICKET MACHINES. You MUST validate ticket once inside the bus/tram. If the ticket inspector finds your ticket not marked or valid, you can be charged a fine of 80 € (payment after 10 days it is 110€). Tickets are valid for all means ofpublic transport in the city and remain valid when changing from one mean of transport to another. If you travel with large luggage, you should buy an extra reduced ticket for it (0.55€).

You can also buy an SMS TICKET, by sending an empty message to number 1140, 1100 or 1124. Within two minutes you should receive a message with your ticket. You shouldn’t get on the bus without this SMS. Please be aware that SMS system is working only with Slovak mobile phone operators. This ticket works during both daytime and nighttime and you don’t need to buy an extra ticket if travelling with large luggage.

Our recommendation for one-time tickets is an application - IDS BK. After registering it is also possible to buy 1/3/12 month tickets there. The application is either connected to your bank account, or you can charge your account with
credit. The price for one-time tickets is 10% less in the app. If you use the public transport daily, we recommend you get a 1/3/12 month ticket. The longer the ticket, the less you pay per day. You can buy these
through the mentioned app or at DPB selling points. All the information can be found at this link: https://imhd.sk/ba/.

You can also charge your ISIC, or in some vehicles pay by card for the transport, however not all vehicles are equipped with these machines. All the information regarding ticket pricing can be found at this link: https://imhd.sk/ba/doc/en/.

Taxi, Bicycles, Scooters

Taxi

Although you can find many taxi companies, we don’t recommend using them. There are reported frauds, especially with foreigners. Also, the driverbehavior is occasionally substandard as they don’t rely on ratings. Instead, we recommend using known services such as Bolt, Uber or Hopin.

 

Bicycles

The cycling routes in the city are expanding and the number of people using them is as well. Although, using a bicycle is not ideal for every trip. There is a couple bikesharing services in the city, with the most used onebeing
Slovnaft BAjk, where you can find many different subscription programs. Cyclists should use either cycling routes or the regular road and should not ride on the sidewalk. Wearing a helmet is not mandatory, however we highly recommend you use it!

 

Scooters

You can also rent electric scooters from Bolt or TIER. It is a great way to explore the city without getting too tired. These services shut down in the winter. As for the rules, thesame apply as for bicycles – you should use the road or cycling routes.

Airlines and Airports

Bratislava’s airport is the biggest in Slovakia. Regular flights link it to other Slovak cities and to many major European destinations. If you want to fly toBratislava, you can choose between the city’s own international airport (BTS) and Schwechat airport in Vienna (VIE) which is about 45 km from Bratislava, and it is connected by regular shuttle buses.

The Vienna airport offers more destinations and with the great connection, is used by many Slovakians for their trips. A city bus service (no. 61) connects the airport with main railway station, where you can change for lines to other parts of the city or city center. Normally it takes 15 minutes by car to get from the airport to the city center.

Keep in mind the Ryanair discount with ESNcard!

Railways and Train stations

Trains in Slovakia are the safest and most affordable way to travel throughout the country. International trains to Bratislava’s main railway station run from Vienna (1 hour), Budapest (3 hour), and Prague (4-5 hours) several times a day.

Free travel within the country: Since November 2014, children, seniors, and students in Slovakia can travel by train for free (possible with trains of ŽSSR). The only thing you need is to show your ISIC and ID card at the railway station to get your RailCard. More information can be found on the official website.