Hello gallivanters! Whether you like to travel in groups or prefer going solo, this article is for you! Thank you for your continued support to my travel itineraries blog. This next article will talk you through how to get around Bratislava from Prague.

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Czech Republic and Slovakia are neighbouring countries so it isn’t a mystery that you can easily get from Prague to Bratislava by train or bus. Both countries used to be called Czechoslovakia until their separation in 1992 to become two independent countries: Czech Republic and Slovakia.

This post is a continuation of my 5-day journey across Central Europe. To recap, Prague was my point of entry from London and I stayed there for 2 days. Bratislava, Slovakia is my second destination and on the third day of my trip.

Order to Read. . .

1. Exploring Prague on a £150 Budget: 2-Day Solo and Group Travel Itinerary
2. Prague to Bratislava Full Day Itinerary: Exploring Top Attractions
3. Explore Vienna in 24 Hours: Budget- Friendly Itinerary and Essential Guide
4. Budapest 2- Day Itinerary: Travel Tips and Must- See Attractions

From Prague to Bratislava Full Day Itinerary

Day 3: 08:00- 12:30	Book a flixbus before travel on Trainline/ Trip. The bus runs from Prague Main Bus Station (Florenc Central Bus Station) to Bratislava Bus Station (Mlynske Nivy) for 4 hours and 45 minutes- £20
From 13:00	Store luggage at Bratislava Bus Station- £3.3 Buy a 24- hour Bratislava Travel Pass from the mall- £4 Have Lunch at Nivy Mall which is where the Bus Terminal is located- £11
From 14:00	Explore famous tourist attractions in Bratislava – Blue Church – Slovak Radio Building – Explore the Old Town: Michaels’ Gate, Man at Work (Cumil), St. Martin’s Catherdral – Climb up the UFO Tower – £10
From 19:00	Ride Flixbus from Bratislava Bus Station to Vienna ( Wein hbf) which takes about an hour – £ 11
Total Approximate Expenses	£ 60

Currency

Slovakia now uses Euros as their currency, the same with most of the European countries.

I used my Wise debit card (paid link) to pay for all my purchases. This is a cheaper option than having your cash money exchanged at the airport or use your usual credit card from your country. Why? Let me show you:

Wise usually has the best conversion rate and it also has an option to let you see which money transfer provider(e.g. Ofx, Western Union, Revolut, Monzo, etc) offers the best rate at the time of conversion. They also have a physical atm card that will be delivered to you in case you need to withdraw cash from the country you are travelling to. More information can be found on the link (#ad) Wise.

Weather Condition

In June 2024, the place is dry and hot. Temperatures could reach up to 33ºC.

Transportation

I started the day from my Prague. My Accommodation is just 20 minutes away by metro/subway to Prague Central Bus Station. There are other bus stations in Prague but I think Central Bus Station Florenc is where you can find flixbus going to Bratislava based on trainline’s schedules. It is also adjacent to Prague’s Main Train Station or Praha Hlavni Nadrazi which is often abbreviated as Praha hl.n. There are trains going directly to Bratislava but it costs twice more than the buses. Both mode of transport takes more than 4 hours with trains arriving a few minutes earlier. It is best to book in advance to get the best price although you can still book on the day. Trains sell out quicker so if you book on the day, you might only have the option to travel by bus/coach or travel in the afternoon/ night.

The bus from Prague left at 08:05 from Platform 4 and arrived in Bratislava Central Bus Station or Autobusová Stanica Mlynské Nivy (In Slovak just in case google maps confuse you) just 10 minutes before 1 o’clock in the afternoon. If you go by train, then you will arrive at Bratislava Central Train Station or Bratislava hlavná stanica, abbreviated as Bratislava hl.st. which is a 35- minute walk away from the bus station. I have a Schengen Visa and they checked my passport with the visa stamp before departure. They don’t stamp your passport at the bus stations. Your passport only gets to be stamped once at the airport or your point of entry and once at your point of exit.

Arrival in Bratislava

Upon arrival at the Bus station, I was pleasantly surprised that the location is inside the mall. It is at the underground floor level of the mall (-1 on the elevator) and the drop off point is the entrance door to Nivy Mall. Since I am not staying in Bratislava for the night and had my luggage with me, I needed to have a locker/ storage safe to leave them. Conveniently, the lockers are just located at the drop-off point. They are very easy to use and a cheap option as well than having to rent a hotel room. You can see from the pictures below the lockers which are near the entrance to the lounge and the mall.

Nivy mall in my opinion has got everything you need for the day like food, medicines, entertainment, toilets, lounge areas, and transportation access. The lockers cost only 4 Euros and you can store a cabin sized luggage and a backpack inside. There are other cabin sizes as well depending on your need. Don’t worry as the screen will prompt you the sizes available. I head inside the mall and found a bus booking office. I bought a 24- hour transport pass as it is cheaper than having single tickets. This 24-hour travel pass allows me to ride buses and trams anywhere in the city within the specified time. Also, always remember to validate your tickets in the small validating machines inside the buses and trams. I just had light lunch at the mall and went to see some famous tourist attractions in Bratislava

Must-See Attractions in Bratislava

From Point A. Bratislava Bus Station to point B. Blue Church or Church of St. Elizabeth Bezrocuva

C. Slovak Radio Building

D Old Town (Old Town Hall/ St. Michael’s Gate/ Cumil/ St. Martin’s Church)

Public transportation is very convenient in Bratislava just like in Prague. It is very easy to find your way and most of the spots are within walking distance. I head to the Old Town which is Bratislava’s historic center. Many historic monuments and buildings are in this part of town. I saw a lot of people joining the walking tours in the Old Town. Some of the sights that I have seen in my walk are Main square, Cumil “Man at Work” Statue, St. Michael’s Gate, Old Town Hall and St. Martin’s Church.

You can book a guided tour which takes you to 14 attractions and has a duration of 2 hours.

E. UFO Tower

My last stop before heading back to the bus station is the famous UFO Tower. I didn’t have time to see the Bratislava Castle so I thought I’ll just get a view of it from the sky. From the St. Martin’s Cathedral, I walked the bridge crossing the Danube River.

The entrance to the tower is just below the bridge. The entrance fee cost about £10. The elevator up to the tower is just at the ticket office so after I bought my ticket, I got in the elevator going to the top. I got a little claustrophobic inside the elevator but when I reached the top, it was incredible. The 360º view of Bratislava is stunning. There is a restaurant with glass walls so you can see everything from the Old Town, Bratislava Castle and Danube River

I ordered some snacks in the tower however, food is more expensive there. I spent about two hours in the tower before heading back to the bus station.

My bus leaves at 19:05 to Vienna, Austria which is my next stop in this trip. The bus tickets can be bought on the day at the Nivy Mall bus ticket office or online on travel applications however, there isn’t a big difference in the ticket prices based on my experience.

This concludes my trip in Bratislava. See you in my next blog: Explore Vienna in 24 Hours: Budget-Friendly Itinerary and Essential Guide

Order to Read. . .

1. Exploring Prague on a £150 Budget: 2-Day Solo and Group Travel Itinerary
2. Prague to Bratislava Full Day Itinerary: Exploring Top Attractions
3. Explore Vienna in 24 Hours: Budget-Friendly Itinerary and Essential Guide
4. Budapest 2- Day Itinerary: Travel Tips and Must- See Attractions