Trains in Bratislava

Bratislava hlavna stanica is the main station for domestic trains (ZSSK) and for international trains to Prague, Brno, Budapest and Austria. Bratislava-Petrzalka is a second station south of the Danube, used by some Vienna and Leo Express trains.

Vienna regional trains run every hour. Budapest and Prague trains run about every 2 hours. Tatran express trains to Poprad and Kosice run about every hour. Until 22 November 2026 some regional trains use Bratislava-Nove Mesto instead of the main station. A new timetable starts on 13 December 2026.

Tickets and prices

• Bratislava to Vienna: about 12.70 EUR in 2nd class on the hourly regional express
• Bratislava to Budapest: advance fares from about 10.50 EUR, flexible fare about 25 EUR (2nd class)
• Bratislava to Poprad-Tatry about 21 EUR and to Kosice about 25 EUR for a flexible 2nd class fare. 1st class is about 8 EUR more
• Prague: ZSSK, Ceske drahy, RegioJet and Leo Express all sell their own tickets, with fares that change by date
• ZSSK service fee: 1 EUR at a ticket office and 3 EUR on the train. No fee in the online shop or app

Where to buy tickets

• ZSSK online shop or the Ideme vlakom app (no extra fee)
• ZSSK domestic ticket office in the glass concourse of the main station, open from before 04:00 to after midnight (1 EUR fee)
• International ticket windows in the old booking hall, and the ZSSK travel centre (daily about 07:20 to 18:25)
• On the train: possible with a 3 EUR fee, also at stations with no ticket office. Not for international, sleeper or couchette tickets
• RegioJet has its own ticket window in the main station concourse. Leo Express and RegioJet also sell online
• Austrian trains to Vienna: oebb.at or the station counters

Good to know: Buy your ticket online or in the app before you board. On the train you pay an extra 3 EUR. RegioJet and Leo Express tickets are only sold by those companies.

Bratislava main station guide (Seat61) (official site)

Direct trains from Bratislava

• Trnava: about 40 min from Bratislava hlavna stanica, ZSSK
• Trencin: about 1 h 10 min from Bratislava hlavna stanica, ZSSK, RegioJet
• Komarno: about 1 h 40 min from Bratislava hlavna stanica, Leo Express
• Zilina: about 2 h from Bratislava hlavna stanica, RegioJet, ZSSK
• Poprad-Tatry (High Tatras): about 4 h from Bratislava hlavna stanica, ZSSK Tatran
• Kosice: about 4 h 55 min from Bratislava hlavna stanica, ZSSK Tatran, Krivan
• Humenne: overnight from Bratislava hlavna stanica, ZSSK Zemplin
• Vienna (Austria): about 1 h from Bratislava hlavna stanica, OBB regional express
• Brno (Czechia): about 1 h 35 min from Bratislava hlavna stanica, Ceske drahy, RegioJet, OBB EuroCity
• Budapest Nyugati (Hungary): about 2 h 25 min from Bratislava hlavna stanica, railjet and EuroCity (CD, ZSSK, MAV)
• Salzburg (Austria): about 3 h 20 min from Bratislava hlavna stanica, OBB railjet
• Prague (Czechia): about 3 h 55 min from Bratislava hlavna stanica, Ceske drahy EuroCity, RegioJet, Leo Express
• Innsbruck (Austria): about 5 h 15 min from Bratislava hlavna stanica, OBB railjet
• Zurich (Switzerland): about 8 h 50 min from Bratislava hlavna stanica, OBB railjet
• Berlin (Germany): about 8 h 35 min from Bratislava hlavna stanica, EuroCity (ComfortJet) Hungaria

Trams and metro in Bratislava

Bratislava has no metro. Trams (lines 1, 3, 4, 8 and 9), trolleybuses and buses all use one fare system. Tram 3 crosses the Danube to Petrzalka.

Day service runs from about 04:30 to 23:00. Night lines (N plus a number) run from 23:30 to 04:30, mostly from the main station.

Tickets and prices

• 30 minutes: 1.20 EUR paper, 1.09 EUR electronic
• 60 minutes: 1.80 EUR paper, 1.60 EUR electronic
• 24 hours (city zones 100 and 101): 5.40 EUR paper, 4.85 EUR electronic
• 72 hours: 10.70 EUR paper, 9.68 EUR electronic. 7 days: 16.20 EUR in the app
• Half price for children 6 to 17 and students. Younger children travel free
• Fine without a valid ticket: 120 EUR plus the fare, or 99 EUR if you pay on the spot or within 10 working days

Where to buy tickets

• Tap a contactless card or phone on the validator in the vehicle (TAPni sa service)
• IDS BK or DPB app. Pay at least 1 minute before you board
• Ticket machines at stops. The red machines accept contactless cards
• SMS ticket from a Slovak SIM only: text any character to 1140 (30 minute ticket, 1.20 EUR), 1100 (60 minute, 1.80 EUR) or 1124 (24 hours, 5.40 EUR)
• DPB ticket offices, news stands and tourist offices
• Paper tickets must be validated in the machine as soon as you board. Accidental card taps are not refunded

Good to know: Tap a contactless bank card or phone on the validator when you board. It buys a 30-minute ticket and you pay no more than the 24-hour price in one day. Show the same card or phone to inspectors.

IDS BK fares (imhd.sk) (official site)

Bratislava network

Bratislava has no metro. Trams, trolleybuses and buses cover the city and the main station is the night bus hub.

• Tram 1: main station to Namestie L. Stura (city centre)
• Tram 3: Raca to Petrzalka, across the Old Bridge
• Tram 4: Nove Mesto station to Dubravka
• Tram 8 and 9: Ruzinov to Juzne mesto and Karlova Ves
• Night buses leave the main station at 23:30, 00:00, 00:30, 01:30, 02:30 and 03:30

Buses in Bratislava

DPB runs the city buses and trolleybuses. Regional IDS BK buses reach towns around Bratislava. Slovak Lines and FlixBus coaches leave from Mlynske nivy bus station.

City buses run from about 04:30 to 23:00. Night lines run 23:30 to 04:30. Regional night buses 299, 598, 599, 699, 798 and 799 run at weekends and some run daily.

Tickets and prices

• City buses use the same fares as trams: 1.20 EUR for 30 minutes
• Regional trips cost more: a single ticket valid everywhere in the IDS BK area is 6.10 EUR on paper, 5.54 EUR electronic
• Bus 901 to Hainburg in Austria: 2.50 EUR single from the driver
• Night lines: normal ticket prices, all stops are request stops
• Long distance: Slovak Lines and FlixBus coaches, fares change by date

Where to buy tickets

• Tap a contactless card on the validator when you board
• IDS BK or DPB app
• Ticket machines at stops and in the Mlynske nivy bus station
• Bus 901: pay the driver by cash, card or e-wallet
• Coaches: online or in the operator's app

Good to know: On night buses raise your hand to stop the bus and press the button to get off, because all night stops are request stops.

IDS BK night transport (official site)

Airport links in Bratislava

Bratislava Airport (BTS) has no rail link. City bus 61 runs from the main station to the airport. Many visitors also fly to Vienna Airport and take a coach to Bratislava.

Bus 61 runs between the main railway station and the airport, and night bus N61 serves the airport after 23:30. Check the Letisko stop times at imhd.sk. Slovak Lines coaches from Vienna Hauptbahnhof to the airport take about 70 minutes.

Tickets and prices

• Bus 61 from the main station: a 30 minute ticket (1.20 EUR paper, 1.09 EUR electronic) is enough with no change
• Use a 60 minute ticket (1.80 EUR) if you change vehicles
• Luggage ticket 0.60 EUR, valid 300 minutes, only with a 30 minute ticket
• Slovak Lines airport shuttle from Vienna Hauptbahnhof: from 7.90 EUR
• Slovak Lines shuttle from Nivy bus station: from 1.90 EUR online, about 15 minutes
• Taxi: rank in front of the arrivals hall, prices are shown on the info panels

Where to buy tickets

• Bus 61: the DPB app, IDS BK app or the driver
• SMS ticket from a Slovak SIM: text to 1140 or 1100 and wait for the reply before boarding
• Slovak Lines shuttles: online in advance, or pay the driver
• Taxi: pay by cash, Visa, Mastercard or American Express

Good to know: Bus 61 takes the same tickets as the city, so a 24-hour ticket for zones 100 and 101 also covers your trip to the airport.

Bratislava Airport: transport from the airport (official site)

Airport to city centre: full guide

Tips for Bratislava

• Bratislava has no metro. Trams are usually faster than buses during the day.
• A 24-hour ticket for zones 100 and 101 is cheapest with contactless or the app. The Bratislava Card also includes unlimited city transport.
• Inspectors check often. The fine without a valid ticket is 120 EUR plus the fare, so validate paper tickets as you board.
• Vienna is only about an hour away by train, so Bratislava makes an easy day trip.

Apps to download

• IDS BK: Tickets for city and regional transport
• DPB: Bratislava city transport tickets and times
• Ideme vlakom: ZSSK train times and tickets
• imhd.sk: Bratislava route planner
• RegioJet: Trains and coaches to Prague, Brno and Kosice