Train to Bratislava - connections, tickets and itinerary

• Destination station: Bratislava hlavná stanica, Franz Liszt Square 3215/1 - open 24 hours a day, with waiting room, ticket windows and shops

• Documents: identity card is sufficient - Slovakia is in the Schengen area, no passport is required

• Currency: Euro (EUR) - you can pay almost everywhere with your payment card, PLN is not widely accepted

• Transport from the train station: take the tram or walk to the Old Town; a single ticket is a few zlotys, a daily ticket is a dozen or so

• How much to go for: a weekend (2 nights) is enough for the Old Town, Bratislava Castle and the SNP Bridge; with 3 days you can also fit in Devin Castle

• Practical tip: Bratislava City Card available from tourist information - includes public transport and discounts on entry to attractions; 24h, 48h and 72h variants

Summer is the best choice, when the daytime temperature is 24-26°C and the sun is often shining, but April, May and September also work well for a city break.

Spring (April-May)

• In April, the daytime temperature is 16°C and the gardens on the hill of Bratislava Castle open after winter.

• In May, the daytime temperature is 21°C, but this is the month with the most rainfall of the year, so it is worth packing a rain jacket.

• Accommodation prices are lower than in summer, and cafés in the Old Town put tables outside.

Summer (June-August)

• In June, July and August, the daytime temperature is 24-26°C, so it is easy to plan long walks around the city.

• August is the driest month of the year, making walks along the Danube and climbing the castle hill particularly enjoyable.

• The Old Town is busy with tourists, so attractions are best visited in the morning or late afternoon.

Autumn (September-October)

• In September, the daytime temperature is 20°C, but accommodation prices are the highest of the year and often exceed 600 PLN per night.

• In October, Bratislava hosts jazz events and the daytime temperature is 15°C.

• Janka Krala Park and the castle hill look beautiful in autumn.

Winter (November-February)

• In December, Christmas markets on Hlavné námestie offer mulled wine, handicrafts and Slovak snacks.

• In January and February, accommodation prices are the lowest of the year and often start below 300 PLN per night.

• In winter, queues to attractions are shorter and museums and galleries operate normally.

You will travel to Bratislava directly from Katowice, Krakow and Warsaw, and from Wrocław with one change.

From Katowice - from 5.5 hours

• The shortest route from Poland to Bratislava is from Katowice.

• You go directly and get off at your destination on the same day.

• Booking a seat is compulsory on the foreign leg.

• The route goes through Zebrzydowice and on through Slovakia.

From Krakow - from 6 hours

• From Krakow Central Station, you take a direct one train to the end of the route.

• An overnight variant with sleeping accommodation is also available.

• The locomotive changes during the journey, but you do not have to get off.

• Reservation of a seat is compulsory on the foreign section.

From Warsaw - from 8 hours

• From Warsaw to Bratislava you travel directly without changing trains.

• You can board at Warszawa Centralna, Warszawa Wschodnia or Warszawa Zachodnia stations.

• A night variant with sleeping cars and a day variant are available.

• Reservation of a seat is compulsory on the international section.

From Wrocław - with one change

• From Wrocław you travel with one change via the Czech Republic or via Kraków.

• You can choose from several connections per day.

• The entire journey takes between 9 and 10 hours.

• You change trains only once, at the same station.

You buy your ticket on Europodróże without creating an account - you receive it by e-mail and SMS. Before departure, you receive an SMS reminder with a link to your ticket. The earlier you buy, the greater the choice of seats. You can also travel from Poznań, Łódź and Gdańsk with changes. According to PKP Intercity rules, you can return your ticket up to 20 minutes before departure and exchange it up to 30 minutes before departure - for details, check the refund and exchange rules.

You can get around Bratislava on foot and by public transport. From Bratislava hlavná stanica station you can walk to the Old Town in a few minutes via Štefánikova street, and take a tram to get there in a few minutes.

Public transport in Bratislava is provided by the DPB - trams, buses and trolleybuses. A single ticket costs a few zlotys and a daily ticket costs a dozen. You can buy tickets from vending machines at bus stops or from the local ticket app.

The Bratislava City Card includes public transport and discounts on admissions to attractions. It is available at tourist information and online in 24h, 48h and 72h variants. With several paid admissions in one day, the card pays for itself quickly.

Bolt and Uber operate in Bratislava, so you will also get from the station to the centre by car ordered through the app.

You will get around the Old Town on foot. Bratislava Castle, Michal's Gate, the Main Square and the SNP Bridge are all close together. Devin Castle stands a dozen kilometres from the centre - you will get there by bus and it is worth planning half a day for this trip.

Where to stay overnight:

• Old Town - closest to attractions, highest accommodation prices

• Nové Mesto - lower accommodation prices and good tram connection to the centre

• Petržalka - lower accommodation prices, and you can get to the centre via the SNP Bridge

Bratislava Castle

You will enter the courtyard and gardens free of charge, while the museum inside is chargeable. The tour takes 2-3 hours. From the walls you will see the Danube, the Old Town and, in good weather, Austria.

Michalska Gate

This is the only surviving city gate from the 14th century. The tower is 51 metres high and on the sixth floor there is an observation deck with a panoramic view of the Old Town. Inside there is a museum of weapons. The tour takes 45-60 minutes.

The Main Square (Hlavné námestie) and Town Hall

On the square stands the Maximilian Fountain from 1572, and the 15th-century Town Hall houses the City Museum. There is a fee to enter the museum. A tour of the town hall and its surroundings takes about an hour.

SNP bridge with UFO tower

You will climb the observation tower for a fee, and when ordering a meal in the UFO restaurant, the entrance is sometimes included in the bill. From a height of almost 100 metres you will see the entire city, the Danube and the surrounding hills. The tour takes 45-60 minutes.

Blue Church (Kostol sv. Alžbety)

This is a unique Art Nouveau building from 1909-1913, decorated in shades of blue from the façade to the roof tiles. Entrance is free of charge. The tour takes 30-45 minutes. The church stands a few minutes' walk from Michal's Gate.

The Primate's Palace

The pink classicist façade hides the Hall of Mirrors and a collection of English aras from the 17th century. There is an entrance fee. The tour takes 60-90 minutes.

Devin Castle

The ruins stand on a rock above the mouth of the Morava River on the Danube, several kilometres from the centre. There is an entrance fee and the area has quite a climb, so it is best to wear comfortable shoes. You can get there by bus from the centre. The tour with access takes half a day.

Plan for Day 1

In the morning: the main square and town hall. Before noon: Michal's Gate and the Blue Church. Lunch at a traditional restaurant in the Old Town. Afternoon: Bratislava Castle with gardens. Evening: SNP Bridge and UFO tower at sunset.

Plan for the weekend

Day 1: You can arrange the first day in the same way as the 1-day plan.

Day 2: In the morning: the Primate's Palace and museums in the Old Town. In the afternoon: a trip to Devin Castle by bus. In the evening: walk along the Danube and have dinner in the Nové Mesto district.

In Bratislava, you can easily try classic Slovak cuisine and buy local products at the market or in the shops in the Old Town.

What to eat

Bryndzové halušky - potato dumplings with sheep's cheese bryndza and bacon crackling. This is the national dish of Slovakia, available in most traditional restaurants. Price: PLN 24-40 per portion.

Trdelník - sweet pastry baked on a rolling pin, coated in sugar and nuts. You can buy them in the Old Town for a dozen or so zlotys.

Pirohy - Slovak dumplings with various fillings, served with sour cream or pork crackling. Price: 16-40 PLN.

Kapustnica - a thick soup of sauerkraut with sausage and mushrooms, especially popular in winter.

Where to eat:

• Slovak Pub - 11 rooms in a 150-year-old chalet, the pub's speciality is halušky

• Zylinder Café Restaurant - a place known for its bryndzový halušky and classic Slovak cuisine

• Modrá Hviezda - restaurant with a view of Bratislava Castle and a traditional menu

• Panenská Street and surroundings - a less touristic part of the Old Town with cafés and restaurants at good prices

Tržnica Market on Miletičová Street is the largest market in Bratislava - buy fresh produce, local cheeses and cold cuts there. It is best to come in the morning.

Souvenirs

• Parenica - braided Slovak cheese, smoked or unsmoked; easy to pack in your luggage

• Zlatý Bažant - the most popular Slovak beer

• Handicrafts and ceramics from shops in the Old Town

Your food budget depends on the style of your trip. Street food and a meal in a simpler restaurant costs between a dozen and a few dozen zlotys, while a main course in a traditional mid-range restaurant is usually in the range of 40-60 zlotys.

You will spend the least on a weekend in Bratislava in the low season, and the largest part of your budget is usually accommodation.

Many of Bratislava's attractions are free: the Old Town, the courtyard and gardens of Bratislava Castle, crossing the SNP Bridge and Janka Krala Park on the Danube.

The lowest accommodation prices fall in winter - in February, offers often start below 300 PLN per night. In September, the average often exceeds 600 PLN per night.

The Bratislava City Card, costing 48-64 PLN for 24-72h, includes public transport and discounts on admissions.

You pay locally in euros. You can pay virtually everywhere by card, and PLN are not widely accepted.