Is there a direct train from Budapest to Bratislava?
Yes, it is possible to travel from Budapest to Bratislava without having to change trains. There are 9 direct trains from Budapest to Bratislava each day.
Budapest to Bratislava by train
In Budapest trains depart from Nyugati station and in Bratislava they arrive to Hlavna Stanica (main train station).
The fastest and most comfortable way to travel from Vienna to Budapest is by taking the Railjet high-speed train. This modern and luxurious train will get you to your destination in just under 3 hours. For actual travel times, check out our timetable.
It's worth pointing out, straight off the bat, that the journey from Vienna to Budapest is not the most scenic – it's flat and the countryside is fairly uneventful, which means this isn't a journey you make for the views… unless you're big into wind turbines that is!
Is one day in Bratislava enough? One day in Bratislava is completely enough to visit the castle and tour the most popular sites in the Old Town, including the Christmas market. In fact, the capital city of Slovakia is a great option for a day trip from Vienna. You can get there by train, bus or boat.
Four days in Bratislava gives you enough time to get a taste of the City's atmosphere, architecture, aromas and flavours. Whether you are interested in art, technology, nature or good food, all these and more come together in Bratislava. Four days will give you plenty of time plenty of time to enjoy it to the full.
The price of train tickets from Bratislava to Budapest starts at €18.80 one-way for a Standard Class ticket if you book in advance.
While Vienna is where you go for palaces, Bratislava is the city to pick if you want to see a real castle. Located on a hill above the Danube, Bratislava Castle guards the city, and from here you can see all the way to Hungary (provided the weather is good).
Is it possible to get from Bratislava to Budapest by boat? Although the Danube River flows through both cities, no regular boat service operates on the route right now.
It is recommended to stay for at least three to four days to fully experience the city. This will allow you to visit popular attractions such as the Buda Castle, Fisherman's Bastion, and St. Stephen's Basilica, as well as have time to explore many neighborhoods of the city and try some of the local cuisine.
Does the Orient Express go to Budapest?
Luxury train journey from London to Budapest and back
The most luxurious way to see the world is onboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. A beautifully restored 1920's luxury train, the VSOE is made up of 17 unique carriages and offers three types of cabins.
If you are wondering how many days in Budapest you need, two days is adequate to see the whole city, as long as you're efficient. Three days will allow you to get to more of the top attractions at a slower pace and maybe give you a chance to relax and soak in one of the thermal baths. What is this?
Unlike a regular commuter bus, you'll be taken straight to the famous landmarks, without you having to figure out how to get there. Whenever you visit a new city, it can be overwhelming to try and manage it all, and Budapest is no exception. Hop on Hop off tours can help you check off all your important sights.
In spring and fall — May, June, September, and early October — travelers enjoy fewer tourist crowds and milder weather. This is one of the best times to visit Budapest. However, it's also prime convention time (especially September), when hotels tend to fill up and charge their top rates.
You should visit Vienna if you want the quintessential Austrian experience, and you're looking to soak in Austria's history, museums, churches and local lifestyle. If you're looking for a bigger city with a lot more people, then you'll enjoy Vienna more than Salzburg.
Unique Location
It was thanks to its location that in the 16th Century, Bratislava i became the capital and coronation town of the Hungarian Kingdom and the place, where its crown jewels were kept.
Today Bratislava is the political, cultural and economic centre of Slovakia. It is the seat of the Slovak president, the parliament and the Slovak Executive. It has several universities, and many museums, theatres, galleries and other cultural and educational institutions.
In the 19th century, Bratislava became renowned for its sparkling wine and was the first place outside of France to produce it.
We can't remark enough on the fact that Bratislava is worth visiting. The wonderful city on the Danube Riverbanks is hugely underrated but perfect for a weekend in central Europe. The area is tiny, with most of the sightseeing concentrated within a small portion of the old town.
Cost of living in Budapest (Hungary) is 5% more expensive than in Bratislava (Slovakia)
Do they speak English in Bratislava?
You may be wondering if there is any need to learn any Slovak before visiting Bratislava. Of course, you can speak English in Bratislava as well, but many older people speak only Slovak or German or Russian as their second language rather than English (for historical reasons).
Bratislava is a charming city, but with only a few main attractions it is possible to see the city in just one or two days. Two days is better if you want to have enough time to visit beyond the Old Town and go outside to the countryside, famous for its wine.
The currency of Slovakia is the euro. Only exchange money in banks and certified exchange offices. You can find these in all major hotels and some department stores.
Is one day enough time to visit Budapest? As the capital of Hungary, Budapest is a large city with plenty of attractions and even more to see. As such, you won't be able to cover everything that there is to do in Budapest over the course of 24 hours. The ideal amount of time to explore Budapest is three to five days.
With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Salzburg than Bratislava. The ideal length of time for a trip to Salzburg is 3-5 days, and the ideal length of time for a trip to Bratislava is 1-3 days.
Generally, visiting Prague and Vienna will work out better for you if you're also visiting Western Europe (for example, Germany, Switzerland, Italy), and visiting Budapest and Bratislava will work out better if you're visiting Eastern Europe (Romania, Bulgaria) or the Balkans (Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina).
Quick trips – Prague wins as the city is more condensed. It is easy to walk Prague in half a day and see all the main attractions. Long weekends – Budapest is the perfect destination for a long weekend. The city is more spread out so you need a couple of days to visit the different sites and attractions.
It usually takes around 3 hours 13 minutes to travel the 100 miles (161 km) from Budapest to Bratislava by train, although you can get there in as little as 2 hours 27 minutes on the fastest services. You'll normally find around 23 trains per day running on this route.
The top stops along the way from Budapest to Bratislava (with short detours) are Fisherman's Bastion, St. Stephen's Basilica, and The Blue Church. Other popular stops include Shoes on the Danube Bank, Széchenyi Chain Bridge, and Basilica of Esztergom.
Slovakia is a member of Schengen Area and European Economic Area, which guarantees that if you are from the country, that is a part of these areas, you can travel to Bratislava with your valid ID or passport only.
Is Budapest a walkable city?
It's also a very walkable city, so if you are centrally located you can walk everywhere. Otherwise, you can take the metro, tram, bus, or even the local public transport boat, which runs along the Danube in the summer.
Hungary's official currency is Hungarian Forint (HUF). Many stores and other places accept Euro* as well. However, the exchange rates at such places often don't follow the most up-to-date bank rates, and this is not in favor of the customers. Be prepared to get the change in HUF.
Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements
Hungary is a party to the Schengen Agreement, which allows for free movement between certain European countries. U.S. citizens may enter Hungary for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa.
It's now a purely Austrian Railways (ÖBB) EuroNight sleeper train. 12 December 2009, the Orient Express makes its last run: The much-truncated Strasbourg-Vienna Orient Express made its last run on 12 December 2009.
Since 13 December 2021, an ÖBB Nightjet again runs three times per week on the Paris-Vienna route, although not branded as Orient Express.
The traditional and most popular route between London and Venice takes two days, with one night on board.
Budapest is very English-friendly
Signs on the streets and in shops are generally in both Hungarian and English and every restaurant were visited had a menu in English. That said, we always recommend you embrace the culture of the country you're visiting by learning a few basic phrases.
Is Budapest Safe For Tourists? Yes, definitely. Tourism is the backbone of the Budapest economy, so most people are welcoming of new visitors the city. Despite the high number of tourists, Budapest is still a very safe city with lower levels of crime towards tourists than the likes of Barcelona or Milan.
Thanks to plentiful buses, boats, trams and Metro trains, getting around Budapest is easy. The Hungarian capital is highly walkable, and for the times when you need to go farther afield or get somewhere quickly, there are plenty of transport options.
The Budapest Card holder can travel without restrictions and for free within the city limits on more than 200 bus, 32 tram, 15 trolley and 4 metro lines, on the HÉV Suburban Railway and with boats. You can also take a free trip to the hills of Buda with the cogwheel railway and Zugliget Chairlift.
Can you go inside Buda Castle?
The buildings of the Buda Castle are currently occupied by 2 museums (the National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum) and the National Library. All of these attractions can be visited, but there is an entry fee. There is no area in the Castle building, which is 'castle only', as all rooms, halls etc.
Getting around in Budapest is so super easy. Whilst walking is your best bet, tramline 2, 4 and 6 as well as the three subway lines are also good options to get to most places in the city centre. Subway (Metro) – Budapest has four subway lines that connects most of the city's most important areas.
Buda – Definitely the classier and more residential side of the city, Buda is known for being a bit quieter and the place to go for a leisurely sightseeing experience. Pest – Known for being where all of the action happens – the place to be touristy, hang out and have fun.
The star of the Danube (Budapest) is outrightly known for so many famous things. For instance, the rich culture, underground caves, Danube River, the drop-dead beautiful Parliament Building, local delicacies, and being the world's Spa capital.
Alpbach was voted the most beautiful village in the country in 1983, and named the most beautiful floral village in Europe in 1993. Despite the fact that it's fairly isolated up in the Alps, thousands of tourists come here every year to enjoy its charm.
Most Beautiful Place 2021: Wiegensee Lake, Vorarlberg
The European nature reserve "Wiegensee" is home to a unique moor complex at around 2,000 m above sea level. Nestled in the wild mountain landscape of the Verwall high above Partenen, the area is one of the most valuable moorland habitats in Vorarlberg.
It usually takes around 3 hours 13 minutes to travel the 100 miles (161 km) from Budapest to Bratislava by train, although you can get there in as little as 2 hours 27 minutes on the fastest services. You'll normally find around 23 trains per day running on this route.
Absolutely! Bratislava is not on many travelers' radars. However, it definitely should be. It is a city filled with art, architecture, and history and surrounded by natural beauty.
The short journey time means Bratislava is an ideal day trip destination from Vienna. That said, there's so much to do you could certainly stay for longer. Why not hop on bus 29 and head out to the ruins of Devin Castle?
Bratislava is a textbook example of a walkable city. If we look at the Walkscore Index alone, it achieved a score of 4.98 (index of 99), making Bratislava a “Walkers Paradise” according to their assessment.
Is there a direct train from Prague to Bratislava?
Is there a direct train from Prague to Bratislava? Yes, it is possible to travel from Prague to Bratislava without having to change trains. There are 11 direct trains from Prague to Bratislava each day.