When touring Central Europe there is one country that is often overlooked yet definitely deserves a visit. That’s Slovakia and especially its capital and biggest city Bratislava. If you happen to be in the neighboring Czech Republic and would like to know its less known sister we’ve prepared a guide how to get from Prague to Bratislava.
1. Prague to Bratislava by train
Time – under 4 hours
Cost – Tickets start at €16 if you buy them in advance
Ease – 5
Fun – 3
Sightseeing – 3
Travelling from Prague to Bratislava by train is easy and straightforward, you can expect a smooth journey between two capitals. Every two hours between 6am and 6pm there is a direct connection from Prague to Bratislava operated by Ceske Drahy, the national railway company of Czech Republic.
The journey takes just a bit under 4 hours and the tickets start at €12. The sooner you buy the ticket the cheaper it gets, if you buy it a day in advance it will cost €18. You can purchase the ticket online at the website of Czech Railways or at the Prague train station (the tickets center is at the ground floor).
For the journey in the reverse direction, from Bratislava to Prague, you can as well get the tickets online at the same website.
But Czech national railways Ceske Drahy isn’t the only company serving the Prague to Bratislava route. Another possibility is to take the train by Regio Jet, a private company that offers these connections too. There are four of them, with the similar time of the journey and price as at Ceske Drahy. You can check the schedule and buy tickets at Regio Jet website.
We think Prague to Bratislava train is the best option of travelling between the cities. It’s fast, comfortable, reliable and you can spend the time reading, working, admiring the views outside or chatting with fellow passengers.
2. Prague to Bratislava by bus
Time – a bit over 4 hours
Cost – Tickets start at €9, depending on the company, day of purchase and time of travel
Ease – 5
Fun – 2
Sightseeing – 2
Just like the trains you have few options to travel from Prague to Bratislava by bus. Two major companies serving this route are Regio Jet and Flixbus with several connections per day. Travel time is a bit over 4 hours and tickets start at €9. They can be bought at either Regio Jet or Flixbus website.
While both companies offer a good quality of service we prefer Regio Jet for their add-ons such as free wifi, free hot drinks or touch screens in front of every seat with movies that help you kill the time during the trip.
3. Prague to Bratislava one-way sightseeing tour
Time – 10 hours
Cost – €75 per person, private options available
Ease – 4
Fun – 5
Sightseeing – 5
A new and interesting way to get from Prague to Bratislava (or from Bratislava to Prague) is taking the small group sightseeing tour. You can meet fellow travelers and listen to the knowledgeable guide while traveling from one capital to another, with interesting stops along the way.
The first one will be in Kutna Hora, a picturesque town that is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. Wander around the old town and see the famous Bone Church made of some 40 000 skeletons! From there you will drive to Brno, the second largest city in the Czech Republic, with beautiful architecture and lots of exciting stories to tell. After having a delicious lunch, you will have time to stroll around and get to know the city. From Brno, you will head further south, to Mikulov region where you will learn about centuries-old local wine traditions and taste some of the delicious wines from the area. Your last stop before arriving in Bratislava is the beautiful Lednice palace, the most excellent example of Baroque architecture in Central Europe. It’s also part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. From there it’s a short ride all the way to Bratislava.
You can find more information as well as book the sightseeing bus from here:
Prague to Bratislava sightseeing tour
Bratislava to Prague sightseeing tour
4. Prague to Bratislava by car sharing
Time – just under 4 hours
Cost – From €10
Ease – 3
Fun – 3
Sightseeing – 2
A popular way of travelling around Central Europe is car sharing. You can look for rides at BlaBlaCar website – probably the best and most popular place that connects drivers with passengers.
Usually there are lots of rides between Prague and Bratislava and it’s up to you which one you choose. You only need to get in touch with the driver to arrange the pick up place and time and you are free to go. The price for the ride starts at €10 but it depends on the driver how much to charge.
Car sharing might be a fun way of travelling around as you never know what companions and what interesting conversations with them you might have.
5. Prague to Bratislava by private transfer
Time – around 3-4 hours
Cost – €240 for a car with a driver
Ease– 4
Fun – 3
Sightseeing – 2
If you need to get fast from Prague to Bratislava you can use a private transfer. It is not a cheap option, you should expect to pay around €240 for a car that can fit up to four people, but it is definitely convenient. You can arrange everything according to your needs and then enjoy a hassle-free ride from Prague to Bratislava.
6. Prague to Bratislava by plane
Time – Around 4 hours, including getting to and from the airport
Cost – You can find the cheapest tickets for €70/one way
Ease – 4, there is always hassle with getting to and from the airport
Fun – 3
Sightseeing – 1
Even if the Prague and Bratislava are close to each other there are direct flights between the cities, three times per week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The plane departs from Prague in the morning and late afternoon and returns from Bratislava in the late morning and in the evening. The flight time is one hour only and the tickets start at €70 one way. You can book them directly at the website of Czech Airlines.
The best way to get to the airport in Prague is by mixing metro and bus. First take metro line A (green) to Nadrazi Veleslavin where you should change for the bus no 119 that goes all the way to the airport. The bus stops in front of both terminals but for flights to Schengen zone you need to go to the Terminal 2 (second bus stop at the airport). The journey from the center should just under one hour, the regular public transport tickets work for this connection.
In Bratislava bus no 61 connects the airport with the main train station (from there it’s a 15 minutes walk to the center). You can expect to arrive at your destination within half an hour.
Have a great trip!
7. Hitchhiking from Prague to Bratislava
Time – depends on your luck
Cost – can be as low as 0
Ease – 2
Fun – 4
Sightseeing – 2
If you are short on money or just like an adventure you can easily hitchhike from Prague to Bratislava. The best spot to hitch a ride in Prague is in the south-east part of the city, at the service station at Újezd u Průhonic (road no. 1). To reach the station you first should take the metro (red line C) to Opatov and then continue by bus no X363. If you have no luck with finding a ride all the way to Bratislava aim for Brno (second biggest city in Czech Republic) first – from there it should get easier.
In the reverse direction, from Bratislava to Prague, the best spot is at Lamač petrol station, at the road going to Brno. If you have troubles finding the ride to Czech Republic try for “Sekule”. That is the name of the last station before crossing the border and many cars stop there to get the vignette so you might get more luck there.
8. Prague to Bratislava by bike
Time – at least 3 days
Cost – 0€
Ease – 2
Fun – 4
Sightseeing – 4
If you are travelling with your own two wheels going from Prague to Bratislava by bike might be a nice journey. The area of Moravia, in south-east of Czech Republic, is a bit hilly but so picturesque you will like the views for sure. Along the way there are numerous small towns and villages worth stopping at so don’t rush the trip, take it easy and enjoy the journey.
9. Walking from Prague to Bratislava
Time – at least 10 days
Cost – 0€
Ease– 2
Fun – 4
Sightseeing – 4
If you are after slow holidays then walking from Prague to Bratislava is an option too! Plan at least 2 weeks for this journey but it’s worth it as along the way you can stop in so many charming towns and picturesque villages. Some of them are even part of UNESCO World Heritage List. The countryside in the south-east Czech Republic is among the prettiest ones in Central Europe and it will be a perfect scenery for the slow journey from Prague to Bratislava.
Bonus: Road trip from Prague to Bratislava
St. Procopius Basilica, Trebic, Czech Republic
Time – depends on you
Cost – €230 for car rental + all you spend on petrol
Ease – 5
Fun – 5
Sightseeing – 4
Travelling with your own or rented car? The area between Prague and Bratislava makes a perfect road trip destination!
You can first stop in Kutna Hora, not too far from Prague. The old, UNESCO listed mining town is known especially for its bones chapel – an unique and a bit creepy place. From there head south via Jihlava to Telc – another picturesque UNESCO town with big and charming main square. Your next stop should be Trebic with not one but two UNESCO sights: the Jewish quarter and St. Procopius Basilica.
Trebic is located not far from the second biggest city in Czech Republic – Brno. It’s a perfect Central European city with vibrant atmosphere, numerous cafes and beautiful architecture. Spend at least a day in Brno itself to get a feel of the place – it’s worth it!
Before heading to Slovakia you should also stop in Znojmo and Mikulov, at the Czech-Austrian border. Both are gems of Moravia where, in the stunning old towns, the life goes by slowly. From there it is a short ride to you final destination – Bratislava.
Images used under license from Shutterstock.com
Prague is much more beautiful. Bratislava – it’s a place, where you can see everything in 2-3 days with normal weather and 50-100 euros for excursions.
Thank you for your comment.
Prague is beautiful but so is Bratislava in its own way with the medieval Old Town and the cool castle.
Bratislava is smaller but it also makes the city very compact. In high season Prague can get very crowded, Bratislava is far more chill and relaxed.
All the Best!