7 best day trips from Bratislava

Day trips compared

The day trips

65 km · About 1 hour by train

1.Vienna

Austria's imperial capital is close enough for a day of palaces, museums and coffee houses: the Hofburg, St Stephen's Cathedral and the Kunsthistorisches Museum are a short tram ride from the station.

Getting there

Regional train to Wien Hauptbahnhof, or the Twin City Liner boat

Best for

First-timers, Culture, Food lovers

25 km · About 25–45 minutes by train or bus

2.Pezinok and Modra

Small wine towns on the Small Carpathian Wine Route, with family cellars, vineyard walks and, in Modra, the traditional blue-and-white majolica pottery workshops.

Getting there

Train to Pezinok, then bus to Modra

Best for

Food lovers, Couples, Quiet stays

40 km · About 1 hour by car or bus

3.Červený Kameň Castle

A well-preserved castle in the Small Carpathian forests with huge cellars built by the Fugger family and furnished period rooms from the Pálffy era.

Getting there

Car, or bus via Pezinok and Častá

Best for

Families, Culture

50 km · About 30–40 minutes by train

4.Trnava

Nicknamed the 'Slovak Rome' for its many churches, Trnava has a walled old town, a tall town tower with views and a large university cathedral.

Getting there

Train from Bratislava main station

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

200 km · About 2 hours 30 minutes by train

5.Budapest

Hungary's capital is a long but feasible day trip for the Parliament, the Castle District and a thermal bath. Staying overnight makes the visit far more relaxed.

Getting there

EuroCity train to Budapest-Keleti or Nyugati

Best for

First-timers, Culture

35 km · About 40 minutes by car

6.Carnuntum

The remains of a major Roman city on the Danube in Austria, with reconstructed houses and baths built using Roman techniques and the Heidentor triumphal gate.

Getting there

Car, or train to Petronell-Carnuntum in Austria

Best for

Families, Culture

15 km · About 1 hour by bike

7.Schloss Hof

A Baroque palace built for Prince Eugene of Savoy and later used by Maria Theresa, with terraced gardens and a farm with animals. Cycling across the Morava to reach it is part of the fun.

Getting there

Bike via Devínska Nová Ves and the cycle bridge over the Morava

Best for

Families, Couples

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• City buses go to Devín Castle from the Most SNP stop and to Koliba for the Kamzík tower; bus 61 links the airport and the main railway station.
• Regional trains run to Vienna in about an hour from the main station or Petržalka, and to the Small Carpathian wine towns in under 40 minutes.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask