Get in touch with us

We will be happy to answer your telephone inquiries from 9:00 to 16:00 on weekdays.

You can also contact us by email at touristinfo@visitbratislava.com.

 

Tourist Info

Free Wi-Fi

In Bratislava you will find the free Wi-Fi network “VisitBratislava” in 13 locations in the city center. Register your device on the network by agreeing to the Terms of Use of the Public Wi-Fi network “VisitBratislava”. After a successful login you will be presented with a welcome page where you will find all the essential information about Bratislava and its surroundings. More about the free Wi-Fi network as well as a map of Wi-Fi locations can be found HERE.

Luggage storage

Visitors to Bratislava can store their luggage at bus and train stations:

  • Mlynské Nivy bus station: luggage lockers from 4:00 to 24:00.
  • Main train station: daily 4:00 – 6:15, 6:30 – 10:30, 11:00 – 16:45, 17:00 – 21:30, 21:45 – 23:55
  • Petržalka railway station: daily 4:00 – 23:15
  • Luggage storage via the BAGBNB service

Accessible Bratislava

Bratislava tries to provide its visitors with as many options as possible. Here you can find out which monuments, sights and hotels are wheelchair-accessible and how to travel around Bratislava.

Weather

Bratislava has a temperate continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. The average daily temperature in summer (July, August) reaches 21 °C (maximum 38 °C), the average daily temperature in winter (December, January) –1 °C (minimum – 20 °C). The months with the highest rainfall are July and September; on the other hand May and October are relatively dry. The best times to visit Bratislava are from mid-April to mid-October and just before Christmas.

Language

In the city center there should be no problem to communicate in English, although Slovaks are proud of their identity and language. Czechoslovakia was a federation of two republics – Czech and Slovak – historically, two official languages existed side by side: the Czech and the Slovak languages and Czechs and Slovaks are two separate nationalities, despite being close. To confuse Czechs and Slovaks would not be a polite gesture. The same is true for Slovenia. It has a similar name and national flag but it is a totally different country.

Drinking and Driving

Slovakia is a country where there is always an opportunity to drink. Locals will offer you alcohol even if they are aware that you came by car. Nevertheless, there is zero tolerance for alcohol being found in a driver’s bloodstream. Checks are frequent and the penalties severe. If you want to enjoy your time, you had better take a taxi or drink something non-alcoholic.

National Holidays

Slovakia is a country with one of the greatest number of national holidays in Europe – 15 in total. These are: 1st January, 6th January, Good Friday, Easter Monday, 1st May, 8th May, 5th July, 29th August, 1st September, 15th September, 1st November, 17th November, 24th December, 25th December and 26th December. On these days, shops and shopping centres are closed.

Tips

Tips are usually rounded up; with higher expenses there is a rule of a 10% tip but the actual tip depends on your satisfaction. In ordinary restaurants the waiter will usually bring your bill, tell you the sum and wait until you pay. As a rule, the total sum including a tip is paid or you indicate by a gesture that they may keep the change.

Good Manners

If you want to try to speak Slovak, be aware that a substantial difference exists between addressing somebody who is not familiar to you and your friend. Just as in French, the second person plural is used in this case. Also address this person by his/her surname and use different greetings than you would with your friends.

A Home Visit

Should you get an invitation to visit someone’s home, do not be surprised when your hosts ask you to take your shoes off. Sometimes you will even be offered slippers. It is probable that your hosts will try to persuade you to keep your shoes on, but you will show respect for the tradition if you do take them off. It is custom to take flowers for the hostess and a bottle of wine or other alcoholic beverage for the host. Slovaks enjoy eating so you can expect to be offered food during your visit.

Public Transportation Tickets

Traveling without a ticket on the various forms of urban transport are treated quite severely in Bratislava. Checks are frequent and the inspectors are always in plain clothes. Remember that the tickets must be validated on board. The tickets are sold on board of he urban transport, where you can only by card or you can purchase a ticket at a ticket machine or from a kiosk. 

Coffee

Just like Vienna, Bratislava is famous for its café culture. Do not miss the opportunity to visit one of the cafés in the city centre and a walk in the pedestrian zone juste liek the locals do.

Mail and Telephones

Postage stamps are available at post offices and also from kiosks. The Main Post Office is conveniently situated in the Old Town on SNP Square 34-35 ( 2 CU 19). The office is open Mon-Fri 7 a.m. – 8 p.m., Sat 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sun 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. For calling and using the mobile phone services with local prices you can buy a sim card from a local mobile operator.

The country code for Slovakia is 00421, Bratislava 02 (just 2 if calling from abroad); local telephone numbers have 8 digits.