Cheap Flights to Bratislava

• British Airways
• Lufthansa
• KLM
• Ryanair
• LOT Polish Airlines
• Smart Wings

Ryanair is an Irish budget airline and the only option for non-stop flights to Bratislava from the United Kingdom. Ryanair operates three direct flights per week from Manchester (Sunday, Wednesday and Friday) and Birmingham (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) respectively. From the Edinburgh Airport, Ryanair flies twice a week – Sundays and Thursdays. From London airports, only connecting flights are available. Connecting flights are offered by British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM and Smart Wings.

• London Heathrow to Bratislava flights with British Airways and Czech Airlines (code-shared) take 4 hours and 15 minutes. These are one-stop flights and Prague is the stopover.
• The minimum flight duration from London Gatwick is 8 hours and 5 minutes on a code-shared flight with Smart Wings and Czech Airlines. This is a one-stop flight via Prague.
• From Manchester, Ryanair operates direct flights to Bratislava that take 2 hours and 30 minutes minimum. Lufthansa and Czech Airlines run code-shared flights that are the shortest indirect flights for this route.
• Non-stop flights with Ryanair take 2 hours and 25 minutes to reach Bratislava from the Birmingham Airport. The shortest connecting flight takes 6 hours and 50 minutes. This two-stop flight is a code-share between Lufthansa and Czech Airlines that flies via Munich and Prague.
• Ryanair offers direct flights from Edinburgh to Bratislava that take a minimum flight time of 2 hours and 40 minutes. The minimum time duration for indirect flights from Edinburgh to Bratislava is 7 hours and 30 minutes. These flights are code-shared between British Airways and Czech Airlines and have stopovers in London and Prague.

Winters are extremely cold which is why most people choose to visit during the summer season (May to September). No problem finding plenty of sunshine during these months. Temperatures in the teens with the city warming day by day as we enter the July-August period (21 °C on average). Nights can be on the fresh side. With weather opening up a bit, summer festivals are celebrated back to back. The Cultural Summer and Castle Festival goes on from June to mid-September whereas Viva Musica! is held in July and August. At this time Bratislava is jam-packed with locals and tourists alike.

Except for expatriates, not many tourists visit Bratislava during the winter season. December, January and February experience heavy snowfall and there is a high probability of getting frostbites. During January, temperature could get close to around – 24 °C for one or two points. However, airline tickets come cheap during this time of the year and hotels and inns are rendered affordable. Price-wise travellers consider this to be the best time to get cheap flights to Bratislava.

Commonly known as the Bratislava Airport, the M. R. Stefanik Airport is the main international airport of Bratislava. It is a simple 15 minute drive from the airport to the city centre which is approximately 10 kilometres away. The IATA code of this airport is BTS and it exclusively manages all flights to and from the United Kingdom. It is a fairly small airport (with a single terminal) and easy to navigate through.

Bratislava Castle: A marvellous example of baroque architecture with an in-house gallery that is a major attraction. With the first Sunday of every month being free for those visiting the gallery, grab this opportunity to visit a 9th century landmark that truly lives up to its fame.

Slovak National Theater: A large-scale theater dedicated to the promotion of three major performing arts – opera, drama and ballet. Good seating capacity, hospitable environment, rich interior layout with tapestries makes for a quality experience. Both classics and contemporary works adorn its stages from time to time.

Devin Castle: The greater majority visits Devin Castle not for the ruins, although there is an archaeological value to them, but to see the Danube River. Slovakia showcases a range of architectural styles and Devin Castle is a fine example of gothic architecture.

Slovak National Museum: Being a scientific museum as well as a cultural one, Slovak National Museum houses some of the most important and rare collections accumulated over the course of time. The greater part of this museum is dedicated to the training of students in cultural and scientific studies.

UFO Bridge: Also goes by the name of Most SNP, this road bridge crosses over the Danube and presents a different platform from which to admire this beautiful river.

Slovak National Gallery: Credit goes to the appraisers for having selected only the finest pieces from a range of different works and classics are obviously well preserved. The numerical strength of the collection is also a positive sign of its growing scope. Proper sections have been allotted to Slavic, Flemish and Italian schools of art. The experience is heightened by the fact that there is a library as well as a cafe inside.

Keen on establishing a sustainable and cost-effective commuter system, the city introduced metro buses that facilitate a high percentage of local commuters. A ticketing machine has been installed right next to the Bratislava Airport exit and there is a bus stop nearby. Passengers are to stamp their tickets inside the bus (in a machine dedicated for that purpose) and there is no need to stamp a new ticket when changing lines. Your ticket is valid for buses, trams, and trolley buses for a set period of time. Different types of tickets are available depending on the need: short-distance travel (15-90 minutes) or long-distance (24 hours). Tourists can also get a 72 hour ticket which saves them the trouble of finding ticketing machines every now and then. Keep in mind that only red machines accept payment in both cash and credit. Yellow machines only accept coins. Also there will be a separate ticket for luggage. Another good option for sightseers would be the Bratislava card that will get them further discount.

Facilitating commuters on other planned routes besides those served by the metro bus, trolley-buses run on their own dedicated lanes. Boosting capacity and reducing highway congestions, trolley-buses are another favourite among foreigners. The same ticket that is used for metro buses is used for trolley-buses. Platforms are designed with regard to the convenience of handicapped people.

Taxis offer faster mobility and immediate access to attractions and lesser populated areas where public transport does not operate. A taxi can be expensive especially if you get one from the airport. Unless you are in a hurry, try waiting for a metered taxi.

Hotels that provide a reasonably pleasant experience without being too expensive are usually the most desired. Some of the most popular 3-star hotels in Bratislava are:

• APLEND CITY Hotel Perugia
• Hotel Color
• Hotel Set
• Vienna House Easy Chopin
• Hotel Viktor
• Penzion Gremium

For a more lavish stay and with additional amenities, 4-star hotels are the best option:

• Loft Hotel
• SKARITZ Hotel and Residence
• Hotel Avance
• Hotel Danubia Gate
• Falkensteiner Hotel