Getting from Bratislava to Vienna Airport (VIE)
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01. Trip report introduction
02. Ryanair 737-800 economy class, Stockholm Skavsta to Niš
03. Hotel Sole, Niš
04. Exploring Niš
05. Ryanair 737-800 economy class, Niš to Bratislava
06. Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel, Bratislava
07. Getting from Bratislava to Vienna Airport
08. Austrian Airlines E195 economy class, Vienna to Oslo
09. Ethiopian Airlines B787 Dreamliner economy class, Oslo to Stockholm
10. Trip summary
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Is Vienna Airport a feasible alternative when travelling to/from Slovakia? I'd say it is! There are a number of ways to travel between Bratislava and Vienna, but I opted for the bus company Flixbus. They have a few stops in Bratislava, but the route I chose was from Bratislava Most SNP to Vienna Airport (VIE). A journey that takes roughly 45 minutes, and at the time of my travel cost €5.
I chose the 7:40 am departure from Bratislava, as that would give me roughly two hours at VIE. After checking out from Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel, I bought some breakfast at a supermarket and headed to the bus stop, where I munched on my breakfast sandwich while waiting for the bus. It was very punctual, arriving a couple of minutes before scheduled time of departure, and departing right on time. This bus wasn't painted in the Flixbus "livery", however. It seemed to be a leased bus, but it had signs (and staff) to point out that it was indeed the correct bus.
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Yes - it's going to Vienna Airport (Wien Flughafen) |
07:39, and I'm parked in my seat, in the front of the "cabin". Don't worry - I won't switch to Bus company reviews ;) |
Passing St. Martin's Cathedral before crossing the Danube |
Crossing the Danube on our way out of Bratislava |
It was a lovely day in Central Europe, with the sun shining, and only a few clouds in the sky. We were up on the highway in a matter of minutes, and after a short while we crossed the border. No need to stamp any passports, and the bus didn't even have to stop for tolls. I actually didn't realise that we had reached the border crossing until we passed a sign that declared that we were now in Austria. I like to get stamps in my passport, but I prefer when border crossings are as smooth as this one.
Crossing the Slovakian/Austrian border |
Lots of wind power stations in this part of Austria |
Getting closer to the airport! |
As advertised, the trip took roughly 45 minutes, and the driver pulled up outside the departures hall two hours before my Austrian Airlines flight OS335 to Oslo was scheduled to depart. Flying to/from VIE is definitely a great option if you're thinking of visiting Bratislava. The bus ride was punctual and efficient, and the border crossing was smooth. This ride between Bratislava city centre and VIE was actually easier than travelling from BTS, as that required using the public transportation with a connection, with all that that entails.
Besides, Vienna/Schwechat Airport is a lot busier than Bratislava Airport. In 2017 VIE had over 24 million passengers, whereas BTS had less than 2 million, so it will be a lot easier to find flights to VIE (although BTS might be cheaper if you find any LCC flights).
Flixbus turned out to be a cheap and efficient option, and they made sure I was at the airport in time for my flight to Oslo. It's time for that new airline!
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