Bratislava - Quick & Dirty

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Bratislava was quick and dirty. The lonely planet claimed trains left every two hours - this is correct except for the 4 hour break they have between 10am and 2pm, so having missed the early trains, I killed some time on the net before nearly missing the next train.

So rocked up at the train station with about 40 mins to spare. killed 15 mins waiting at the wrong ticket booth. I was direct to the international and eventually found it 5 mins later. There was a free counter so went up to it asked about the next train. She yes - but I need to get a number before she would serve me, so I go get a number but then I have to wait for it to be called. At which point the woman I was dealing with decides to go on break or piss off. So here I am watching the time tick away. I finally get served with 13 mins to go. So I decide to waste more time by asking conductors for directions and they take this opportunity to point me in the wrong direction. Eventually I get to the train and board 5 mins to spare. The unnerving thing sitting on this train is that the train next to it was leaving at a similar time and was alot more packed. So i nervously waited for the train to leave - hoping I was on the right one. Which it was. Phew.

I get to budapest and catch the tram to the hostel. Arriving at 16.45pm. There is a guy abusing the computer who is trying to book at the ginger monkey - so I help him out a msg Ritchie - as I heading back there tomorrow.

A tour of the city starts at 5 - so I make sure I'm on it. It takes us around the city and we visit the old town and a few of the old entrances to the cities.


Bratislava is pretty tame for a capital city. Slovakia for the past millenium has either been part of the Hungarian empire, the Austrian empire or part of Czechslovakia. Before becoming an independent state in the 70's. Subsequently somewhere else was always the capital city either budapest, prague or vienna. So compared to these cities - its investment in infrastructure was not as large and hence does not have a great deal of old buildings like the former 3.

The guide then took our group to a local pub which made the traditional dish of pasta and cheese. This was incredibly filling and I was unable to finish it. With a few beers the other fellas who were in the tour group decide to go watch the soccer. I believe Liverpool won, but we left before the end as it was getting late.

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Photos

Journey to Bratislava
GOt love trains