I made it! 70 km by bike from Vienna to Bratislava? It’s not only doable but it’s also a great fun! And its easier than you think! You only need three things: a good mood, a nice weather and a bike of course ;)  Did you know that Vienna and Bratislava are the two nearest capital cities in the world? So let’s do this!

To make your biking trip easier I prepared for you a helpful map. Below you can find the detailed directions of the best bike route between Vienna and Bratislava with all the possible stops marked. You just have to download or print it and voilà! You are ready for your adventure.

Is it really doable?

Well… I am not a sporty type, and before that bike challenge I only did once in my life 30 km by bike with many stops on the way… So to answear your question – this 70 km were absolutely doable for me and only last 10 km I felt a bit tired. My husband is a triathlete and for him that was definitely a piece of cake and not even a warm up hahahahhaha. So he was motivating me all the way long. But honestly, it is doable and you will not be dying on the way, I promise.

What do you need?

First of all you don’t need any professional bike. I used my city bike with a basket and that was all fine. Same with clothes that you gonna wear. Of course you need to wear something comfy but no lycra suit or so is needed. I was wearing just my daily trousers, a shirt and my converse shoes. No complaints at all.

Is there any bike route from Vienna to Bratislava?

Yes! And it’s super safe! You are totally separated from any cars, the route is perfectly prepared for cyclists, easy to bike, flat and surrounded by trees and beautiful landscapes. Can you imagine we even met on the way a wild boar mum with little babies? You can happily bike while admiring the surrounding and amazing smell of the forest. Oh, how much I loved that!

Are there any places to stop on the way?

Yes, and I marked them on the map. I would recommend you to use the stops as between them you will not find anything else. Of course, there are also some nice places for picnics if you wish to have one on the way. We did three stops and that was perfectly fine for us. No matter if you are taking the route from Vienna to Bratislava or from Bratislava to Vienna, they are located in a perfect distance from each other to have some nice and needed breaks.

Radlertreff Hermi –  a simply place just 18 km from Vienna, good for some refreshment and drinks.

Humer’s Uferhause – really nice restaurant, around 30 km from Vienna. Perfect for a dinner as they have great fish menu (try river fish menu – fresh and yummy). It is located by the Donau river so you get a pretty nice view as a bonus after long biking.

Hainburg an der Donau – beautiful small town just 16 km from Bratislava. Was founded at the end of the 12th century and in the 13th the city was walled so you can now admire two and a half kilometers long walls, fifteen defensive towers and three gates. A must to see place also because of the magnificent view over the area!

How long does it take?

Our biking time, excluding the three stops we made and some small stops for taking pictures, was 4 hours. It seems to be not so long but anyway, I would highly recommend you to plan your trip for the whole day. Make sure that you can really enjoy it without forcing yourself with some unrealistic biking pace. It is not a race, right?

You arrive to Bratislava/Vienna and what next?

Once you get to your destination, whenever you choose Vienna – Bratislava or Bratislava – Vienna direction, you have two options. You can stay in the destined city for the night and enjoy it more or take the way back. Biking is of course an option but I guess you will be too tried to do that. Best ways to get back:

Train – the journey takes 1 hour, ticket costs from 11 to 15 euro per person, and you need to pay additional 5 euro for your bike. Smart tip – if you buy a return ticket it’s only 15 euro both ways and you can take your bike for free, no matter if you use the return ticket. Train schedule info you can find here.

Ferry – the fastest ferry journey from Vienna to Bratislava takes 1h 15 min and from Bratislava to Vienna 1h 30 min. Ticket costs from 20 to 40 euro per person depends on the time of the day. Your bike travels for free. Ferry schedule info you can find here.

I’m currently laying on my sofa back in Vienna and already thinking about next bike trip to Bratislava. Maybe we will meet somewhere on the way? Just keep an eye on a minty green bike!

With love,

Betty