Vienna Airport to Trnava: easy by train after Bratislava

Rail details

Wikipedia describes the Trnava station as important on the Bratislava to Žilina railway, with tracks to Sereď and Kúty. That means regional and long-distance trains stop here. After reaching Bratislava (see Vienna Airport to Bratislava), take the next train toward Žilina or Košice and get off at Trnava. Total journey with a coach and a train is typically two to three hours depending on the change.

What Trnava is like

Trnava is known as Little Rome. In the old Kingdom of Hungary it was seen as a centre of Catholicism, and the compact old town still has many churches, including St. Nicolas's Church, and long medieval city walls dating to around the 13th and 14th centuries. It has about 63,000 residents. It is walkable in a few hours and pleasant for a beer or a dinner, see Slovak beer guide and Slovak food to try.

Trnava as first night or day trip

If your flight lands late, sleeping in Trnava can be calmer and cheaper than Bratislava, then a morning train takes you to Piešťany or Trenčín. For a short city break, Trnava is a quiet counterpart to Bratislava; many visitors do both. Check day trips from Bratislava for options in the other direction.

Driving

The drive uses the motorway network and passes Bratislava before turning north-east. A Slovak e-vignette is required on motorways, see vignette guide. Old-town parking is mostly paid. Ask your accommodation where to leave the car.

Sample day plans

Morning arrival: land, take a coach to Bratislava, have lunch near the main station and ride the next train to Trnava. You can check in and walk the old town by mid-afternoon. Evening arrival: book a driver, so a delayed flight does not strand you at a station, and walk the lit-up centre after dinner. Continuing north: Trnava is a good stopping point between the airport and Piešťany, since trains continue along the same line.

Compared with Nitra or Žilina, the journey is short enough that arrival time rarely decides the plan. What matters more is baggage: Trnava station is a short walk from the old town edge but not from every hotel, so check your address before you leave the platform.

Cost thinking

Because the whole route is only around 100 km, a transfer shared by two people can land close to the cost of two train tickets plus a coach, once you add a taxi at each end. Always compare a current fixed quote against public fares, since fares and prices change. Do not choose by habit; for one person the train is cheaper, for three it rarely is.

Two practical points apply only to this route. First, Trnava has two rail directions, toward Sereď and toward Kúty, so check that your train is on the Žilina line and not a local service heading elsewhere. Second, the old town is compact, which means you can leave bags at the hotel and see most of the churches on foot within a few hours. If you plan to travel on the same day, ask the hotel to hold your luggage rather than carrying it around the walls.

Tips

• Wait until you are in Bratislava before buying the Slovak train ticket, so you can see actual departures.
• Many sights close on Mondays; check opening times before you plan the day.
• If you are only passing through, store luggage in Bratislava first, see luggage storage in Bratislava.