slasher Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 We are going via the Austrian capital and whilst it'll be straight home on the way back we have time for a wee overnight there on the way over. We don't get there till late afternoon so essentially it'll just be a lads night out. Never having been I'm hearing differing reports on whether its worth a stopover. What's the feeling on Vienna? Worth a look or move on to Bratislava or elsewhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deecie Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 IT MEANS NOTHING TO ME. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanderer Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 (edited) Vienna is really nice and has some great bars and districts in it (1516 Brewing Company is a fantastic pub close to the Opera House, and Schweizerhaus is a great massive beer garden out at the Prater Park) Bratislava is also very nice (think I prefer it to Prague), but it is going to shock people just how small and compact the city center (old town) really is. 2,000 Scots in town the place will be jumping, but its going to feel VERY crowded..... bars I enjoyed were Europa Pub and KGB, plus you have Loch Ness Pub (tacky over priced Scottish Bar) but all these bars were tiny (KGB you would be lucky if you could swing a cat in it!). I would say Vienna is very much worth a stop over, and then get the boat along the Danube to Bratislava. Edited November 3, 2015 by wanderer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slasher Posted November 3, 2015 Author Share Posted November 3, 2015 Vienna is really nice and has some great bars and districts in it (1516 Brewing Company is a fantastic pub close to the Opera House, and Schweizerhaus is a great massive beer garden out at the Prater Park) Bratislava is also very nice (think I prefer it to Prague), but it is going to shock people just how small and compact the city center (old town) really is. 2,000 Scots in town the place will be jumping, but its going to feel VERY crowded..... bars I enjoyed were Europa Pub and KGB, plus you have Loch Ness Pub (tacky over priced Scottish Bar) but all these bars were tiny (KGB you would be lucky if you could swing a cat in it!). I would say Vienna is very much worth a stop over, and then get the boat along the Danube to Bratislava. Yeah we were thinking getting the boat up would be a cool way to arrive. I've been to Bratislava before and would agree about it being pretty compact. Sounds like a night in Vienna might be worth it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanderer Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 Yeah we were thinking getting the boat up would be a cool way to arrive. I've been to Bratislava before and would agree about it being pretty compact. Sounds like a night in Vienna might be worth it! Boat is very worth it, as it takes you right from city center to city center. We had a list of about 5 or 6 bars we planned to visit on our night out in Vienna, but my mate had a contact in Vienna (a footballer who had played for Falkirk in the 90's) who he had agreed to meet up and came to meet us at 1516 Brewing Company.... we thought it was going to be a quick hello, pint and then on to elsewhere, yet ended up spending ALL night in here, yet did not feel we missed out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slasher Posted November 3, 2015 Author Share Posted November 3, 2015 Boat is very worth it, as it takes you right from city center to city center. We had a list of about 5 or 6 bars we planned to visit on our night out in Vienna, but my mate had a contact in Vienna (a footballer who had played for Falkirk in the 90's) who he had agreed to meet up and came to meet us at 1516 Brewing Company.... we thought it was going to be a quick hello, pint and then on to elsewhere, yet ended up spending ALL night in here, yet did not feel we missed out. Haha, must have been good then. Out of curiosity which other pubs were on your list if you can remember? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanderer Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 Haha, must have been good then. Out of curiosity which other pubs were on your list if you can remember? Sorry, not off hand (though I think I still have the list tucked away in my Vienna guide book) but the one I do remember was Bockshorn Irish Pub. I am not a fan of visiting Irish Bars, but a number of people said to me that this is arguably the best Irish bar you will ever find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaid Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 I went to Bratislava before the friendly in Vienna in May 2007. I thought Bratislava was okay but nothing special, would be happy to go back though. Apparently back in the days of the Austro-Hungarian empire, there was a tram line between the two cities. If you are flying to Vienna, the airport is between Vienna and Bratislava although closer to Vienna than Bratislava, a direct bus to Bratislava from Vienna airport only takes 45 minutes, probably not much longer than getting into Vienna itself. I took the boat up from Bratislava to Vienna and to be honest it was a complete waste of time. Apart from the first 15 minutes or so as you leave Bratislava, the scenery - and that's the only reason to take the boat - is unbelievably dull. The best way I can describe it is spending two hours on a tree lined canal with no change in scenery. If you are going to Vienna first, take the train, its quicker and cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fugitive Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 We're going to spend about 24hrs in Vienna on Sunday/Monday before heading to Bratislava. Not sure yet whether to get the bus, train or boat but seeing as the hotel is next to the train station... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanderer Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 We're going to spend about 24hrs in Vienna on Sunday/Monday before heading to Bratislava. Not sure yet whether to get the bus, train or boat but seeing as the hotel is next to the train station... Could be wrong, but the place where you got the boat and the train station are only a couple of metro stops apart, if not a short walk..... Also there is two train stations in Bratislava. One is a small out the way one out in Petržalka, which is a good 15 minute bud ride away, and the main one just north of the city center. I didn't think the boat was all that bad, just bought a carry out of beers, grabbed a seat at the front of the boat and just watched the world go by (when you enter Vienna it is really nice, and seeing the castles as you get towards Bratislava is also good, with a nice view of Devin Castle on the cliffs above the river) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fugitive Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Hi Wanderer - I'm staying right in the middle of the old town in Bratislava - within the pedestrian part. Any idea on the best mode of transport from Vienna to get us close ? I do quite fancy the boat but it'll be freezin' in October will it not ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanderer Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Hi Wanderer - I'm staying right in the middle of the old town in Bratislava - within the pedestrian part. Any idea on the best mode of transport from Vienna to get us close ? I do quite fancy the boat but it'll be freezin' in October will it not ? The boat is covered, so you are not out in the open (unless you pop out for a fag).... I would say if you choose that pay the extra for a seat at the front of the boat. Its about 2 hours, but all I did was just open a couple of cans, stuck the ipod on and just watched the world go by until I arrived in the center of Vienna. Bratislava itself is tiny.... you are never any more than a few minutes walk from the old town no matter if you are down by the river, up at the castle, out at the train station etc..... Train probably the best all round option, but boat is a nice alternative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottincarlisle Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 We were thinking of going via Vienna but flights seem few & pricey. Thinking of Budapest instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popkean1314foreva Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Keeping Vienna as an option , but has anyone booked Bratislava from Manchester with Ryanair ?? They announced last week on their facebook page they were launching new routes beginning the 28th , but it wasn`t shown on the website until Saturday or on the app as a destination until friday and it immediately came up as being sold out ! It must have sold faster than a 1D Concert or the Manchester based TA have bought all the seats for themselves . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deecie Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Means they haven't finalised the schedule. Check daily and enjoy your £30 flight when it appears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slasher Posted November 4, 2015 Author Share Posted November 4, 2015 We were thinking of going via Vienna but flights seem few & pricey. Thinking of Budapest instead. Try germanwings from stansted. Add on flights down south and I think we were about £130 all in ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liviloyal Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 We're doing Budapest on the way there and Vienna on the way back, be good to see some new cities! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottincarlisle Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 We're doing Budapest on the way there and Vienna on the way back, be good to see some new cities! That's our thinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fugitive Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 cheers Wanderer , will seriously consider the boat now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toepoke Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 (edited) We're going to spend about 24hrs in Vienna on Sunday/Monday before heading to Bratislava. Not sure yet whether to get the bus, train or boat but seeing as the hotel is next to the train station... Hi Wanderer - I'm staying right in the middle of the old town in Bratislava - within the pedestrian part. Any idea on the best mode of transport from Vienna to get us close ? I do quite fancy the boat but it'll be freezin' in October will it not ? It's been 10 years but I used to take the train from Bratislava to Vienna regularly. Bratislava station is pretty close to the old town too.(I just noticed the old Sudbahnhof in Vienna has been demolished, so there's no station confusion there now!) Hopefully it's a more modern train now, it used to be a rattley hour or so. The boat from Vienna would be a bit of a novelty but it's a kind of dull til you get near the border. The Danube is more scenic from Bratislava to Budapest. The weather in October can be ok, it certainly shouldn't be freezing unless there's a very early taste of winter.... Edited November 5, 2015 by Toepoke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wubbs Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 It's been 10 years but I used to take the train from Bratislava to Vienna regularly. Bratislava station is pretty close to the old town too.(I just noticed the old Sudbahnhof in Vienna has been demolished, so there's no station confusion there now!) Hopefully it's a more modern train now, it used to be a rattley hour or so. The boat from Vienna would be a bit of a novelty but it's a kind of dull til you get near the border. The Danube is more scenic from Bratislava to Budapest. The weather in October can be ok, it certainly shouldn't be freezing unless there's a very early taste of winter.... still some very old trains running this route, but the train to Petrzalka is always a newer train. The new Hauptbahnhof is a fairly confusing station, or at least it was last year when it was only partially open. Hopefully the train to metro transfer is a bit easier now. I would also agree the boat is quite dull - it's only Devin to Bratislava part of that route which is decent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toepoke Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 the train to Petrzalka is always a newer train. You wouldn't want to get lost there though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Famousfor15minutes Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 Try germanwings from stansted. Add on flights down south and I think we were about £130 all in ;-) I can confirm that. Flying Glasgow to Stansted then Vienna with 2 nights accommodation in Bratislava £170 all in. There was a cracking looking hotel in the old town on Expedia called the Loft, only £40 a night with a free mini bar thrown in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyP Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Looking at flights to Vienna and maybe a night or two there now after the Ryanair Paphos-Stansted-Bratislava flight takes 12 hours on way out and 16 hours on return!!! Was only €166 right enough..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottincarlisle Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Decided against going via Vienna but may take a day trip from Bratislava on the Wednesday as we aren't flying back till Thursday. Only an hour on train I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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