Public transport in Bratislava

Historical tram on line 4

Half historical trolleybus Škoda 14Tr on line 203 is going to Koliba

At the end of the 19th century, Bratislava (then Pressburg) was still suffering after losing the status as the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary. Now being a provincial city of political and economical mid-importance, its development lagged behind its European neighbours. The main means of transport at this time was horse-driven and later steam-powered railways.

In 1868, omnibuses appeared in the city, but they could not meet the demands for transport at their chosen routes. On 23 March 1881 an engineer from Vienna, Nicolaus Markovits, submitted the project documentation for a city horse-driven railway in Bratislava to the directorship of King's Hungarian state railways. Its path was from the Danube riverbank through the city to the Austrian state railway station. It was supposed to be connected to the Bratislava – Trnava wagonway, belonging to the King's Hungarian state railways.[2]

In the 1990s, traffic jams became a routine occurrence in Bratislava, affecting public transport vehicles which became stuck at places like Patrónka or Prístavný most. A major contributing factor was the lack of a ring road, which today consists of parts of the D1 and D2 motorways in Bratislava. While two crucial bridges over the river Danube, Prístavný most and Lafranconi bridge, partially opened in 1983 and 1990 respectively, it was not until 2002 that the Prievoz viaduct on the D1 motorway opened, the D1 part Viedenská – Prístavný most was finished in 2005 and the Sitina Tunnel finished the ring in 2007.

The system uses three main types of vehicles: buses, trams and trolleybuses. Buses cover almost the entire city and go to the most remote boroughs and areas, with 70 daily routes, 20 night routes and other routes on certain occasions.

Trams

A typical red tram Škoda 30T in Ľudovít Štúr square in Bratislava

Bratislava tram network

Today, trams cover heavily used commuter routes. Trams in Bratislava use a metre gauge with one-way current of 600 V (originally 550 V). Trams in the city have been electrically powered since the system was opened in 1895; there were never any horse-driven or steam-powered trams in Bratislava. The city's tram network is amongst the oldest continually operated tram systems to the present day. The length of tram tracks in the city is 39.6 kilometres (24.6 mi). There are 152 tram stops served by 8 lines, numbered 1 to 9. The maximum speed for trams in Bratislava is restricted to 50km/h, although this speed is lower in some parts of the network. 60 new fully air-conditioned and low floor trams were ordered in 2013 and were delivered from 2014 to 2016 for new lines to Petržalka and as a replacement for old vehicles. 30 of these trams are bidirectional trams Škoda 30T and another 30 are standard one-way trams Škoda 29T. Bidirectional trams are used in Petržalka (since the first phase of the new line will have no loop at the end) and also during maintenance works to keep operational as much of the network as possible. The line to Petržalka was opened in 2016 and runs over Starý most.

Trolleybuses

Bratislava trolleybus network

Trolleybus Škoda 25Tr on line 33 is stopping in Riviéra (old name: Molecova) (Slovak: Riviéra; old name: Molecova) bus stop

[3][4] The first trolleybus service in Bratislava was established 19 July 1909, thereby making it the second oldest such system in the country after the one in the High Tatras. This first line ran from the Roth bullet factory on Pražská Street to Vydrica Valley. Its total length was 5,800 metres (3.6 mi) and it was served by seven vehicles. Due to technical and financial difficulties, the service on this line was terminated after six years, in 1915. In the period between the world wars, Bratislava was left without a trolleybus system. The first talks about its restoration began just before the Second World War.

Trolleybuses returned to the city on 31 July 1941. Line M connected the Slovak National Theatre and Bratislava main railway station. In 1951, the first Škoda 7Tr trolleybuses appeared. In 1953, trolleybuses reached Trnavské mýto, and two years later began serving Šafárikovo námestie. Most of the current trolleybus network infrastructure was built before 1960. Afterwards, buses started to be preferred in Bratislava. Many trolleybus lines were shortened or cancelled altogether. After the 1970s energy crisis, the importance of trolleybuses increased somewhat. New lines were built and new vehicles were bought. Since 1982, the Škoda 14Tr appeared in the city. Between 1960 and 1990 there were approximately 10 lines (No. 210 – No. 220).

During the 1990s, Škoda 15Tr trolleybuses appeared, and replaced the Škoda Sanos vehicles. In 1999, a new line to Národný ústav srdcových chorôb (NÚSCH) and Národný onkologický ústav was opened. The last line to be opened was a short section from the Patrónka junction to the Vojenská nemocnica built in 2013.

Most of the trolleybus services are now covered by new Škoda 30Tr and Škoda 31Tr trolleybuses delivered between 2013 and 2015.

Single tickets are available at pre-sale points such as newsstands, ticket machines and DPB offices and customer has to validate them in stamping machine on board the vehicle at the beginning of his journey. Customers can choose between 15-minutes ticket (€0.70), 30-minutes (€0.90) or 60-minutes (€1.20). All tickets are transferable. A 50% discount is offered to children, students, pensioners, while some other groups of customers such as passengers over 70 years can travel for free. These tickets are valid on all DPB lines within Slovakia, including night services (N21-N99). Prepaid tickets and free travel for certain groups of passengers apply on night routes as well. Tickets can't be bought on board.

So called tourist tickets are available with validity of 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours or 168 hours. Tickets can be purchased at ticket machines, DPB offices and other pre-sale points such as hotels or tourist agencies with prices ranging from €4.50 for 24 hours ticket to €15.00 for one week ticket. These tickets are issued on a same stock as single tickets and must be validated at the beginning of the first journey. No discounts are available. Tickets are valid on DPB service within Bratislava (fare zones 100 and 101), including night services.

SMS tickets are available to customers of Slovak mobile providers. SMS tickets can only be used on DPB services within the city of Bratislava, including night services, and are offered in three types: a 40-minutes ticket for €1.00, a 70-minutes ticket for €1.40 or a 24-hours ticket for €4.50.

Travelcards are available for 7, 30, 90 or 365 days and are issued within Integrovaný dopravný systém v Bratislavskom kraji (IDS BK; literally Integrated transit system of Bratislava region) and therefore are valid not only on DPB services but also on regional buses of Slovak Lines and regional trains of Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko. When purchasing an IDS BK travelcard, the passenger can choose its territorial validity – for this purpose the area of IDS BK is split into fare zones. The price is calculated based on the number of fare zones purchased. Travelcards are valid also on night services.

To purchase an IDS BK travelcard the customer needs a smartcard accepted by IDS BK operators. These are smartcards issued by DPB, Slovak Lines and Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko, a student card issued by selected Slovak schools and universities as well as Bratislavská mestská karta which is a Maestro PayPass card issued only to residents of Bratislava by participating banks. Customer can then load a travelcard at ticket offices of participating operators, some DPB ticket machines or via websites of IDS BK operators. Online purchase is only available at least one day before the first day of the travelcard validity – this is to ensure enough time for all operators' control devices (such as regional bus cash registers, or train conductor's control devices) to synchronize data about online tickets. Such synchronization is necessary since online tickets are not physically loaded into smartcard's chip when purchased. Instead, all control devices have database of tickets purchased online and compare loaded card's ID with this database. When purchasing travelcard on Bratislavská mestská karta, 10% discount from price of Bratislava zones is provided by City of Bratislava.

Tickets for animals, bigger baggage and bicycle transport must be purchased separately. A 15-minutes reduced travel ticket is used for this purpose and is valid for 180 minutes in this case. Transport of baggage not exceeding 60x45x25 cm, or of an animal transported in a container not exceeding these dimensions are free of charge. Bicycle transport is possible only on weekends and work holidays (whole day) or in intervals between 9:00–13:00 and 18:00–6:00 on workdays.

Some other special offers are also available, most notably discounted tickets available to customers of Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko together with train ticket to Bratislava, or free use of DPB services for customers arriving to Bratislava on selected EURegio tickets of Österreichische Bundesbahnen.

There is no ticket inspections when boarding DPB vehicles (except regional lines in some situations). Instead, random inspections by plain clothes ticket inspectors are conducted. It is mandatory for a ticket inspector to identify themselves by a company badge and an employee ID when asked to do so. The penalties for failing to comply with the transport rules are as follows: €50 when paid by card or cash at the time of the inspection or within 5 workdays, €70 when paid within 30 days from the time of the inspection, €5 in case of forgotten prepaid ticket or discount document, €5 in case of unpaid transport of animals, baggage or bicycles.

If the penalty is not paid at the time of the inspection, the inspectors have the right to ascertain the passenger's identity by means of inspecting their ID card, driver's license, passport or residence permit. If this is not possible, the inspector will cooperate with the City or National Police with the goal of discovering the passenger's identity.

Transport junctions include Trnavské mýto, Račianske mýto, Patrónka, Bratislava main railway station, Zochova and Mlynské Nivy.

Dopravný Podnik Bratislava operates three types of vehicles. The current line-up comprises 481 Buses, 168 trolleybuses (including 21 dual-mode buses) and 203 trams. The tables below list the individual models used today and in the past.

Operating hours is from 4:00 am to 11:30 pm every day. Operating hours night lines is 11:30 pm to 4:00 am every day, too.

Number	Route		Bus types
City lines
20	Devínska Nová Ves, Opletalova, VW5 – Tesco Lamač
21	Devínska Nová Ves, Volkswagen, VW2 – Autobusová stanica		SOR NB 18 City
23	Devínska Nová Ves, Jána Jonáša, Volkswagen-1 – Lamač
25	Devínska Nová Ves, Volkswagen, VW2 – Autobusová stanica
26	Devínska Nová Ves, Jána Jonáša, VW1 – Dúbravka, Pri kríži
27	Dúbravka, OC Dubrawa – Alexyho
29	Devinská Nová Ves, Opletalova, VW5 – Nové SND
30	Lamač – Most SNP
31	Blumentál – Cintorín Slávičie
32	Dlhé diely – Hlavná stanica
35	Dlhé diely – Dúbravská cesta
36	Dúbravka, Žatevná – Záhorská Bystrica
37	Most SNP – Záhorská Bystrica
39	Ostredky, Súhvezdná – Cintorín Slávičie
41	Búdková – Hlavná stanica		SOR NS 12 Electric
43	Patrónka – Železná studnička, Lesopark		SOR NS 12 Electric
44	Koliba – Jaskový rad		Iveco Daily
50	Petržalka, Aupark – Nové Mesto, Kukučínova
51	MiÚ Nové Mesto – Depo Krasňany
52	Rača, Tbiliská – Stanica Vajnory
53	Nové Mesto, Trnavské mýto – Vajnory
56	Rača, Tbiliská – Trnávka, Studená
57	Depo Jurajov dvor – Žabí majer
58	Trnávka, Technická – Stanica Nové Mesto		SOR EBN 8
59	Rača, Na pántoch – Petržalka, Antolská		MAN NG 313 Solaris Urbino 18
61	Letisko Milana Rastislava Štefánika – Hlavná stanica		Solaris New Urbino 18
63	Trnávka, Avion Shopping Park – Lamač
65	Dolné hony, Čiližská – Rača, Tbiliská		SOR NB 12 City
66	Prievoz, Domkárska – Trhovisko		Iveco Urbanway 10,5M
67	Podunajské Biskupice, Vinohradnícka – Ružinov, Astronomická		Iveco Urbanway 10,5M
68	Nové Mesto, Trnavské mýto – Petržalka, Holíčska		Mercedes-Benz O530 GL CapaCity
69	Trnávka, Avion Shopping Park – Pharos		Rošero First FCLEI
70	Stanica Podunajské Biskupice – Most SNP		SOR NB 12 City SOR NB 18 City
74	Hlavná stanica – Vlčie hrdlo		Solaris Urbino 15 CNG
75	Krasňany, Kadnárova – Dolné hony, Čiližská		MAN NG 313 Solaris Urbino 18
77	Vlčie hrdlo – Spaľovňa		Rošero First FCLEI
78	Staré Mesto, Nové SND – Stanica Podunajské Biskupice		SOR NB 18
79	Dolné Hony, Čiližská – Lieskovec		Iveco Urbanway 10,5M
80	Staré mesto, Kollárovo nám. – Petržalka, Kopčany
83	Dúbravka, Pri kríži – Petržalka, Technopol		Mercedes-Benz O530 GL CapaCity
84	Dúbravka, Pri kríži – Petržalka, Ovsište		Mercedes-Benz O530 GL CapaCity
87	Petržalka, Ovsište – Ružinov, Astronomická
88	Autobusová stanica – Most SNP
90	Staré mesto, Nové SND – Danubiana
91	Most SNP – Čunovo
92	Depo Petržalka – Devinská Nová Ves, VW2
93	Hlavná stanica – Petržalka, Vyšehradská
94	Blumentál – Petržalka, Holíčska
95	Petržalka, Muchovo námestie – Petržalka, Vyšehradská
96	Letisko Milana Rastislava Štefánika – Petržalka, Prokofievova		Solaris New Urbino 18 SOR NB 18 City
98	Nové Mesto, Kukučínova – Jasovská
99	Petržalka, Antolská – Petržalka, Ovsište
123	Dúbravka, Žatevná – Lamač
129	Nové SND – Devín
130	Lamač, Krematórium – OC Patrónka
131	Hlavná stanica – Cintorín Slávičie
139	Karlova Ves, Molecova – Cintorín Slávičie
144	Koliba – Kamzík
147	Staré Mesto, Hodžovo námestie – Búdková		Rošero First FCLEI
151	Vinohrady, Lopenícka – Nové Mesto, Trnavské mýto
184	Ekonomická univerzita – Staré Mesto, Prokopa Veľkého
191	Most SNP – Stanica Rusovce
192	Tesco Lamač – Depo Petržalka
196	Petržalka, Prokofievova – Stanica Nové mesto

• Dopravný podnik Bratislava – for information about the company running the Public transport system in Bratislava
• Transport in Bratislava – for information about the transport in Bratislava in general
• Economy of Bratislava – for more information about the economic background of Bratislava