Bratislava lies on the border of two other countries and has a relatively good road system. The town can be accessed by motorways (i.e. limited access highway) from northern Slovakia and Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary as well as Austria. As a result, you can pass the town without having to leave the motorway at all. Together with countries like Austria and Czech Republic it's required to have a sticker on your windshield to drive on motorways. Stickers can be bought at any regular gas station - it's recommended to stop at the first gas station after crossing the border.
After entering the city, a parking information system is in place to lead you to the next free parking spot. In the center of town you either can use one of the paid underground garages or buy a parking card from vendors in yellow vests and try to find a free spot in the streets. The former is recommended on weekends as finding a parking place in the one-ways can turn into a real head breaking puzzle. If you do find a spot in the street and it's a weekday between 8AM and 4PM, a parking card may be necessary. You need them in the center of the city only, parking on the streets is free otherwise. You can purchase parking cards from vendors in yellow vests; they cost €0.70 and are valid for 60 minutes.
It may be a good idea to leave the car at the Aupark parking lot which also serves as a "Park and Walk" facility for tourists (note that the indoor parking facilities as well as parts of the outdoor parking lot are closed from 11PM to 6AM, the rest of the parking space is free to use 24/7). You can leave your car here and walk through the park and across the Danube to the city center, which is a 10 minute stroll, or just use public transportation. It is not recommended to leave the car in residential areas outside of the city center to avoid paid parking, as foreign cars may attract car thieves.
Renting a car is also an option, especially if you are visiting destinations outside of Bratislava. All major rental companies have a stall at the airport but most have a city office as well.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Bratislava
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Bratislava - updated May 2024
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Bratislava Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
