JoeTro

Two part questions: does anyone know if there is left luggage (either lockers or a manned desk) in the Bratislava main train station, or what the hours are? I've tried searching but can't find anything.

Also, what is the safety of taking a late train at night from the main station to Sudbahanof in Vienna? It seems that both places are kind of sketchy, and I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be with A) leaving left luggage for the day and B) dealing with waiting in and getting to/from those train stations late at night in the dead of Winter. But maybe I'm just paranoid.

I'm thinking of staying in Vienna my first night as opposed to Bratislava to get a good deal on Vienna hotels. Otherwise, I could just book the Bratislava hotel, put my luggage there and then not worry about leaving late at night but rather early the next morning (which could be equally dark and unsafe).

JoeTro

topping for tcreath and castleblanca ... thanks.

tcreath

Let me try to answer some of your questions.

We did go to Bratislava for a few hours from Vienna, but because we daytripped we did not bring any luggage so I unfortunately can't comment on that part.

Südbahnhof is in more of a sketchy area. The train station isn't as nice or modern as Westbahnhof. However, they do have a place to leave luggage in lockers. We used these, as we had to check out of our hotel (Pension Pertschy) in the morning but were taking an overnight train from Südbahnhof to Florence later on that evening. Everything went just fine.

I personally wouldn't want to walk from Südbahnhof in the evening. I'm sure I'm overreacting, but compared to the rest of Vienna it just didn't look like that great of an area. Its also not as convenient from the metro stations, so you would have to do a little bit of walking. I would look into taking a taxi if you are arriving in the evening. There is an information desk in the station, I believe, that may be able to help with that if you need.

Hope some of this helps!
Tracy

JoeTro

Thanks, Tracy. Pertschy suggests the following way to arrive:

Infront of the trainstation there leaves the tram number 18. Take this tram in direction "Burggasse / Stadthalle" one stop to Südtirolerplatz. Change to the U1 direction Kagran. Go with the underground 3 stops to Stephansplatz. Take the exit "Graben" and walk along that street. Habsburgergasse is the 5th street on the left side.

I'm keen on taking public transport to save money, but the tram one stop could take me to another sketchy area, and if I have to wait a while for that tram, maybe that's sketchy as well. Any idea how late the public transportation runs until? I could arrive in Vienna a bit later than 11.

I'm curious if there is left luggage in Bratislava, but it's nice to know it exists in Sudbahnhof too in case I should use it.

tcreath

I wish I could remember more about the area around Südbahnhof and how we got there. I don't think we took the most convenient way, as I recall doing quite a little walk to get to the station. I'm sure you will be fine. I'm a 27 year old female, but I felt a little nervous around the station.

According to the website below, the public transportation looks like it runs all night, with special night lines running from 12:30 to 5:30 am. Hopefully someone with more information can help you out.

http://www.wien.gv.at/english/transp...ublictrans.htm

Pertschy was a little difficult for us to find, so I'm glad you got detailed directions from them. We didn't know which way to go once we got on Graben and felt like we walked in circles...not good considering it was snowing and we just got off of a long transatlantic flight!

Tracy

JoeTro

Thanks for all your help, Tracy. It seems that the tram runs every 7-8 minutes, as does the subway until about 12:30.

metlc

Joe,

If you are training from Bratislava to Vienna proper (especially in the wintertime), you should plan on getting off the Vienna-bound train at the last stop it makes before arriving at the Sudbanhof. This stop is known as the "Simmering" stop. It is a split-level station, with the Slovakia-Austria trains traveling aboveground and the Vienna U-Bahn boarding below ground (and out of the weather in winter). This is the eastern terminus of the U-Bahn U3 line, which runs right under central Vienna and connects with, among other places, the Westbahnhof.

The link shows the U-Bahn layout, with the Simmering stop to the right:

http://homepage.univie.ac.at/horst.p.../largemap.html

JoeTro

Thanks very much for that tip. Line 3 also connects with Stephensplatz, and this might be safer/warmer/easier and help me avoid Sudbahnhof.

Can anyone address the issue of left luggage ... that's kind of my main concern about where to leave my bag the whole day in Bratislava if I don't get a hotel there. Thanks for all the advice!

metlc

I went through the main Bratislava train station at 5:30 AM, and it was pretty sleepy. (Things picked up at 6:00 AM, with the commuter traffic.) I don't recall any lockers or luggage counter there.

If you have to stow luggage in Vienna, do it at the Westbanhof lockers right upstairs from the U3 (Simmering) line. You can also purchase tickets there for Simmering-Bratislava instead of at the transit station. (FWIW, there's an Internet cafe there too.) There are a few Bratislava trains that go from Westbanhof (and Nordbanhof), but most of these go through Petrzalka instead of Bratislava hl. main.

If you're arriving/departing from Bratislava and counting euros, the only compelling reason to stay in Vienna would be if you're attending an event there on that particular evening. Heck, it's only a one-hour "commute," conveniently tied into the U-Bahn at Simmering. One hour won't get you from Disneyland to LAX. There are Bratislava/Vienna trains every hour.

JoeTro

Dumb question, but if I wanted to end in Simmerling as opposed to Sudbahnhof, would my destination be Simmerling instead of Vienna ... or is Simmerling still considered Vienna?

JoeTro

ttt

Kristinelaine

I lived in Bratislava for a year about four years ago. I think that there was left luggage at the main station, but I can't be positive. I do know that I walked around as late as 10 p.m. or 10:30 and felt entirely safe (as a middle-aged female). Lighting was quite good. I did just check to see if all the trains stop at Simmering and it looks like the ones from Bratislava main station (hl.st.) seem to. But if you were going from Bratislava-Petrzalka, they do not go through (and therefore do not stop at) Simmering. There are both trams and busses that go from the center of Bratislava to the main train station, so you wouldn't need to be walking.

metlc

As regards ticketing, it's simpler to regard a Bratislava/Simmering ticket as a "Bratislava/Vienna" ticket. The price would be almost identical -- you just get off/on earlier or later.

BTW, it's usually cheaper to purchase these tickets in Bratislava than in Vienna.

metlc

I should have said "Wien Sudbanhof" instead of just "Vienna." Or, you could ask specifically for "Wien Simmering," as the stop is known. It is six minutes before the Sudbanhof terminus. As Kristinelaine said, this applies only to trains to and from Bratislava H.L. (main) station, as the Petrzalka trains are different. Another reason to use the main station.

Below is a link for the Slovak railways which specifies these stops:

http://www.kvc.sk/initKvc.jsp

Also, here's a link for an updated map of the Vienna U-Bahn and S-Bahn, showing the future extensions. In a couple of years the Bratislava trains will link up a few stops earlier at the Stadiau stop on the extended U2 line northeast of the Danube:

http://www.urbanrail.net/eu/vie/wien.htm

JoeTro

Thanks so much. I'll definitely use the main station now.

JoeTro

I think I've found the particular train I want to take; it does go to Simmering. Should I just buy my ticket when I arrive in Bratislava that morning? Just wondering if that's the best way to pay an appropriate amount for the ticket, rather than buying last minute. Can I book in advance ... do I need to reserve a seat? I'd be leaving Bratislava at 22:00 arriving at 22:58 on a ZR/SPR service (whatever this means).

Finally, what will it be like to arrive in Vienna after having left Slovakia? Is there a customs/immigration procedure to follow at Simmering? Would there be a long line? Just wondering if this would significantly impede my timeline for arriving at my hotel in Vienna.

Still trying to figure out left luggage in Bratislava. I've e-mailed the tourist station, but no response so far.

Kristinelaine

I think I would buy the ticket in the morning just so that you know that you have it. I doubt there would be a line in the evening, but why not have it. I doubt there would be a need for reservations. Before Slovakia entered the EU they used to stop the train at the border (at Marchegg) and check passports, but I would guess that now there would be no check anywhere. Does anyone else know for sure?

JoeTro

I booked with Pertschy in Vienna, so I'll be staying there late the first night I arrive. I plan to take a late train from Bratislava.

Tourist office said they have left luggage in the train station, but I haven't yet heard back with what kind of left luggage or the times they are open. I'm very skeptical of leaving my bag in a locker ... I'd much prefer a manned desk. I really don't want to lug it around all day ... any thoughts on where else I could leave a bag, to pick it up around 9-10 pm?

Also, any thoughts on border crossing/passport control ... will this slow things down or be awkward once I arrive in Vienna from Bratislava?

Kristinelaine

I have friends who have lived in Bratislava for the last four years and are now back in the US, so I emailed them your questions. They didn't know about the luggage question, but told me they are still checking passports between Slovakia and Austria. So I'm sorry I was wrong about that. She did say that it goes very quickly, so perhaps that is one thing you don't have to worry about.

JoeTro

Thanks so much for your help. So the passport check is on the train then, and not at the station ... this would be good if it makes things faster in Vienna, especially if I get off at the Simmering stop.