Bratislava or Graz?
 

Other than the obvious difference in the time difference in train travel time between Vienna and Bratislava (1 hr) or Vienna and Graz (2 1/2 hr)... which would be the best of the two for a daytrip at the end of a Vienna stay? What are the "must do's" in each?<BR><BR>Thanks much,<BR><BR>Barry<BR><BR>(p.s. - Love this board :&gt;) so very glad I Found it!)

I cant' speak to Graz but Bratislava is convenient, with ample train connections and closer and in another country, if you like to count such. However, it is not very big and, while you could spend a day exloring and shopping (better prices than Austria), it is not the most exciting place. I went to the American embassy (just up from where the buses arrive from train station) and I gathered that they don't get many tourists. It has a castle, nice little center city, and I think a museum but I didn't have time to go. It is interesting because it is Slovakia, which used to be communist so a comparison between east and west. Have you been to the old eastern block countries before? If no, see it. If yes, then, except for the good prices, you probably have seen it all.

Even though the train time is longer I would definitely go to Graz, Certanly NOT to Bratislava!

Hi Barry:<BR><BR>I really liked Graz, it has a population of 230,000 and is a university town, also not quite as touristy as some other places. Slip away for a day, enjoy the train ride, visit the museums (Landhaus, I think with medival armour, closed when I was there till March 1), clock tower where there's a small cafe clinging to the hills. The view is beautiful. Find a restaurant that serves Pumpkin soup and good Styrian wine. Have a great trip. Oh there is a tourist board once you get off the train, on Saturday's it closes at 3 p.m., another on the Herrengasse open til 6 p.m. Saturday.

Graz Graz Graz!!!!!!

I didn't find much of interest in Graz. Arnold Schwarzenegger was born there. Nice opera house, pretty town, lots of college students, but I found it boring.

topping for barry

Don't want to be a troublemaker, but rather than travel to Graz why don't you go to Budapest? It's no farther, and a lot more interesting.

The armory in Graz is amazing. Go Graz. <BR>My memory of Bratislava focuses on the fact that my car was booted after a policeman OK'd me parking in that place overnight; it turned out that the spot was reserved for the chief of police. <BR>

Hi Wayne and thanks for the reply.... I should have encluded more info... We ARE going to Budapest... our main itinerary is flying into Zurich and catching the train (Eurail 15 day pass) to Salzburg (4 days)... then to Budapest (3 days)... then to Prague (2 days) .... then to Vienna (3 days) and return to Zurich by night train at around 8:00 p.m. Which actually gives us 4 days in Vienna, and that is why we were looking at Graz or Bratislava for that last full day before getting on the train that night...<BR><BR>Why straight out of Zurich? (A) We spent 10 days in Switzerland couple of years ago... (B) I was trying to get as far into Europe as the cheap $309 pp rt fares out of ATL would get us :&gt;)<BR><BR>Thanks,<BR><BR>Barry<BR><BR>Barry

Barry, you're making a mistake by not spending more time in Prague. You're barely going to touch the surface. Vienna is very expensive, I would spend actually 1-2 less days in Salzburg and 1 less day in Vienna, and add that time onto Prague (2-3 days) and Budapest (1 day).

Graz is going to be the "Cultural Center of Europe" ( or something like that) in 2003 so I imagine there will be lot's of preparation going on.