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Home > Europe > Slovakia
Vacation
If you insist on arriving in Slovakia by air, Czech Airlines has frequent connections to Prague; Air Slovakia flies from Bratislava (BTS) to Tel Aviv and Kuwait; and Tatra Air flies daily to Zurich. There's a departure tax of around US$6. Realistically, though, Bratislava is only 64km (40mi) from Vienna and 215km (133mi) from Budapest: most travellers are going to stay grounded. Several daily buses and trains link Vienna and Bratislava and there are numerous trains to Budapest. There are no direct trains from West Slovakia (including Bratislava) to Poland; all connections are via the Czech Republic so if you need a Czech visa, don't get aboard one of these trains without one. From East Slovakia, however, train services to Poland and Hungary avoid the Czech Republic. There are two trains daily to/from Moscow, both of which pass through Bratislava and Kosice.

There are heaps of road borders to/from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Ukraine. Walking in and out of Slovakia can circumvent the hassle of buying an expensive international ticket. For example, you can easily walk across the bridge over the Danube River between Komárno (Slovakia) and Komárom (Hungary). From mid-April to September, there's a hydrofoil between Bratislava and Vienna, which is a pretty cruisy way to get to Austria for an afternoon strudel.

Money and Costs

Currency: Slovakian crown (koruna)

    Meals
  • Budget: US$2-5
  • Mid-range: US$5-15
  • Top-end: US$15 and upwards

    Lodging
  • Budget: US$10-15
  • Mid-range: US$15-40
  • Top-end: US$40 and upwards

Slovakia has been relatively slow to privatise, meaning that it's likely to remain a bargain for travellers far longer than the neighbouring Czech Republic. Food, admissions and transport are all cheap and accommodation manageable except in Bratislava. By staying at cheap hostels and campsites, sticking to self-catering, pub grub and stand-up cafeterias, you might get away with US$15-20 per person per day in summer. In a private home or better hostel, with meals at cheap restaurants and using public transport, you can get by on US$20-25. To share a clean double room with bath in a mid-range hotel or pension, and enjoy good local or Western meals, plan on at least US$30-40. Except for Easter and Christmas-New Year, many bottom and mid-range hotels drop their prices by a third or more outside the summer season.

Travellers' cheques can be changed at major banks and post offices. Credit cards can be used in most major hotels, restaurants and shops and most of the larger branches of major banks can give cash advances from credit cards. ATMs are becoming quite common but shouldn't be relied upon outside of major towns. Be aware that some exchange places might not accept damaged or torn US dollars.

A tip of 5-10% is appreciated in any tourist restaurant with table service. The usual protocol is for them to tell you the total food bill and for you, as you hand over the money, to say how much you are paying with the tip included.

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