Traveling Between Vienna and Bratislava: The €11.60 Twin City Rail Connection

The fastest and cheapest international capital connection in Europe: hourly REX trains and the Bratislava-Ticket.

Written by ETH Editorial Team

Published: Jul 14, 2026 • Fact-checked by ETH Editorial Team

• The Closest Capital Cities in Europe

The Closest Capital Cities in Europe

Vienna (Austria) and Bratislava (Slovakia) are the two closest European national capital cities, separated by only 55 kilometers. You can easily breakfast in Vienna, spend the day exploring Bratislava’s cobblestone Old Town and castle, and return to Vienna for dinner.

The Train Logistics

Regional Express trains (REX Line 8) depart every hour from Wien Hauptbahnhof (Vienna Main Station) directly to Bratislava Hlavná Stanica (Bratislava Main Station).

Travel Time: Exactly 1 hour 06 minutes.
Frequency: Departs hourly from 05:45 to 23:45.
Ticket Type: The Bratislava-Ticket sold by Austrian Railways (ÖBB) costs €18.00 return and includes unlimited public transit on Bratislava city buses and trams for your entire day. If buying a simple one-way ticket, the fare is roughly €11.60.

About the Author

ETH Editorial Team

The ETH (Euro Travel Hacks) Editorial Team researches European travel costs, transport, accommodation, and trip-planning information using official sources and structured Euro Travel Hacks data. Changing prices and travel information are dated and reviewed against cited sources where practical.

Experience: Structured research and verification across official European transport operators, municipal transit authorities, and national tourism offices.

Traveling Between Vienna and Bratislava: The €11.60 Twin City Rail Connection

The Closest Capital Cities in Europe

The Train Logistics

ETH Editorial Team

Related Editorial Guides

Low-Cost High-Speed Rail in Spain: How Renfe, Iryo, Ouigo, and Avlo Compete

Navigating Lisbon Transit: Viva Viagem vs Navegante Zapping System

The Berlin Transit Grid: BVG Zones A, B, and C Explained