Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, lies on the banks of the Danube River near the borders with Austria and Hungary. It has a population of approximately 475,000 and is visited by more than 2 million tourists each year, attracted by its rich history, lively atmosphere and proximity to other European cities. Despite being a capital city, Bratislava retains a pleasant, small and human scale - most of the sights in the center can be easily visited on foot in a day.
How to get here
We have selected the most likely options for you and ranked them from the most environmentally friendly.
Bike
If you are a keen cyclist and would like to combine participation in the championship with a sightseeing ride, you can use the cycling route Eurovelo EV6, which runs from Nantes via Basel, Passau, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Belgrade, and Bucharest to Constanta. In Bratislava, just cross the SNP Bridge, then turn upstream of the Danube and along the embankment and Žižkova Street, you will reach Kráľovské údolie, where the competition hotel is located.
The route Eurovelo EV13 runs from Rezov in Bulgaria through Szeged, Bratislava, Cheb, Lübeck, and Gdańsk to the border of Poland with the Kaliningrad region (beyond which it continues to Kirkenes). It follows the route of the former Iron Curtain, so it is winding and has a mountainous character too. Be sure to head out early enough!
Public transport
Public transport it is comfortable and reliable—don't hesitate to use it if you arrive in the city by train or bus. You can buy a ticket either at a vending machine at the stop or directly on the bus or tram by tapping your payment card against the designated ticket validator.
In the close proximity to the hotel is located bus stop Kráľovské údolie, where you can use trams no. 4 and no. 9 and buses no. 29, no. 31, no. 37 and no. 39. If you arrive at the main railway station, take tram line no. 1 and change to tram no. 9 (either at the Vysoká or Poštová stop). If you arrive at the bus station, you can use bus no. 70 and change to tram no. 4 (at Most SNP stop).
If you are traveling by bus from Vienna, we recommend getting off at Most SNP bus stopwhere tram no. 4 stops directly, and from there it is only three stops to the hotel.
From the Kráľovské údolie stop itself, the hotel is less than 250 meters away, though the path involves climbing some stairs. They aren't very steep, but it might not be the most comfortable walk with heavy suitcases. However, you can easily avoid the stairs by continuing about 30 meters past the stop.
Train
Bratislava is well-connected with regular direct train services from neighboring countries (Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary) as well as more distant capitals. Major routes include direct lines from Berlin, Prague, Budapest, Warsaw, and Zurich. Most train connections can be found on the timetable portal or on the websites of the individual rail carriers (ZSSK, ČD, RegioJet, ÖBB or MÁV).
Trains from Vienna run at regular 60-minute intervals and operate to two different destination stations: Bratislava hlavná stanica and smaller Bratislava-Petržalka station which are ideal for connections from Vienna Main Station (Wien Hbf). From the Bratislava Main Train Station (Hlavná stanica), you can reach the competition hotel in approximately 10 minutes by taxi or about 20 minutes by public transport. From the Petržalka station, the public transport journey to the center takes around 15 minutes. For more information, please visit the website imhd.sk.
In Bratislava, there are taxi services Bolt and Uber. If you would like to use them, install the app in advance. We do not recommend that foreign participants take taxis directly at the airport or train station; they can be significantly overpriced.
Bus
Bratislava has direct bus connections with many European cities. International lines usually stop at the main bus station (Autobusová stanica); however, some also stop at the main train station (Hlavná stanica) or under the SNP Bridge (Most SNP). We recommend the latter due to its proximity and easy access to the competition hotel.
From Vienna (from Schwechat Airport or the Hbf train station), run approximately every hour carriers such as FlixBus, RegioJet or Slovak Lines. We recommend buying your tickets in advance; they will be cheaper, and if you're running late, you can often return them even a few minutes before departure.
You can find most of the lines on the timetable portal. We cannot guarantee that there are no lines from other carriers, but they do not provide timetables to portal operators.
Car
Bratislava is easily accessible by car from Austria, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. When driving on highways within the city limits—including the section from the Austrian border—a Slovak highway vignette is not required.
Most parking spaces in the city are regulated and subject to fees under the system PAAS (we recommend using its mobile app). The competition hotel has its own parking lot with a capacity of 50 spaces for a fee of €5/night. If you are interested in reserving a parking space, please let us know in advance.
Plane
Bratislava airport M. R. Štefánik (BTS) offers connections to several european destinations. From the airport, you can reach the competition hotel by taxi in approximately 15 minutes or by public transport in approximately 45 minutes.
Flights to Bratislava are operated by Ryanair and Wizz Air from these destinations: Albania (Tirana), Armenia (Jerevan), Belgium (Brussels), Bosnia i Hercegovina (Tuzla), Bulgaria (Burgas, Plovdiv, Sofia, Varna), Cyprus (Larnaka, Pafos), Montenegro (Podgorica), Egypt (Hurghada, Marsa Alam), France (Nice), Greece (Athens, Korfu, Mykonos, Rodos, Skiathos, Thessaloniki), Georgia (Kutaisi), The Netherlands (Eindhoven), Croatia (Zadar), Ireland (Dublin), Israel (Tel Aviv), Kosovo (Pristina), Malta (Malta), Moldova (Chisinau), Germany (Berlin, Dortmund), Norway (Oslo), Poland (Gdansk, Warsaw), Romania (Bucharest), North Macedonia (Ohrid, Skopje), Slovakia (Košice), United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Serbia (Nis), Spain (Alicante, Barcelona, Lanzarote, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca), Switzerland (Basel), Italy (Alghero, Bari, Lamezia Terme, Milan, Naples, Palermo, Pisa, Rome, Trapani), Türkiye (Antalya, Dalaman, Istanbul), United Kingdom (Edinburgh, Leeds – Bradford, London, Manchester).
There are major international airports located near Bratislava in Vienna-Schwechat (VIE) and in Budapest (BUD), which serve flights from virtually all over the world. From Vienna, you can get to Bratislava by bus (e.g., FlixBus, RegioJet or Slovak Lines) in as little as 50 to 60 minutes, with connections running at short intervals almost throughout the entire day. From Budapest Airport, the journey can take more than 2-3 hours, and you can use buses from the airport (FlixBus), or train services from the city center (ZSSK, ČD or MÁV).
In the city
Bratislava is a modern city with a compact historical center that you can easily explore in just a few dozen minutes. The center offers a wide range of gastronomic experiences, from traditional Slovak dishes like "bryndzové halušky" (potato dumplings with sheep cheese) to modern restaurants and street food. If you want to avoid tourist traps, don't hesitate to ask us for our recommendations. And even if you do stumble into one, you might still end up satisfied.
What might surprise you: Bratislava is full of specialty coffee shops, and you’ll find them practically on every corner, especially in the wider city center. There is also no shortage of stylish bars and pubs across all price ranges.
You can find various social activities in the city, including escape rooms. You can find a list of the most popular ones on Trip Advisor website. More information about events can be found on the website Visit Bratislava.
Among Bratislava's most beautiful experiences is an evening stroll along the Danube, ending with a detour into the historical center, where several artisanal ice cream parlors are clustered together. You can also head up to Bratislava Castle to take in the city skyline or, if you're feeling more adventurous, visit the UFO café at the top of the Most SNP (Bridge of the Slovak National Uprising).
FAQ
The weather is usually very pleasant, ideal for walking around the city or cycling along the Danube, although typical spring variability should be expected. Daily temperatures range on average from 20 °C to 25 °C; nights are still quite cool. Weather in May can be rainy, but mostly short spring showers.
Big part of the city centre is walkable without any problem by foot.From the competition hotel it is only about 15 minutes by foot along the Danube to the historical city center.
Public transport is convenient and reliable, don't be afraid to use it. You can buy a ticket from a vending machine at the stop or directly on the bus or tram by touching your credit card to the designated ticket machine. For more information, see the page imhd.sk.
If you'd like to use a car, in the city center, the parking is mostly regulated and paid (approximately 1,5-2 euros/hour); some streets in the wider center may be free on weekends.
In Bratislava, there are taxi services Bolt and Uber. If you would like to use them, install the app in advance. We do not recommend that foreign participants take taxis directly at the airport or train station; they can be significantly overpriced.
Yes, the water in Bratislava and the surrounding areas is of high quality and tastes great.
In Slovakia, the currency is the euro (€), with all supermarkets and most other shops accepting card payments. Some restaurants and pubs may require cash.
Currency exchange offices in the city are not very common. If you have the option to withdraw cash from an ATM, use that instead. Prefer ATMs of individual banks, not those marked "ATM" or Euronet. However, the amount of your fees may vary depending on your bank.
Despite the organizers' efforts, this year's 24HPC will not take place. Originally planned for May following the ESC in Győr, Hungary, the event is now scheduled for spring 2027.
Some of our competitors will be staying in the hotel Falkensteiner. Hotel is located in the city center, address Pilárikova 5, Bratislava.
An organizer will accompany you from Falkensteiner to Sorea on Thursday evening, Friday and Saturday morning. More detailed information will be emailed soon.
Feel free to ask! We will be happy to answer you via email eurosudoku26@gmail.com, on Discord or via one of the championship's social networks (this may be a slower option). If you are interested in an interview or want to become a partner or sponsor of the event, please use the direct approach via contacts on our website.