A Vienna to Bratislava boat trip is a scenic cruise along the Danube River, connecting Austria's and Slovakia's capital. The journey typically takes around three hours each way, with a stopover in Bratislava, allowing you to soak in the river's serene landscapes and historic Bratislava attractions. With comfortable seating, an open-air deck, onboard dining, and other amenities, the trip offers a relaxed way to travel between two vibrant cities.
Whether you're a history buff, nature lover, or simply looking to enjoy a leisurely day on the water, this trip has something for everyone. Keep reading to know all about this comprehensive Vienna river cruise experience.
Maximize your time by visiting both Vienna and Bratislava in one day. Experience the cultural and architectural diversity of these neighboring cities with minimal effort.
One of the main highlights of this trip is the scenic journey along the Danube River. As you cruise from Vienna to Bratislava, you'll pass lush vineyards, charming villages, and historic castles. The serene beauty of the river and its surroundings make for a relaxing and enjoyable experience.
Traveling by boat from Vienna to Bratislava gives you a unique perspective that a car or train just can't match. The slow pace of the boat lets you fully appreciate the changing scenery and all the natural beauty around you.
Enjoy a comfortable cruise with ample space to move around. The boat's amenities, including dining options and observation decks, contribute to a stress-free and pleasant journey.
This trip is perfect for a day outing. You can start your day in Vienna, spend the afternoon exploring Bratislava, and return in the evening, making it a convenient option for travelers with limited time.
The itinerary for your boat trip to Bratislava from Vienna is designed to offer a well-rounded experience, providing a mix of relaxation, sightseeing, and culinary delights. Here's a brief overview:
As your cruise begins, you'll pass the impressive Donaustadt Bridge. Visible even from your boarding point, this modern structure makes a striking impression. On your return journey, the bridge becomes even more stunning when illuminated at night, casting a glowing reflection on the Danube River.
You'll get a full day on the Danube River, with the option to visit either Bratislava or Dürnstein & Wachau. When you book, you can pick your destination. Depending on your choice, you'll have either 2 hours to explore Dürnstein or 4 hours in Bratislava. Plus, the ticket includes meals from breakfast and lunch snacks and strudel to a buffet dinner, with the menu varying based on your chosen cruise.
The journey from Vienna to Bratislava by boat typically takes around 3 hours.
Yes, the boat trip is family-friendly. Children often enjoy the scenic views and the experience of traveling by boat.
If you're heading on a cruise from Vienna to Bratislava, make sure to wear comfy clothes and shoes—especially if you're planning to check out some of the Bratislava attractions. It's also a good idea to pack a light jacket or sweater since it can get a bit breezy on the river.
Slovakia uses the Euro, so it's best if you carry some Euros for purchases in Bratislava. Credit cards are widely accepted, but small vendors may prefer cash.
The boat trip is available year-round, but the best time to go is during spring and summer when the weather is pleasant and the scenery along the Danube River is lush and green.
Some popular places to visit in Bratislava include Bratislava Castle, Old Town, St. Martin's Cathedral, Michael's Gate, and the UFO Observation Deck.
The food onboard and the relaxed and cosy atmosphere. Nice litte town we visited (Dürnstein). We even got to experience the local band, rehearsal for their concert.
Very professional staff On time
The boat trip itself. The service for the outward and return journey was very friendly. Bratislava is very beautiful. A great old town with lots of places to eat. What I missed was a warm welcome by announcement to all passengers and regular information along the Danube. The breakfast and afternoon snack were very tasty. Lunch was so-so and the buffet was not to my liking.
The ship was great - I liked the inside area and the front deck. The deck at the back has more tables and chairs with a shade, but it is a smoking area. The trip itself was nice, but quite long (13 hours). The staff was great - friendly, efficient and helpful. The food was OK, cantine type, but I didn't expext anything special anyway. The a la carte drinks menu is good, although the prices are a bit high.
There is simply nothing to complain about. The staff were very friendly and funny, the food was good and the trip was very pleasant.
The cruise was very well organized. The staff is very attentive, friendly, competent and helpful. The food was very good 😋 and sufficient.
The Schufffahrt, the service and the staff were absolutely great! Unfortunately, the catering (food) was anything but good! Only for the masses. I haven't eaten so badly for a long time. Please come up with something for this. The rest was and is great. LG Günther 👍🤓🙏
Good food, well organized Unfortunately, toilet paper and towel paper were not provided or only replenished towards the end of the journey. The staff were nice and polite, but not overwhelmed as there were very few passengers on board.
Everything very nice, good service, good staff, very friendly
Very good food and a great team on board
Nice and friendly staff, very good food and smooth operation
Instructions indicated that the purchaser of the ticket needed to bring ID, not all persons listed on the ticket. The type of ID required was not indicated, either. The ID presented by the others listed on the ticket was not acceptable and so we were not allowed to take the trip that l'd spent 267 euros on.
The crew were amazing. The waiter's extraordinary. I had problems getting around because of my broken ankle and they looked after me like a queen. Best 58th birthday ever!
Very nice staff and nice ambience. What we personally were missing was music. A little music by Strauss would have made the trip even more perfect 🤩🤩🥂
Despite alert for flood Danube an excellent organization
Very nice and well organized public transport and other services The city is very clean and we loved the tulips and the trees The people are friendly and helpful
The beautiful city views lots of amazing buildings of various architectural designs
Very pleasant. The apfelstrudel was delicious. Very warm welcome. Must do
It was a unique and special experience for us and our grandchildren, the staff were super friendly and the food was very good. The impressions from the canal were worth seeing
The ticketing process was smooth and trouble free. The instructions requiring the online tickets to be exchanged at the upper level (street) ticket office prior to boarding should be better explained to those reserving online. The cruise was enjoyable and the lunch offerings were excellent and delish. It was an enjoyable way to spend part of the afternoon. The PA tour comments onboard the ship could be better as they were hard to hear clearly.
Booked tickets online. The digital ticket had to be exchanged for a paper ticket. Technology of the last century. The view of the sights was very limited. Can't be helped, but if I had known beforehand, I wouldn't have spent €96 on it. The drinks I ordered only arrived at half time. Quite nice, but I wouldn't do it again and wouldn't recommend it.
The uncomplicated booking of tickets via cell phone was very convenient. The service team on site was always friendly and helpful! We really enjoyed the start of the tour! Unfortunately, we did not get enough information about the tour in advance and so we drove a very long part of the route past busy roads and/or highways, which unfortunately made the trip unattractive for us. We were very satisfied with the service and would not book the small round trip again. We were very satisfied with the team on board.
Ticketing was easy. Waitress service for snacks and drinks on board. Plenty of seating. All well organised. Recommend this as a tour.
People jostled us and rushed to sit down. As a result, I spent the whole cruise standing up, trying to squeeze in so I could take photos.
I have very positive memories of the service on board, the smooth boarding and disembarking process and the friendly welcome at the start of the trip. This was due to the dedicated team that made this possible, even though several offers of the same kind had to be completed for them one after the other and without a break. .
Good as it was to short. Would recommend longer trips.
The food on the boat was very good but not much information about what we were seeing.
Good travel, difficulty in finding the ticket office
Lovely relaxing cruise on the Danube canal. Very attentive service nynthe crew
Thank you very much for the experience and the delicious dessert.
The coolness of sailing, order and cleanliness on the boat
The boat was clean, the staff were friendly, that apple struddle was great.
The nature around Danube canal was nice.
The walk was very pleasant and the snack very good.
Being on the water - in Vienna
the boat ride was relaxing, but sightseeing was very limited.
The friendly, cozy atmosphere The right place to relax.
Great ship with restaurant. Very friendly board staff...
Good all round - everything was ok - repeat effect
I highly recommend a good experience
The beginning of the journey is a little monotonous on the canal until you reach the Donau. On the Donau it becomes more interesting, especially as you approach Vienna again. The staff are not very customer-oriented. We need a waiter who stays close to the customers and coordinates the rest of the waiters. This would prevent some of them from being preoccupied with their phones.
Well organized; nice, quick staff; beautiful ship; delicious food and a lot of nice and funny encounters with the many children of different origins (75) of the excursion classes on board! Unfortunately it was too hot!
I could not hear what the guide was saying over the motor noise. I could not see any notable points of interest from the boat.
Ordering the tickets online and exchanging them at the ticket office was smooth. No problems at all. The cruise itself was very nice. It was nice that we had the option to order food from the menu in person, even though we did not choose the lunch cruise option. The main problem that we had with the cruise was all of the people smoking cigarettes the entire 3+ hours. Even the ships crew were smoking the entire time. Frankly, it was gross. The main outdoor area (partially covered) smelled awful and the smoking never let up. As an asthmatic it was problematic. But also the other people in my group who do not have breathing problems found it to be overwhelming and nasty. People even smoked on the upper deck. The only place without smoke was the inside room, which was nice, but sort of defeats the purpose of a river cruise to be stuck indors. I suggest offering smoke-free cruises! Even one per day. I guarantee people will buy tickets. All that smoke is so bad for people's health.
Wheelchair: all very nice and helpful, really, first class, thank you; apple strudel not too small and also first class;
Very good service . As expected there were no delays . Wonderful experience on board . The Danube view is beautiful and the overall experience is very very good. I think that since the weather in Vienna is beautiful there could be more open areas for the guests.
The stay in the two locks took too much time. In contrast to Tour B, Tour A was not worthwhile.
Good meal. Comfortable cruise.
I found the atmosphere here to be
Very good! Very tasty schnitzel)
Rediscover Vienna once again.....
The boat was wonderful, has dining tables downstairs in an airconditioned room and tables and chairs on deck to enjoy the sun. It was the best boat we've been on. The service and food was excellent. I loved sitting in the sun, sailing along the Danube. 10/10 Thank you
Great experience ! Loved it ! The only issue was the identificacion of the pier. But we solved it, Tier 8 Tanks!
The staff was very friendly and the route was very nice
Very good Great crew Beautiful ship
See my message in your contact mailbox
The ticket I bought was not valid and had to be exchanged for another ticket at the ticket counter. Once and never again. Too bad
Too expensive for a one-way trip.
Very boring trip, nothing interesting to see...
Nothing interesting to see worth the cost of the cruise. The crew was rude. I don't recommend it.
On the 1st July I booked a trip for the 2nd of July for two people on the Danube Booking ID: 25834063. We were very excited to be going for a 2 hr cruise, with lunch included, that excitement turned to disappointment very quickly. Firstly I received 3 emails from your company and that was even before I had down loaded the app, which I feel is excessive We decided to skip breakfast since there was lunch provided On arrival at the boarding area for the required time, in the hot sun we were forced to stand and wait until 10:30 which seemed rather petty since the staff were available Prior to setting sail up the Danube there was NO safety briefing what so ever ! After departure there were random explanations about structures/buildings we had passed and they were not in detail – these explanations were very few for a 2 hr cruise of the Danube, there was noting about the wildlife, working life on and around the Danube which made us feel we learnt very little By 11:30 no one had asked about the lunch included, firstly to be told it was included then to be shown a menu, only for this to be taken away and being told that food was not included, when this clearly stated on the booked and your app that it was. Considering we had skipped breakfast, we were now hungry but more importantly very disappointed. This activity was the last in our weeks stay in Austria, and its left us deflated and certainly not wanting to give positive feedback on I look forward to hearing your feedback, before I decide to put feedback on Trip Advisor and other platforms Regards Martin
I have already reported to customer care that the ship's staff gave us wrong information, causing us to miss the cruise. I am waiting for ticket refund
It had nothing to do with the city and nothing to do with sightseeing, it was absolutely disappointing and boring. Simply wasted time. This tour should be described in a completely different way. Under no circumstances should it be described as a city tour and sightseeing. That is misleading.
Cruise booked but the cruise was not there at all
We enjoyed this boat trip on the Danube canal. A major hiccup however was that the joining instructions were completely wrong (no boats running from there and ticket office closed!)! The boat leaves from schwedenplatz not handelskai. We therefore missed the 1pm boat trip but staff at DDSG were really helpful and got us onto the 2.30 boat trip. We had prebooked the lunch schnitzel option which was good (other food and drink available on board).Not quite the experience we expected but turned out well.
Beautiful&enjoy time in wine Thank you
When I booked the round trip, there was no mention that the Danube Canal was closed. The nice lady at the DDSG Blue Danube counter had told us, where we had to exchange the online tickets for paper tickets. ( And that in this day and age of digitalization ). So yes, we tried to take it with humor. In the end, we traveled 35 minutes up the old Danube and 35 minutes down again. So we were allowed to pay the full amount, but didn't get the advertised service. I just don't think it's right to rip people off like this. Normally you would have to claim back 50%.
The instructions to get the physical tickets were not clear, we lost time figuring out how to do it. Once the tickets were obtained on the bus, the customer service for the boat was very bad, we were running out of time and the lady at the counter decided not to let us pass for the long tour even though they were waiting for us to board, due to the loss of time we could not complete the bus tour for an hour and we were not able to board the boat. We were waiting to board, because of the loss of time we could not complete the bus tour because of the time and we got off at a stop and they told us that we could not continue the next day, so it was not for 24 hours!!!! Fiera of that all very nice
It was not clear on the website the date for which I was booking .. I wanted tickets for June10-11 and was allocated a pass on the date I booked. for that date And it appears that changes to dates (or refunds) are not possible
Very good! Recommended, we were only 2 days so we took the 48hs package and it was very comfortable that way to go all over the city!
Clean buses good drivers luvly sites. 👌👌
Schönbrunn Palace was overcrowded at 11am you can no longer exchange tickets for admission tickets.
Day of excessive unbearable heat and the buses are not prepared with aa. Up there the sun was scorching and to top it off they finish running very early, they should be running at times of the day when it is as hot as from 7pm.
Everything was good from the weather to the Prater
