Transportation in Blava

One word - cheap! For 55 cents you can get just about anywhere in Bratislava by bus or tram. Buses run all over the country, quite regularly and very inexpensive (for example, we took a bus to the town Modra, about an hour away for $1.58)

There are 2 small problems: in this picture of the average Slovak bus - does it look like it has air conditioning, or even windows that open properly? That's right, not a chance. Now, not a problem, in the summer - they turn into stinky sweat boxes from hell. At one point on a 1/2 hour trip to Senec, I was so hot I was sweating into my eyeballs and thought I was going to go blind.

The other problem is the total lack of any kind of map of the transport system. Forget about those nice little London Underground Tube maps, colour coded and nicely labeled. There is nothing like that. If you are lucky, there will be a torn, graffitied, rain warped paper that lists some street names. And don't always expect to be able to buy a ticket. (okay, so maybe 3 problems) Many bus stops don't have ticket dispensers. (You can't pay the bus driver, you have to have a ticket. You also need to know exactly how long you will be on the bus, b/c tickets are sold as 10 min, 30 min, etc.) If you are caught without a proper ticket there is a $55 fine.

We actually quite like not having a car. We can walk or take the bus or tram to anywhere we need to go. Taxi's are fairly cheap too, but you always need to phone for one. If you hail one from the street it is double the price. Really!

There is also a o% tolerance for drinking and driving here.

See "October in Blava" at

Shan's Sony Image Station Photo Albums

for more pictures.