By car
Banská Štiavnica is surrounded by hills, so getting into town is not entirely straightforward. The town can be reached from six different directions. When coming from Bratislava along the R1 expressway, you will pass consecutive exits: in Žarnovica towards Hodruša-Hámre, in Bzenica towards Vyhne, in Hliník nad Hronom towards Sklené Teplice, and in Hronská Breznica towards Banská Belá.
The first is fairly steep and winding, and the road is often in poor condition. Each other exit is slightly less demanding. We highly recommend using the last route (the exit at Hronská Breznica) in winter or foggy conditions – it avoids steep inclines and is usually the best maintained. It adds about 30 km to your journey, but it’s worth it. From the south, you can take the road via Pukanec, which is also steeper and more winding in its final part, or take the more comfortable but longer route via Hontianske Nemce and Prenčov.
By train
A local motor train will bring you to Štiavnica from Hronská Dúbrava along a beautiful, characterful line. The track winds through the valley, across hills and bridges and through a tunnel, with lovely views of the rolling countryside.
The railway station is on Trate mládeže Street, just under 3 km from the historic centre. It takes about 35 minutes on foot, and a taxi to the centre costs around €3.
By bus
Buses connect Štiavnica mainly with the surrounding towns: Žiar nad Hronom, Zvolen, Banská Bystrica, Žarnovica and others. There is also a direct bus service between Banská Štiavnica and Bratislava. Bus connections to the rest of Slovakia are more frequent than trains, but they can’t match the train journey for charm.
Practical information
- From Bratislavaless than 2 hours by car
- R1 expressway20 km from town
- Railway stationTrate mládeže, just under 3 km from the centre
- Taxi from the station€2–4 to the centre
Taxi
Taxi services in Banská Štiavnica
A taxi from the railway station to the centre costs €2–4.
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