Venue & Travel

Smolenice Castle was built in the 15th century, but it was destroyed during Rákóczi’s War of Independence and the Napoleonic Wars. In 1777, Count János Pálffy from Pezinok inherited Smolenice but did not reside in the castle due to its poor condition and lack of money for rebuilding it. The castle was only rebuilt in the 20th century, by order of Count József Pálffy. The architect Jozef Hubert designed the new castle by using Kreuzenstein castle near Vienna as a model, and the works were controlled by the architect Pavol Reiter from Bavaria. During its construction there were masters from Italy, Germany, Austria and Hungary, and 60 workmen from Smolenice and nearby villages. The main building has two wings and a tower, and is made of ferroconcrete.

The castle was damaged in the spring of 1945 during World War II, and in that same year the state became the owner of it. Some reconstructions have been made after 1950, and since June 26, 1953 the castle is the property of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. The castle serves now as a conference centre.

Address
Centrum spoločných činností SAV, v. v. i.
Kongresové centrum SAV Smolenice
Zámocká 18
919 04 Smolenice
Slovakia

SmolenickyZamok.SAV.sk

Travel Information

Organized transfers from Bratislava to the event venue on July 27, 2026, as well as return transfers to the Bratislava on July 30, 2026, may be arranged for participants, subject to sufficient interest. This option will be confirmed closer to the event date; however, there is a high likelihood that the transfers will be available. Please indicate your interest in the “Message for organizers” section of the registration form.

By car

Enter the address from which you are departing:

Highways in Slovakia is charged.
Vignettes you can buy here eznamka.sk/en/
Park your car uphill in the area of the castle. Parking is free.

BY PLANE

From Vienna Airport to Bratislava Nivy Bus Station (Main Station)

There are as many as 3 transport companies that commute between the Vienna – Schwechat airport and Bratislava:
 • RegioJet/Student Agency,
 • SlovakLines,
 • Flixbus.

Just take one of them and get off the bus at the “Bratislava, Nivy bus station” stop.
It is recommended to book the ticket in advance, because the bus is sometimes completely booked (sold out) in advance.
The travel time from Vienna Schwechat to Bratislava Main Bus Station is approximately 55 to 60 minutes.

Another option for getting from Vienna Schwechat Airport to Bratislava is to take a taxi, such as www.taxi-schwechat.sk, www.taxischwechatbratislava.sk,  or www.taxinaschwechat.sk.


From Bratislava Main Railway Station to Bratislava Main Bus Station

The public transport (trolleybus number 40) commutes between the main railway station and the main bus station Nivy at 10-min. intervals. The boarding bus stop is “Hlavná stanica,” and the target bus stop is “Autobusová stanica.” The 6 bus stops take 10 minutes. It is advisable to purchase at least a half-hour ticket.


Bratislava to Smolenice

Choose between:

 • main bus station Nivy or  cp.sk/en/vlakbusmhd/spojenie/, or from “Bratislava, AS” (Bratislava, Autobusová stanica – Bus Station) to “Smolenice, OcÚ”.
 • main railway station. From “Bratislava hl.st.” To “Smolenice”.

Local transportation details (imhd.sk/ba/public-transport).
Tickets should be purchased in advance at slot machines at most trolleybus/bus/tram stops, or at kiosks, before boarding the vehicle. Then, they should be marked without delay in a marker machine inside the vehicle. After marking, you can modify lines as needed within the ticket’s validity period without needing to mark it again. The SMS ticket does not work for roaming clients!

Accommodation in Bratislava

Here are good options for staying in Bratislava before or after your Smolenice visit

Mid–High Range

Comfortable & Well-Reviewed

Budget-Friendly

Useful Links