Discover the Bratislava Tri-Border on two wheels – a cycling adventure to the point where Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary meet.
What Is the Bratislava Tri-Border? A tri-border is a geographical point where three territories meet – most often countries. Slovakia has five such points, and one of them is just beyond Čunovo, a district of Bratislava. This is where Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary touch, and it’s surprisingly easy to visit – if you know the way.
Starting the Ride from Lamač
We set off from Lamač, descending to the Danube, crossing the Lafranconi Bridge, and joining the embankment path below it. This dam is well-known to every Bratislava local who cycles, skates, or runs. On this Saturday, it was full of people, but still easy to ride through. We passed under all the city bridges and reached Čunovo without trouble.
The Search for the Right Path
This is where our first challenge came. According to our research, there’s no dedicated cycle path to the Bratislava Tri-Border from Čunovo – only a hiking trail. We found it starting at the church and headed straight out of the village, following the red trail markers until we reached the Slovak-Hungarian border.
From there, we followed the border toward an old customs post, but our route ended at a simple fence. The tri-border was just a short distance away, but inaccessible from here.
Crossing Through Hungary to Reach the Goal
Our GPS had been suggesting from the start that the easiest route was via Hungary. We resisted… until we didn’t. We turned toward Rajka, crossed the railway tracks, then over the motorway, and looped back alongside it. Soon, we reached the Hungarian-Austrian border, and from there, it was just a short dirt road to the Bratislava Tri-Border.
At the Meeting Point of Three Countries
In the middle of the fields stood a three-sided stone pillar, each side marked with the first letter of a country: S for Slovakia, M for Magyarország/Hungary, and Ö for Österreich/Austria.
Nearby were a few unusual sculptures – the only one I could clearly identify was a piece of barbed wire wrapped around a post. The highlight was a triangular stone table where visitors can sit in three countries at once. Sadly, it was occupied, so we couldn’t test the international seating arrangement.
The Ride Back to Lamač
We cycled back through Rajka, into Čunovo, and onto the embankment. A quick stop at a riverside kiosk, and then we pedalled back to Lamač.
By the end of the day, we had 72 kilometres on the odometer. Yes, our legs felt it – but it was worth it. Between the views of the Danube, a touch of border-hopping adventure, and the novelty of standing in three countries at once, this was a ride to remember.
