OBJECTIVE To identify prognostic indicators that influence post-recurrence survival following radical cystectomy for bladder cancer. METHODS In all, 2029 patients with bladder cancer underwent radical cystectomy with intent to cure between 1971 and 2005 at our institution. Of these, 447 patients (22%) developed non-urinary tract recurrence and were chosen for further analysis. Clinicopathological characteristics were analysed by univariate and multivariate analysis to identify factors prognostic for post-recurrence survival. RESULTS Median time to recurrence was 13.21 months and median post-recurrence overall survival was 5.59 months. Pathological stage (P < 0.001), intravesical therapy (P= 0.035), tumour upstaging (P < 0.001), lymph node density (P < 0.001) and recurrence site (P= 0.017) were associated with time to recurrence. Age (P= 0.042), type of urinary diversion (P < 0.014), surgical margin status (P= 0.049), pathological stage (P < 0.001), lymph node density (P < 0.001), time to recurrence (P < 0.001), recurrence site (P < 0.001) and post-recurrence chemotherapy administration (P < 0.001) were univariately prognostic for post-recurrence overall survival. Multivariate analysis confirmed the associations of pathological stage, type of urinary diversion, lymph node density, time to recurrence after cystectomy, site of recurrence and post-recurrence chemotherapy administration with outcome following bladder cancer recurrence. Median post-recurrence survival with either local or distant recurrence was 7.95 months and 5.95 months, respectively, whereas patients with both local and distant recurrences had median post-recurrence survival of 3.98 months. CONCLUSIONS Bladder cancer recurrence forebodes poor prognosis, with 6 months' median survival following recurrence. Advanced pathological stage, positive surgical margins, high lymph node density and early recurrence portends poorer outcome. Although patients with local recurrence have a slightly better prognosis, those with disease recurrence at local and distant sites perform very poorly; nearly 97% of all patients with recurrence eventually succumb to the disease. Chemotherapy administration following recurrence may improve survival, although further studies are needed to exclude selection bias.