VIENNA CONNECTIONS
This chapter covers Vienna’s major train stations and its airport, and includes tips for connections to/from Vienna by car and bus. For information on taking the boat between Vienna and Bratislava, see the end of the Bratislava chapter.
By Train
Vienna’s impressive Hauptbahnhof (main train station) opened in 2015, and most—but not all—trains depart from there. Be sure to confirm which station your train uses. From Vienna’s two biggest stations (Hauptbahnhof and Westbahnhof), the handiest connection to the center is the U-Bahn (subway). For some stations, there’s also a handy tram connection. (See the “Vienna’s Public Transportation” color map at the end of this book.)
For schedules, check Germany’s excellent all-Europe timetable at www.bahn.com, and consider downloading the user-friendly DB Navigator app. The Austrian federal railway’s timetable at www.oebb.at includes prices, but it’s not as user-friendly as the German site—and it doesn’t always remind you about discounts or special passes. For information on types of trains, schedules, passes, and tickets, see the “Transportation” section in the Practicalities chapter.
WIEN HAUPTBAHNHOF
Vienna’s huge central station (just a few U-Bahn stops south of downtown) has 12 pass-through tracks, shopping, and all the services you may need—including baggage lockers, a Reisezentrum (where you can ask travel-related questions; long hours daily), food court (some outlets open very late), restaurants (including an outpost of the recommended Oberlaa pastry shop), ATMs, grocery stores (some open daily until late), drugstores, bookstores, mobile-phone shops, a car-rental desk (Europcar), a bike-rental shop, and a post office. Many shops are open late and (unlike in the city center) some are open on Sunday.
Getting Between the Station and Vienna: To reach the city center, including all my recommended hotels in the center, ride the U-1 (subway) for two to four stops (direction: Leopoldau) to Karlsplatz, Stephansplatz, or Schwedenplatz—from the main hall follow the red U1 signs; ticket machines are near the escalators. You can also take tram #D (which runs along the Ring) from outside the main entrance. To reach Mariahilfer Strasse, ride U-1 three stops to Stephansplatz, then change to U-3 (direction: Ottaring), or hop on bus #13A. Tram #O runs from the station to Landstrasse and the Wien-Mitte station (for airport trains).
When timing any train trip out of Vienna, keep in mind that the U-Bahn stop is a bit of a walk from the main train platforms—allow at least 10 minutes to get from the U-Bahn stop to your train.
WESTBAHNHOF
This station (at the west end of Mariahilfer Strasse, on the U-3 and U-6 lines) has a bright, user-friendly mall of services, shops, and eateries (including the recommended Trześniewski—near track 9—with cheap and elegant finger sandwiches). You’ll find a ticket office (daily 6:00-20:00), travel agencies, grocery stores, ATMs, a post office, and baggage lockers (on the ground floor by the WC).
The private Westbahn train (www.westbahn.at), which connects Vienna and Salzburg, leaves from here and offers an alternative to the state-run ÖBB trains. For purchase on short notice, Westbahn’s regular fares are half those of ÖBB, with the option to buy your ticket on board.
Getting Between the Station and Vienna: For the city center, follow orange signs to the U-3 (direction: Simmering). If your hotel is along Mariahilfer Strasse, your stop is on this line, but it may be simpler to walk.
FRANZ-JOSEFS-BAHNHOF
This small station (see map on here) in the northern part of the city serves Krems and other points on the north bank of the Danube. Connections from Český Krumlov in the Czech Republic sometimes arrive here, too.
Getting Between the Station and Vienna: There’s no U-Bahn stop at the station, but convenient tram #D connects it to the city center. Also note that trains coming into town from this direction stop at the Spittelau station (on the U-4 and U-6 lines), one stop before they end at the Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof; consider hopping off your train at Spittelau for a handy connection to other points in Vienna. (Similarly, if you’re headed out of town and you’re not near the tram #D route, take the U-Bahn to Spittelau and catch your train there.)
WIEN-MITTE BAHNHOF
This smaller station, just east of the Ring, is the terminus for CAT and S-Bahn (suburban trains) to the airport and sits below a busy shopping mall. Be aware that its U-Bahn (subway) station is called “Landstrasse.” From here, take the U-3 to hotels near Stephansplatz or Mariahilfer Strasse, and the U-4 to hotels that are closer to the airport. It’s also connected directly to the Hauptbahnhof by tram #O.
TRAIN CONNECTIONS
Before leaving your hotel, confirm which station your train leaves from.
From Vienna by Train to: Melk (2-3/hour, 1 hour, some with change in St. Pölten, some direct trains from Westbahnhof), Krems (at least hourly, about 1 hour), Mauthausen (roughly hourly, 2 hours, change in St. Valentin or Linz), Bratislava (2/hour, 1 hour, alternating between Bratislava’s main station and Petržalka station, or try going by bus or boat; described at the end of the Bratislava chapter), Salzburg (3/hour, 2.5-3 hours), Hallstatt (at least hourly, 4 hours, most change in Attnang-Puchheim), Innsbruck (at least hourly, 4.5 hours), Budapest (nearly hourly, 2.5 hours; can be cheaper by bus: hourly, 3 hours, www.flixbus.com), Prague (7/day direct, 4 hours; more with change; night train, 6 hours), Český Krumlov (5/day with 2 changes, 5 hours), Munich (7/day direct, 4 hours; otherwise about hourly, 4.5 hours, transfer in Salzburg), Berlin (1/day direct, 8 hours; 6/day with change at Nürnberg or Prague, 8.5 hours), Dresden (4/day with 1 change, 7.5 hours), Zürich (5/day direct, 8 hours; nearly hourly with 1-2 changes, 9 hours; night train, 9 hours), Ljubljana (1/day direct, 6 hours; 4/day with change in Villach, 6.5 hours), Zagreb (4/day, 7-9 hours, 1 direct, others with 1-3 changes), Kraków (3/day, 6-7 hours with 1-2 changes; night train, 8 hours), Warsaw (3/day, including 2 direct, 7 hours; night train, 8 hours), Paris (night train, 3/week, 14 hours), Rome (4/day, 12.5 hours, 1-3 changes; night train, 14 hours), Venice (2/day direct, 8 hours; 3/day with changes, 8-10 hours; night train, 11 hours), Frankfurt (5/day direct, 6.5 hours; night train, 9 hours).
By Bus
The main bus station is located just east of the Ring at the U-3 Erdberg stop. Flixbus offers dirt-cheap rates to Salzburg, Budapest, Prague, Bratislava, and points beyond (www.flixbus.com).
By Plane
VIENNA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
The airport, 12 miles from the center, is easy to reach from downtown (code: VIE, www.viennaairport.com). The arrivals hall has an array of services: TI, shops, ATMs, eateries, and a handy supermarket. Ramps lead down to the lower-level train station.
Getting Between the Airport and Central Vienna
By Train: Trains connect the airport with the Wien-Mitte Bahnhof, on the east side of the Ring (described earlier). Choose between two ways of getting to Wien-Mitte: the regular S-7 S-Bahn train (€4.30, 24 minutes) and the express CAT train (€12, 16 minutes). Both run twice an hour on the same tracks. The airport tries to steer tourists into taking the CAT train, but it’s hard to justify spending almost €8 to save eight minutes of time. I’d take the S-7, unless the CAT is departing first and you’re in a big hurry. Trains from downtown start running about 5:00, while the last train from the airport leaves about 23:30.
To take the S-Bahn, from the arrivals hall, go down either of the big ramps, follow the red ÖBB signs, then buy a regular two-zone public transport ticket from the multilingual red ticket machines. It’s easiest to just type in your final destination and let the machine do the work. The €4.30 price includes any transfers to other trams, city buses, and S- and U-Bahn lines (see www.wienerlinien.at). Be aware that the Wien-Mitte Bahnhof U-Bahn station is called “Landstrasse.” ÖBB Railjet trains also run from the airport to Vienna’s Hauptbahnhof (to connect to U-1) and to Wien Meidling (to connect to U-6).
If you’ll be using public transportation in Vienna a lot, consider buying a transit pass from the machines instead of a single ticket (see here). As these passes are only valid in Vienna’s central zone, you’ll need to also buy a €2.40 single ticket to cover the stretch between the airport and the limits of the inner zone.
To take the fast CAT (which stands for “City Airport Train”), follow the green signage down the ramp to your right as you come out into the arrivals hall and buy a ticket from the green machines (one-way-€12, or €14.40 to also cover the connecting link from Wien-Mitte to your final destination by public transit; round-trip ticket valid 30 days-€21, 4 tickets-€42; usually departs both airport and downtown around :08 and :38 past the hour, www.cityairporttrain.com).
By Bus: Convenient express airport buses go to various points in Vienna, including Morzinplatz/Schwedenplatz U-Bahn station (for city-center hotels, 20 minutes) and Westbahnhof (for Mariahilfer Strasse hotels, 45 minutes). Double check your destination as you board (€9, round-trip-€15, 1/hour, buy ticket from driver, +43 51 717 for info, www.viennaairportlines.at).
By Taxi: The 30-minute ride into town costs a fixed €36 from the several companies with desks in the arrivals hall. You can also take a taxi from the taxi rank outside; you’ll pay the metered rate (plus a trivial baggage surcharge), which should come out about the same. Save by riding the cheap train/bus downtown, then taking a taxi to your destination. An Uber ride to the airport is around €30.
Connecting the Airport and Other Cities
Direct buses serve Bratislava and its airport (1-2/hour, 1 hour, buses leave from platforms 7, 8, and 9; two companies: Flixbus, www.flixbus.com, and Slovak Lines/Postbus, www.slovaklines.sk; see here); Budapest (almost hourly, 3 hours, www.flixbus.com); Prague (4/day, 7 hours, www.studentagency.eu, also stops in Brno).
BRATISLAVA AIRPORT
The airport in nearby Bratislava, Slovakia—a hub for some low-cost flights—is an hour away from Vienna (see the end of the Bratislava chapter).
By Car
ROUTE TIPS FOR DRIVERS
Be warned: Vienna has deliberately created an expensive hell for cars in the center. It’s better not to drive in Vienna, but if you must bring a car into the city, leave it at an expensive garage (ask your hotel if it provides discounted parking).
Approaching Vienna: Navigating your way into Vienna is straightforward, but study your map first. Approaching Vienna on the A-1 expressway from Melk or Salzburg, it’s simple: You’ll pass Schönbrunn Palace before hitting the Gürtel (the city’s outer ring road); turn left onto the Gürtel to reach Mariahilfer Strasse hotels, or continue on to reach hotels inside the Ringstrasse (the city’s inner ring; clockwise traffic only).
If you’re approaching from Krems, stay on A-22 as it follows the Danube, and cross the river at the fourth bridge (Reichsbrücke). At the big roundabout, take the second right onto Praterstrasse, which leads directly to the Ringstrasse. Circle around until you reach the “spoke” street you need.
From Budapest, get on A-4 at Nickelsdorf; from there it’s a straight shot into Vienna along the Danube Canal. From the canal, turn left at the Aspernbrücke bridge and cross the canal, which puts you directly on the Ringstrasse.
Leaving Vienna: To leave Vienna for points west (such as the Danube Valley and Salzburg), circle the Ringstrasse clockwise until just past the opera house. Then follow the blue signs past the Westbahnhof to Schloss Schönbrunn (Schönbrunn Palace), which is directly on the way to the West A-1 autobahn to Linz. If you stop at the palace for a visit, leave the palace by 15:00 and you should beat rush hour.