Getting to Vienna | AVA Spring Meeting
Thanks to its location in the heart of Central Europe, it is very easy to travel to Vienna. The most common ways to reach the Austrian capital are by plane, train, bus or boat from Budapest or Bratislava. Many people choose to travel between European cities by train, as the inter-country services are usually regular and reliable, however, booking flights in advance can often be a lot cheaper.
TRAVELLING BY PLANE
Travelling from the U.S.:
Currently, there are only five U.S. cities that offer direct flights to Vienna. Many more have a number of flights with stops in various other cities in Europe, depending on the airline. Flights from smaller U.S. cities, or from western and southern states, may require two stopovers. Direct flights are offered by the following airlines: Austrian or United. Explore the other airlines offering flights between the U.S. and Vienna.
Travelling from Canada:
Direct flights are offered from Montreal and Toronto to Vienna on select dates by: Austrian or Lufthansa. There are many other options for travel between Canada and Vienna which include one or more stopovers in a Canadian, U.S., or European city.
Travelling from Australia:
Presently, there are no direct flights between Australia and Vienna. The main airlines that fly from Australia to Austria are the following: Emirates or Qantas.
Travelling from Europe:
There are many flights between Vienna and the United Kingdom, including direct flights to the Austrian capital from the U.K.'s major airports. The following low-cost airlines usually offer inexpensive flights from various cities in the country to Vienna: Ryanair: London Stansted | EasyJet: London Gatwick, London Stansted, Bristol, Edinburgh, Manchester | Jet2: Manchester, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Leeds, Birmingham, Belfast.
How to get to Vienna from the airport?
Transfer service:
The fastest and most comfortable option to get to your hotel is for a driver to wait for you when your flight lands, holding a sign with your name. If you want to make your journey as simple as possible and prefer to avoid surcharges and language problems, you can reserve your airport transfer here.
City Airport Train (CAT):
Another quick way to get from the airport to the centre of Vienna is to take the CAT train. It takes only 16 minutes to travel from the airport to Wien Mitte station in the centre of Vienna. The train operates every day from approximately 5:30 am to 11:40 pm and departs every 30 minutes. If you do not have much time when you return to the airport, it is possible to check in at Wien Mitte to arrive more relaxed. Check-in hours are daily from 5:00 am to 11:00 pm between 24 hours and 75 minutes before take-off (check for which lines this process is valid). You can buy your train tickets here.
S-Bahn and RailJet trains:
The S-Bahn and RailJet are the cheapest ways to travel between the airport and the city centre. Trains operate every day of the week from 4:45 am to 01:15 am approximately and depart every 30 minutes. Detailed information on schedules and prices can be seen on the official website of ÖBB. Language tip: to travel in the direction of the airport, take the train heading to "Wolfsthal" o "Flughafen". If you're heading to the city centre, take the trains in the direction of "Wien Mitte," "Wien Nord" or "Floridsdorf."
Taxi:
If you have not booked a transfer service from the airport, a taxi is always a convenient option. The ride to the centre is usually about 30 minutes and they usually have fixed rates depending on where the hotel is located starting at € 42.
TRAVELLING BY TRAIN, BUS or BOAT
If you're planning on travelling to Vienna from a nearby European city, getting there by train, bus or boat can be a quick, easy, and relatively cheap option.
Train:
Vienna's main railway station, the Wien Hauptbahnhof, is well-connected both internationally and regionally. It can be reached from Bratislava, Budapest, and Prague in a matter of hours. Trains from other cities may arrive at another of the city's stations, but the city has an excellent public transport system and you should be able to reach your hotel and the attractions easily from any arrival point. The following websites are helpful for checking timetables and ticket prices throughout Europe and for booking your train tickets: The Trainline | Rail Europe | ÖBB.
Bus:
Vienna has a number of bus stations, including an international bus terminal next to the Hauptbahnhof train station. Coach journeys from nearby cities are usually slightly cheaper than the alternative train journeys, but they normally take longer. Take a look at the following website for cheap bus tickets across Europe: Flixbus.
Boat:
Twin City Liners runs a boat service between Bratislava and Vienna. The journey lasts around 75 minutes, and costs between 20 and 35 euros each way. The boats usually run in the summer season and offer additional seasonal journeys for those planning winter trips between the cities. Check out the website for further details: Twin City Liners.