How to get to Central Vienna from the airport:
The Vienna airport is technically outside the city limits, but there are a number of different options you can take, depending on where in the city you want to go and how many people are with you. Check out how to get to the Vienna city center from the airport and vice versa.
*Note: “Airport” in German is “Flughafen,” although most things that go to the airport will have a picture of an airplane, which gives you a hint 😉
1) Vienna Driver
This is a great option if you are a group of people and want to split the cost, or if you have family visiting and don’t have a car to pick them up. It’s also great if you want to be able to leave the airport right after you land and don’t want to have to wait for a bus or a train. A driver will be waiting for you at the arrivals. You can’t miss him/her because when you arrive at the airport, everyone goes through the same door and the driver will be right on the other side holding a sign with your name on it.
You can book here and pay either online with a credit card or in-person with cash. An airport driver can be booked as a one-way or return and have them take you back to the airport when your trip is done. They have awesome customer service and always answer emails immediately. It’s priced based on how many people/how much luggage you have and where you want to go. Overall it’s one of the more comfortable ways to travel after a long flight, probably the easiest, and while there are many taxi services, this company is the one I’ve found to have the most bang for your buck. Check out the price table below.
2) CAT
The CAT (city airport train) goes to and from Wien Mitte, which is a mall very close to the city center, and also the U-Bahn stop labeled “Landstraße.” You can get to it by the U4 (green line) or the U3 (orange line). Within the mall, the CAT terminal is easy to find because it’s bright lime green and there are signs everywhere. I really like the CAT because it’s luxurious AF, with free wifi and charger ports, plenty of leg room, and it gets you to the airport in 16 minutes! For certain flights, you can even check your luggage at the station so you don’t have to lug it to and from the train. A single ticket is 11 euros or you can get a return for 19 and you can buy them from the airport or online. The train leaves every thirty minutes (check the times here).
3) S7/Public transport
The S-Bahn is a train that begins at Florisdorf and goes all the way to the airport and beyond and back. You’ll need not only a Vienna public transport pass (whether that be a single trip ticket or a day/month/year card), but because the S7 technically leaves the city zone once it exits Schwechat, you will have to get and validate an additional ticket for the outer zone. So, a one-way trip with the S-Bahn will cost you only 4.40 euro (or 1.70 if you already have a Vienna public transport card), which is the cheapest option although not the fastest. From Wien Mitte Landstraße, it takes about 25 minutes and runs every 30 minutes. You can buy tickets at the ticket machine and must validate them before your journey.
4) City airport bus
This is often what I use if I’m traveling solo because the pickup point is very close to my house, right at Morzinplatz (very close to Schwedenplatz). That bus is labeled VAL2, but you can’t miss it as it has “Vienna Airport Lines” written across the side of it. It takes about 20 minutes with no stops from the airport to Morzinplatz and the bus also has wifi and charger ports. They leave every 30 minutes. There’s also VAL1, which goes to and from Westbahnhof and VAL3 which goes to and from Wien Donauzentrum, although Morzinplatz is the most central. A one-way ticket is 8 euros with a return trip ticket being 13 euros. I believe VAL2 leaves from platform 8 outside the airport. You can buy the ticket directly from the bus driver or from a machine or even online.
Note* Download the ÖBB Scotty or the Qando app and type in “Flughafen Wien” as your destination to see the different route options with timetables.
I hope this article helps you on your travels to and from Vienna. It’s always stressful figuring out how to get to the city center after a long and tiring flight! If you’d like to figure out how to get around Vienna once you’re there, check out my Dummy’s Guide to Public Transport.
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