Vienna

Vienna (German: Wien, Austro-Bavarian: Wean) is the capital of the Republic of Austria and by far the largest city in Austria with its population of more than 1.7 million. As you’d expect it’s Austria’s cultural, economic, and political centre.

As the former home of the Habsburg court and its various empires, the city still has the trappings of the imperial capital it once was, and the historic city centre is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

More information on Wikitravel

Vienna International Airport (Flughafen Wien-Schwechat) IATA: VIE) is located just outside the city limits of Vienna, and a few miles southeast of the suburb of Schwechat. The airport is the home base of the flag-carrier Austrian Airlines, as well as budget airline Niki.

Most European airlines and a significant number of intercontinental airlines have direct connections to Vienna from their respective hubs. However, only Austrian Airlines fly to the Americas (Chicago, New York, Toronto, Washington and Punta Cana), and there is no service to Northern England and Africa (aside from Egypt, Libya and Tunisia) making a change necessary to reach Vienna.

Just past customs, there are numerous companies offering airport transportation. Here you can look for two very small monitors displaying all the next trains and the buses departing, to the right and left respectively (at the back of the space where people receive travellers). By preference:

• S-Bahn (commuter rail), (underneath terminal), 5:00-24:00.
  S-Bahn suburban trains run on the S7 line to Vienna. These provide the cheapest and most convenient connection to the city centre, and the single fare is €4.00. Take a train bound for Floridsdorf, which departs twice an hour, and get off at Wien-Mitte station on the eastern edge of the city centre (25 min). From there the U-Bahn line U3 connects to Stephansplatz right in the core of the city centre, whereas line U4 provides service to Karlsplatz (for the Opera House) as well as the Donaukanal and the Schönbrunn Palace. The station is one level below arrivals: follow signs to separate platform near the CAT and downstairs from the CAT. You need a Vienna Zone 100 ticket (€2.20 and including all connecting transit in Vienna; day/week/etc. passes are also valid) + one extra VOR (‘Verkehrsverbund Ost-Region’ -East Region Transport Association-) ‘Außenzone’ (outside zone) (€2.20) since the airport is legally outside of the city. (Not sure, but the ‘Außenzone’ does not appear in the English menu of the ticket machine, so you have to buy a €2.20 zone 100 ticket instead and stamp it.) Tickets have to be purchased and stamped before boarding. You can also buy a VOR weekly or monthly card which may or may not cover the airport, depending on chosen zones. Conductors aren’t hesitant to fine anyone (€103) without a valid ticket, and being a tourist is not a valid excuse. ÖBB (red) ticket machines are on the way and on the platform itself. €4.00 each way.
• Shuttle provided by hotel
  Select Vienna hotels offer guests shuttle service to and from the airport, usually for a fee that’s cheaper than a taxi, sometimes you will share the shuttle with guests from your own or nearby hotels.
• Vienna AirportLines Bus (outside arrivals) 5:00-24:00
  Direct buses drive frequently between Vienna International Airport and assorted points in Vienna. Operated by Postbus. Tickets can be purchased with cash from the operator. All routes: One way €8, Round-trip €11.
• City Airport Train (CAT) (underneath terminal)
  Over-advertised, non-stop to Wien-Mitte Station (Landstraße) in 16 minutes. Departs at :05 and :35 past the every hour. The return departs Wien-Mitte at :08 and :38 past the hour. The CAT is only useful if it is the next train departing (otherwise take the S-Bahn S7 line, it runs the same route). If you aren’t heading to Wien-Mitte area, definitely consider a more direct train or bus, it will be faster and cheaper. Star Alliance and Air Berlin/Niki offer check-in (including baggage) at Wien-Mitte (Landstraße) Station. Alternatively, consider luggage lockers and the regular train. City check-in may be denied from 90 minutes before departure. One way €11, return trip €17.
• Taxi
  Cab fare is not set, so agree before getting in; to anywhere for €25-€30. If you don’t care to negotiate, or your destination is at the northern or western edge of the city, a pre-booked flat-rate transfer is likely cheaper and easier. There are several offices at arrivals. Airport Service Wien (43 676 351 64 20; call Mon-Fri 8am-6pm; taxi works 5:45am-9:30pm) €27 (max. 3 people) to/from any destination address within Vienna, Vienna Airport Cab (43 676 786 10 65; taxi works 24/7) €27 (max. 3 people), €31 (max. 4 people), €50 (max. 8 people) every 8th service is free, Rosenov Airport Transfers +43-1-485 77 77, Mo-Fr 9am-6pm offers flat-rate to Vienna for €29.

Another option if you’re flying to Vienna is Bratislava Airport (ICAO: LZIB, IATA: BTS) which is located ca. 54 km (34 miles) from Vienna International Airport across the Slovak border and is the largest in the Slovak Republic. The budget airline Ryanair has the most flights. Additional carriers are Danube Wings flying to Kosice, Rijeka, Split and Zadar; Norwegian Air Shuttle to Oslo and Copenhagen; UTair to Moscow and Sun d’Or to Tel Aviv (seasonal flights).