Vienna International Airport (VIE) is Austria’s main international airport, located in Schwechat just outside the city limits with an easy commute to the capital. It’s the hub for Austrian Airlines, which flies non-stop to destinations in North America (including Boston, Chicago, New York JFK/Newark, Washington D.C. and Montreal), Asia (including Bangkok, Shanghai, Tokyo and Dubai), and Africa (including Cairo and Mauritius), and also serves as a base for European lowcoster Ryanair. The airport is compact and easy to navigate, much less crowded than its counterparts in Paris or Frankfurt, which is why I look forward to flying into (or transiting through) Vienna every time.
Here’s my insider guide to making it just as smooth for you.
Getting to and from the city
By public transport
VIE has a number of convenient ways to get to the city. I prefer the trains, which are well-operated and affordable. Vienna Airport Lines buses also serve the airport, but there’s something about European train travel that has me selecting the train every time.1
Three train lines operate between the airport and the city: the City Airport Train (CAT), the S7 suburban railway, and the ÖBB Railjet (RJ) national railway. The S7 and RJ are about 3 times cheaper than the CAT. The S7 line takes about 25 minutes to get into the city, while the CAT takes 16 minutes non-stop and the RJ timing varies by service.
I prefer the CAT express train. The ride is fast and the train departs every 30 minutes from early morning to late evening, and it tends to be less crowded than the S7 or RJ. RJ may be a good alternative but it could be crowded since it’s a national line, so I recommend making advance reservations.
To decide which train is best for you, check your address in Vienna. CAT takes you to the Wien Mitte-Landstraße station in the city center with connections to trams, subways and the S rapid-transit. S7 stops at multiple stations in Vienna including Wien Mitte/Landstraße and Wien Praterstern, and the RJ goes to Vienna Central Station (Wien Hauptbahnhof), the main railway hub in the city. At VIE, trains are easy to find just below the arrivals hall (once you exit baggage claim and customs, follow signs for trains on your right).
Vienna City Card
A one-way CAT ticket is a bit pricey at about the cost of three cups of latte.
But if you’re planning to use a lot of public transport in Vienna and visit the museums, I recommend purchasing the Vienna City Card with the Airport Transfer Add-On. It includes public transportation and unlimited airport transfers within 7 days on the CAT, ÖBB Railjet, S7 suburban railway, and Vienna Airport Lines buses.
At face value, the pass savings aren’t huge, but when you factor in the major discounts at partner hotels and restaurants, it’s definitely worth it.
By car
Traveling with bags? You might want to take a car. Central Vienna has charming cobblestone streets, which are not very useful if you have wheeled luggage. Some are also hilly, so if you’re looking for comfort, a car is the way to go.
You’ll find taxi stands on the ground floor (Level 0) outside the Arrivals Hall, just follow signs to parking and taxi on your left past baggage claim and customs.
I often use rideshare if I feel too tired for public transport.
If you’re traveling elsewhere in Austria, you might want to consider renting a car. The car rental center sits in Car Park 4 (P4) on Level 0, connected to the terminal via an underground passage (follow the signs to parking and taxi on your left).
Navigating terminals
Vienna Airport has 3 terminals in operation (1, 1A and 3) with access to 5 gate concourses (B, C, D, F and G). Terminals 1 and 3 share the same building, while Terminal 1A is a separate structure across the road.
If you’re flying Austrian Airlines, some Star Alliance members or Qatar Airways, you’ll depart from Terminal 3, which connects to gates F & G. Terminal 1 is in the same building to the right, servicing Ryanair, Turkish Airlines and KLM among others, and connects to gates B, C and D.
Terminal 1A mainly services smaller airlines like Pegasus Airlines and other leisure carriers.
While you’ll check-in and drop bags at Terminal 1A, you’ll still need to go through security in the main building across the driveway. Take note of the DEV (Digital Export Validation) kiosks where you can request VAT refund for checked-luggage items (hand luggage VAT refunds are done at DEV counters next to the boarding gates post-security).
Vienna Airport uses 1 hall for all arrivals on the lower level in Terminal 3 (Level 0).
Check-in and security
Since I often travel with a carry-on and check in online, I usually bypass check-in counters at Vienna Airport and head straight to security. I’ve seen long check-in lines at VIE before, so if you need to check in or drop bags at the airport, I recommend using the self-service machines. They’re plentiful at Terminal 3 and you’ll also find them at Terminal 1.
One great perk at VIE is the ability to check-in and drop bags in the city. If you’re flying airlines like Austrian or Lufthansa, you can check in at the City Air Terminal (you can find the list of airlines on the CAT website). You’ll find it at the Wien Mitte-Landstraße station which services the airport with the 16-minute CAT express train ride. You must purchase CAT train tickets to use this check-in.
Going through security at VIE is usually a breeze. I prefer my security lines fast, and I’ve never had to resort to purchasing fast track here. Still, for a cost of about two lattes, you can skip the (short) wait and use the FastTrack lanes.
Flying business class or having certain airline status gets you FastTrack access too.
Transit passengers
On a number of occasions, I’ve had to transit through Vienna with Austrian Airlines. It’s typically straightforward, especially if you’re flying the same airline on both flights and have no luggage. The two things to pay attention to are whether you’ll need to go through passport control and if you need to change concourses. Let’s look at each.
Passport control for transit passengers
For travelers flying from the US, if your final destination is inside the Schengen area (most Western European and some Eastern European countries), you’ll need to go through passport control. If your final destination is outside of the Schengen area, then you don’t need to go through passport control, provided you don’t leave the transit area.
Changing concourses
US travelers transiting through Vienna will most likely arrive at Gate G at Terminal 3 (Level 3). If you’re flying with Austrian onward, you’ll likely stay at these gates. If you’re changing airlines (to Ryanair, for example) and going to the Schengen area, you might be departing from Gates B, C or D at Terminal 1.
Getting there requires a free shuttle which operates every 10 minutes. The ride itself is fast at about four minutes, but be sure to account for extra time for passport control or a luggage re-check. At Terminal 3, you’ll find the shuttle bus at the F gates area after security, near Jamie Oliver’s Bar and then one floor below. At Terminal 1, it’s after security past the Relay shop, one level down.
Passenger experience at VIE
As an international traveler, you’ll likely use Terminal 3 most often. The post-security area there needs improvements (which are reportedly underway). I’m not a fan of low ceilings in the terminal midsection or small, cramped gate areas, and the restrooms can get crowded too, often sitting down a set of stairs from the main gate area (not convenient at all for someone with a wheeled carry-on, though accessible restrooms are on the main level).
That’s where lounges come in. VIE has 2 main lounges: VIENNA Lounge at Terminal 1 and SKY Lounge at Terminal 3. Priority Pass, a lounge network available through major US credit cards, gets you access to both. I prefer the VIENNA Lounge (it’s airy, with ample space), but since I tend to depart from Terminal 3 most often, I stay at SKY Lounge because shuttling between terminals is a hassle.
Take note that You’ll find SKY Lounge before passport control at Terminal 3 (Level 2), unlike in many other airports, so be sure to allocate enough time to get through it once you leave the lounge.
No Priority Pass? You can purchase a 3-hour pass on the airport website. It’s about 20% more than typical lounge passes.
If you’re flying Austrian first or business or have premium status, you can access 6 Austrian lounges at Terminal 3, or you can purchase a pass starting from €44 online or at lounge reception, which is a bit cheaper than the main 2 lounges at VIE.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
