Posted by Austria’s largest airport is Vienna International Airport, which handled around 30 million passengers per year. In a European comparison, Vienna Airport ranks at about 20th place among the largest airports. It is the only major international airport in Austria and is roughly ten times larger than the country’s second-largest airport in Salzburg.
The airport layout is clear and typical: arrivals are located on the lower level, departures on the upper level. Vienna Schwechat has three terminals, which are directly connected and appear as a single building. Distances are short, and all areas can be reached on foot within a few minutes. Beneath the main terminal complex is a modern railway station with direct train connections. Internationally, the airport is usually referred to simply as “Vienna Airport”.
Overall, the airport leaves a very modern and well-organised impression. There is plenty of space, with generously designed buildings and wide areas. Connections to local and regional transport are excellent. Numerous free toilets, clear signage and well-placed information boards make orientation easy. Vienna Schwechat Airport is widely regarded as a successful infrastructure project and underlines the strong development of transport infrastructure in Austria in recent decades, especially when compared with Germany.
Vienna Airport: Bus and Train 2026
The quickest and most modern connection between Vienna International Airport and the city centre is the City Airport Train (CAT). The journey to Wien Mitte takes just 16 minutes. By comparison, travelling by car can take close to an hour, depending on traffic.
The CAT arrives at the centrally located Wien Mitte station, also known as Wien Landstraße. From here, passengers can easily continue their journey by S-Bahn (only two stops to Vienna Central Station), two underground lines or by taxi. A one-way ticket for the City Airport Train costs around 11 euros.
A special advantage when travelling from the city to the airport is the city check-in service: for selected airlines, luggage can already be checked in at Wien Mitte station. During the day, the CAT runs every 30 minutes in both directions, providing a fast and reliable link between Vienna Airport and the city centre.
Train Tickets: You can buy the tickets for the fast airport train in the Internet, we recommend for this the great web page Getyourguide. Tickets on the internet for the rapid-transit railway from Vienna Schwechat Airport also cost 11 euros. There are also entrance tickets for Vienna on this website (zoo, Ferris wheel, wax museum, etc.)
In addition to the CAT, regular suburban trains (S-Bahn and regional trains) also operate between Vienna International Airport and various destinations within the city. These connections take longer than the airport express train, but tickets are significantly cheaper.
There are also airport bus services connecting Vienna Airport with the city. The buses depart directly in front of Terminal 3 on the lower level (Arrivals). Travel times by bus are noticeably longer than by train and depend heavily on traffic conditions, especially during rush hours.
For longer distances, Vienna Schwechat Airport is well connected by long-distance buses to other cities in Austria and neighbouring countries. Budget-friendly services, such as those operated by FlixBus, run regularly to destinations including Graz, Budapest and Bratislava.
In addition, Austrian Railways offer direct long-distance train connections from Vienna Airport to many major Austrian cities. Intercity and high-speed Railjet trains run directly to Linz, Salzburg, Graz and even Innsbruck, making the airport an important national transport hub.
Shopping, eating and drinking at Vienna Airport 2019
Prices at Vienna International Airport are, fortunately, quite reasonable. In Terminal 1 there is a Billa supermarket offering normal city-level prices. In March 2017, for example, a can of cola cost 79 cents and half a litre of mineral water 55 cents. Simple snacks such as warm Leberkäse in a bread roll or Fleischlaberl (meat patty in a roll) were also priced the same as elsewhere in Austria, at around 2 euros.
Smokers and beer lovers can choose from several pubs inside the airport. At the Irish pub The Dubliner, a large Irish beer (Guinness or Kilkenny, 0.5 litres) cost 4.80 euros in March 2017, which is very reasonable for a large international airport. Another popular option is Johann’s Biereck. Both pubs allow smoking.
For inexpensive meals, Burger King (Terminal 1) and McDonald’s including McCafé are good choices. Prices here are similar to those outside the airport, without any noticeable airport surcharge. The regular restaurants and self-service eateries at Vienna Airport tend to be slightly more expensive, but overall prices are still moderate compared to many other international airports.
Opposite the airport, there are several modern buildings along nearby streets, including larger hotels.
Visitor terrace Airport Vienna Schwechat 2019
If you have a longer waiting time at Vienna International Airport, a visit to the airport’s observation deck is a good way to pass the time. From the visitor terrace, you have a clear view of the runways and aircraft operations.
During the summer season (from May to September), the observation deck is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. In winter, opening hours are shorter, usually from around 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Access to the visitor terrace is subject to an admission fee. At the beginning of 2018, the entrance price was 5 euros for adults and 2 euros for children. From 5:00 p.m. onwards, a reduced evening ticket was available, costing 3 euros for adults and 1 euro for children.
Tourists who have the great Vienna Pass can visit the visitor platform free of charge (>>> more info Vienna Pass).
Other airports:
Information about Venice Airport can be found on this page