How to get from Vienna Airport to the city centre
A transfer from Vienna Airport to the city, about 18 km south-east in Schwechat, splits by what each traveller wants most. The fastest links are the City Airport Train and Railjet at 15 to 16 minutes; the cheapest is the S7 at €5.40; the easiest door-to-door is a taxi or transfer at around €35 to €45. Rail works from September 2026 to October 2027 change the trains.
Fastest, the City Airport Train, 16 minutes
The City Airport Train (CAT) runs non-stop to Wien Mitte in 16 minutes, with ÖBB Railjet matching it at 15 minutes to Wien Hauptbahnhof.
Cheapest, the S7 suburban train, €5.40
A single two-zone ticket on the S7 covers the whole airport-to-centre trip for €5.40, the lowest fare of any option.
Door-to-door, taxi or private transfer, about €35 to €45
A standard taxi or pre-booked transfer carries luggage straight to any address in roughly 20 to 35 minutes for about €35 to €45.
How long does it take to get from the airport to the city centre
The journey from Vienna International Airport (VIE) to the city centre takes roughly 16 to 45 minutes by mode. Rail is fastest, with ÖBB Railjet reaching Wien Hauptbahnhof in about 15 minutes and the City Airport Train (CAT) reaching Wien Mitte in 16. The S7 suburban train takes 20 to 25 minutes, and a taxi or airport bus 20 to 35.
The airport sits about 18 km south-east of the centre in Schwechat, so even the slower options stay well under an hour outside peak traffic. Every mode departs at least twice an hour through the day, so waiting times stay short.
Journey times by mode break down as follows:
- City Airport Train (CAT), 16 minutes non-stop to Wien Mitte, every 30 minutes.
- ÖBB Railjet, about 15 minutes non-stop to Wien Hauptbahnhof, twice an hour. The REX 7 regional express covers the same airport-to-Hauptbahnhof run in around 20 minutes.
- S7 suburban train (ÖBB S-Bahn), 20 to 25 minutes to Wien Mitte and just under 30 minutes to Praterstern, every 30 minutes.
- Vienna Airport Lines bus, 20 to 22 minutes to Morzinplatz/Schwedenplatz on line 2, about 40 minutes to Wien Hauptbahnhof and Westbahnhof on line 1, and 39 to 42 minutes to Donauzentrum on line 3.
- Taxi, private transfer or ride-hailing, 20 to 35 minutes door-to-door, rising to around 40 minutes during the morning and evening rush.
What are the options for getting from Vienna Airport to the city centre
Six services connect Vienna International Airport with the city centre: the premium City Airport Train, the budget S7, a long-distance Railjet, an express bus network, licensed taxis with pre-booked transfers, and the ride-hailing apps. They divide by priority. Rail runs fastest and to a fixed timetable, the bus reaches specific hubs almost around the clock, and a taxi or transfer carries luggage straight to the door.
| Option | City Airport Train (CAT) |
|---|---|
| Time | 16 min |
| Price (adult, one-way) | €14.90 (return €24.90; from €7 with a partner card) |
| Arrives at | Wien Mitte (U3/U4) |
| Best for | Speed, comfort, luggage, city check-in |
| Option | S7 suburban train |
|---|---|
| Time | 20–25 min |
| Price (adult, one-way) | €5.40 (€2.20 + €3.20); €2.20 with a Vienna pass |
| Arrives at | Wien Mitte / Praterstern |
| Best for | Cheapest; budget and solo travellers |
| Option | Railjet / REX 7 (ÖBB) |
|---|---|
| Time | ~15 min |
| Price (adult, one-way) | €5.40 (same two-zone fare) |
| Arrives at | Wien Hauptbahnhof (U1); some via Wien Meidling (U6) |
| Best for | Staying near Hauptbahnhof or onward trains |
| Option | Vienna Airport Lines bus |
|---|---|
| Time | 20–45 min |
| Price (adult, one-way) | €11 (return €20) |
| Arrives at | Schwedenplatz / Hauptbahnhof / Westbahnhof / Donauzentrum |
| Best for | Hotels near a bus stop; early or late flights |
| Option | Taxi or private transfer |
|---|---|
| Time | 20–35 min |
| Price (adult, one-way) | ~€35–45 (fixed if pre-booked; metered varies) |
| Arrives at | Any address (door-to-door) |
| Best for | Groups, late arrivals, heavy luggage |
| Option | Uber, Bolt or FreeNow |
|---|---|
| Time | 20–35 min |
| Price (adult, one-way) | ~€30–45 (surge-dependent) |
| Arrives at | Any address |
| Best for | App users, price-conscious groups |
Choose the best option
City Airport Train (CAT)
The City Airport Train (CAT) is the premium rail link, running non-stop between the airport and Wien Mitte in 16 minutes. Trains leave every 30 minutes throughout the day, including public holidays, with the first departure from the airport at 06:07 and the last at 23:37. A single costs €14.90 and a return €24.90, valid for six months, dropping to as little as €7.00 one-way for holders of a qualifying partner card; children under 15 travel free.
The fare buys dedicated luggage space, free Wi-Fi, and the option of free city check-in at Wien Mitte for selected airlines, so it earns its place for travellers carrying bags. The CAT sells its own ticket, separate from the fares set by Wiener Linien, Vienna's city transport operator, and the regional transport association (VOR). Wien Mitte sits on the edge of the 1st district, a 10 to 15 minute walk from Stephansplatz and St. Stephen's Cathedral, with U3 and U4 interchange for anywhere else.
It is important to note that, from 7 September 2026 to the end of October 2027, the CAT runs as a replacement bus to Wien Mitte and city check-in is suspended.
How much does a taxi cost from Vienna Airport to the city centre
How much does a taxi cost from Vienna Airport to the city centre
A taxi from Vienna Airport to the city centre costs €35 to €45, depending on traffic and the service type:
- Metered taxis (from ranks): No fixed rate. It costs around €35 normally, but heavy traffic can push fares up to €60.
- Pre-booked transfers (fixed price): Fares range from €36 to €38 (plus a €4 night supplement), avoiding unexpected spikes. Vans for larger groups cost €60 to €90.
- Ride-hailing (Uber, Bolt, FreeNow): Rates sit around €30 to €45, but peak hours or bad weather can surge prices to €50–€80. Bolt is generally cheaper.
For safety, choose official licensed cabs with license plates ending in TX or similar.
Which option is best for each traveller
The right choice turns on what each traveller values most, whether that is the lowest fare, the shortest door-to-door time, or the easiest trip with luggage. Five common profiles each point to one service:
- Budget and solo travellers: The S7 suburban train is the clear pick at €5.40, reaching Wien Mitte in 20 to 25 minutes for a fraction of any other fare. The same ticket continues within the city, so there is nothing more to buy on arrival.
- Families and travellers with heavy luggage: A pre-booked private transfer or a taxi carries everything to the door without stairs or changes, and a fixed transfer locks the price before the trip. On rail, the CAT comes closest, with dedicated luggage space and a 16-minute run.
- Travellers staying near Wien Hauptbahnhof: ÖBB Railjet reaches the main station in about 15 minutes, and the REX 7 covers the same route in around 20, both landing on the U1 for onward connections across the city.
- Late-night and early-morning flights: The Vienna Airport Lines bus runs close to around the clock on lines 1 and 2, and a taxi or ride-hailing app is available on demand at any hour when the trains have stopped.
- Pure speed and comfort: The City Airport Train (CAT) into Wien Mitte and the Railjet into Wien Hauptbahnhof are the two fastest links, both bypassing road traffic entirely.
Tickets and zones, and the core-zone mistake to avoid
The most common ticketing mistake at Vienna Airport is assuming a Vienna travelcard covers the trip into town. It does not. The Wiener Linien core zone (Kernzone 100), and any 24 or 72 hour Vienna travelcard sold on it, is valid only as far as the zone boundary at Schwechat, not to or from the airport. The same core-zone fare also excludes the City Airport Train (CAT) and the Vienna Airport Lines bus entirely, so a city pass alone never covers the journey out to VIE.
There are three correct ways to buy the right ticket:
- With a Vienna pass already in hand: Add the €2.20 airport-to-boundary ticket, sold at ÖBB machines and counters under the label "ab Stadtgrenze". This extends an existing Vienna travelcard over the missing leg on the S7, Railjet, or REX 7.
- Without any Vienna ticket: Buy the full two-zone single for €5.40, which covers the whole trip from the airport into the city on the S7, Railjet, or REX 7 and continues on Wiener Linien services within Vienna.
- Planning to sightsee on public transport: The Vienna City Card Airport Transfer add-on costs €22 and works both ways, multiple times within 7 days, on the CAT, the airport bus, Railjet, and the S7.
The City Airport Train sits outside this system entirely and always needs its own separate CAT ticket, never a Wiener Linien or regional fare.
Rail works from September 2026 to October 2027, what changes
From 7 September 2026 until the end of October 2027, the inner-city S-Bahn trunk between Wien Praterstern and Wien Hauptbahnhof closes for modernisation. During the works, affected trains skip Rennweg and Wien Mitte/Landstraße, the two stops that normally bring rail passengers to the edge of the 1st district.
The two trains that usually serve Wien Mitte are both affected. The City Airport Train (CAT) runs as a premium replacement bus between the airport and Wien Mitte/Landstraße, up to five times an hour, with departures from the airport from 06:10 until 23:37; CAT city check-in is suspended for the duration. The S7 suburban train is shortened to St. Marx, which lies outside the centre, where travellers transfer to tram 18 or 71, or bus 74A, with the nearest U3 station about a 10-minute walk away.
Two services are unaffected and become the easiest routes in:
- The REX 7 regional express continues to run from the airport to Wien Hauptbahnhof in about 20 minutes and is the recommended rail alternative throughout the works.
- The Vienna Airport Lines bus and every taxi or private transfer also operate normally.