Checked 15 October 2026. Vienna's airport rail link has changed: the City Airport Train runs as a bus until autumn 2027, and the S7 ends at Wien St. Marx until the end of October 2027. The fares and journey times below were checked against the operators on this date. Read the full guide to what runs now.
Three (Actually Four) Ways Out of Vienna Airport
Vienna International Airport (VIE) is 18 km southeast of the city center. It's well-connected — but "well-connected" doesn't mean every option is right for every traveler. The City Airport Train (CAT), the S7 S-Bahn, the Vienna Airport Bus, and a pre-booked private taxi all get you to town. They differ enormously in total cost, door-to-door time, comfort, and what happens when something goes wrong.
This guide covers all four options honestly — including the hidden costs that official websites quietly omit.
Quick summary: ATAV fixed-price taxi €44 · CAT bus €14.90 one-way (then U-Bahn extra) · S-Bahn €5.50 · Vienna Airport Bus €11. The cheapest option at face value is not always cheapest door-to-door — and since the line closure the CAT is a bus, not the train.
Option 1: ATAV Private Taxi — €44 Fixed
A pre-booked private transfer with ATAV costs a flat €44 from Vienna Airport to any address in the city center (1st–9th district). That price includes luggage, flight monitoring and waiting time for delayed flights. Meet and greet in the arrivals hall costs €8 extra.
Travel time is 20–30 minutes depending on traffic. You are picked up at the door of your final destination — no onward connections, no carrying luggage up escalators, no guessing which exit to use.
Meet & Greet: What it actually means
Your driver stands in the arrivals hall holding a sign with your name. You walk through customs and the transfer starts immediately. No app to open, no outdoor walk in the cold, no waiting for surge pricing to calm down. This is the single biggest practical advantage over every other option on this list — and it costs €8 on top of the fare.
Taxi: Pros
- Fixed €44 — no surge pricing in bad weather or at peak demand (night supplement €4 from 19:00 to 07:00)
- Door-to-door: airport arrivals hall directly to your hotel or apartment
- Driver monitors your flight — arrives late if you land late, at no charge
- Luggage at no extra cost — 2 cases in the Economy car, up to 10 in the Sprinter
- Child seats available for €10 per seat (pre-bookable)
- Mercedes fleet — E-Class, Vito minivans for groups
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pickup
- 24/7 availability including public holidays
Taxi: Cons
- Higher upfront price than public transport options
- Subject to road traffic — rare delays during peak hours
- Small night supplement (€4) applies between 19:00 and 07:00
Option 2: CAT bus (City Airport Train) — €14.90 One-Way
The City Airport Train was Vienna's premium airport rail link. Since 24 August 2026 it runs as a bus rather than a train: non-stop from VIE to Wien Mitte (at the intersection of the U3 and U4 underground lines) in 21 minutes, up to five buses an hour. The city stop is at Marxergasse 1b; at the airport it stops directly outside arrivals Terminal 3. The train returns in autumn 2027.
The CAT bus is an air-conditioned Setra with 57 seats and its own luggage hold. In the city it stops at Marxergasse 1b; at the airport, directly outside arrivals Terminal 3. City check-in is suspended for the duration of the closure.
But then what?
The CAT drops you at Wien Mitte. Unless your hotel is at Wien Mitte, you still need to get to your final destination. That means either a U-Bahn ticket (€3.20 single, €3.00 digital), a taxi from Wien Mitte, or walking with your luggage. The official CAT website advertises €14.90 — the real total cost is often €14.90 + €3.20 onward = €18.10, before any taxi from Wien Mitte.
CAT: Pros
- 21 minutes to Wien Mitte, every 12 minutes at peak times
- Premium coach: comfortable seats, luggage hold, air conditioning
- Predictable — runs on a fixed timetable
- Children under 15 travel free
- Good connections to U3 and U4 lines at Wien Mitte
CAT: Cons
- Not door-to-door — you still need an onward connection from Wien Mitte
- As a train the CAT ran every 30 minutes; the bus is more frequent, but you still carry your luggage onward from Wien Mitte
- Expensive for the distance: €14.90 one way, €24.90 return
- From the airport the last bus leaves at 23:37, the first at 06:10
- With heavy luggage, navigating stairs and escalators at Wien Mitte is difficult
- Onward U-Bahn ticket adds €3.20 — not included in the advertised price
Option 3: S-Bahn (S7) — €5.50
The S7 suburban rail line is the budget option for Vienna Airport transfers. A single ticket costs €5.50 and comes in two parts: €2.30 from the airport to the Vienna city boundary and €3.20 for travel within Vienna. Children aged 6 to 14 pay €2.80.
The S7 no longer reaches the city centre. Since 7 September 2026 it terminates at Wien St. Marx, outside the centre, where you change to tram 18 or 71 or bus 74A. Wien Mitte, Rennweg and Praterstern are no longer served by the S-Bahn, and the closure runs until the end of October 2027.
Trains run every 30 minutes during daytime and every 15 minutes during peak hours. Night services are limited.
The reality with luggage
The S7 is popular with commuters. During morning and evening peak hours, trains can be packed — leaving little room for oversized suitcases, ski bags, or pushchairs. Unlike the CAT, there are no dedicated luggage areas. Standing in a crowded S-Bahn with two large suitcases is uncomfortable and stressful, especially on a hot summer day.
S-Bahn (S7): Pros
- €5.50 — the cheapest transfer option
- One ticket covers the whole ride from the airport to your address in Vienna, changes included
- Tram 18 and 71 and bus 74A connect at the St. Marx terminus
- Frequent service during peak hours (every 15 min)
- Good option for solo travelers with just a carry-on bag
S-Bahn (S7): Cons
- Not door-to-door — at Wien St. Marx you change to tram 18 or 71 or bus 74A
- No dedicated luggage space — crowded trains make large bags difficult
- Stops at multiple stations — slightly slower than CAT
- Limited late-night / early-morning service
- Not practical for families with young children or large amounts of luggage
Option 4: Vienna Airport Bus — €11
The Vienna Airport Bus (VAB) operates coach services from VIE to five points across Vienna: VAB 1 to Westbahnhof via Hauptbahnhof (40 min), VAB 2 to Morzinplatz/Schwedenplatz (20 min, U1/U4), VAB 3 to Donauzentrum via the VIC (40 min, hourly), VAB 4 to Karlsplatz (25 min) and VAB 5 to Praterstern (30 min). The last two have run since 5 September 2026 as a response to the rail closure. A single ticket costs €11, a return €20; lines 1, 4 and 5 run every 30 minutes.
Journey time is approximately 20–40 minutes depending on the route and traffic. The Westbahnhof and Hauptbahnhof routes are often faster in practice than the train options for passengers staying in those areas — if traffic is light.
Airport Bus: Pros
- Five drop-off points — Schwedenplatz, Westbahnhof, Hauptbahnhof, Karlsplatz, Praterstern
- €11 per person one way, €20 return
- Luggage stored in the coach hold — more comfortable than S-Bahn
- Good coverage of western Vienna
Airport Bus: Cons
- Susceptible to traffic — journey times vary significantly
- Still not door-to-door — onward transport usually needed
- For 2+ passengers the per-person ticket cost adds up quickly
- Standing not allowed — limited seats, can fill up during peak arrival waves
- No guarantee a bus has space for very oversized luggage
The Big Comparison Table
All four options side by side — for a solo traveler to a typical city-center address:
| Factor | ATAV Taxi | CAT | S-Bahn S7 | Airport Bus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ticket price | €44 fixed | €14.90 | €5.50 | €11 |
| Real door-to-door cost | €44 | €18.10+ | €5.50+ | €14.20+ |
| Travel time to center | 20–30 min | 21 min + onward | 18 min + onward | 20–40 min + walk |
| Door-to-door | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Meet & Greet | ✓ Arrivals hall (€8) | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Luggage comfort | ✓ In the boot, 2–10 cases | ✓ Dedicated space | ⚠ No dedicated space | ✓ Coach hold |
| Late-night service | ✓ 24/7 | ✗ Last bus 23:37 | ⚠ Limited after midnight | ⚠ Limited hours |
| Flight delay handling | ✓ Monitors your flight | ✗ Fixed timetable | ✗ Fixed timetable | ✗ Fixed timetable |
| Good for groups/families | ✓ Per vehicle | ⚠ Per person | ⚠ Per person, crowded | ⚠ Per person |
| Comfort level | ⭐ Premium | ⭐ High | 🌞 Basic | 🌞 Moderate |
Which Option is Best For You?
There is no single right answer — the best option depends on your circumstances. Here is a practical guide:
Solo traveler with carry-on only
Rail is still cheapest for a solo traveller in no hurry — but no longer the S7. The Railjet to Wien Hauptbahnhof costs €5.50 and takes just 15 minutes; it is unaffected by the closure, which makes it both the fastest and the cheapest thing on rails right now. The S7 costs the same but already ends outside the centre, at Wien St. Marx. The CAT bus is more comfortable, but not worth three times the price on your own.
Family with children and multiple suitcases
The private taxi wins by a large margin. A family of four on public transport means four tickets, plus managing children, suitcases, pushchairs and several connections on crowded trains. At €48 for the whole vehicle — the Comfort estate, the cheapest car that seats four, €52 for the 12th to 23rd district — an ATAV taxi costs less than four adult CAT tickets (€59.60) and is far less stressful.
Business traveler
Pre-booked private taxi. You get to the office or hotel with zero hassle, a quiet car, and a fixed cost that goes on the expense report without an asterisk. The guaranteed time of arrival matters when you have a meeting to reach.
Budget traveler with time to spare
S7 S-Bahn during off-peak hours. Cheap, practical, and one ticket covers the whole ride from the airport to your address in Vienna, including the change at Wien St. Marx. Allow extra time and travel light.
Late-night arrival (after midnight)
Pre-booked taxi only. The last CAT bus leaves the airport at 23:37. The S-Bahn night service is limited and irregular. The Vienna Airport Bus does not operate all night. At 2am after a delayed flight, a driver waiting at arrivals with your name on a sign is the only option that reliably works.
Hidden Costs Nobody Mentions
Every transport provider advertises their headline price. Here is what they do not put in the headline:
CAT: the onward U-Bahn ticket
The CAT drops you at Wien Mitte. A single U-Bahn ticket costs €3.20 (€3.00 digital). If you are travelling to the 1st district, the 7th, or Westbahnhof, you will board the U3 or U4 — that is an extra €3.20, making your real transfer cost €18.10. The return journey adds another €3.20. Over the course of a trip, this adds up quietly.
S-Bahn: the physical cost
The S7 is cheap on paper. But carrying two large suitcases through a busy commuter train and then up an escalator costs real energy — and real time. Since the closure there is an extra change on top, because the S7 no longer reaches the centre. Factor that in and €5.50 looks less attractive after a four-hour flight.
Taxi or Uber: surge pricing if not pre-booked
Walk to the taxi rank at VIE and you are outside the Vienna meter tariff: the airport lies in Lower Austria, and fares across the state border are agreed freely instead of metered (§ 14 (1a) (6) of the Austrian commercial transport act), so the driver has to tell you the price before you set off. Providers at the airport quote roughly €37–42. Hail an Uber at peak time and pay surge pricing. Pre-book with ATAV and you know the price before you fly: €44, plus the €4 night supplement between 19:00 and 07:00.
Group travel: public transport becomes expensive fast
Two people on the CAT: €29.80. Three people: €44.70. Four people: €59.60. An ATAV taxi carries up to 2 passengers for €44 flat and up to 4 in the Comfort estate for €48 flat. From four people up the private transfer is cheaper than the CAT, and for three it is almost the same price — even before considering onward connections.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get from Vienna Airport to the city center?
By private taxi: 20–30 minutes door-to-door. By CAT bus: 21 minutes to Wien Mitte, then typically 10–20 minutes more by U-Bahn. By Railjet: 15 minutes to Wien Hauptbahnhof, then onward. By S7: about 18 minutes to Wien St. Marx, then a change to tram 18 or 71. By airport bus: 20–40 minutes to the stop, then on foot or onward.
Is the CAT worth the extra cost over the S-Bahn?
For most travellers no — but the arithmetic has changed. The CAT bus costs €14.90 at the full fare and takes 21 minutes. The Railjet costs €5.50 and reaches Wien Hauptbahnhof in 15 minutes, so it is actually faster. Unless you specifically need Wien Mitte, the Railjet is currently both cheaper and quicker. The CAT bus earns its price if your destination is at Wien Mitte, or if children under 15 are travelling, since they go free.
What if my flight is delayed? Do I have to pay extra for the taxi?
No. ATAV monitors your flight in real time and adjusts the driver's arrival accordingly. If your flight is delayed by 2 hours, the driver arrives 2 hours later — at no extra charge. The €44 price does not change because of the delay; only the €4 night supplement applies if the new pickup time falls between 19:00 and 07:00.
Can I take the S-Bahn with large suitcases?
Technically yes, but it is not comfortable. The S7 is a suburban commuter train with no dedicated luggage space. During peak hours the trains are crowded and finding space for multiple large bags is difficult. If you have more than one suitcase, we recommend the CAT, the airport bus, or a pre-booked transfer.
What transport runs from Vienna Airport after midnight?
Only pre-booked private taxis reliably operate 24/7. The last CAT bus leaves the airport at 23:37, the first at 06:10. The S7 has limited late-night departures. The Vienna Airport Bus does not cover all hours. If you are arriving late at night, book a taxi in advance.
For a family of four with luggage, which is cheapest?
The ATAV private taxi at €48 per vehicle — the Comfort estate, the cheapest car that seats four; €44 covers up to two passengers. Four adults pay €59.60 on the CAT bus and €22.00 on the S7, and two adults with two children aged 6 to 14 pay €16.60 on the S7. But on public transport every passenger still needs an onward connection from the terminus, and managing children and suitcases on a crowded suburban train is genuinely difficult. For four adults the taxi is the cheapest option as well as the most comfortable.