Updated 21 August 2026. Vienna's airport rail link has changed: the City Airport Train runs as a bus until autumn 2027, and the S7 no longer reaches the city centre. The prices and journey times below have been updated. Read the full guide to what runs now.
Quick Overview
Vienna International Airport (VIE / Flughafen Wien Schwechat) is located about 18 km east of the city center, and the journey typically takes 20–30 minutes by car. There are five main ways to make the journey, each with different costs, comfort levels, and convenience.
Whether you're a first-time visitor, a family with young children, or a business traveler on a tight schedule, this guide covers every option honestly so you can make the best choice for your specific situation.
| Option | Price | Time | Door-to-door? | Fixed price? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private taxi (ATAV) | €44 | ~25 min | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Uber / Bolt | €25–€80+ | ~25 min | ✓ Yes | ✗ Surge |
| CAT bus (City Airport Train) | €14.90 | 21 min | ✗ Wien Mitte bus stop only | ✓ Yes |
| S-Bahn S7 (St. Marx from 7 Sep) | €5.50 | ~22 min | ✗ Change required | ✓ Yes |
| Airport bus (VAL) | €8 | ~35–45 min | ✗ Fixed stops | ✓ Yes |
| Metered taxi (on-spot) | €35–€60+ | ~25 min | ✓ Yes | ✗ Metered |
Option 1: Private Transfer (Pre-booked Taxi)
Best for: families, business travelers, groups, anyone arriving with luggage
A pre-booked private transfer is the most comfortable and reliable option. With ATAV, the price is fixed at €44 for the city center (1st–9th district) — regardless of traffic, time of day, or flight delays. Your driver tracks your flight and adjusts arrival time automatically.
What you get:
- Driver in arrivals hall with your name sign (Meet & Greet)
- 60 minutes free waiting after an international landing, 45 minutes after a domestic flight
- All luggage included (suitcases, ski bags, strollers)
- No weekend or holiday surcharge. Small night supplement (€4)
- Door-to-door service to your exact address
The experience is simple: you walk through customs, see your driver holding your name, and they handle everything from there. No navigating public transport, no waiting in queues, no dragging luggage through train stations. For families with small children or anyone arriving after a long-haul flight, this convenience is hard to overstate.
How to book: online at atav.at — takes under 2 minutes, instant confirmation.
Option 2: City Airport Train (CAT) — running as a bus
Best for: solo travellers with light luggage who are staying near Wien Mitte
Since 24 August 2026 the City Airport Train runs as a bus, not a train. A cable fire at Wien Praterstern on 13 August cut the line, and the long-planned closure of Vienna's S-Bahn trunk route follows on 7 September. The bus runs non-stop between the airport and Wien Mitte and takes 21 minutes. A single ticket costs €14.90, a return €24.90. The trains are due back on 31 October 2027.
In the city the stop is at Marxergasse 1b, next to The Mall at Wien Mitte; at the airport the bus stops directly in front of arrivals at Terminal 3. Up to five buses run per hour — every 12 minutes between 07:00 and 19:00, every 15 minutes outside those hours. The vehicles are air-conditioned Setra coaches with 57 seats. A reduced single costs €7 with a KlimaTicket, a Wiener Linien annual pass, an ÖBB Vorteilscard or a student card, and children under 15 travel free.
Limitation: The CAT bus only goes to Wien Mitte. From there you still need the U3 or U4 to reach your final destination — extra time, extra effort, and a flight of stairs with heavy luggage.
City check-in: City check-in at Wien Mitte is suspended for the entire closure. You carry your luggage to the airport yourself — the feature that justified the CAT fare for many travellers is not available until the trains return.
What actually runs now: our guide to the trunk-line closure →
Option 3: S-Bahn S7
Best for: budget travellers with light luggage who are willing to change
The S7 no longer takes you into the centre. Since the cable fire a replacement bus has been running between Wien Mitte and Geiselbergstraße, and from 7 September 2026 the line ends at St. Marx, outside the city centre. The fare from the airport into Vienna is €5.50 (€3.20 for the Vienna core zone plus €2.30 for the outer zone); children aged 6 to 14 pay €2.80 and under-sixes travel free.
If your destination is not on the line, the S7 means at least one change with your luggage. Anyone who simply wants a train is better served by the Railjet or ICE to Wien Hauptbahnhof: about 15 minutes, unaffected by the closure, and the same €5.50 — from €4.10 in combination with a Vienna city ticket. The REX 7 reaches Hauptbahnhof in around 20 minutes.
Limitation: From 7 September 2026 the S7 stops short of the centre at St. Marx, so every journey into town includes a change. Until then it is slowed by the replacement bus between Wien Mitte and Geiselbergstraße. With heavy luggage or in a group it is impractical.
Option 4: Vienna Airport Lines (VAL) Bus
Best for: budget travelers heading to specific bus stops in the city
The Vienna Airport Lines bus service connects VIE to several city hubs: Schwedenplatz (1st district), Westbahnhof (15th district), and Donauzentrum. Tickets cost €8 one-way. Journey time is roughly 35–50 minutes depending on traffic and destination.
Buses depart from directly outside the arrivals hall, which makes them easy to find. The Schwedenplatz route is the most popular for tourists, as it drops you off in the heart of the old city near Stephansplatz. Buses run approximately every 30 minutes during the day, with a reduced night schedule.
Limitation: Fixed stops — you'll need to walk or take another connection from the bus stop to your hotel. Not ideal with luggage.
Option 5: Uber / Bolt
Best for: solo travelers with flexible timing and a preference for apps
Uber and Bolt operate at Vienna Airport, but both use dynamic pricing. The price shown when you open the app can vary widely depending on demand at that moment. Typical ranges for city center:
- Low demand (off-peak weekday): €25–35
- Peak hours or high demand: €45–70+
- Special events / bad weather: €80–100+
Uber doesn't offer Meet & Greet — you request on arrival, or pre-book with Uber Reserve, then walk to the pickup zone either way. Requested on the spot, there is no guarantee of availability or price when you land.
Option 6: On-the-Spot Taxi Rank
Best for: travelers who didn't pre-book and need a car immediately
Vienna Airport has an official taxi rank just outside the arrivals hall. Metered taxis are available without pre-booking. Typical price to city center: €35–60+ depending on traffic. No fixed price — you pay whatever the meter says.
During peak times, wait times at the taxi rank can be 15–30 minutes. The meter runs from the moment you get in — including any traffic delays.
Which Option Is Right for You?
| If you are... | Best option |
|---|---|
| A family with luggage and kids | ATAV private taxi (€44, child seats 10 €/seat) |
| A business traveler wanting certainty | ATAV private taxi or Business class (from €58) |
| Solo, near Wien Mitte, light luggage | CAT bus (€14.90, 21 min) |
| On a very tight budget | Railjet to Hauptbahnhof (€5.50, 15 min) |
| Group of 3–4 people | ATAV private taxi (same €44, cheaper per person than the CAT bus) |
| Flexible solo traveler | Uber (if off-peak) or the CAT bus |
Tips for First-Time Visitors to Vienna
- Vienna Airport is small and easy to navigate. Arrivals is on the ground floor, and all transport options are well-signposted.
- If you're arriving late at night (after 11pm), public transport options are limited. A pre-booked taxi is the safest bet.
- Vienna uses the euro. ATMs are available in the arrivals hall if you need cash, but most taxis (including ATAV) accept card payment.
- For groups of 3+, calculate the per-person cost. A €44 taxi split four ways (€11 each) is cheaper than the CAT bus (€14.90 each) and goes to your door.
- If your hotel is in the 1st–9th district, you're in the standard zone for ATAV's €44 fixed price. Districts further out cost slightly more but are still fixed.
Tip: For a group of 3 or more, a fixed-price taxi is nearly always cheaper per person than the CAT bus — and gets you to your exact address without connections or luggage hassle.