Vienna Travel and Transport

Arriving in Vienna for the festive season means navigating Schwechat airport, which sits southeast of the city. There are two rail options for the journey into the centre. The dedicated City Airport Train, or CAT, is quick but priced accordingly. A better choice for most is the ordinary suburban and regional trains. These take a few minutes longer and stop more often, yet cost a good deal less, dropping passengers at Wien Mitte or the main station with easy U-Bahn connections. If luggage is heavy, taxis and ride-hailing services are available and reasonable.

For those already in Europe, arrive by rail if you can. Fast Railjet services connect Vienna with cities like Salzburg and Munich in a few civilised hours, and the ÖBB night trains reach the city from across Europe. Wien Hauptbahnhof, the main station, is a short metro ride south of the centre. Trains offer a more direct approach to a hotel and are less prone to the delays that fog and snow bring to airports in winter. This mode of transport sets a better tone for a trip focused on the city's festive atmosphere.

Once in Vienna, purchase a public transport pass for the duration of a stay and remove the need to think about single tickets. The system, run by Wiener Linien, integrates the U-Bahn, trams, and buses under one fare, running late and often. The U-Bahn swiftly connects districts, while trams offer a slower, more pleasant journey. Following the Ringstrasse by tram, using lines 1, 2, and D, is a sightseeing trip in itself, passing most of the great public buildings. There is no need to hire a car; parking in the centre is restricted and expensive, and the one-way system is not friendly to visitors. Everything detailed in this guide is accessible on foot or by metro.

Vienna in December is best experienced from its central areas, particularly in the evenings when daylight is short and the markets are vibrant. Avoid the reflex to book accommodation near the airport or by exhibition grounds to save money, then commuting in each day. While the city's transport is excellent and cheap, the point of a festive trip is the dark hours, and one does not want to weigh a last glass of Glühwein against a thirty-minute ride back to an anonymous district. If price is a constraint, a modest room three streets from St Stephen’s Cathedral beats a generous one in the Twenty-Second district. Walk the centre, take the tram when feet give out, and keep the metro map on the phone for the cold nights.