Vienna Transportation Tips by filipdebont

'Mode': TO
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: Via the website if Divantoura, a Belgium travel agency from Gent, I booked an open jaw flight. So first from Brussels to Vienna and then a return flight from Prague to Brussels.

The price was 200 euro (taxes included).

As we were driving to Brussels national Airport, I had doubts about the departure time as the re was a thick fog over the Brussels region. But no problem at all, there was no delay.

The flight time was only 1h35, a rather short flight. So there was only time for a small lunch box filled with cake and some candy.

As we arrived in the Vienna Schwechat airport it was very busy, so maybe it was rush hour I the sky. Maybe that was the reason we needed to wait for about a half an hour before we got our luggage.

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Website: www.flysn.be

'Mode': TO
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: In the Vienna Schwechat Airport, near the luggage delivery bands there are several small offices, which change money and/or give tourist information.

At one of these offices I bought my Vienna card (16,90 euro) - More on this Vienna Card later on.

And I also bought a ticket for the Express bus from the Airport to the City centre (normally 6 euro - with the Vienna card 5 euro).

This Express bus brought me from the Schwechat Airport to the West Bahnhof, from where I could continue my journey with the Underground (U-Bahn).

The bus was parked just outside the airport building, and the departure was every 1/2 hour.

After a 40 minutes drive we arrived at the West Bahnhof.

From the parking just in front of the airport building one had a great view on the Airports control tower; it looked very modern, (see pictures)

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Subway/Metro
Getting TO/AROUND: Vienna has a very efficient Underground-system (U-Bahn).

Most sightseeing in Vienna can be done on foot, but nevertheless, it can be handy to use the U-Bahn, to go fast to the other side of the city, or to give your feet a few moments of rest.

There are 5 Metro - lines in Vienna (U1, U2, U3, U4 and U6) - (What happened with U5?)

Each line has its own colour, like this, the underground network is easy to use:

U1 = red
U2 = violet
U3 = orange
U4 = green
U6 = brown

The U-Bahn stations are easy to recognise by the blue signboard with the letter U on it.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Subway/Metro
Getting TO/AROUND: Near the entry of each Underground station (U-Bahn), you find ticket machines.

The use is pretty simple. The price for a single ride is 1,50 euro.

For my first ride (from West Bahnhof to Alser strasse – line U6), I did buy a ticket, for the rest of my Underground transfers I used my Vienna Card (valid for 72 hours).

After you have bought your ticket, you first need to validate it, in the blue validation machines, when you insert your ticket in such a machine, the date and time will be printed on it. And then you can proceed towards the platforms.

Fines can be high, when you are traveling without a ticket. So do not forget it

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Subway/Metro
Getting TO/AROUND: Once you have validated your ticket, you can proceed towards the platforms.

In order to mark the destination, they always show the end destination of the line.

There are maps in the stations, like this you can check which platform to choose.

Above the platforms there are digital signboards, which announce the destination, the time, and the difference in time that the next train will arrive. Interesting information, indeed.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Subway/Metro
Getting TO/AROUND: So it was indeed very easy to use the Vienna U-Bahn (Underground).

Especially if you wanted to visit the parts which were at the other side of the city.

I know that Vienna is a city you should discover on foot, that is absolutely true, but there is too much walking to do, so after a few days you start to feel your feet, and there isn't that much pleasure on the sightseeing. Like this it can be handy to use the U-bahn sometimes in order to cross the bigger distances, like this your feet can rest for some time.

It was also handy to go to the remote highlights, like towards the Prater Park, the central cemetery (Zentralfriedhof) of the Schonbrun Palace.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bicycle
Getting TO/AROUND: At several places, you see these City Bike stands (C B sign).

In fact it is a great system; you can pick up a bike at one bike stand, drive to the other part of the city, and leave it at another bike stand.
After you have done your sightseeing, you go back to the bike stand pick another bike and continue your journey.

At their website you can see where the bike stands are located, and you also can see the number of available bikes.

To use such a bike you need a City Bike Tourist Card, which you can get from :
- Royal Tours, Herrengasse 1-3, 1010 Vienna (open : daily 9:00-11:30 a.m. and 1:00-6:00 p.m.)
- Pedal Power, Ausstellungsstrasse 3, 1020 Wien (open : daily 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.)
- or in your hotel

What does it cost:
Fee for the card : 2 euro (per day)
Bike :
1st hour : free
2nd hour : 1 euro
3rd hour : 2 euro
4th - 120th hour : 4 euro

A Useful tip:

As the first hour is free, and after a waiting period (time for a beer), you can take another bike and it is again free for the first hour. Like this you can drive 1 hour for free, rest for 15 minutes, drive 1 hour for free, rest 15 minutes, drive 1 hour for free, . . . .

Loosing your City Bike Card will cost you 10 euro

Loosing your City Bike will cost you . . . . . 600 euro

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Website: http://www.citybikewien.at/
Other Contact: kontakt@citybikewien.at

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Motorcycle
Getting TO/AROUND: Well, maybe this not really a transport tip or maybe it is. .

I think it must be big fun to discover Vienna with such a special Motorbike.
However, a big part of the historical centre is free of cars, so it is for pedestrians only (and Fiakers of course)

I did see this motorbike at the corner of Schottengasse and Molker-Bastei, just in front of the Wiener Restaurant Zum Leopold, where I had a delicious diner (see my restaurant tips)

Maybe this bike was owned by an old pirate, as there was an old treasure box at the back of the bike (lol)

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Another way to visit the historical centre of Vienna is by horse carried coach, the co called Fiakers.

There are different tours 9of course with different prices :
- Short city tour - about 20 minutes - 40 euro
- Grand city tour - about 40 min - 65 euro
- 1 hour tour - 95 euro

Up to me, this is not cheap; it is expensive - especially when you are traveling alone . . .

Short Tour :
Augustinerstrasse - Tegethoffstrasse - Neuer Markt - Plankengasse - Dorotheerstraase - Stallburgstrasse - Habsburgerstrasse - Graben - Foesterstrasse - Petersplatz - Milch gasse - Steindlgasse - Seitzergasse - Bognergasse - Am Hof - Heldenplatz - Strauchgasse - Herrengasse - Michaelerplatz - Reitschulgasse - Josefsplatz - Augustinerstrasse

Grand tour
Augustinerstrasse - Operngasse - Opernring - Burgring - Dr Karl Renner Ring - Dr Karl LuegerRing - Molker Bastei - Freyung - Heidenshuss - Bognergasse - Am Hof - Heldenplatz - Strauchgasse - Herrengasse - Michaelerplatz - Reitschulgasse - Josefsplatz - Augustinerstrasse

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: A lot of sightseeing in Vienna can be done on foot, or even must be done on foot.

The main part of the city centre with lots of historical highlights is specially car free, so that is ideal for the pedestrians.
At many places in the city there are signboards, which lead you to the most important eye catchers in the city, like this it is easy to find your way.
Most highlights are within walking distance and even the more far away places can easily be reached by the U-Bahn (underground).

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