Vienna Public Transport Passes and other Vienna, Austria Transportation Tips

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Subway/Metro
Getting TO/AROUND: The secret to public transport in Vienna is to buy a travel pass, valid for use on the trams, buses and metro (Ubahn). The prices changed on 1 June 2007, as from then the price for a single trip ticket has become 2.2€, a “one day” pass is 5.7€, and a “one week” pass became 14€. A very quick calculation will tell you that it’s worthwhile getting the one day pass if you propose making more than two trips, and the one week pass for anything more than two days. You buy tickets from designated shops, we picked up ours from a tobacconist (ask at your hotel about the nearest outlet). NB, these tickets are for transport only, they are not the “Vienna Card” which is aimed at tourists and which has some discounts which may or may not represent value for you!

Watch out though for one little detail – the weekly tickets run from Monday to the following Sunday: get it wrong and you could be buying a weekly ticket viable for only one or two days!. The weekly tickets come with their validity dates printed on them, but the other tickets need to be validated before they become operative – this also is important! There are no difficult turnstiles as in the Paris metro, but in the metro you validate tickets with those blue boxes mounted on the red brackets (photo 2)

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Subway/Metro
Getting TO/AROUND: This tip is intended as simple guidance on finding your way around the Vienna Ubahn. If you’re a regular user, skip it!
- First step – get yourself a free map of Vienna, it also will have the Vienna transport map on it. Chances are that your hotel can provide a copy for you.
- Each line has its own number and colour coding, eg line U2 is a purple sort of colour, line U4 is green.(Main photo)
- Not surprisingly, there are two ends to a line: these are identified by the names of the terminus stations (photo 2), so for line U1 the ends are Reumannplatz and Leopoldau – there is a separate platform for each direction and directions to these are displayed on notice boards. For example, if you wish to visit the Prater and are at St Stephan’s Cathedral, go to the Stephansplatz station, find the red U1 platform signs and go to the platform labelled Leopoldau – you’re there in two stops(photo 3). It’s simpler in practice than to explain!
- Many of the newer Ubahn carriages have lighted signs at the end of the carriages indicating the next stop. (Photo 4)
- Unless there is some dire urgency, don’t fret about missing a train, they run at a frequency of about four minutes.
- It is very clean and generally is very safe, but be careful of pickpockets when it is crowded (see my “warning” tip).

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Vienna has a huge network of tramlines and a fascinating mixture of trams. For an old tram enthusiast such as me, this is tramway nirvana! Time prevented us from travelling on many lines, but several times we used the busy line past our hotel (main photo): as with the Ubahn, trams are frequent.

Whether or not you’re a tram enthusiast, be sure that you take the tram trip around the old city following the Ringstrasse, on either line 1 or 2. These follow the same route, but in opposite directions(photo 2). This run (circular, so you can repeat if you wish) will take you past some of the more interesting buildings in the city and is excellent value for getting your bearings. The older trams have a quite charming ‘period’ character with wooden seating (photo 3).

The newer trams are very impressive indeed: modern, quiet, and streamlined, with an entry step which seems impossibly low but providing easy entry for all. (photos 4,5). If your interest runs to old trams, there also is an apparently excellent tramway museum – but we were unable to fit a visit into our schedule.

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'Mode': TO
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: On arrival at Vienna Airport, you have several options for travelling to the city: taxi, city airport train “CAT”, and airport bus. My suggestion is that you take the airport bus which is least expensive and entirely adequate: these have tour bus style seating, probably every bit as comfortable as the aircraft you just left, and ample space beneath for your luggage. The service runs from 0600 on a half hour frequency and will take you to the Westbahnhof or the Sudbahnhof, where you can connect with the urban transport system.

Finding the bus stop at the airport is not difficult, but in a major transport interchange such as the Sudbahnhof it may be less simple to find on your return to the airport. Seek out that blue aircraft sign in the photo and you’re there: it’s probably best to just ask! Best of all, you’ll find when you catch the bus that the fare is only 6€.

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