The premium airport train costs nearly three times the ordinary one for a saving of four minutes. From 7 September 2026 neither runs into the centre and the whole picture changes.
- Take the S7, not the CAT. Both run the same 18 km: the S7 is EUR 5.50 and about 20 minutes to Wien Mitte, the CAT EUR 14.90 for 16 minutes.
- The S7 fare is two tickets bolted together - EUR 2.30 to the city boundary plus the EUR 3.20 Vienna ticket. Buy both at the machine, because no conductor sells tickets on board.
- From 7 September 2026 to 31 October 2027 the inner-city S-Bahn tunnel is closed. The CAT becomes a bus, the S7 terminates at St. Marx, and Railjet and Intercity trains to Hauptbahnhof are the cleanest option at 15 minutes.
- Prebooked taxis into the centre are roughly EUR 33 to EUR 39. Drivers who approach you inside the terminal quote EUR 50 to EUR 70 for the same trip.
- Salzburg and Innsbruck airports are both 4 km out, reached by bus in 15 to 20 minutes; Bratislava is a cheap way into Vienna by direct bus, but it is a separate EES crossing.
Vienna airport, the short version
The train you want is the S7, not the CAT. Both run the same 18 km.
| Option | Price | Time to the centre |
|---|---|---|
| S7 suburban train | EUR 5.50 | about 20 min to Wien Mitte |
| CAT City Airport Train | EUR 14.90 one way, EUR 24.90 return | 16 min to Wien Mitte |
| Railjet or Intercity | about EUR 5.50 with a city add-on | 15 min to Hauptbahnhof |
| Vienna Airport Lines bus | around EUR 11 | 20 to 45 min depending on route |
| Taxi or ride-hail | EUR 33 to EUR 45 prebooked | 25 to 40 min |
- The S7 fare is two tickets bolted together: EUR 2.30 from the airport to the Vienna city boundary plus the EUR 3.20 Vienna ticket. Buy both at the machine in one go.
- The CAT saves four minutes for roughly triple the price. For two people that is EUR 19 to save less time than you will spend queueing for the ticket.
- Buy before you board. There is no conductor selling tickets and no grace period.
From 7 September 2026 this all changes
The inner-city S-Bahn tunnel closes from 7 September 2026 until 31 October 2027, which severs the direct airport rail link to the centre. Check which of these applies on your arrival date.
- The CAT becomes a bus. Up to five departures an hour between the airport and Wien Mitte, and the CAT City Check-In is suspended for the whole period.
- The S7 stops at St. Marx. From there take tram 18 towards Hauptbahnhof, tram 71 towards the centre, or bus 74A to Landstraße.
- The REX7 runs instead to Wien Hauptbahnhof, about 20 minutes, every 15 minutes, with the U1 underground onwards.
- Railjet and Intercity trains are unaffected and reach Hauptbahnhof in 15 minutes twice an hour. During the closure this is the cleanest option.
- A direct airport bus to Wien Praterstern starts on 5 September 2026, alongside the existing routes to Hauptbahnhof and Schwedenplatz.
Taxis
- Use the official rank or book on an app. The published prebooked fare into the centre is roughly EUR 33 to EUR 39.
- Drivers who approach you inside the terminal quote EUR 50 to EUR 70 for the same trip. This is the most expensive routine rip-off at the airport.
- Bolt and Uber both operate in Vienna and pick up from a signed area.
The other airports
- Salzburg is 4 km out. Bus lines 2 and 10 reach the centre in about 20 minutes for a EUR 3 or so city ticket.
- Innsbruck is 4 km out and the F bus takes 15 minutes to the centre.
- Klagenfurt and Graz both have a suburban train or bus into town within 20 minutes.
- Bratislava airport is a common cheap way into Vienna, about 80 minutes by direct bus, but it is a different country and a separate EES crossing.
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