Vienna Airport: Cheap Flights, Transport and Terminals

Vienna International Airport lies in Schwechat about 18 kilometres south-east of the city centre and is by far Austria's largest airport. The hub of Austrian Airlines and a base for Ryanair and Wizz Air, it handles around 30 million passengers a year; flights depart from Terminals 1 and 1A and from Terminal 3, used by Austrian and its Star Alliance partners. It is also an important junction for connections to Central and Eastern Europe.

From Istanbul, Turkish Airlines and Austrian fly several times a day from Istanbul Airport and Pegasus from Sabiha Gökçen, and SunExpress serves Vienna from Antalya and Izmir in summer. From Germany, Austrian and Lufthansa fly from Frankfurt, Munich, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Hamburg and Stuttgart, with Eurowings and Ryanair adding further links, and there is heavy diaspora traffic to Pristina, Skopje and other Balkan cities.

The cheapest flights to Vienna usually come up between November and March, outside the Christmas-market weeks, and on midweek dates; the summer holidays, Christmas and New Year and Easter call for early booking. From Istanbul compare Pegasus with Turkish Airlines and Austrian, from Germany the Lufthansa Group with Ryanair and Wizz Air, and as tickets are priced one way, try outbound and return separately. The prices on this page are the current lowest Vienna fares found by our searches.

The City Airport Train (CAT) runs non-stop to Wien Mitte in 16 minutes, while the S7 S-Bahn covers the same route at a lower fare in about 25 minutes and continues to Praterstern and Floridsdorf. Railjet and long-distance trains reach Wien Hauptbahnhof in 15 minutes and continue to Linz, Salzburg and Graz; Vienna Airport Lines buses serve Schwedenplatz, Westbahnhof and Donauzentrum. Timetables and fares change, so check the airport website for current details.

• Taxi: a rank is in front of arrivals; the ride to the centre takes 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic, and airport taxis offer fixed prices.
• Car: the A4 Ost Autobahn links the airport with the city and the Hungarian border; car-hire desks are in the arrivals hall.
• Bratislava: regular coaches reach the Slovak capital in about an hour.

The terminals offer an extensive shopping and dining area, duty free, currency exchange, ATMs, a pharmacy, unlimited free Wi-Fi, baby-care rooms and a prayer room. Alongside the Austrian Airlines Business and Senator lounges, the Vienna Lounge, Sky Lounge and Jet Lounge can be used for a fee; the NH Vienna Airport and Moxy hotels are within walking distance of the terminal, and the visitor terrace at Terminal 3 is open to plane spotters. The airport is open around the clock.

Parkhaus 3 and 4 directly in front of the terminals suit short stays and business trips, while Parkhaus 7 and 8 and the open-air car park C are for long-term parking, with a free shuttle from the outlying car parks to the terminal. Booking online brings a sizeable discount; current rates are listed on the airport website.