Getting to and getting around Austria is easy and part of the overall positive experience that awaits visitors to the country thanks to a safe and first-rate infrastructure that includes Austrian Airlines, Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), and an excellent inner roadway system.
Fly In
Austria’s national carrier, Austrian Airlines, just made it easier for North American West Coast travelers to get to the country when it recently added a Los Angeles to Vienna direct flight six times a week. Other North American destinations serviced by Austrian Airlines include Washington, D.C., New York, Newark, Chicago, Miami, and Toronto. Once in Austria, travelers will find connections from Vienna to regional airports in Innsbruck, Salzburg, Graz, Klagenfurt and Linz, with flight times ranging from 30 minutes to an hour.
The leading airline in Austria for more than 40 years, Austrian Airlines begins the local Austrian experience the minute passengers board their flight. Onboard catering is from Viennese restaurant Do&Co. Austrian Airlines Business Class features high-tech seats that turn into lie-flat beds and offer individually adjustable seat cushioning, as well as an entertainment system with more than 100 hours of programming to ensure comfort throughout the flight. The airlines’ “Smart Upgrade” program even allows Economy Class passengers to enter the amount they are willing to pay for an upgrade and be told within 72 hours before departure if their offer has been accepted.
Riding the Rails
Right after their flight into Vienna International Airport, visitors can begin a train vacation with Austria’s rail system. Austria boasts a wide train network with more than 3,700 miles of railways within the country. Travelers can not only explore the main cities, but off-the-beaten track areas of the country for a true local, regional experience. ÖBB Railjets departs from the Vienna Airport for Salzburg twice hourly during the day and offers hourly connections to Innsbruck. At least every two hours, trains from Vienna’s airport depart for St. Anton and Bregenz, Austria’s westernmost provincial capital. For those travelers looking to head south, hourly connections during the day leave from Vienna Airport to Graz in three hours, with one change at Vienna’s main train station, and with a direct connection available once a day.
A sample 12-day Vienna to Innsbruck rail itinerary takes in so many of Austria’s most popular destinations. It starts with two days in Vienna, moves on with a 2.5 hour train ride to Graz for two days, then a four hour train ride to Salzburg for days five through eight (including two days of regional touring by rail.) The next leg of the itinerary takes travelers from Salzburg to Kufstein in little over an hour for the day. Following an overnight in the lovely Tyrolean town, travelers can take an early train from Kufstein to Innsbruck in just 40 minutes for two days of exploring the breathtaking alpine city. The itinerary concludes with the last day featuring regional excursions from Innsbruck.
Driving Austria
Travelers that like to explore by car as an alternative to the rails will find that Austria has excellent motorways and signage. Important to note is that a Highway Toll Sticker (Vignette) must be displayed on the inside windshield of cars on Austria’s motorways and expressways. The toll sticker is available for periods of 10 days, two months or one year and can be obtained from car rental agencies and gas stations in Austria.
Auto Europe offers reasonable rates and convenient pick-up locations throughout Austria for those looking to discover Austria by car. Travelers can pick one or more of nine suggested mini-drives from the Austrian National Tourist Office that take in the country’s well-known sights and special surprises along the way. The first drive begins in Bregenz and the last ends in Vienna. Destinations on the drives can include Lech, Innsbruck, Zell am See, Villach/Velden, Graz, Hallstatt, Salzburg and the Wachau Valley.
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