A Weekend in Vienna: Airport to City, Tickets, Sights and Mobile Data
Vienna is one of Europe's easiest city breaks. It is compact, safe and very easy to get around by public transport. Here is how to make the most of two or three days.
Before you go
- Entry: Austria is in the Schengen area. Check the visa rules for your passport. The EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU travellers at the border, and the EU also plans an online travel authorisation (ETIAS); check whether it is required before you travel.
- Mobile data: If your phone plan does not include EU roaming (for example a SIM from the UK, the US, Switzerland or Turkey), data in Austria can be expensive. An Austria eSIM costs €2.29 for 3 GB.
- Sundays: most shops are closed. Museums, cafés and restaurants stay open.
From the airport to the city
| Option | To | Time | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| S-Bahn (S7) or regional train | Wien Mitte, Hauptbahnhof | About 25 minutes | The cheapest option |
| City Airport Train (CAT) | Wien Mitte | 16 minutes, non-stop | Speed, but several times the price |
| Vienna Airport Lines bus | Westbahnhof, Schwedenplatz and more | 20 to 45 minutes | Hotels near the bus stops |
Some low-cost flights land in Bratislava instead. Direct buses run from Bratislava Airport to Vienna in about an hour.
Getting around
- Buy a 24, 48 or 72-hour ticket from Wiener Linien. It covers the U-Bahn, trams and buses in the city and pays for itself after a few rides.
- Use the WienMobil app for tickets and live departures. Paper tickets from machines must be validated before the first ride.
- Walk the centre. Most sights inside the Ring are a few minutes apart.
What to see
- St. Stephen's Cathedral and the streets around Graben and Kärntner Straße.
- The Hofburg, the imperial palace in the centre, with the Sisi Museum.
- Schönbrunn Palace: book a timed ticket for the palace rooms; the gardens are free.
- The Belvedere, home of Klimt's The Kiss.
- Naschmarkt for food, and the Prater with its giant Ferris wheel.
- A coffee house: Café Central, Sacher or a quieter local one. Order a Melange and take your time.
Going in late November or December? See Christmas markets in Vienna, Munich, Prague and Budapest.
A 2-day plan
- Day 1: St. Stephen's, the Hofburg, lunch at Naschmarkt, the Belvedere, dinner in the centre.
- Day 2: Schönbrunn in the morning, MuseumsQuartier in the afternoon, the Prater in the evening.
Staying connected in Vienna
| Trip | Plan | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Weekend | 3 GB, 15 days | €2.29 |
| One or two weeks | 5 GB, 30 days | €3.39 |
| Vienna plus other countries | Europe, 5 GB, 30 days | €3.89 |
Prices as of October 2026. Current prices are always on the Austria eSIM page.
Combining Vienna with Bratislava, Budapest or Prague by train? One Europe eSIM covers them all. Buy on rrugo.com/esim or in the RruGO app and install it at home with our guide.
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