The Vienna international airport (VIE) is located about 8 km outside the city limits, or about 20 km from the city center. It’s a very pleasant and modern airport, from where you get a good variety of direct international flights to some of the top locations in the world. For more exotic destinations, you’ll have to plan a stopover at one of the larger international airports, depending on the airline you choose: Frankfurt, Paris, Istanbul, Dubai, etc.

The airport is not huge, and proceedings are quite efficient, so usually you need to be there around 1 hour before short flights within the EU and 2 hours before longer international flights.

The airport’s website shows live-information on arrivals as well as departures. It’s definitely recommended that you check departing flights before going to the airport, in case of any delays or changes in schedule.

There are several good options for getting to and from the airport in Vienna. As often in life, you have to choose between comfort and cost.

 

Here is a list of options, sorted from cheapest to most expensive:

Subway and S-Bahn
Take the subway to the station Landstrasse / Wien Mitte (2,40 Euros) and take the S-Bahn from there to the airport (2,40 Euro). The trip by S-Bahn takes around 25 minutes.

Airport Bus
Use public transport to get to either Westbahnhof or Schwedenplatz (2,40 Euros). From there, you can take a special shuttle bus to the airport (8 Euros). The trip from Westbahnhof takes 40 minutes, the trip from Schwedenplatz takes only 20 minutes. Of course, since it’s a bus, this depends on traffic. Find the schedule on more information here

CAT – city airport train
This is similar to option 1, but a bit faster, slightly more convenient – for Austrian Airline and Lufthansa flights, you can check in your luggage before boarding the train – and a lot more expensive.
Take the subway to the station Landstrasse / Wien Mitte (2,40 Euros) and the CAT from there. The train leaves every 30 minutes, takes 16 minutes to reach the airport and costs 11 Euros. https://www.cityairporttrain.com/

Own car (depending on the length of your stay)
If you travel to the airport from outside Vienna, or if you go on a short trip and like the convenience of going in your own car, there are several parking options by the airport.
For short business trips, where you go early morning and come back in the evening, the parking garage at the airport is a good option. It’s 4,70 Euros per hour, the whole day will set you back 42 Euros. More infos here
If you stay longer, there is a much cheaper option, that is almost as convenient. The parking lot is located 3 minutes away from the terminal and you get a free shuttle. Prices start at 19,90 Euros per day but get a lot cheaper when you stay longer. 8 days cost 59,90 Euros and 2 full weeks are less than 100 Euros. More infos on Panda Parken Flughafen Wien

Car2go / Drive Now
Car2Go and Drive Now recently combined forces. Services and prices are very similar. The parking garage at the airport is clearly marked and identical for both – the P3. The only difference: do you prefer a BMW or a Benz? I usually see whatever is closest and take that…
The ride costs around 0,30 Euros per minute (depending on the size of the car and the availability at the time) plus 12 Euros surcharge for dropping it off / picking it up at the airport. If you go outside the rush hour and your trip takes 30 minutes, you can count on a cost of around 20 – 25 Euros.

Airport Taxi Service
And finally, the most convenient and most expensive way to get to and from the airport: a taxi. Rather than just hailing a cab, I recommend booking an airport taxi service in advance. They usually have the best rates, the driver will wait for you on either end, and your whole experience will be smooth and relaxed.
One of the cheaper and high-quality providers is the airport taxi service TotalTaxi. Rates start at 29 Euros and go up to 31 Euros, if you live on the opposite side of Vienna, the 19^th district.