Top Day Trips From Vienna:
To start this wonderful tour from Vienna take the U3 (Underground Train) to station "Landstraße". From here you catch the Schnellbahn (Municipal Railway) to "Mödling" which is a 15 minute ride south of town and where you can get on bus 262 and be taken to within a short walk of...
1. Burg Liechtenstein (20 min train ride plus short bus) - Is a picturesque castle just south of Vienna dating back to the 1200's. This castle was featured in the film "The Three Musketeers" (1993). Burg Liechtenstein was temporarily closed to visitors as of June 2009, but should re-open soon. Please click here to check out their website for more details, sorry it is in German.
2. Seegrotte Hinterbrühl (20 min train ride plus short bus) - Here you can take a boat ride on Europe's largest underground lake. In the late 1800's Seegrotte was a gypsum mine until it flooded in 1912 creating the lake. While parts of the flooded mine were used by the Nazis to manufacture fighter jets in WWII, it is now a fun attraction bringing in 250,000 visitors a year. The mines were even featured in the film "The Three Musketeers" (1993). Hours: Apr-Oct daily 9am-5pm; Nov-May weekdays 9am-noon & 1-3 plus weekends 9am-330pm On Site Tours: cost 9€, leaves every 20 min, lasts 45 minutes, and includes: the cavernous lake, rooms that the miners used as a chapel, wine cellar, and common room. Photos: (Boat Tour)
3. Melk Abbey (1 hour train ride) - In the city of Melk lines one of Austria's true gems, the Melk Abbey. Completed in 1732 this towering red-roofed monastery is quite intimidating sitting on the bluff above Melk. Although elegant looking with its gold paint, the monastery was not painted this color to look fancy. The Abbey was actually painted this color for the same reason Schönbrunn Palace was, gold was just the cheapest paint available at the time. The photo to the left is taken from the road below the abbey and is the best vantage point for photo outside of a helicopter. Notice the opening at the front of the abbey, it is an awesome balcony from which you can over look the river and countryside. The inside of the Abbey is just as impressive as the outside with its marble floors, golden accents, and lavishly painted ceilings. Getting To Melk Abbey: Melk 55 miles straight west of Vienna making it fast and cheap by train, train schedule Cost: 7€ Hours: Sept-May 9am-530pm, Nov-March may only enter as part of a tour, rest of the year 9am-430pm On Site Tours: April-Oct 255pm in English, Nov-Mar 11am & 2pm in English.
4. Mauthausen Concentration Camp (Gedenkstätte Mauthausen): Memorial site of the Mauthausen Concentration Camp is a great taste of dark Nazi history for anyone traveling between Vienna and Salzburg who may not have the time to visit Dachau near Munich. This site was selected due to it's onsite granite quarry so the imprisoned people could service as slave labor. The stairs of death are known as a spot of torture where prisoners were forced to carry stones heavier than their own body weight all the way up, only to be pushed off the adjacent cliff by SS Gaurds to their death. They would also line prisoners up on the top of the quarry cliff and then force them to push each other off. Even worse than the slave labor, cliffs antics, and even gas chambers, was the SS Gaurd who would cut off prisoners tattoos to use the skin as lamp shades. During its time of operation, over 100,000 prisoners were killed at this death camp. Getting Here: Go by train to St. Valentin which takes 80 minutes then transfer to the the REX train that takes to right to Mauthausen train station. Watch the train schedule as some departures have a 30 minute layover in St. Valentin and some have a direct transfer. From the train station it is either a 5km walk or 3km cheap taxi. Cost: 2€, 4.80€ for a family pass Hours: Daily from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. (admission until 4.45pm) Tours: Tours are pricey at €40, but you can get the 75 minute audio for Free is a refundable €40.00 per appliance deposit
5. Salzburg, Austria (3 hour train ride) - Home of Mozart, the beautiful Mirabell Gardens & Palace, and the location for The Sound of Music. Located in the heart of the Alps, Salzburg is a great spot for a day trip from Vienna. While it does make a great day trip, we recommend 2-3 full days in Salzburg to be able to see the old town sites, Sound of Music Sites, and surrounding towns of Berchtesgarden & Werfen Top Things to do: Old Town Walking Tour, Sound of Music Movie Locations Tour
6. Hallstatt, Austria - (3 Hour Train Ride): Hallstatt is a throwback Austria lakeside village complete with dramatic Alpine backdrop. Hallstatt Salt Mines (Salzwelten Hallstatt)are the oldest salt mines in the world and have a very unique
setting above quaint Hallstatt. After a brief funicular ride up the
mountain toward the mine, you get unbelievable views of the Hattstatter See and
surrounding mountains. Here is an excellent series of interactive 360 degree panoramic views to give you an idea of the view you'll uncover. Getting Here: Take the OBB train line to Attnang-Puchheim
(50 minutes before Salzburg), switch trains and take the local REX to the Hallstadt
Station (25 Minutes), and lastly take a short ferry across the lake (15
Minutes).
7. Bratislava, Solvakia (1 hour train ride) - It is interesting to note that Vienna and Bratislava are the closest capitals to each other in the world at just 40 miles apart. Trains from Vienna to Bratislava depart from Wien Sudbanhof at frequent regular intervals, arriving in Bratislava Main Station or Bratislava Petrzalka. Both stations are close to the downtown, easily accessible by public transport or taxi. The train ride lasts about an hour. You can search the Wien - Bratislava train schedule here.
If there wasnt so much to do toward Salzburg Bratislava would be higher on this list.
8. Heiligenbrunn, Austria (2 1/2 hour bus ride) - If you want the hidden gem of Austria, the villiage of Heiligenbrunn is it. Prague may be known by tourists as the most medieval town in Europe, but I put my money on Heiligenbrunn. The town itself only has 1,000 residents, 2 hotels, no castles or fortifications, but it has personality to-boot. Historically the village is most well know for it's cute, thatched-roofed, hobbit style houses, but don't underestimate the wine. The wine, made as early as 1225 AD, was once banned for being too strong, but today it's perfect and you'll find grape vines growing in all sorts of places. The Basement or Kellerviertel is an awesome straw stellar which has been preserved as a living reminder of Heliligenbrunn's wine culture. We highly recommend stopping by Ulrich's Chapel as its bubbling spring is said to have curing powers, especially for the eyes.
Getting To Heilgenbrunn: From Vienna's Verkehrsbüro Bus Station (Friedrichstraße) take bus G1 right to Heligenbrunn. Make sure to check the schedule as some options require a transfer to bus 1862 that will bring your total travel time to a whopping 3 1/2 hours.To start this wonderful tour from Vienna take the U3 (Underground Train) to station "Landstraße". From here you catch the Schnellbahn (Municipal Railway) to "Mödling" which is a 15 minute ride south of town and where you can get on bus 262 and be taken to within a short walk of...
1. Burg Liechtenstein (20 min train ride plus short bus) - Is a picturesque castle just south of Vienna dating back to the 1200's. This castle was featured in the film "The Three Musketeers" (1993). Burg Liechtenstein was temporarily closed to visitors as of June 2009, but should re-open soon. Please click here to check out their website for more details, sorry it is in German.
2. Seegrotte Hinterbrühl (20 min train ride plus short bus) - Here you can take a boat ride on Europe's largest underground lake. In the late 1800's Seegrotte was a gypsum mine until it flooded in 1912 creating the lake. While parts of the flooded mine were used by the Nazis to manufacture fighter jets in WWII, it is now a fun attraction bringing in 250,000 visitors a year. The mines were even featured in the film "The Three Musketeers" (1993). Hours: Apr-Oct daily 9am-5pm; Nov-May weekdays 9am-noon & 1-3 plus weekends 9am-330pm On Site Tours: cost 9€, leaves every 20 min, lasts 45 minutes, and includes: the cavernous lake, rooms that the miners used as a chapel, wine cellar, and common room. Photos: (Boat Tour)
3. Melk Abbey (1 hour train ride) - In the city of Melk lines one of Austria's true gems, the Melk Abbey. Completed in 1732 this towering red-roofed monastery is quite intimidating sitting on the bluff above Melk. Although elegant looking with its gold paint, the monastery was not painted this color to look fancy. The Abbey was actually painted this color for the same reason Schönbrunn Palace was, gold was just the cheapest paint available at the time. The photo to the left is taken from the road below the abbey and is the best vantage point for photo outside of a helicopter. Notice the opening at the front of the abbey, it is an awesome balcony from which you can over look the river and countryside. The inside of the Abbey is just as impressive as the outside with its marble floors, golden accents, and lavishly painted ceilings. Getting To Melk Abbey: Melk 55 miles straight west of Vienna making it fast and cheap by train, train schedule Cost: 7€ Hours: Sept-May 9am-530pm, Nov-March may only enter as part of a tour, rest of the year 9am-430pm On Site Tours: April-Oct 255pm in English, Nov-Mar 11am & 2pm in English.
4. Mauthausen Concentration Camp (Gedenkstätte Mauthausen): Memorial site of the Mauthausen Concentration Camp is a great taste of dark Nazi history for anyone traveling between Vienna and Salzburg who may not have the time to visit Dachau near Munich. This site was selected due to it's onsite granite quarry so the imprisoned people could service as slave labor. The stairs of death are known as a spot of torture where prisoners were forced to carry stones heavier than their own body weight all the way up, only to be pushed off the adjacent cliff by SS Gaurds to their death. They would also line prisoners up on the top of the quarry cliff and then force them to push each other off. Even worse than the slave labor, cliffs antics, and even gas chambers, was the SS Gaurd who would cut off prisoners tattoos to use the skin as lamp shades. During its time of operation, over 100,000 prisoners were killed at this death camp. Getting Here: Go by train to St. Valentin which takes 80 minutes then transfer to the the REX train that takes to right to Mauthausen train station. Watch the train schedule as some departures have a 30 minute layover in St. Valentin and some have a direct transfer. From the train station it is either a 5km walk or 3km cheap taxi. Cost: 2€, 4.80€ for a family pass Hours: Daily from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. (admission until 4.45pm) Tours: Tours are pricey at €40, but you can get the 75 minute audio for Free is a refundable €40.00 per appliance deposit
5. Salzburg, Austria (3 hour train ride) - Home of Mozart, the beautiful Mirabell Gardens & Palace, and the location for The Sound of Music. Located in the heart of the Alps, Salzburg is a great spot for a day trip from Vienna. While it does make a great day trip, we recommend 2-3 full days in Salzburg to be able to see the old town sites, Sound of Music Sites, and surrounding towns of Berchtesgarden & Werfen Top Things to do: Old Town Walking Tour, Sound of Music Movie Locations Tour
6. Hallstatt, Austria - (3 Hour Train Ride): Hallstatt is a throwback Austria lakeside village complete with dramatic Alpine backdrop. Hallstatt Salt Mines (Salzwelten Hallstatt)are the oldest salt mines in the world and have a very unique
setting above quaint Hallstatt. After a brief funicular ride up the
mountain toward the mine, you get unbelievable views of the Hattstatter See and
surrounding mountains. Here is an excellent series of interactive 360 degree panoramic views to give you an idea of the view you'll uncover. Getting Here: Take the OBB train line to Attnang-Puchheim
(50 minutes before Salzburg), switch trains and take the local REX to the Hallstadt
Station (25 Minutes), and lastly take a short ferry across the lake (15
Minutes). 7. Bratislava, Solvakia (1 hour train ride) - It is interesting to note that Vienna and Bratislava are the closest capitals to each other in the world at just 40 miles apart. Trains from Vienna to Bratislava depart from Wien Sudbanhof at frequent regular intervals, arriving in Bratislava Main Station or Bratislava Petrzalka. Both stations are close to the downtown, easily accessible by public transport or taxi. The train ride lasts about an hour. You can search the Wien - Bratislava train schedule here.
If there wasnt so much to do toward Salzburg Bratislava would be higher on this list.
8. Heiligenbrunn, Austria (2 1/2 hour bus ride) - If you want the hidden gem of Austria, the villiage of Heiligenbrunn is it. Prague may be known by tourists as the most medieval town in Europe, but I put my money on Heiligenbrunn. The town itself only has 1,000 residents, 2 hotels, no castles or fortifications, but it has personality to-boot. Historically the village is most well know for it's cute, thatched-roofed, hobbit style houses, but don't underestimate the wine. The wine, made as early as 1225 AD, was once banned for being too strong, but today it's perfect and you'll find grape vines growing in all sorts of places. The Basement or Kellerviertel is an awesome straw stellar which has been preserved as a living reminder of Heliligenbrunn's wine culture. We highly recommend stopping by Ulrich's Chapel as its bubbling spring is said to have curing powers, especially for the eyes.
A little further away, but definitely worth your time
1. Budapest, Hungary (3 hour train ride) - Just a few hours by train, this mighty city on the Danube makes for a great 2 day getaway from Vienna. If needed you can cram the sights of the Pest Monuments and Castle Hill into one long day, but we highly recommend being here for 2-3 days so you can also spend time on the Jewish quarter and City Park. To see more on his city please check out our Budapest section.
2. Munich, Germany (4 1/2 hour train ride) - This former capital of Bavaria, known for its beer halls and inviting residents can actually be seen in 1-2 days, but it has so many amazing surrounding sites you'll want to stay longer. Outside of its Oktoberfest feel, Munich's surrounding sites include the Hofbräuhaus, English Garden, and further away Dachau & Mad King Ludwig's Castles. Make sure to check out our Free Munich City Center Walking Tour.
3. Innsburck, Austria (4 1/2 hour train ride) - Known as the city of the Golden Roof, and the Tirolean capital, Innsbruck is the only major city located in the European Alps. Innsbruck, which hosted the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympic Games, is best known for its winter sports and skiing. There are mainly other attractions year round such as a large number of beautiful lakes and the world's largest crystal at Swarovski's Crystal World, the gardens at Swarovski factory, and many others.
4. Prague, Czech Republic (4 1/2 hour train ride) - The best thing about Prague is that it is the only Central European capital whose building escaped the bombings of WWII. Highlights of a single day visit are Charles Bridge, National Theater, Old Town Square, and Wenceslas Square. Prague is best seen in 1-2 days with at least one overnight stay to take in it's after dark medieval charm. Night trains into and out of Prauge are extremely limited so leave early in the morning the maximize your visit.
Accessible By Night Train From Vienna:
Rome (Italy); Venice (Italy); Amsterdam (Netherlands); Florence (Italy); Brussels (Belgium); Frankfurt (Germany); Warszawa (Poland); Bucureşti (Romania); Zürich (Switzerland)