Getting Around Austria with Kids

Although Austria is an important country in Europe, it is not a large country.  There are three major tourist centers:  Vienna in the east , Salzburg mid-country and Innsbruck in the alpine west.  The distance between Vienna and Innsbruck is only 295 miles.   It’ very easy to get to Austria by driving on their smooth motorways or by train.  Everything runs on time so getting around is not only a non-issue, it’s a pleasure!

  • Vienna International Airport

    The main airport of Austria is situated outside of the city of Vienna  in the town of Schwechat. It is called “Vienna International Airport” or Flughafen Wien Schwechat.   The airport has four terminals and two runways. Transferring into central Vienna is easy via train or motorway.  The distance to the city center is about 11 miles.  There are six major airports in total in Austria however.  The other airports are in: Graz, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Linz, and Salzburg.  If you are planning to go to Innsbruck you are better off using the Munich Airport than the Vienna Airport as it is much closer.

  • Rail Network

    The Austrian Railways is known as the ÖBB.   Trains are the most common and arguably the best method for getting around in Austria.  The network is extensive and reasonably priced.  Trains connect major cities and many towns.  If the town is pretty small like a village, the rail system coordinates with the bus network to provide service.

    Austria borders eight countries:   Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west, Germany and Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east and Slovenia and Italy to the south.  The ÖBB operates high-speed ICE and RailJet trains from cities like Zurich, Munich,Frankfurt, Passau, and Budapest so it is not unlikely that you’ll enter the country on a train.