Vienna Airport – in German Flughafen Wien – is located in Schwechat, just around 20 km south-east of the Austrian capital. As explained in this article, there are several options for travelling to and from the city.
Among these, the City Airport Train – simply abbreviated to CAT – is the fastest connection between the airport and Vienna city centre. In fact, the train takes only 16 minutes to reach the Wien Mitte railway station, located less than a kilometre from St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
In the next few lines I explain the characteristics of this express service:
- stops;
- timetables;
- costs;
- tickets;
- on-board services.
Vienna Airport: how to get to the centre by CAT train
The City Airport Train is the most comfortable transfer service to travel from the airport to the heart of Austria’s capital city. It is the ideal solution for those staying close to St. Stephen’s Cathedral or who need to continue their transfer by public transport.
Where CAT Train departs and arrives
At the airport, once in the atrium in front of the “arrivals area”, just go to the train station located on the -1 floor. Signs for CAT trains are clear and very easy to spot, just look for the green 😉
In Vienna, trains arrive and depart from Mitte railway station, located right in the city centre. In fact, the famous Stadtpark – home to the Strauss statue – is only a few minutes’ walk away, while Stephansplatz can be reached with a 10-15 minute stroll.
Regarding public transport, at Wien Mitte-Landstraße stop underground lines U3 and U4, bus line 74A as well as tram line O.
In addition, the modern railway station houses “The Mall” shopping centre with numerous shops and restaurants.
The CAT Train does not make any intermediate stops between the airport and Vienna. The two terminals are conveniently accessible for the disabled due to the absence of steps.
Timetable and journey duration
CAT operates 7 days a week, including bank holidays, with connections every 30 minutes as follows:
- from the airport, at 8′ and 38′ minutes;
- from Vienna Mitte, at minutes 7′ and 37′.
The first connection from the centre is at 5:37, the last one at 23:07; from the airport, the first service departs at 6:08 whilst the last one at 23:38.
The non-stop transfer lasts 16 minutes.
City Airport Train fares and online tickets
A one-way ticket costs €14.90, while an open-return ticket costs €24.90. Children under the age of 15 travel free of charge.
Buying online tickets here is simple, fast and secure; it only takes a couple of minutes:
- indicate the number of passengers (adults and any children), select the date of the outward journey and the type of ticket (single or round trip);
- click on “Add to cart ” to continue to the next screen where you can change the passengers or the date (using the “Go to cart” button), add other products among those highlighted in the grid, or select “Proceed to purchase” to complete the operation;
- after choosing whether to continue as a guest or log in/create an account, you must confirm which cancellation option you prefer to use;
- then enter your personal data (first and last name, email, phone number) and complete the purchase by selecting the payment method you want to use.
Cancellation is free of charge up to 24 hours before the single journey. There is no need to print out any tickets as you can simply show the confirmation email or voucher via the app on your smartphone.
CAT Train services on board
In addition to the fastest connection between the airport and the centre of Vienna, passengers on these trains have at their disposal:
- newspapers, magazines, travel guides (also at Wien Mitte railway station lounge);
- WiFi, power sockets and USB ports in all carriages;
- ample space for bulky luggage;
- free luggage storage for CAT customers in the Mitte railway station;
- if your flight is missed due to a train delay of more than 30 minutes, you are reimbursed up to € 5,000 for the cost of a new flight ticket and, if necessary, taxis and hotels;
- the opportunity to self-check in your hold baggage at the designated area in the Wien Mitte railway station from 24 hours and up to 75 minutes before the flight departure time.
This service, which allows travellers to get to the airport with only their hand luggage, does not apply to flights to the United States and Canada and is available for the following airlines: Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Bulgaria Air, Croatia, Lufthansa, Luxair, Swiss and TAP Portugal.
City Check-in at Wien Mitte railway station is easy and involves just a few steps:
- print your boarding pass and label to stick on your check-in baggage at the check-in machines installed in the CAT area;
- proceed to the drop-off area and place your check-in baggage on the conveyor belt;
- scan the barcode so your baggage will be automatically collected in the same way as at the counters at the airport.
All the latest information can be found on the Vienna City Airport Train ticket purchase page.
