How to spend 2 days in Vienna? In this article, I’ll share an itinerary and give you some practical tips to enjoy this gorgeous city in Austria.
How to get to Vienna?
Within Europe, there are many ways to go to Vienna. You can go by airplane, by train or take a bus.
By plane
Flying is probably the fastest way to get to Vienna. There’s an international airport and there are many connections to Vienna. There are also several budget airlines flying to Vienna, like Ryanair. For example, a ticket from Eindhoven (in The Netherlands) to Vienna will only cost you €20.
I flew to Vienna from Amsterdam (The Netherlands) with Austrian Airlines and that’s a great airline. The flight took about 2 hours. Check Skyscanner to compare prices from your departure place.
Take the train to Vienna
Trail travel in Europe is amazing. The connections are great and it’s so much fun to see the landscape change during your journey! When you book your train tickets ahead, it can also be really cheap. If you’d like to visit Vienna by train from Amsterdam, it will take about 11 hours, and costs something like €100 (return trip) if you book early.
There are many websites to book European train tickets, but I would recommend Rail Europe, which is really easy to use and has decent prices. If you plan to visit more destinations in Europe by train, it might also be convenient and cheaper to get an Interrail pass.
Take the bus to Vienna
Finally, you can also visit Vienna by bus. Flixbus is a company that offers long-distance bus rides within Europe. The earlier you book your ticket, the cheaper it gets.
Transportation in Vienna
How to get from the Airport to Vienna? And how is the public transport in Vienna?
From the Airport to the city center
There are multiple options to get from the airport to the city center of Vienna.
Your cheapest option is to take the regular train, which is called Schnellbahn 7. This train leaves the airport every 30 minutes and the journey takes about 30 minutes as well. A one-way trip costs €4,40 and you can buy a ticket from the machine at the entrance of the station. Check Google Maps for departure times.
The second option is the bus, which is called Vienna Airport Lines. You can buy a ticket (a one-way trip is €8) with the driver and he will take you to the city center in 20 minutes.
The fastest and most luxurious way to get from the airport to the city center of Vienna is the CAT (City Airport Train). The journey is only 16 minutes and a one-way ticket costs €12.
However, this train can be very convenient when you leave Vienna. Because you can check in your luggage at the train station when you leave for the airport, so you don’t have to do it at the airport anymore!
Public transport in Vienna
Public transport in Vienna is very well organized. To get around, you can take metro’s, busses, and trams and there (almost) always on time. You can buy a ticket at one of the many machines at the stops. A one-way trip costs €2,20, but you can also buy tickets that are valid for a full day or multiple days. I usually check Google Maps for departure times.
How to pay in Vienna?
Vienna is one of the countries where you can pay in Euros. There are plenty of ATMs around to get cash, and you can pay with a debit or credit card in many places.
What’s the best time to visit Vienna?
You can visit Vienna all year round. When the weather is really bad, you can always visit one of the palaces or musea. And when the weather is really good, you can enjoy spending some time in one of the beautiful parks. From mid-November to the end of December, you can visit the Christmas Markets and those are absolutely amazing.
Where to stay in Vienna?
There are many gorgeous hotels in Vienna, and because of the well-organized public transport, you can basically sleep anywhere in the city. When it’s your first time in Vienna, I would recommend finding a place to stay in the city center, or in one of the neighborhoods around the city center (like Josefstadt or Neubau).
The largest selection of hotel rooms and hostels can be found on Booking.com.
Do you stay a little longer in Vienna or would you stay in an apartment? Then you might want to check out Airbnb. Have you never booked Airbnb before? Click on this link to get a great discount on your first reservation through Airbnb.
2 days in Vienna: an itineray
There are many great things to see and to do in Vienna. When it’s your first time and you only have 2 days in Vienna, I would recommend this itinerary.
Day 1: Discover the world of Sisi
Vienna is the city of the famous Kaiserin Elisabeth, also known as Sisi. To learn about Sisi and the history of Vienna, I would recommend visiting Hofburg first. An audio tour will guide you through the palace (you can even see Sisi’s workout room!) and at the end of the tour, you know all about the royals in Vienna. This can come in handy because everywhere you look in Vienna, you will see the names of those royals.
A visit to the Hofburg will take probably a full morning, so I guess you’ll be hungry (and a bit overwhelmed thanks to all the information).
Take a long break and sit down at one of the great restaurants in Vienna. One of my favorite places for lunch was the French-oriented Beaulieu. The quiches are the best I’ve ever had!
For dessert, get yourself coffee and something sweet in one of the many coffee places in Vienna. I can recommend going to AIDA. There are several locations in Vienna and the whole interior is pink!
If you’re interested to see learn more about the royals, you can visit Capuchin Crypt (Kapuzinergruft), this is the crypt where all the royals are buried. It’s a bit lugubrious, but also very interesting when you’re interested in the royals of Vienna and Europe. Here, you can also visit the tomb of Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria (Sisi).
After a long day of walking around and learning about Vienna’s history, it might be nice to sit down and relax in the evening. What’s a better place for that than in one of the most famous and beautiful opera houses in the world? In the Vienna State Opera you can enjoy opera, concerts, or ballet.
Day 2: Find all the hidden gems during a walking tour in Vienna
One of the best ways to explore a European city is through a walking tour. With Google Maps, you can easily make your own. One day two, I would recommend exploring Vienna on foot and check out these places:
– Hundertwasserhaus: a colorful apartment complex
– Wiener Secession: a beautiful white museum with a golden globe on top. Here you can see the famous Beethovenfries by Gustav Klimt.
– Anker Clock: an ancient clock that has a special surprise for you at noon.
– Visit some of the gorgeous churches, like the large St. Stephen’s Cathedral (the roof is so pretty and colorful), the hidden Peterskirche (one of the most beautiful churches I’ve ever seen), and the Karlskirche (gorgeous from the outside, you feel like being in Rome instead of Vienna).
When you’re done with your walking tour and you like to go out for drinks, I can recommend the Needle Vinyl Bar, which has a really cool vibe, or WEIN & CO if you’d like to do some wine tasting.
If you visit Vienna in November or December, you might want to check out the gorgeous Christmas Market in front of the Rathaus (city hall) at night. It’s one of the largest Christmas markets I’ve ever seen and it even has a skating range!
Read more: 5 things to do in Vienna
This is my itinerary for 2 days in Vienna. Do you need more tips or information? Let me know by leaving a comment below.
More travel tips for Vienna?
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