Vienna Intl Airport (VIE) Flights & Flight Status

Vienna International Airport (VIE) is Austria’s largest airport serving the metro Vienna area. Located just outside the city limits in Schwechat, the airport has an easy commute to and from the capital. VIE is the hub for Austrian Airlines, a carrier with direct flights to Asia, North America, and Africa. It also serves as a base for the European low-cost airline Ryanair. Vienna Airport is compact and easy to navigate. It’s much less crowded than its counterparts in Paris or Frankfurt. For these reasons, I look forward to flying into (or transiting through) Vienna every time.

Navigating terminals

Vienna Airport has 3 terminals in operation – 1, 1A and 3 – with access to 5 gate concourses (more on this below). Terminals 1 and 3 are located in the same building, while Terminal 1A is a separate structure.

If you’re flying Austrian Airlines, some Star Alliance members, or Qatar Airways, you’ll depart from Terminal 3, which connects to gates F & G. Take note of the DEV (Digital Export Validation) kiosk on the left of the entrance where you can request a VAT refund for your checked-luggage items. For hand luggage, VAT refunds are done at the DEV counters post-security.

Terminal 1 is essentially in the same building, located to the right of Terminal 3. It services Ryanair, Turkish Airlines and KLM among others and connects to gates B, C and D.

Terminal 1A is a separate building across the road from terminals 1 and 3. It mainly services smaller airlines like Vueling and Pegasus Airlines. While you’ll check-in and drop bags at Terminal 1A, you’ll still need to go through security in the main building, located across the driveway.

Vienna Airport uses 1 hall for all arrivals, located on the lower level under Terminal 3.

Check-in and security

Since I often travel with just hand luggage and check in online, I usually bypass check-in counters at Vienna Airport and head straight to security. I’ve seen long check-in lines at VIE before, so if you need to check in or drop bags at the airport, I recommend using self-service machines, which are plentiful at Terminal 3 and are also available at Terminal 1.

One perk at VIE is the ability to check-in and drop bags in the city. If you’re flying airlines like Austrian or Lufthansa, you can check in at the City Air Terminal (find the list of airlines on the CAT website). It’s located at the Wien Mitte-Landstraße station which services the airport with the 15-minute CAT express train ride. You must purchase CAT train tickets to use this check-in.

Going through security at VIE is usually a breeze. I prefer my security lines fast, and I’ve never had to resort to purchasing fast track here. Still, for a cost of about 2 lattes, you can skip the (short) wait and use FastTrack lanes, located to the left of regular security. Business-class passengers and certain elite-status flyers have FastTrack access too.

Transit passengers

On a number of occasions, I’ve had to transit through Vienna with Austrian Airlines. It’s typically straightforward, especially if you’re flying the same airline on both flights and have no checked luggage. The two things to pay attention to are a) whether you’ll need to go through passport control and b) if you need to change concourses. Let’s look at each.

Passport control for transit passengers

If you are flying in from the UK or another non-EU airport and your final destination is inside the Schengen zone, you will need to go through passport control. If your final destination is outside of the Schengen zone, then you don’t need to go through passport control, provided you don’t leave the transit area.

Changing concourses

UK travellers transiting through Vienna flying with airlines such as Ryanair or Wizzair will most likely arrive in Terminal 1. If your connecting flight is with one of these airlines, you'll likely be staying in the same terminal. If you’re changing airlines (to Austrian Airlines, for example) and staying within the Schengen zone, you might be departing from Terminal 3.

Getting between terminals requires a free shuttle which operates every 10 minutes. The ride itself is fast at around four minutes, but be sure to account for extra time for passport control or luggage re-check. At Terminal 1, you’ll find the shuttle bus next to security and the Relay shop, one level down. At Terminal 3, it's on the lower level at gates F, near the Jamie Oliver’s Bar.

Getting to and from the city by public transport

Located close to the city, VIE has a number of convenient ways to get there. I prefer to use the trains, which are well-operated and affordable. The airport is also served by a bus line, but there’s something about European train travel that has me selecting the train every time.

Train options

There are 3 train lines operating between the airport and the city: the dedicated CAT airport express train, the S7 city rapid-transit train, and the OBB Railjet (RJ) national railway. Both the S7 and the RJ are about four times cheaper than the CAT. The S7 line takes about 23 minutes to get into the city, while the CAT and the RJ take about 15 minutes.

I prefer the CAT express train. The ride is fast and the train departs every 30 minutes from 06:00 to midnight. It tends to be less crowded than the S7 or the RJ. RJ may be a good alternative but it could be crowded since it’s a national line; I recommend making advance bookings.

To decide which train is best for you, check your address in Vienna. CAT will take you to the Wien Mitte-Landstraße station in the city centre with connections to trams, undergrounds and the S rapid-transit. S7 stops at a number of city stations and the RJ goes to Vienna Central T, the main train terminal on the outskirts of city centre.

At VIE, trains are easy to find: they are located just below the arrivals hall. Once you exit the baggage claim and customs area, follow signs for trains on your right.

Vienna City Card

A one-way CAT ticket is a bit pricey at about 3 lattes, but if you’re planning to use a lot of public transport in Vienna and visit the museums, I recommend purchasing the Vienna City Card with the Airport Transfer Add-On. It includes public transportation and a return airport transfer on any of the 3 train options above.

At face value, the pass savings are not that high, but if you consider the major discounts at partner hotels, restaurants and both airport lounges, it’s worth it.

Getting to and from the city by car

Travelling with bags? You might want to take a car. Central Vienna has cobblestone streets, which is not very useful if you have wheeled luggage. Some are also hilly, so if you’re looking for comfort, a car is the way to go.

Cab stands are located on the lower level – follow signs to parking and taxi on your left past baggage claims and customs. Uber pick-ups are on the departures level 1 floor above. Outside of surge pricing, rideshare tends to be cheaper than a taxi, so I use it most if I feel too tired for public transport.

If you’re travelling elsewhere in Austria, you might want to consider hiring a car. The car hire centre is located outside of the main terminal building, on the arrivals level (follow signs to parking and taxi on your left).

Passenger experience at VIE

Depending on your flight, it is likely you'll find yourself in Terminal 3 quite often. The post-security area there needs improvements (which are reportedly underway in the next few years). I’m not a fan of the low ceilings in the terminal’s midsection or the small, cramped gate areas.

The restrooms can get crowded too, and strangely, they are often located down a set of stairs from the main gate area: not convenient at all for someone with a wheeled cabin bag. (Accessible restrooms are on the main level.)

That’s where lounges come in. At VIE, there are 2: Vienna Lounge at Terminal 1 and Sky Lounge at Terminal 3. Priority Pass, a lounge network available through major US credit cards, gets you access to both. I prefer the Vienna Lounge (it’s airy, with ample space), but since I tend to depart from Terminal 3 most often, I stay at Sky Lounge, because shuttling between terminals is a hassle.

Take note that, unlike in many other airports, Sky Lounge is located before passport control at Terminal 3, so be sure to allocate enough time to get through it once you leave the lounge.

No Priority Pass? You can purchase a 3-hour pass on the airport’s website. The price is about 20% more expensive than typical lounge passes. If you’re flying Austrian first or business class or have elite status, you can access 6 Austrian lounges at Terminal 3. You can also purchase a pass at check-in at a price that’s a bit cheaper than the main 2 lounges at VIE.