Top 5 Easy Day Trips from Vienna

Vienna is a good base city to choose if you want to explore a bit of Austria and even it’s surrounding countries. The city has an accessible train and bus station that’ll get you pretty much anywhere you want to go, but you can also rent a car if you’d prefer a bit more freedom. 

My top 5 day trips from Vienna are Mödling, the Wachau Valley, Salzburg, Budapest, and Hallstatt. You can also travel to Prague in one day from Vienna, but that one’s a bit harder to do in one day.

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A Bit About Vienna Austria

Vienna is one of my all time favourite European cities to visit. There’s more than enough to see in the city itself, but also in the surrounding areas for an easy city escape. There’s everything from history to art, outdoor adventures, and some of the most incredible views I’ve ever seen!

If you are visiting Vienna Austria for the first time, check out my guide to Vienna’s districts to know where to stay and some important tips to know before visiting Vienna.

How To Go On Day Trips From Vienna

There are 4 easy ways to go on day trips from Vienna: by train, bus, car, or an organized tour. We used all methods of transport besides for booking an organized tour. 

The method of transport you choose will depend on where you’re going, but ultimately what you’re most comfortable with. 

Vienna Day Trips By Bus

Vienna has quite a large International Bus Terminal. Although the bus terminal is a bit further outside the city centre, it’s actually quite easy to get to. There’s a Ubhan stop at the bus station (Erdberg) and many city buses stop here along their routes.

The main bus companies, Flixbus, Nomago, and Globtour, all go to the International Bus Terminal. Taking the bus on a day trip from Vienna is definitely one of the cheaper options for travel. 

Taking The Train From Vienna

The main train station in Vienna is the Westbanhof. It’s on the border of the 7th and 11th district. Depending on where you’re coming from in Vienna, you have a few ways to get to Westbanhof. It should be quite easy though, there’s a tram, bus, and Ubahn stop near the train station. 

We used the train to get to Salzburg and the Wachau Valley from Vienna. We always bought our tickets online beforehand, but you can also buy them once you’re there. The train is one of the more moderate priced travel options. It’s going to be more expensive than the bus, but still cheaper than renting a car. 

See updated train schedules.

Renting A Car & Driving In Austria

Driving is probably the most expensive option out of the three but it also gives you the most flexibility on your Vienna day trips. Around Austria you’ll find all the typical car rental companies from Thrifty, Hertz, and Enterprise and even smaller ones like EuropeCar.  We found the cheapest car rental service in our area that was within walking distance to us – it happened to be Avis.

When renting a car, it’s important to ask if you can’t drop the car off after they close. This is important to know so you don’t have to cut your day trip short to rush back to Vienna.

Be aware that renting a car in Vienna Austria was definitely not a zero stress mode of transportation. Unlike taking the bus or train, we were never worried about missing our way home, and we weren’t ever stuck in one location. But! Driving in a foreign country is not for everyone. 

The streets are narrow and winding, people drive REALLY fast on the highways, and all the signs are in German! Not to mention you have to worry about where you’re going to park when you arrive to each new destination.

Renting a car in Vienna Austria is one of the more expensive modes of transportation, but it does give you some added freedom that you don’t have with a bus or train. 

Vienna Day Tours: Going On An Organized Trip From Vienna

The most expensive Vienna day trips you can go on is to book an organized tour. Although it may cost you the most, it’s also the least stressful. The entire day is already booked and organized for you. 

There are several companies offering a variety of Vienna day trips to go on. I didn’t go on any Viator Vienna day trips, but I’ve gone with Viator before and never had any complaints.  

Sightseeing Vienna also offers select day trips from Vienna!

Top 5 Easy Day Trips From Vienna

1. Mödling – Half Day Trips From Vienna

Mödling is in Austria about 30 minutes away from the Vienna by train. If you’re not used to the long hauls of day trips, this is a good one to start with (trust me, day trips are TIRING!). They have two main attractions to visit in Mödling: Liechtenstein Castle and Seegrotte.

Liechtenstein Castle are ruins from the 12th-century. You also get access to the grounds which include the Vienna woods. Or you can go underground to the Seegrote lake, which is in a cave. Find more information here. 

2. The Wachau Valley

If the weather is right, this is one of my FAVOURITE easy day trips from Vienna (and I think ever!). The Wachau valley is in lower Austria along the Danube River. The valley spans from the town of Melk to Krems. They’re mainly known for their wineries and picturesque towns. And the best part is it’s only about 50 minutes away from Vienna by train.

There are no shortage of activities to do here, but you will need a way to get from town to town. We biked from Melk to Krems, stopping along the way. It was one of the best Vienna day trips that we went on.

There are three main towns that you’ll want to visit in the Wachau Valley, Melk, Durnstein, and Krems. They’re all pretty small that you it may be hard to spend an entire day in just one of them. So, if it’s not biking weather, you may want to consider driving so you’re able to get to each town in the Wachau Valley. 

You can either decide to visit the main attractions in each town but you can also go there for the day to enjoy some local wine.

In the town of Melk, atop a cliff overlooking the Danube, is the Melk Abbey. It’s one of UNESCO’s world cultural heritage sites. This is where the Benedictines (monks that follow the Rule of Saint Benedict) lived. They offer tours of the Abbey, and you’re free to wander the gorgeous gardens. 

You can also head to the town of Durnstein to visit Durnstein Castle where King Richard was imprisoned. I will warn you though, it’s a bit of a walk up to the top, but the view is worth it. And it’s free! 

Krems is the fifth largest city in Lower Austria so if you’re looking to spend your day in one location, Krems is where you should go. The are trains directly from Vienna to Krems as well. 

As I mentioned, a great way to see the Wachau Valley is to rent bikes and ride from Melk to Krems.

3. Salzburg

Salzburg is about 2 1/2 to 3 hours by train from Vienna, so it also makes an easy day trip. Despite its small size, Salzburg is actually known for quite a few things.

For starters, it’s where Mozart was born. They’ve turned his childhood home into a museum you can visit.

It’s also where the Sound of Music was filmed – and took place. There’s a great half day Sound of Music Tour (if you’re interested). It takes you to the major spots from the movie which includes going up into the Austrian Alps.

Salzburg is also home to Fortress Hohensalzburg. It’s one of the largest medieval castles in Europe. You can tour the castle for some in-depth history, and because it sits on top of a hill you get an outstanding view.

I recommend paying for the tram ticket up – it’s quite steep if you decide to walk it. We made that mistake…

For more information, you can read my Salzburg city guide. 

4. Day Trip From Vienna To Budapest

Get out of Austria for a bit, only about a 3-hour bus ride away you can visit Budapest in Hungary!

There’s so much to see here in just one day that I recommend going on a free walking tour that’ll take you to all the main spots (see why I love walking tours so much, especially free ones!).

You have to make a stop at their infamous Szechenyi Thermal Baths to relax in the afternoon.  Just make sure to pack your bathing suit and flip flops.

Budapest also has a great nightlife so if you can, try to get a later bus back. Read my full guide here. 

5. Day Trip To Hallstatt From Vienna

If you’ve heard anything about Hallstatt it’s that it’s like a fairytale town. And let me tell you, they’re not lying. This town does not seem real.

It’s just like out of a storybook. The homes are painted in vibrant colours. It’s hidden away by giant mountains that surround it. And it overlooks a peaceful lake onto the vast mountainous landscape.

Unfortunately, it’s beauty comes at a cost. The mountains that surround it make it a little bit harder to get to. We found the quickest and easiest way to get there was actually to drive, which is a bit over 3 hours away.

If you aren’t comfortable renting a car and driving from Vienna to Hallstatt, I’d recommend booking an organized tour. This way you have nothing to worry about!

Driving there was okay, albeit a bit scary driving down the narrow road on the mountain at times. But we had no trouble parking once we were there (more on our day trip from Vienna to Hallstatt).

There are a few activities to do once you’re there but above all you have to go for the picture-perfect spot. Follow the path along the water all the way to the edge of town. Look behind you to see the reflection of the church and mountains on the water.

You can also make your way to the top of the mountain for more incredible views! Once you’re here, you can actually go inside the mountain and learn about salt mining! 

Honourable Mention: Vienna Day Trips To Prague

Prague, in the Czech Republic, is relatively close to Vienna Austria so it can be done in a day if you really want to go there. But I’d say it’s a bit of a stretch. It’s about a 4-hour drive away. Just imagine, 8 hours of driving… IN ONE DAY, plus still have the energy to tour when you’re there.

If this is on your bucket list I recommend going on an organized day trip for this day trip from Vienna, like Viator. That way you won’t waste any time trying to figure out where you are and what to do. They offer quite a few day trips from Vienna.

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Related Posts

• 7 Things I Wish I Knew Before Travelling To Vienna
• Discover The Wachau Valley: Bike From Melk To Krems
• Day Trip To Budapest From Vienna
• How To Get From Vienna To Hallstatt
• Visit Salzburg in One Day From Vienna

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Last update on 2024-10-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API