Transportation
Airport RunsThe town terminal is in the Hilton Hotel. The airport is a long way out, so taxi rates are very expensive (about US$40 for the circuit). Buses are around AS60 per body (about US$6 and less than half that for children). A microbus feeder service that will pick you up at your hotel costs around $22 per person.
Streetcars and Buses
Vienna provides fast and relatively modern streetcars and buses. The system is easy once you get the hang of it. Take the Ringstr. as your guideline: Outside, there are a dozen tram lines at your fingertips; inside, you can roll within a matter of minutes to such attractions as the Spanische Reitschule (Spanish Riding School, Hofburg), Stephansdom (St. Stephen's, at Kärntner Str.-Rotenturm Str.), and the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History, at Maria Theresien Platz).
You'll pay the equivalent of about US$2 (AS20) on most one-way runs, including transfers. You can further economize by buying tickets in advance (blocks of five at AS75 [$7.45] per unit). If offered this season, the 24-Hour Vienna Ticket can haul you over 500 kilometers (311 miles) of underground and metropolitan rails, plus all of the bus routes in and around the city, for the modest sum of AS45 ($4.47). A 72-hour ducat costs AS115 ($11.42). Be sure to check at transportation centers for these money savers.
Subways and Trains
They are called Schnellbahn and U-bahn—and they go in every direction, with more stops being added every year. Familiarize yourself with these fast, efficient, low-cost systems, and you will save a bundle.
If you have any questions about using the transit system, or if you need maps of the system, the staff at the main office of Vienna Transport on Karlsplatz (Tel. 587 31 86) can help.