Getting Here & Around

Getting Here & Around

Driving through these regions is by far the best way to see them, since you can wander the byways and stop whenever and wherever you like. Buses are a good possibility for getting around, although if you're not driving, a combination of bus and train is probably a better plan in many cases.

By Bus

Frequent scheduled bus service runs between Vienna and Baden, departing from across from the Opera House in Vienna to the center of Baden. Connections are available to other towns in the area. Bus service runs between Vienna and Carnuntum-Petronell, and on to Hainburg. In the Weinviertel, bus service is fairly good between Vienna and Laa an der Thaya, Mistelbach, and Poysdorf.

By Car

To reach Baden and the surrounding villages by car, take the A2 autobahn south in the direction of Graz, getting off in Baden and taking Route 210 west.

The Weinviertel is accessed by major highways but not by autobahns. Follow signs to Prague, taking Route E461 toward Mistelbach and Poysdorf if you want to go northeast. Or take the A22 toward Stockerau, changing to Route 303 or the E49 in the northwesterly direction of Horn and Retz.

The A4 autobahn is a quick way to reach the Carnuntum region. If you're going east to Carnuntum, follow signs to the A23 and the airport (Schwechat).

By Train

The train system is excellent, and reliable trains run frequently from Vienna's Schnellbahn stations to most of the destinations covered in this chapter. The main east-west train line cuts through the Vienna Woods; the main north-south line out of Vienna traverses the eastern edge of the Vienna Woods. Trains leave Vienna's Südbahnhof regularly for Baden, with stops in Gumpoldskirchen and in Mödling.

Train service in the Weinviertel is regular to Laa an der Thaya, Mistelbach, and Retz. You can get to the Weinviertel from Wien-Nord/Praterstern, then connect to buses running between the small villages.

The Schnellbahn No. 7 running from Wien-Mitte (Landstrasser Hauptstrasse) stops at Petronell, with service about once an hour. Carnuntum is about a 10-minute walk from the Petronell station. Trains go on to Hainburg, stopping at Bad Deutsch-Altenburg.

Tours

The Vienna Woods is one of the standard routes offered by the sightseeing-bus tour operators in Vienna, and it usually includes a boat ride through the "underground lake" grotto near Mödling. These short tours give only a quick taste of the region; if you have more time, investigate further. For details, check with your hotel or with Cityrama Sightseeing. Another good option is Vienna Sightseeing Tours.

Essentials

For information on Lower Austria, call the Niederösterreich Tourismus in Vienna. Local tourist offices in the Vienna Woods, including those in Baden, Gumpoldskirchen, Mödling, and Perchtoldsdorf, are generally open weekdays. The Weinviertel region also has several tourist centers: Laa an der Thaya, Poysdorf, and Retz.

Contacts

Cityrama Sightseeing (01/534-130). Vienna Sightseeing Tours (01/712-4683-0).

Train Information

ÖBB—Österreichisches Bundesbahn (05/1717).

Visitor Information

Niederösterreich Tourismus (01/53610-6200). Weinviertel (Kolpingstrasse 7, A-2170, Poysdorf. 02552/3515. www.weinviertel.at). Wienerwald (Hauptplatz 11, A-3002, Purkersdorf. 02231/62176).