I have added two days on to a one day business trip to Vienna and would like to spend a full day outside the city. Can I have some recommendations of what would be the best day trip. I may hire a guide, or just take the train. Is Baden worth the visit, can the Wachau be donein one day? Thanks for any opinions and recommendations....

many possibilities depending on the time you visit and your interests. No need for a guide . These easily done on your own.

Baden- less than 1 hour from Vienna by train or Baden strretcar.
Baden known for its curing waters , gardens, casino and summer theatre.
www.baden.at

A day trip to the wachau easily done including a visit to Melk Abbey, a boat cruise perhaps a visit to a winery.

look to the Combination ticket available

www.ddsg-blue-danube.at

www.wachau.at

This offeres a good varied day of sightseeing through a most interesting area - 1 1/2 hours from Vienna easily done by train.


Also the Roman city ruins at carnuntum
www.carnuntum.co.at

Less known but with beautiful gardens, restaurant - the summer palace of Schlosshof

www.schlosshof.at

Not sure if you're interested in such things, but there is a former Nazi concentration camp at Monthausen (spelling is iffy, it has been a few years). While visiting Vienna in March one year, it was bitterly cold and snowing but a friend and I hired a driver and went to the camp. It was well preserved and terribly moving. Not exactly a fun day, but one I'll never forget.

We also had a LONG day trip to Budapest. IMO Budapest deserves its own trip, but we did see the highlights and thought it was a beautiful place.

We were in Vienna last month and one of our favorite days was the Wachau region. We did the combination ticket which molker suggested. We bought our tickets at the Westbahnhof train station. After a 1 1/2 hour train ride, we saw the beautiful Melk Abbey. Then took a boat trip on the Danube to Krems. Along the way, we stopped for a couple of hours at Durnstein. At Melk, we needed to have the boat company change our ticket (at no fee) to allow us to stop over. Durnstein is a beautiful little wine village and shouldn't be missed. We had a great lunch at Alter Klosterkeller, eating on their terrace beside their vineyards. At Durnstein, we boarded another boat to continue to Krems, then took the train back to Vienna. A wonderful day!

Another vote for the Wachau, including Durnstein and Melk.

Happy to see the wachau trip was interesting-
Alter- Klosterkeller a nice place with a good view of wine gardens and the Danube - opens at 15:00 ( 3 PM ) weekdays or 12 on weekends. Usually grill offerings on weekends - spare ribs,beef steak, pork. Good wine too- no beer.
No need to take the boat from Durnstein to Krems when you make a stop there.
Durnstein has a small train station with trains about each hour to krems connecting to Vienna. This allows a more flexible schedule in Durnstein.
You miss little on the boat from Durnstein to Krems , a journey of 7-8 kilometers and scenery the same or a little less interesting than that Melk - Durnstein.
This also solves the need to make the journey from boat dock krems to train station about 3 kilometers - this can be done by a bus, walking or sightseeing train.

Above poster refers to Mauthausen Camp about 3 kilometers from the town Mauthausen.This is north of the city of Linz. While a sobering and moving , public transport involves a train trip of 1 1/2 - 2 Hours + and several changes - then finding a way from train station to the camp - this about 3-4 kilometers - walking, or try to find a taxi - none usually by the station.
Or arranged transfer as mentioned above.
This a full day to visit the site.

Another vote for the Wachau valley.

jrjcollins - how was your trip?

Hello, yk. Our trip was fantastic. I'm starting to work on a trip report and should have it up in a couple of weeks.

Thank you all!!!!

Molker-

Thanks for the tip to get off in Durnstein. I will do it that way. The Austrian Rail Combi-ticket has a return from Krems. Do you think some other "Combi" ticket would be available from Durnstein. It is okay if it is not. Did you take the train to Melk from Vienna, and then board the boat in Melk to Durnstein? I am guessing then that we would miss Krems, and that is okay considering we only have a day...Is that right? Thanks again...

Hi mashure, you can read about the Wachau day trip on my trip report. I have most of the details listed here:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...omment-5648348

It may not work for everyone, but I was able to see Salzburg as a day trip from Vienna (red eye train out, late train back).

bachslunch....can you please elaborate on what/how for day trip to Salzburg..I'm going to be ther early NOv so likely no boat ride to Wachau and am considering this option instead....thanks.

picard8427, it's been a few years since I did this, but if memory serves, I took the first early morning train out of Vienna to Salzburg (it made a couple stops in between). I arrived mid-morning and was able to see the Hohensalzburg Fortress, the Dom and its small museum, both Mozart houses, do a stroll down the Getreideggasse (where Mozart's birth house is located), and walk through the Mirabell Garden before heading back to Vienna on an evening train. The train station is not in immediate proximity to the historic downtown area, but there were city buses that ran between the two frequently.

No idea if this still holds today or not, but that's what I did then.

Wow..that's a lot for a day...sounds very busy but promising. I will definitely investigate into the train times and see if I can duplicate. Thanks very much bachslunch

How about Bratislava? Less than an hour by train.

To many Bratislava is not really worth the trip. Not enough to keep you busy for a day unless you like long times in a cafe.
>Most interesting spot is the castle. Some recent renovations including an exterior painting helps a little.
With so much else within easy reach of Vienna this would not be high on my list.

Vienna - Salzburg takes 2 hours 40 minutes by train frequent service almost a train every hour , so makes for a good transfer and with the old city area being compact , a tourist can see much in a limited time.

Tghe Wachau is the best and most varied day trip in my opinion. You can see the Abbey, old villages , wine gardens , castles and a nice boat rip on the Danube ( boats run until the end of October.