Frankfurt to Vienna Express?
 

We plan to fly from LAX to Frankfurt using Air Miles. We will continue on directly to Vienna. Question: Is there an express train from Frankfurt to Vienna? If so, is it worth taking for scenery or considering we will be tired should we just take another flight?

There are two EuroCity trains from Frankfurt airport (Flughafen Fernbahnhof, dep 12.02 and 14.02) to Wien Westbahnhof (arr 19.50 and 21.50). <BR><BR>Night train from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof 23.01, arr Vienna 8.50.<BR><BR>There are many more connections if you change once or twice (www.bahn.de).<BR><BR>The scenery between the two cities is not exciting, but pretty with rivers and woods, farms and fields, rolling hills.

A further EuroCity train leaves the airport at 0819 and reaches Vienna at 1550. A compartment in a EuroCty train is a good place to snooze, and they serve a decent lunch.<BR><BR>Ben haines, London

You might want to consider costs and time before deciding. Taking the train is at best an 8 hour ride and a second class seat round trip will run you about $260 or so depending on dollar rot between now and then.<BR><BR>(that is an estimate, round trip)<BR>Airfare will run about $360, plus transportation to and from the city.<BR><BR>The net time savings will be about 5 hours if you fly. The Vienna West station is fairly close to the city center -- a short cab ride or a cople of U bahn stops. The airport is a few miles east of the city center. The transit system is efficient. Taxi is of course the easiest, most expeditious means of getting there. But there are trains between the airport and the city center.<BR><BR>The non stop train from Frankfurt goes through N&uuml;rnburg and Linz and makes 12 stops between the Frankfurt Airport and Vienna West. <BR><BR>Incidentally, the 8:19 train Ben mentions leaves the main Frankfurt station at that time; it leaves the airport station at 7:54.<BR><BR>I am not sure which means of transportation I would select. An 8 hour train ride is not something I would look forward to after an all night flight. <BR><BR>Although Germany has two Frankfurts, it is not likely you would have them confused if you buy your round trip ticket at the airport train station after landing.

Thank you, thank you, You have given me the answer I need. I think I will forego the train in favor of a flight. Since we will be tired and the scenery is not special. Responses are much appreciated.

Definitely take a flight. It's fairly short, probably just over an hour (it's 90 minutes from Brussels to Vienna by air). The Vienna airport is quite compact and easy to navigate. One thing I really like about their airport is they have small (free) luggage carts to use AFTER you go through check in, so you can stick your carry on luggage on them and maneuver through the shops and cafes easily. The airport has a good wine bar, FYI. If you can get a connecting flight on Austrian Airways, go for it. I have never had a bad experience on one of their flights.

OOPS. It is definitely not a non stop train. I intended to say no changes enroute, but fouled up a bit.<BR><BR>Were I doing it, I think I would make a stop or two going to Vienna and coming.<BR>You might consider taking the train one way, with stops in N&uuml;rnberg, Munich and/or Salzburg (as examples) and fly one of the Frankfurt Vienna segments. <BR>(Making stops enroute would take a little longer, and going by Munich and Salzburg would be a minor detour.)