Vineyards on the Danube, another capital, a spa town and a railway over the mountains are all within reach by train. Journeys run from about 20 minutes to about 3 hours 30 minutes, and Hallstatt is the longest. Train times are from the ÖBB timetable for a weekday morning, and car times assume clear roads from the centre.
53 minfrom Hauptbahnhof with one change, or 1 h 3 min direct from Westbahnhof
about 1 h 5 min
Krems
1 h 5 mindirect from Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof
about 1 h 5 min
Between Melk and Krems the Danube runs through the prettiest river landscape in Austria, with terraced Riesling vineyards, apricot orchards, and Dürnstein with its blue church tower and the ruined castle that held Richard the Lionheart. Melk Abbey stands on its rock at the western end, and its library and marble hall alone repay the journey.
Tip: See Melk in the morning and work your way to Krems for the train back. River boats between the two run in the warmer months only. In winter the abbey keeps shorter hours and some parts open only on guided tours, so check the abbey's opening hours first.
Another capital an hour away, small enough to walk: pastel façades in a compact Old Town, St. Michael's Gate, and the white castle above the Danube, looking into Slovakia and back towards Austria. Slovakia uses the euro as well, and beer and lunch usually cost less than in Vienna.
Tip: The main station is outside the Old Town, so walk or take a short bus ride in. In the boat season the Twin City Liner sails the Danube between the two capitals, a pleasant way to do one direction. Carry your passport or ID.
21 to 27 mindirect from Hauptbahnhof on the faster trains, or 1 h 7 min on the Badner Bahn tram from the Opera
about 35 min
The Viennese court came here for the sulphur springs. It left the Biedermeier streets, the casino and the big Kurpark running up into the Vienna Woods. Beethoven spent summers here too, and his house is open as a museum.
Tip: The easiest half-day out of Vienna. In June, cross to the rose garden in Doblhoffpark. The Badner Bahn is slower than the train, but it stops right at the Opera.
Opened in 1854 as the first railway built across the Alps, and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the line climbs through limestone cliffs on stone viaducts. The old grand hotels at the top date from the days when the Viennese came up here for the air.
Tip: Do not just stay on the train. Get out and walk part of the railway trail near Breitenstein to see the Kalte Rinne viaduct from outside. It is often several degrees colder than Vienna, so take a layer.
about 3 h 30 minto the station with one change, then the boat across the lake
about 3 h 30 min
Salt has been mined here since prehistory. The village is stacked on its narrow shore between lake and mountain and looks as it does in the pictures. Many other visitors have seen those pictures too.
Tip: From Vienna this is a very long day, so stay the night if you can. The station is on the far shore, and a boat meets the trains. Once the last tour buses have left, the village is calmer and the evening light on the water is at its best.
A shallow steppe lake on the Hungarian border, with reed beds, wide skies, flat cycling roads and wine villages such as Rust, where storks nest on the chimneys. The whole landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Tip: The lake is 1.8 metres deep at most, so it suits cooling off better than long swims, and in summer the water can reach 30 °C. The official Strandbad in Neusiedl am See is open from May to September, from 8 am, with a day ticket at €7, a children's pool and boat hire. Rent a bike for the rest of the day and stay for sunset, with insect repellent in your bag.
Austria's second city has a red-roofed old town on the UNESCO list, the clock tower on the Schlossberg and a Mediterranean ease that Vienna lacks. The food of southern Styria is a reason to come hungry.
Tip: Only just doable as a day trip, though the direct train crosses the Semmering line on the way. Climb the Schlossberg steps for the view over the roofs.
