Transport in Austria

Austria has a well-developed and efficient transport system. It includes road, rail, air, and water networks.

The rail system is extensive and reliable. High-speed trains connect major cities like Vienna, Salzburg, and Innsbruck. Regional trains serve smaller towns. International trains link Austria with countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Hungary. This makes rail travel easy for both local and international trips.

Austria also has well-maintained highways (Autobahns) and roads. Driving is common and follows strict traffic rules. There is a toll system on major highways. Public buses and long-distance coaches help people travel, especially in rural areas that are harder to reach by train.

Cities in Austria have efficient public transport. Vienna, Graz, and Linz have networks of metros (U-Bahn), trams, buses, and suburban trains (S-Bahn). These provide reliable and timely travel for people living in and visiting the cities. Vienna is especially known for its easy-to-use public transport system.

Air transport links Austria to the rest of the world, with Vienna International Airport as the main hub. Water transport is less important, but the Danube River allows some passenger and freight movement. Cycling is becoming more popular, with bike lanes in cities and scenic routes in rural areas and the Alps. This supports sustainable and fun travel.

Air

Main article: List of airports in Austria

See also: Austrian Airlines and List of airlines of Austria

Austria has many places for airplanes to land. There are 6 big airports, 55 airports in total, and two places for helicopters. The biggest airport is Vienna International Airport. Other important airports are in Graz, Linz, Innsbruck, Salzburg, and Klagenfurt.

Austrian Airlines is Austria’s main airline. It works closely with Lufthansa, Germany’s main airline. The airline’s office is near Vienna International Airport in Schwechat. It is part of a group of airlines called the Star Alliance.

Rail

Main article: Rail transport in Austria

Austria has a large and busy railway system run by ÖBB, the country’s main railway company. There are also a few smaller railway companies. The railways cover many kilometers, with some having electricity to power the trains. Most tracks are the same width used across Europe, but in the mountains, there are special narrower tracks and funiculars that go up steep hills.

Austria uses trains to travel more than many other countries in Europe. Because the land is full of mountains, many special narrow railways were built, and some of these are still used today.

Main article: High-speed rail in Austria

Austria has made parts of its existing railways very fast instead of building brand new lines. Many new sections can go up to 250 kilometers per hour. Some parts of the Western Railway, linking Vienna to Salzburg, Munich, and western Austria, can reach 230 kilometers per hour. The Lower Inn Valley Railway in Tyrol can go up to 220 kilometers per hour. A new railway line called the Koralmbahn opened in 2025. It includes a long tunnel connecting Klagenfurt and Graz. This line is mainly for moving goods but is also used by fast passenger trains. It cuts the travel time between these cities from three hours to less than one hour.

The 56 kilometer Brenner Base Tunnel now being built will allow trains to go up to 250 kilometers per hour and make travel easier for freight and passenger trains.

Main article: Nightjet

The Nightjet by ÖBB offers overnight train trips from Austria to places like Italy, Germany, France, Belgium, and Switzerland. Nightjet trains have comfortable beds in sleeper carriages, couches in couchette carriages, and seats. You can also bring cars or bikes on some trips.

• Serfaus: see Serfaus U-Bahn, complete ban on cars in the village center

Rapid transit

Metro

Vienna, Austria's capital, has a special train system called the U-Bahn. Each line has a number and starts with “U,” like U1 or U2, and each one has its own color.

The U-Bahn started on February 25, 1978, after some testing began in 1976. Some parts of the U4 and U6 lines are older, from a system that started in 1898. Other parts were built later to replace old tram tracks. Only the U1 and U3 lines were built completely new.

S-Bahn

Seven cities in Austria have train systems called the S-Bahn. These include:

• Klagenfurt: Carinthia S-Bahn
• Graz: Styria S-Bahn
• Linz: Upper Austria S-Bahn
• Innsbruck: Tyrol S-Bahn
• Salzburg: Salzburg S-Bahn
• Vienna: Vienna S-Bahn
• Vorarlberg state: Vorarlberg S-Bahn

Public transport

Tram

See also: Trams in Vienna

Trams in Austria began in 1870 in Vienna with horse-drawn cars. Trams in Graz and Vienna use the same track width. Trams in Innsbruck and Gmunden use a narrower track. Linz has its own special track width. The tram line in Gmunden is very steep, one of the steepest in the world.

Road

In Austria, national highways are called Bundesstrassen. Some of these are Autobahns and expressways. These are wider, faster roads.

The main roads in Austria are called Austrian autobahns. These are special highways. Cars can drive up to 130 km/h on them. Austria has 18 autobahns, and more are being built. These roads go across the country, including through the Alps. Some people think more goods should be moved by train instead of trucks to help the environment.

As of October 2022^[update], there were 100,000 electric vehicles in Austria.

Main article: Autobahns of Austria

Main article: Plug-in electric vehicles in Austria

Cable transport

Aerial tramways / cable cars

Main article: List of aerial tramways § Austria

Gondola lifts

Main article: List of gondola lifts § Austria

Funiculars

Main article: List of funiculars § Austria

Funitels

Main article: Funitel § Austria

Other

Austria has waterways that stretch for 358 km, mostly along the Danube River. The country also has pipelines for moving oil, gas, and other products.

Many ports along the Danube are important. These include Enns, Krems, Linz, and Vienna. All Austrian ports connect to the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, which links to the port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

See also: Austrian Lloyd Ship Management and Donaudampfschiffahrtsgesellschaft