Transport in Austria

Austria has a highly developed and efficient transport system that includes road, rail, air, and water networks. The country’s rail system is extensive and reliable. High-speed trains connect major cities like Vienna, Salzburg, and Innsbruck, while regional trains serve smaller towns. International train services link Austria with neighboring countries, including Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Hungary, making rail travel a convenient option for both domestic and cross-border journeys.

Austria is also highly developed with well-maintained highways (Autobahns) and roads connecting all parts of the country. Driving is common, supported by strict traffic regulations and a toll system on major highways. Public buses and long-distance coaches provide additional options, especially for rural areas that are less accessible by train.

Urban transport is particularly efficient in Austrian cities. Vienna, Graz, and Linz, for example, have extensive networks of metros (U-Bahn), trams, buses, and suburban trains (S-Bahn), offering residents and visitors reliable and punctual public transport. Vienna is especially known for its comprehensive and user-friendly public transport system, which is widely used across the city.

Air transport connects Austria to the rest of the world, with Vienna International Airport serving as the main hub. While water transport is less significant, the Danube River allows for some passenger and freight movement, linking Austria with other Central and Eastern European countries. Cycling has also become increasingly popular, with dedicated bike lanes in cities and scenic routes in rural areas and the Alps, supporting sustainable and recreational travel.

Air

Main article: List of airports in Austria

See also: Austrian Airlines and List of airlines of Austria

Austria has many places where airplanes can land, with 6 big airports, 55 airports 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 and works closely with Lufthansa, Germany’s main airline. The airline’s office is near Vienna International Airport in Schwechat, and it is part of a group of airlines called the Star Alliance.

Rail

Main article: Rail transport in Austria

Austria has a big and well-used railway system run by ÖBB, the country’s main railway company. There are also a few smaller railway companies. The railways cover 6,123 kilometers, with 3,523 kilometers having electricity to power the trains. Most tracks are the common 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

Instead of building brand new fast rail lines, Austria has made parts of its existing railways very fast. 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

Austria’s capital, Vienna, has a special train system called the U-Bahn. In 2019, over 459 million people used it. 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 started in 1870 with a first horse-drawn system in Vienna. Trams in Graz and Vienna use a standard track width, while trams in Innsbruck and Gmunden use a narrower track. Linz has its own unique track width for its trams. The tram line in Gmunden is known for being one of the steepest in the world.

Road

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

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

As of October 2022^[update], there were 100,000 electric vehicles in Austria. By 2021^[update], 13.9% of new cars registered in Austria were electric.

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 crude oil, gas, and refined products.

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

See also: Austrian Lloyd Ship Management and Donaudampfschiffahrtsgesellschaft