Munich to Vienna - 15 Best Ways to Travel in 2024

The most popular way to travel from Munich to Vienna is by train. You can choose from frequent connections, both direct and with convenient stops along the way, operated by three companies: German Railways DB, Austrian Railways ÖBB, and a private one, WESTbahn. Since they all offer more or less the same comfort and services onboard, choose the one that works the best for your Munich to Vienna trip. 

On every train, you can enjoy free wifi and power sockets next to each seat. DB/OBB trains also have the restaurant car; in WESTbahn ones, you can use a self-service bistro.

Munich to Vienna train travel time is around 4 hours and 30 minutes, depending on the connection. Most trains on this route are high-speed ones that travel up to 230 km/h; those are also the fastest. 

With all the time spent on the journey, you can have some time to relax, catch up on your favorite book or TV show, or simply admire the landscape along the way. The Munich to Vienna train route is scenic, so that you can expect some great views. 

The first direct train departs from Munich around 6 in the morning; the last one is around 6 in the afternoon. You can also take the night train between Munich and Vienna - we will discuss it later.

Munich to Vienna train ticket
Munich to Vienna train ticket price depends on when you purchase it and can vary between €26 if you are buying it in advance and €105 for last-minute trips. 

The easiest way to buy the Munich to Vienna ticket is online, directly at the website of each of the companies serving this route (we linked them all above). You can also get the ticket at the train station. 

In München Hauptbahnhof, the main train station, you will find the customer’s center in the central part of the station, opposite the platforms. Since it’s a busy station, the lines can get long, so calculate some extra waiting time when planning your train. 

The Munich to Vienna train route is a popular one, so it’s worth considering a seat reservation to purchase with your ticket. For DB and OBB trains, it’s €3-3,50; WESTbahn offers a complimentary seat reservation included in the ticket’s price.

Munich to Vienna Eurail pass
If you use Eurail or Interrail tickets during your trip around Europe, you can use trains from all three companies with your pass free of charge. 

Even if the seat reservation is not mandatory, you should consider purchasing it for hassle-free travel. You can buy it for a few euros only on the railway companies’ website or at the train station. Don’t leave it until the last moment, as seat reservations are sold only up to 15 minutes before the train’s departure.

Train stations in Munich and Vienna
All the trains depart from München Hauptbahnhof, the central train station located not too far from the Old Town. It is easily reachable by public transport as all the suburban and underground train lines cross here. 

The final station in Vienna depends on which company train you would take. DB and ÖBB trains all arrive at the central station - Wien Hauptbahnhof, connected with the rest of the city by the red metro line U1. The WESTbahn trains will take you to Wien Westbahnhof, from where you can continue by the U3 orange metro line or the U6 brown metro line towards your final destination in the city.

Munich to Vienna night train
A good alternative for day connections is the Munich to Vienna night train. It departs from Munich shortly before midnight and arrives in Vienna before 7 in the morning. While the journey is slightly longer than if you travel during the day, by taking the night train you actually save time and money on accommodation and you can relax during your trip. 

The night train from Munich to Vienna departs from the east train station - Ostbahnhof, where you can get by the brown U5 metro line, S-Bahn trains, and other modes of public transport. 

The price of a Munich to Vienna train ticket starts at €39; you can choose from regular seats, couchettes, and sleeping cars for your journey.

The most interesting option for traveling from Munich to Vienna is a sightseeing transfer. You need to spend a few solid hours getting from one city to another, so why not add a stop in Salzburg along the way? 

The best and easiest day to do it is to travel on the Munich to Vienna tour. You don’t need to worry about navigating public transport or dealing with your luggage; instead, you can enjoy this smooth and hassle-free trip. 

Munich to Vienna Transfer Tours are done in small groups of up to 8 people, accompanied by the local guide who knows all about the region and can answer all your questions. You would travel in a comfortable minivan; the whole trip from Munich to Vienna will take around 10 hours.

Munich to Vienna sightseeing transfer itinerary
The Munich to Vienna sightseeing transfer departs in the morning from the central part of the Bavarian capital, near Marienplatz. 

After some 2 hours driving, you will arrive at magnificent Salzburg, one of the most spectacular cities of Central Europe, full of historical places and picturesque corners. You will have a few hours for sightseeing here and will see some of the highlights of Salzburg, such as Mozart’s birth house, Salzburg Cathedral, St. Peter’s cemetery, and other beautiful sights. You will also have a lunch stop here, which can be your first encounter with Austrian cuisine. 

From Salzburg, you will continue your journey towards Vienna, arriving around 3.5 hours later. Since the Munich to Vienna sightseeing transfer has drop-off included in the price, you will be taken directly to your accommodation in the Austrian capital (or any other place you indicate). 

Munich to Vienna sightseeing transfer price
With the price starting at €85 per person, the Munich to Vienna sightseeing transfer is an excellent value for money. Not only will you travel smoothly and hassle-free from one city to another, but you will also add impressive Salzburg to your itinerary. 

This is a great option for those wanting to learn more about the region, its history, culture, and customs. This is a way to go if you can spend the whole day traveling from Munich to Vienna!

Another popular, although slightly longer, way to travel from Munich to Vienna is by bus. There are at least ten daily direct connections between the cities between 6:30 a.m. and 11:20 p.m. The Munich to Vienna bus travel time depends on the connection and varies between 5 hours 5 minutes and 5 hours 50 minutes. 

The major company serving the Munich to Vienna bus route is Flixbus, known for its extensive network of European routes. All their buses are comfortable, with enough legroom, free wifi, and power sockets next to each seat.

Munich to Vienna bus ticket
The Munich to Vienna bus ticket prices start at €20 if you buy in advance and can be up to €70 when it’s closer to the departure. You can purchase the ticket directly on the Flixbus website; you can also add a seat reservation for a small fee. 

Once you have your ticket, you don’t need to print it out before your trip; it’s enough to show the confirmation on your phone to the driver, who then lets you board the bus.

Bus stations in Munich and Vienna
In Munich, all the buses depart from the ZOB bus station (Hackerbrücke), only 10 minutes from the central train station. You can also get here by numerous suburban trains - station München Hackerbrücke. 

In Vienna, you will arrive at the bus station at Erdbergstrasse, a bit away from the center but with good connections to the rest of the city by the orange metro line U3.

Another viable way of traveling from Munich to Vienna is by plane. There are six daily direct flights, operated by the collaboration of Austrian Airlines and Lufthansa, with departures from Munich at 07:30, 08:15, 11:40, 15:30, 19:25, and 21:35. 

Munich to Vienna flight time
The Munich to Vienna flight time is only one hour, so this is a good alternative of other modes of transportation, especially if you are in a hurry. With getting to and from the airport, you can make it between the centers of both cities in some 4-5 hours.

Munich to Vienna flight price
Munich to Vienna plane ticket price depends on when you purchase it - if you book your ticket in advance, you can pay €130 for a one-way flight, but last-minute journeys can be even over €400. 

The airlines’ website is the best place to book your ticket. Both Austrian Airlines and Lufthansa offer exactly the same prices, so it’s up to your preferences which one you choose.

Airports in Munich and Vienna
Getting to and from the airport in both cities is easy and can be done by train (the fastest and most hassle-free option). 

You can use S1 or S8 s-Bahn trains from the central train station to reach Munich airport. They depart every 10 minutes, taking around 40 minutes to get to the airport. The ticket for this connection costs €14,80. 

Once you land in Vienna, the train is also your best option. You can choose between City Airport Train to Wien Mitte station (travel time is 16 minutes, one-way ticket costs €14,90), a slower S7 suburban train, also to Wien Mitte station (travel time is around 25 minutes and the ticket costs €4,10), or a RailJet train to Wien Hauptbahnhof central train station (travel time is 15 minutes, the ticket costs €4,40).

If traveling by car is your preferred mode of transportation, but you don’t want to drive yourself, you can also hire a private English-speaking driver to take you from Munich to Vienna. The private transfer price between the two cities in a comfortable car is around €500. 

For an extra fee, you can add sightseeing stops along the way to make the Munich to Vienna trip even better. Some of the most interesting places where you can break the journey are the Alpine German town of Berchtesgaden, Salzburg, known for its numerous historical monuments, the charming UNESCO town Hallstatt, the former Nazi concentration camp Mauthausen, and the stunning Melk Abbey.

You can also choose the private option of the recommended sightseeing transfer that we’ve already discussed above. Your trip from Munich to Vienna will be comfortable and hassle-free, with the pick-up and drop-off included in the price. Along the way, you will stop in magnificent Salzburg to explore this wonderful city and have a lunch break there.

A good alternative for traveling in Europe, especially for last-minute trips, is carpooling. You can use it for your trip from Munich to Vienna, too - it’s a popular route, and you shouldn’t have any problem finding a ride. 

Register at one of the carpooling websites (the most popular one is BlaBlaCar) and browse through available rides. Once you find one that works for your itinerary, connect with the driver to arrange the details, such as the pick-up location. 

The available rides usually show up a few days before the departure, so don’t get discouraged if you can’t find anything that works for you; such an offer might not be uploaded yet.

When browsing the rides, you might notice different prices for the same route - that’s because the driver decides how much they will charge. The usual price for a Munich to Vienna carpool ride should be around €30. 

You might also see that BlaBlaCar shows bus rides in the search results - it’s easy to filter them out to avoid confusion, especially since the connections you see go via Prague hence the overall travel time is well over ten hours. 

If you consider carpooling for your trip from Munich to Vienna, remember that the pick-up or drop-off locations are not always in the city’s center. You often need to add the hassle of figuring out how to get to the arranged meeting place to your journey. 

But still, car sharing is a fun way of traveling and is definitely an option worth considering for your trip.

If you like adventure and your preferred way of traveling around is hitchhiking, that’s what you can also do when getting from Munich to Vienna. Since both cities are well-connected by the network of highways, finding a ride, even a direct one, shouldn’t be too much of a problem. 

The best place to start your Munich to Vienna hitchhiking is along motorway no 9. You can reach it by taking the metro line U6 to Nordfriedhof; from the station, it’s a short walk to where the highway begins. 

A word of advice: this is a popular route for cars and trucks going to/from Romania - in that country, it’s customary to pay a small fee to the driver when hitchhiking. If you find the ride with a Romanian driver, to avoid a misunderstanding, it’s better to double-check if the payment is not requested.

Those who prefer car travel can go for a lovely Munich to Vienna road trip. The shortest Munich to Vienna distance by road is around 420 km, and since it’s mainly on highways, you can get from one city to another in about 4 hours. 

Where to stop between Munich and Vienna
Since you will pass through some of Central Europe’s most picturesque and interesting areas, you can use your Munich to Vienna drive for a nice road trip and see more than just the main cities. 

There are some wonderful and interesting places you can visit along the way, such as the magnificent Alp mountains, Salzburg - one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, Hallstatt - probably the most photographed town in Austria, Linz - the underrated third-largest city in the country, or the picturesque Wachau Valley. 

You might even do a slight detour and include one more country in your itinerary - the Czech Republic. One of the most charming towns in the region - Cesky Krumlov - is located just across the border from Austria and makes a perfect stop on your Munich to Vienna trip. 

Munich to Vienna rental car
If you decide to drive from Munich to Vienna but need to rent a car, remember that the rental fee is much higher if you bring the vehicle to another destination. For the Munich to Vienna trip, you can expect to pay at least €400 for a one-way drive in a rental car, excluding petrol. 

When looking for the best car offers, check airports too, as sometimes they have the best cars and prices.

Those who travel with their own bike can go for a Munich to Vienna cycling trip. Although it is a picturesque route, it can be a bit challenging since the area is hilly (but really pretty). 

The best Munich to Vienna cycling route mostly goes along the Danube, where you can stop in numerous interesting places along the way, such as Passau, Linz, or Wachau Valley. You will have around 530 km to ride by bike, so plan some 7-10 days for this trip. 

You can also go north first to include Nuremberg and Regensburg in your Munich to Vienna bike trip. Both are interesting cities, full of history and beautiful architecture and can be a great addition to your itinerary.

Munich to Vienna bike tour
If you would like to cycle from Munich to Vienna but prefer all the practicalities to have taken care of for you, a good option is joining a bike tour. There are a few options available that mostly go along the Danube. 

Some of them start in Regensburg and then follow the Danube, so you need to either cycle or take the train to the starting point of this tour. The Munich to Vienna bike tour takes around eight days, with stops in some beautiful places worth visiting.

What might seem like a crazy idea to most people, walking from Munich to Vienna is a doable option for getting between the two cities. 

The best route to follow is along the Danube (just like the cycling we covered above) since it’s the least challenging terrain-wise. The distance of around 500 km should take you around three weeks to cover. 

Still, you can stop in so many unique places along the way and enjoy the region to the fullest, getting to know it like not many travelers can.

If you dream of a fancy private plane trip, why not do so on your Munich to Vienna trip? This is the fastest and hands down the most luxurious way of traveling between the cities, with a total journey time of around 3 hours between the centers. 

You can expect to pay at least €6.500 to charter a plane for such a trip, hence, it’s not an option for everyone, but at the same time, this surely would be an unforgettable experience.

If you are traveling with a motorhome, taking your RV for the Munich to Vienna road trip is an excellent idea. There are so many beautiful and interesting places you can stop along the way, either nature wonderlands or historical sites, that this is a perfect idea for great European holidays. This article has already mentioned some of the best stops between Munich and Vienna. Still, you can see so many more along the way with the freedom traveling with a motorhome gives.

Since RV travel is popular in Germany and Vienna, you can expect a good infrastructure and numerous places to stop for the night on your route. Just remember that wild camping is not allowed in Austria (in Germany, it is unofficially tolerated), and if you get caught, you may pay a fine of up to €14.500.

Riding a motorcycle can be a great way of traveling from Munich to Vienna. 

You can either enjoy the speed on the highways between the cities or choose less frequented, picturesque roads through the countryside of Germany and Austria. You can expect great views on your trip since you will pass hilly areas near the Alps. Or you can detour a bit and go through the mountains with its winding, scenic roads. 

No matter which route you choose, going from Munich to Vienna by motorcycle will be a treat.

Even if a river does not directly connect both cities, you can still go from Munich to Vienna by boat. There are some great Danube cruises that you can take - even if they don’t start in Munich (most likely it’s Nuremberg or Regensburg), you will be taken by bus to the starting point, and then you are in for a relaxing cruise through a beautiful landscape.

Munich to Vienna river cruises usually take eight days; along the way, you will have sightseeing stops in Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Linz, and the Wachau Valley. 

If a river cruise is not your thing, there are other ways to get from Munich to Vienna on the water. You can use private boats or even a hovercraft for your trip. 

If you try hard, you can make it from Munich to Vienna in one day, but we don’t recommend hurrying since it’s a rather large distance to cover. It’s better to take it easy and enjoy the picturesque landscape along the way.

Even if this might seem like a very old-school way of travelling, you can go from Munich to Vienna on horseback, just like it used to be done in the past. You would need at least five days for this trip, but most likely more to see all the great places along the way. The easiest and least hilly route to travel from Munich to Vienna is along the Danube, just like by bike or walking.