Prague to Vienna - 12 Best Ways to Travel in 2024

The most popular option for traveling from Prague to Vienna is the train. You can choose from numerous connections throughout the day, including direct trains or those with a convenient change in Breclav at the Czech-Austrian-Slovak border. Taking the train from Prague to Vienna is a comfortable and easy way to travel between the two cities. With a travel time of around 4 hours and 30 minutes, this is also one of the fastest options available.

Train tickets from Prague to Vienna
Tickets for the Prague to Vienna train start at €15 when purchased well in advance, but if you decide to buy them last-minute, you can expect to pay €34. You can buy tickets from the official websites of Czech Railways or Austrian Railways, as well as at the central train station in Prague (Praha Hlavní Nádraží). You will find the ticket office ("pokladna") at the ground level of the train station. If you plan to purchase your ticket just before departure, make sure to arrive at the train station with some extra time to spare, as the line can get long, especially during peak hours. When buying the ticket online for the Prague to Vienna train, it's best to check both the Czech and the Austrian websites as prices may vary slightly.

There are also four direct trains from Prague to Vienna operated by the private company RegioJet, with similar journey times to Czech Railways and prices starting at €12. You can purchase tickets from the RegioJet website; the earlier you buy them, the lower the price.

Train stations in Prague and Vienna
The main train stations in Prague and Vienna are located in the city center, and you can easily reach them by public transport. In Prague, you can get to the train station by taking the red C line of the metro to "Hlavní Nádraží" station. In Vienna, you can use the U1 red metro line from "Hauptbahnhof" station that will take you to the city center and beyond.

If you can take the whole day in your itinerary to travel from Prague to Vienna, there is no better option than the Prague to Vienna Transfer Tour. Not only will you get from one capital to another easily and comfortably, but you will also be able to visit some of the most beautiful places in the Czech Republic along the way that normally are impossible to see in one day. 

Stop 1: Kutna Hora
Starting from central Prague in the morning, your first stop will be Kutna Hora, the UNESCO-listed town famous for its Bone Church decorated with 40 000 human skeletons and the architectural masterpiece - Cathedral of St Barbara - a magnificent mixture of Gothic and Baroque styles.

Stop 2: Brno
You will continue your trip to Brno – the second-largest city in the Czech Republic, full of beautiful buildings and interesting stories. After exploring Brno and having lunch there, you will head south to the Mikulov wine region.

Stop 3: Mikulov Wine Region
You might visit one of the local wineries to try the local wine and learn more about the old wine-growing traditions in the area.

Stop 4: Lednice Palace
The last stop on the Prague to Vienna Transfer Tour is at the Lednice Palace – another UNESCO-listed place on this trip. The palace looks like a fairy tale and is one of the best examples of the English Gothic style in Continental Europe. After a busy day full of attractions, you will arrive in central Vienna at 7 in the evening. 

The Prague to Vienna Transfer Tour is available as a group tour that everyone can join, as well as a private tour. It's an excellent option for travelers who want to learn more about Central Europe, its history, culture, and customs and want to see more than just the main touristic cities. If you are a solo traveler, joining this tour can be a great opportunity to meet like-minded people and find great travel companions.

Alternatively, you can take the Prague to Vienna Transfer Tour via Cesky Krumlov (this one is available only as a private tour). This way, you can see one of the most beautiful towns in Central Europe, another UNESCO-listed site, with winding lanes, picturesque corners, and impressive medieval remnants. 

Bus is a good alternative to the train when traveling from Prague to Vienna. The journey time and the prices are similar and there are plenty of connections to choose from.

Bus tickets from Prague to Vienna
Flixbus offers frequent departures (around 15 per day) with tickets starting at €15/one way if purchased well in advance, and up to €40 when purchased on the day of departure. You can buy the tickets directly at their website. Another company that operates Prague to Vienna bus connections is Student Agency, a popular local company that offers four daily departures with prices starting at €15.

Bus stations in Prague and Vienna
Both companies depart from Florenc bus station in Prague, located in the city center, just a 10-minute walk from the central train station and with a convenient access to the red C metro line (station "Florenc"). In Vienna, the arrival point depends on the company you take – Flixbus's final stop is at Erdbergstrasse, which is a bit far from the center but close to the U3 orange metro line (station "Erdberg"), while Student Agency arrives right next to the central train station.

Prague to Vienna airport
If you're heading to the airport, it's also possible to take the bus from Prague to Vienna airport. Flixbus offers two direct connections that depart from Prague in the morning. The journey from Prague to Vienna airport by bus is just under 5 hours and the tickets start at €20. In Prague the buses depart from Florenc bus station.

There are better options than Prague to Vienna flight for getting between the two capitals. Still, it's doable, and flying fans would appreciate it.

Plane tickets from Prague to Vienna
Currently, there are three daily flights departing from Prague in the morning, around noon, and early afternoon. Prices start at €130 for a one-way ticket and you can book them at the Austrian Airlines website, the only airline that operates this route. With the short distance between the capitals, Prague to Vienna flight time is only 50 minutes. However, if you add the time to get to and from the airport, as well as clearing security, the total travel time is most likely similar to that of a  train or bus journey.

Prague to Vienna private transfer might be a good option if you value comfort and flexibility. It's not the cheapest way of traveling between the two capitals, but you can plan the journey according to your needs without worrying about schedules and navigating busy train or bus stations. If you travel with a company, the price gets more acceptable too. There are various options for Prague to Vienna private transfers, with prices starting at €300 per car. Sidetrip Tours offers you even private transfer with a short sightseeing stops along the way.

Another flexible and comfortable option is renting a vehicle and going from Prague to Vienna by car. The shortest way is under 300 km, with an estimated travel time of around 4 hours. But you can, of course, make a fun Prague to Vienna road trip out of it and stop in some of the best places to visit in the Czech Republic along the way such as UNESCO sites, picturesque towns, beautiful nature or historical sites. There are plenty of great spots to choose from!

Keep in mind that since you would be returning the car to a different location, the price can go up a bit, making it one of the most expensive options for traveling from Prague to Vienna.

Fans of cycling can easily travel from Prague to Vienna by bike. The total length of the journey is 400 km, with a total ascent of 4590 meters, so you would need at least five days and good physical condition to complete this trip. However, you would be rewarded with stunning views along the way.

The Prague to Vienna cycle route is part of the Greenways trail, one of the oldest and most popular cycle trails in the Czech Republic, so you can expect good infrastructure along the way. You can also customize your Prague to Vienna bike trip and add interesting places to stop at, as the southern Czech Republic is full of them.

One of the alternatives for affordable travel between Prague and Vienna is car sharing. This is a popular option for getting around in Central Europe. There are a few websites that connect drivers and passengers, with the most popular one being BlaBlaCar.

You need to sign up, search for rides, and then arrange the time and pick-up place with the driver. The driver sets the price so different offers might vary. Usually, you can expect to pay €15-€20 for a Prague to Vienna car-sharing trip.

Using BlaBlaCar usually works best for last-minute trips. You might find no offers when looking for rides well in advance, but a day before the departure or even on the same day, you will most likely have a few options. Be sure to consider the departure and arrival points, as sometimes they are not in the center, and getting to/from the meeting place can take some time too. 

If you are short on money or looking for some thrill and adventure, hitchhiking from Prague to Vienna is an excellent option for you.

The best spot to catch the ride from Prague heading south is at the service station at Újezd u Průhonic (road no. 1) in the southeast part of Prague. To get there, you need to take the red C metro line to Opatov (the second-to-last stop in the direction to Haje) where you have to change for the bus X122 to its final stop K Sukovu. From there, it is a short walk to the service station where you can hitchhike for a ride south, and if you are lucky, even all the way to Vienna.

This might sound like an extreme way to get from Prague to Vienna, but it is definitely doable. If you have extra time and want to fully experience the Czech Republic, why not walk from Prague to Vienna?

The journey should take at least two weeks, but you can see some spectacular off-the-beaten-path places along the way. Some parts of this trip can get a bit hilly, so being in decent shape and having good walking shoes are necessary.

If you are staying in Prague but would also like to visit the capital of Austria during your holiday, you can do so. Be prepared for a long and exciting day, as the day trip from Prague to Vienna takes around 12 hours, during which you will see some of the biggest highlights of the Austrian capital. You can either go for an organized Prague to Vienna tour or do it yourself, using trains and/or buses. Either way, you are in for a treat, as Vienna is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.

Alternatively, if Vienna is your next destination after visiting Prague, you can use the travel between the two cities to see some great places along the way. The easiest way to make this exciting day trip is the Prague to Vienna Sightseeing Transfer we've covered in detail above. This way, you don't need to worry about following the public transport schedule and can simply focus on discovering some of the most beautiful places in the Czech Republic: Kutna Hora, Brno, and Lednice Palace.

If you want to indulge during your European trip, consider chartering a private jet from Prague to Vienna. It will be more expensive, but you can expect a comfortable and luxurious journey.

The flying time from Prague to Vienna by private jet is around 1 hour and 15 minutes. Including travel time to and from the airport, the overall journey time will be similar to other transportation options, not to mention the environmental impact of charter flights. Nevertheless, if you are interested, it is possible to fly by charter from Prague to Vienna.