Car rental in Vienna at the Best Prices

From the city that brought us Mozart, Strauss and Beethoven, Vienna is one of Europe’s rich cultural centres. Along with its Baroque style lined streets, a wander through its centre will unravel a maze of quaint shops, lush marketplaces and historical monuments that rival any in Europe. From the Spanish horse riding school to the Imperial Palace, treasures from as far back as the Roman Empire are displayed here. Home to the first ever psycho-analyst – Sigmund Freud, Vienna will surely be your “City of Dreams”.

With a car rental from Vienna you’ll not only be able to explore Vienna itself, but also head into its suburbs and beyond. With a dedicated customer service department, knowledgeable reservation agents and a large selection of vehicles at various collection points throughout the city, Auto Europe should always be your first port of contact for hiring a car. Our 60 plus years of industry experience together with our long-lasting partnerships, means that finding you the right vehicle, shouldn’t be too difficult.

How is the traffic in Vienna?

Vienna like all major European cities has increased traffic congestion during rush hour times. Central Vienna should be avoided if possible by car. The city has an excellent public transport network that will take you wherever you want to go easily and efficiently. Main arteries in and out of the city can become heavily congested, likewise at major intersections. The A23 during rush hour in particular should be avoided.

Bridges crossing the River Danube sometimes see heavy traffic, especially the southernmost bridge that is fed by the A23. The 227 along the canal is another popular congestion zone. The centre of Vienna with its tight narrow streets can sometimes take longer to get through. The A22 along the Danube River on the north bank can be prone to traffic congestion, especially during Friday and Saturday evenings when locals and tourists go out. Areas around tourist attractions often become congestion during the summer months.

Where can I park my car rental in Vienna?

Parking within the central districts of Vienna is restricted to a maximum of one hour and a half, from Monday to Friday, 09:00 until 22:00. The standard charge for this parking is around two euros per hour. If you have an Austrian mobile number you may pay for parking using your phone, otherwise you will need to purchase a parking ticket from a news agent. Once you have a parking ticket within your possession, you simply stamp the card upon your arrival and leave it in your car on display.

An alternative to costly parking is the city’s Park & Ride scheme. This scheme allows you to park in one of the numerous car parks adjacent to a metro station for around three euros per day. Car parks are located just outside the city and with great connections via metro or tram into central Vienna; this could be an excellent option. Private secure car parks are located throughout the city, but these can often be extremely expensive. You could opt for on-street parking in one of the outer districts – however, this is a popular option and finding a space could be difficult.

Vienna Airport

Being only 18 km from central Vienna and 57 km from neighbouring Bratislava, Vienna International Airport serves as the Eurowings Europe and Austrian Airlines main hub. Austria’s largest and busiest airport, low-cost flights such as Easyjet Europe, Level, Wizz and Lauda also fly out on a daily basis. Along with domestic links, routes also include flights to North America, Asia and Africa.

Vienna International Airport (VIE)
Address: Wien-Flughafen, 1300 Schwechat, Austria
Website: Vienna Airport
Telephone: +43 1 700 70

What to do in Vienna

With a river passing through the heart of the city, Vienna is ideal for a nice relaxing walk along the river bank. If you’re looking for something more entertaining, then a night at one of its many bars and clubs should suffice. The city’s architecture will inspire you whilst you wander its streets and visit numerous museums, historical monuments and tourist attractions. Culinary delights and Austrian hospitality await you within its world class restaurants. For your visit we would recommend the following sites:

• Imperial Palace: As the centre of the Habsburg Empire, the Imperial Palace (Hofburg), is a glorious feat of period architecture. Nowadays, the palace house’s three museums dedicated to the imperial era. From the Imperial silverware collections and Imperial room settings, to showcasing everyday life in the imperial courts, you’ll certainly be utterly impressed at the history on display.


• Spanish Riding School: Within a beautiful baroque style building you’ll get the opportunity to view some majestic Lipizzaner horses train and preform. This school of classical horsemanship produces some wonderful performances based around traditional Viennese music. The show jumps are not practiced on a daily basis, to reduce strain on the horses, but you are able to witness a non-fixed horse training programme.


• Kayaking Excursion: For something a little different, why not consider a kayaking tour whilst in Vienna. Setting off from United Nations city, you’ll enter the Old Danube River to come face-to-face with a wonderful shoreline village. Consisting of multi-coloured huts and numerous pontoons, this setting will surely help you forget that you’re still in Vienna. The tour guide will take you to some points of interest, and allow you to paddle at your own pace.


• St. Anne’s Church Concerts: If you’re a lover of classical music, then whilst in Vienna it’s imperative that you attend one of the city’s classical performances. Being home to numerous world renowned classical composers, dictates that you’re never too far from a show. St. Anne’s Church provides mesmerising Mozart, Beethoven or Schubert music within its grand breath-taking interior.


• Wiener Riesenrad Giant Ferris Wheel: Catching a unique view over Vienna from way up high, whilst sat comfortably in one of its iconic structures, is a second to none experience. The Giant Ferris Wheel can be seen for miles and has become one of Vienna’s trademarks. With a ride taking around 20 minutes, you’ll have ample time to take in all of Vienna’s architectural wonders, national monuments and the various identities of each unique suburb.

Best day trips with my car hire in Vienna

Vienna is so centrally located on the European continent that it makes for the perfect place for a day trip. With your car rental from Vienna, you can either head into the Austrian countryside or further afield towards Croatia, Hungary, Germany or even Slovakia. Even though there is so much to see and do in Vienna itself, day trips are extremely common amongst tourists and will bring a wealth of extra value to your holiday.

Danube Valley: Not far from Vienna, and located on the banks of its main river, you will find what is generally considered as the most beautiful part of the Danube River. Located on its shoreline are the charming towns of Durnstein, Krems and Melk. Melk with its imposing hill top abbey is excellent for exploring. Take a few hours to wander through the abbey and its majestic landscaped gardens, before heading down to the town for lunch.

Bratislava, Slovakia: Being only a mere 80 km from Vienna, the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava will take you an hour by car to reach. Full of rich history, a visit to Bratislava Castle should always form part of your itinerary. The city’s cobbled streets, pastel coloured buildings, monuments and pretty coffee houses, will provide you endless entertainment and interesting things to do.

Hallstatt: A beautiful picture-perfect village located on the Salzkammergut Lake is the impeccable place to unwind and get away from city life. Not only will you pass some striking scenery during your drive from Vienna to Hallstatt, but once you arrive, you’ll quickly realise just how stunning the backdrop is. Consider having a coffee or two next to the village’s crystal clear lake.

Budapest, Hungary: Mixing Jewish, Germanic and Balkan cultures, Budapest in Hungary makes for an interesting day trip from Vienna. With its striking Turkish baths and impressive architecture, Budapest provides plenty to see and do. Head over to Chain Bridge, Castle Hill, the Opera House or Fisherman’s Square. The city is also known for having the Europe’s largest parliament building.

Geographic Information & History

Vienna is the largest city in Austria and is divided by the Danube River. Located on the easternmost part of the Alps in the Vienna Basin, Vienna’s climate is warm and hot during the summer months, and cold dry during the winter months. Snow is extremely common during winter.

Vienna was settled in 500 BC by a Celtic tribe. In 15 BC it was conquered by the Romans and incorporated into the Roman Empire. Vienna as a frontier town was fortified against Germanic attacks from the north. In 976 Leopold I of Babenberg became the count of a district that was located on the River Danube, eastern Bavaria. This district grew and became the duchy of Austria. In 1145 Vienna became the residence of Duke Henry II and the centre of the Babenberg dynasty.

In 1440 Vienna became the heart of the Habsburg dynasty but between 1485 and 1490 it came under Hungarian rule. In the 17th century, Vienna suffered considerably at the hands of the plague and sieges. The 18th century saw a golden age of rebuilding with numerous Baroque buildings being constructed. Likewise, during this period there was a boost in classical music and the arts.

In the 19th century, Vienna was occupied twice by the Napoleonic armies but was short lived. World War I saw much of the city’s development stall and the end of the royal reign. In the 1920s fascism took over until Hitler entered the city in 1938. During World War II the city was heavily bombed by the allied forces. In 1945 the city was liberated by Russian troops until its independence in 1955.

How to get around Vienna

Vienna has a modern well-maintained and relatively cheap transport network consisting of trams, trains, buses, taxis and a metro system. The network is extremely punctual so planning your trip around the city and beyond shouldn’t be too difficult. Head into the Austrian countryside and see a side of the country few venture into. Connections aren’t complicated with main transport stations centrally located within the city.

The whole network works on a trust basis; this means that you do not have ticket barriers on and off the public transport network. However, be aware that undercover ticket inspectors exist and can fine you for not having a ticket. In either case, tickets themselves are generally cheap to buy with a travel card being valid across the whole system. Specific tourist travel cards exist, that will not only allow you travel throughout the whole network, but also discounts at many tourist attractions throughout the city.

Bus

More than 100 bus routes exist in Vienna, it can sometimes seem overwhelming. Buses cover into the adjacent neighbourhoods and are sometimes worth taking especially for shorter journeys. The bus network extends further out compared to the metro and tram network, making a worthwhile alternative. The buses themselves are well-maintained, modern and very cost effective to use.

Train

Vienna’s new railway station not only has local routes, but national and international links throughout Western Europe to Germany, France, Italy and so forth,. The Austrian Federal Railways operates trains from the Vienna Central Station in the heart of the city, and from Wien-Meidling Station in the south of the city.

Taxis

Official city taxis in Vienna are yellow with a taxi sign upon its roof. A basic fare exists, with an extra fee dependant on distance of travel, time of day and duration of trip. A day fee is charged from 06:00 until 23:00, with a night fee from 23:00 until 06:00, on public holidays and Sundays. You are able to pre-order a taxi via phone, but expect to pay an extra fee for this service. Otherwise, taxis can be found at taxi ranks located in each one of Vienna’s districts.

Tram

With around 30 tram lines, Vienna’s red trams form part of the city’s identity as much as its wonderful architecture. Covering central Vienna and heading into its suburbs, trams will effortlessly take you too many of the city’s main tourist attractions. The majority of lines are open from 05:00 until 00:50.

Metro

Covering much of the city, the U-Bhan, or metro has a total of five underground lines. The metro operates daily from 05:00 until 00:15 from Monday until Friday. A night service exists during the weekend. The U1 line takes you from Oberlaa to Leopoldau, U2 takes you from Seestadt to Karlsplatz, U3 links Ottakring with Simmering, U4 connects Hütteldorf and Heiligenstadt and lastly U6 operates between Siebenhirten and Floridsdorf.

Useful links

Tourism Information