Side quests
Day trips from Vienna
3 easy escapes, most by public transport.
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Austrian trains are fast and frequent. Times are approximate; check the ÖBB timetable for your date.
Side quest 1
Melk Abbey & the Wachau
A Baroque abbey above the Danube and a wine valley that’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- How to get there
- Train from Wien Westbahnhof to Melk, boat to Krems, train back
- Travel time
- About 1 hour to Melk
Side quest 2
Bratislava
Slovakia’s compact capital with a castle above the river.
- How to get there
- Train from Wien Hauptbahnhof, or a boat on the Danube in season
- Travel time
- About 1 hour
Side quest 3
Salzburg
Mozart’s birthplace and a Baroque old town under a fortress. A long but doable day.
- How to get there
- Railjet from Wien Hauptbahnhof or Westbahnhof
- Travel time
- About 2.5 hours
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