Going on day trips in the local area on weekends or public holidays has always been popular. Most people use their own car to get there, but switching to public transport can be interesting, especially for holders of the Austrian climate ticket.

According to the Verkehrsverbund Ostregion, many popular excursion destinations can also be reached by bus and train. As a rule, the journey to the airport is included in the climate ticket. But be careful: Almost all tourist trains, for example the Schneebergbahn, are not “included”, you have to buy your own ticket. But you would also have to do this if you were to travel by car.

Below are some tips for day trips that, according to the Verkehrsverbund Ostregion, should be particularly easy to reach in eastern Austria by bus and train. The tourist trains in particular are gradually starting to operate again. For example, the Schneebergbahn has been a particularly popular excursion destination since it was built. If you do not have a climate ticket, you can also use the pre-leisure ticket, which is valid on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays in Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland.

With the Puchberger Bahn to the Schneeberg

On April 30, 2022, the excursion season starts on the Schneebergbahn, which can be reached with the Puchberger Bahn every hour. There are connections in Wiener Neustadt to the trains from Vienna, Payerbach-Reichenau, Semming, Aspang and Deutschkreutz. This means that Puchberg am Schneeberg or the Hohe Wand can be reached by train every hour in around one hour and 15 minutes from Vienna Meidling. On weekends and public holidays there is also a direct connection from Vienna Central Station (from 8:39 a.m.) to Puchberg am Schneeberg and in the opposite direction (departure at 16:36 p.m. from Puchberg).

Nostalgia on the train: the Mariazell Railway

From April 30, 2022, the popular Ötscherbär will also be pulled along the Mariazell Railway by an electric locomotive on Saturdays, departure from St. Pölten main station is at 8:42 a.m., departure from Mariazell at 15:20 p.m. From July 2, 2022, the Ötscherbär will also run on Sundays until the end of the season. During the summer season, the Ötscherbär has its own bike transport car and an open convertible car for even better views of the spectacular landscape of the Ötscher and Mariazellerland. The Mariazell Railway is perfectly connected to local, regional and long-distance traffic via the western railway line.

Late weekend train on the Kamptalbahn

Since April 23, 2022, the Kamptalbahn has been running on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays until 22:07 p.m. from Horn to Krems (arrival at 23:10 p.m.) and on to St. Pölten (arrival at 23:55 p.m.). In Hadersdorf am Kamp there is a connection to Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof in Vienna (arrival at 24:00). During the week the last connection is one hour earlier. Since April 23, 2022, additional capacities for bicycle transport have been offered on the Kamptalbahn trains.

During the day, the Kamptalbahn runs at least every hour, including weekends and public holidays. Most trains run to and from St. Pölten without having to change trains.

Reblaus Express – nostalgic train with diesel locomotive, bicycle and wine tavern wagon

From April 30, 2022, the Reblaus Express, which runs on weekends and public holidays, will be linked to the Nordwestbahn from Vienna in Retz. Retz can be reached every hour from Vienna with the REX3 line, including weekends and public holidays. Trains cross the border to Znojmo in the Czech Republic every two hours. This means that particularly beautiful hiking and cycling trips to the Retzer Land are also possible publicly from Vienna.

Waldviertelbahn – steam train, diesel locomotive and golden diesel railcars

On April 30, 2022, the Waldviertelbahn between Gmünd, Groß Gerungs and Litschau will start the new season. A steam train runs on the historic narrow-gauge railway every other weekend, on Saturdays on the southern branch from Gmünd to Groß Gerungs and on Sundays on the northern branch to Litschau. Otherwise, the trips are carried out with historic diesel locomotives and the golden diesel railcar. In Alt-Nagelberg there is also a connection to the trains of the Wackelsteinexpress, which will run from July 13, 2022 with historic diesel locomotives, open convertible cars and snack wagons through the Waldviertel landscape to Heidenreichstein. There is a very good connection from Vienna's Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof and the train of the same name to Gmünd, the starting point for the Waldviertelbahn. Special theme trips are also offered throughout the season, such as the special steam locomotive day with photo stops, the diesel locomotive festival or the Schrammel train.

Wachau railway

The popular Wachaubahn has been running on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays since mid-March. From May 26, 2022, the train will run daily. The car-free journey to the Wachau is easy and convenient thanks to an intelligent combination of public transport. Coming from Vienna, Krems an der Donau can be reached in just one hour with the Franz-Josefs-Bahn. The journey from Vienna to Melk on the Westbahn line takes only 50 minutes. Even within the Wachau itself, the most beautiful places and sights are optimally connected.

Bike Express Burgenland

Since April 23, 2022, this train has been running on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays with plenty of parking spaces for bicycle transport from Vienna Central Station (from 8:48 a.m.) to Neusiedl am See and on to Pamhagen. In the opposite direction, at 17:51 p.m. from Pamhagen or 18:30 p.m. from Neusiedl am See back towards Vienna.

During the day, Lake Neusiedl can be reached with the trains of the Neusiedler Seebahn and Pannoniabahn (lines REX63 and REX64) at least every hour. The journey home can be made until late in the evening: The last train towards Vienna leaves Pamhagen daily at 22:20 p.m. or Schützen am Gebirge at 22:34 p.m., from the stops further north correspondingly later (e.g. at 23:01 p.m.). from Neusiedl am See).

Höllentalbahn

As a "latecomer", the Höllentalbahn will also run from Payerbach-Reichenau to Hirschwang on Sundays and public holidays from June 26, 2022. The Höllentalbahn is a narrow-gauge, electrically operated local railway in southern Lower Austria at the foot of the Rax. In Hirschwang there is a connection to the vintage bus, which leads to the Rax cable car. The starting point of the Höllentalbahn can be reached with the REX1 or REX3 directly from many train stations in Vienna (Floridsdorf, Praterstern, Wien Mitte, Wien Hbf., Wien Meidling) and from the industrial district without having to change trains.