Travel
Arrival Instruction    Transport From Vienna International Airport   Travel in Vienna   Travel in Austria and Europe
Safety While Traveling

ARRIVAL INSTRUCTIONS

WITH PROF. GOODRICH

If you travel with Prof. Goodrich, you will be accompanied the entire way from Marquette airport to your apartment in Vienna. Depending on travel arrangements, it may be possible to link up with Prof. Goodrich en route rather than in Marquette, for example in Detroit or Washington DC, depending on the final route.

ON YOUR OWN

Regardless of whether you choose to fly with Prof. Goodrich, to offer you the greatest flexibility for travel dates and costs and departure cities, you will make your own travel arrangements to Vienna.  , You are welcome to contact other students who will participate in this program to arrange your airline flights in small groups. This would allow you to travel together from the airport to program housing.  In any event, you must inform the Prof. Goodrich of your specific travel plans, including precise arrival times in Vienna, before your departure.  If not traveling with Prof. Goodrich, you are further responsible for arranging local transportation to the apartment if you are not at the airport at the pick-up time Sunday afternoon (10am - 2 pm).

If you arrive in Vienna after the pick-up time, you should report directly to Prof. Goodrich (you will be provided his Austrian cell phone number).  We will have an orientation meeting on our first evening in Vienna and a meal together at around 18:30.  Full information about the housing will be distributed prior to the site specific orientation and discussed in the orientation session.

You can immediately exchange or purchase money at the airport or a neighborhood ATM.

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TRANSPORT FROM VIENNA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

WITH PROF. GOODRICH
If arriving with Prof. Goodrich, your transportation to the apartment will be coordinated by him.

ON YOUR OWN
If you arrive in Vienna on Sunday before Prof. Goodrich, it will be easiest to wait in the Vienna airport until he arrives.  You can then travel with him and others to the apartment.

If arriving later or a day earlier, you must make your own arrangements.  However, although there is no direct metro connection between the city and the airport, there are still three easy ways to get from the airport to the city by public transport:

Commuter rail line (Floridsdorf - Wien Mitte/City - Airport - Wolfsthal) has trains every 30 minutes from the airport to the city centre (calling at all stations). A ticket costs approximately €3, and it will get you from the airport to any metro, tram or bus station in Vienna, allowing you to change as often as you have to. You can also use your 24-hour, 72-hour or any other regular VOR ticket if you buy an additional €1.50 single ticket.

Travel time:  Airport to Wien Mitte is 24 minutes, Airport to Floridsdorf is 36 minutes

The City Airport Train CAT has trains every 30 minutes from the airport non-stop to the city centre (Wien Mitte). A ticket costs €9. CAT does not accept or issue regular VOR tickets, so you have to buy an additional ticket to continue your journey on metro, tram or bus once you arrive in Vienna.

Travel time:  Airport to Wien Mitte is 16 minutes

Vienna Airport Lines run buses every 30 minutes from the airport to the city centre (Schwedenplatz) and the main railway stations. A ticket costs €6. VOR tickets are not accepted, so you have to buy an additional ticket for the metro, tram or bus once you arrive in Vienna.

Travel time:  Airport to Schwedenplatz is approx. 22 minutes

Travel time:  Airport to Westbahnhof (via Südbahnhof) is approx. 40 minutes

You can take a taxi from the airport or railway station to your accommodation. Price from the railway station: EUR 15,- to EUR 18,-. Price from the airport: approx EUR 22-37.

Remember to have a Vienna map!

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TRAVEL IN VIENNA

Wochenkarte
Your program fee provides that every week you will receive a “Wochenkarte” – a weekly travel pass valid from Monday to Sunday that allows you unlimited access to all of Vienna’s mass transit options within the metropolitan area.  This pass includes buses, trams, the subway, and light rail.  Your weekly travel passes are automatically stamped for each week; you do need to stamp them.

 The following lines deliver you to the neighborhood of the school:

TRAM (Strassenbahn):             Tram 0, 71 to “Kölblgasse” or “Rennweg”

Schnellbahn:                                 S1, 2, 3, 15 to “Rennweg”

Metro Stations

Metro stations can be recognized by the blue sign with a white U ("U-Bahn") on it.

On the platform, check the platform indicator to make sure you are boarding the correct train. Trains are indicated by their terminus (end station), and the indicator also shows how long you have to wait for the train.

Once the train arrives, you must open the door yourself by either pulling the handle or by pressing the illuminated button unless passengers are exiting.

On leaving the train, check the overhead station name signs for the exits. Exits are always marked in white letters on black background. Be aware that most stations have two exits; on the street level these can be more than 300 meters apart, so picking the correct exit is absolutely crucial. If you want to change to other metro, tram or bus lines, make sure you take the exit marked with the respective underground, tram or bus symbol.

Train Times
The metro (U-Bahn) operates seven days a week with first trains departing around 5:00 hrs and last trains leaving the city center around 0:30 hrs. During the day, intervals are typically 5 minutes, with 2-4 minutes during peak hours and 7-8 minutes after 20:30.

Except for some southbound trains on line U6, all trains run over the whole length of each line, calling at all stops.

Trams and buses are usually in operation between 5:00 hrs and 24:00 hrs. However, some lines may only run until 21:00 hrs and not at all on Sundays and holidays. Be sure to check the timetables at the relevant stops.

There is a dense network of night buses operating daily between 0:45 hrs and 5:00 hrs. Regular tickets and travel passes are also valid on the night buses.

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TRAVEL IN AUSTRIA AND EUROPE

Travel in Western Europe remains much safer and better organized than in the U.S., but care should be taken when traveling outside Austria. And, since everyone travels differently, how you organize your excursions will depend on your budget and preferences. But here are some general ideas.

Railway
The European rail system is fast and efficient, though not always as inexpensive. Nonetheless, traveling by rail is one of the best ways to go as a group and to meet other students touring Europe.  If you plan extensive travel, it may be worth considering the Eurail pass (see http://www.eurail.com), which can be purchased in the U.S. and offers a variety of flexible, pre-paid travel options. Train stations in Europe provide excellent travel services, including student discounts.

Bus                                                                                                                                                    
The bus is a popular and more affordable alternative, though it is sometimes slower, does not travel to as many destinations with the same flexibility, and sometimes departs and arrives at less central locations, but for those on a budget, it is the most affordable means of regular transportation.  Indeed, to destinations such as Prague it is significantly cheaper for about the same travel time.

Air                                                                                                                                                          
In the past few years, several budget airlines have begun offering basic services at rates that rival even the bus companies. However, the affordable seats fill up fast, so you need to book well in advance and you will have to provide for transportation from the airports to the city centers. For a first look at this growing number of budget airlines, try: http://www.guideforeurope.com/budget_airline_in_europe.html.

Car
Rentals are expensive but ubiquitous. As a general rule, car rentals are rarely offered to anyone under 21 and often include additional fees for those under 24. Further, certain restrictions and fees also apply if you drive from Western Europe to Eastern Europe, where driving and personal safety are more of an issue. For approximate costs and restrictions you could start at http://www.autoeurope.com/car.cfm. Or for a good alternative with affordable rates, look at http://www.unioncar.at/index2.html.

Hitchhiking
We do not recommend hitchhiking under any circumstance, especially for single women. Avail yourself of the many other options.

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SAFETY WHILE TRAVELING

Austria is safe; even in its capital city, Vienna, the crime rate is lower than in small-town America. Nonetheless, do not be foolish. Follow practical advice applicable to any big city, such as not openly counting large sums of money, not dealing with criminal elements, and being aware of your surroundings.

If you leave Austria, you are strongly discouraged from traveling to areas that the U.S. State Department has designated as hazardous or has advised against travel. Make sure to check the U.S. State Department website for Travel Advisories and Consular Information Sheets for any country you are considering traveling to or through (http://travel.state.gov/index.html) before you make any travel plans. If you do not have access to the web, check with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate nearest you.

In addition, make sure to leave your travel itinerary with the on-site contact as well as with a family or friend in the U.S. in case someone needs to get hold of you in a hurry, as well as for your own protection.

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