ARRIVING AT SCHWECHAT AIRPORT, VIENNA, AUSTRIA

This page is primarily intended for Webster University students and faculty coming to the Webster University Campus in Vienna, but the basic information here might well be useful to other travellers. It should get you from the airplane into the city of Vienna with a minimum of fuss. I hope!

• From the plane through baggage.
  • From plane through immigration.
    After you leave the plane you have no options. You go through immigration. You will need to have your passport ready to show to the official. The sole exception to this is when you are coming from another European country and have gone through immigration there. If so, then proceed to the next item.
  • From immigration to baggage claim: A recommended stop.
    
    1. You will have a fairly long walk from immigration to the baggage claim area. (Even if you only have carry on luggage you must exit the secure are of international arrivals via the baggage claim area.)
    2. As you arrive at the end of the corridor and are about to turn into the baggage area there is a money change office. I would recommend that you change some money there. Not a great deal. One seems to get a better rate in banks in town, but you will normally need some money for you earliest hours.
    3. If you are going to use one of the airport carts you will need an Austrian 5 schillings coin to get it loose from the pile. The 5 schillings coin unlocks it from the rest. If you have a suitcase with wheels, or easy carrying bags, then you won't need a cart. But if you want a cart you need this coin. If you change money (and they wills speak English at the change bureau, then be sure to ask for a 5 schillings coin in your money, or give them one bill back and ask for change. If you already have Austria money, but no 5 schillings coin, then go to the change window and ask to change one of your Austrian bills so that you might have at least one 5 schillings coin.
    4. Your bags will come on the carrousels. After you get your bags LEAVE THE BAGGAGE CLAIM AREA. We have had difficulty with this point in meeting people at the airport. The baggage claim area is a secure area. We who are outside this door waiting to pick up people cannot enter this area. Do not wait inside the baggage claim area to be met. Go outside into the airport.
    5. When you leave the baggage claim area you will then be out of "international space" and into Vienna's airport from whence you can make your plans or fulfill your arrangements to leave the airport.
• Getting picked up at the airport. Obviously this is the easiest way to have it. Now you must only find your contact person. Some tips on doing this:
  1. When you exit the baggage room you are in a small semi-circle in which people from outside may not enter. Pause there and look carefully around. If you don't know the person who is picking you up look for a sign with your name on it, or some sign with Webster's name on it.
  2. Failing that just hang around a bit, but keep watching the front of that crowd where people watch for people coming out. Your ride could well be late, held up by traffic or whatever.
  3. After a bit you can walk over to the information desk -- right next to where you came out of the baggage area -- and asked the pick-up person to be paged.
  4. If a full half-hour goes by and no person arrives, then plan to take a cab or public transport -- see below for that.
• Taking a cab into town.
  1. Directly across from where you came out of the baggage area are two cab companies worth checks:
     • Mazur cabs. This psychedelic painted booth almost always has an English speaking attendant and their prices are quite good. Just tell them where you want to go. If it's to Webster u., then tell them that and that it is in Kaisermuhlen (near the Vienna International Center) at Berchtoldgasse 1. They will get you there. Be sure you have adequate Austrian schillings, though at the booth you can pre-pay the cab with a credit card.
     • Next to Mazur cabs is a green booth. They are also competitive and are likely to have an English-speaking attendant. Follow the same procedure.
     • If you pre-pay the cab at the airport, that is just the cab fee. It is customary to tip the cab driver at least 10% of the cab bill. Be sure to have that in ready Austrian cash.
• Taking public transporation into Vienna.
  1. Taking the S7 comuter train (Schnellbahn)into town. This is a good bet since it goes to Wien Nord (Praterstern) and allows you to be at a station with the U1 subway (red line) which goes to Webster U. (see below for U1 and getting to Webster U.)
     • Once you exit the baggage claim area and look to your right, there is an exit and above the exit there are a number of direction signs. One of them is a picture of a train engine. It is pointing off to the corridor on the right of the exit door. This takes you to an set of stairs going down (no esculator) and the train is down these steps and up yet another corridor. Just follow the signs.
     • Soon, following the signs, you will be down by the train tracks. There is a ticket window about midway up the platform. There you buy your ticket into Vienna. I don't know what that ticket costs, but it is about 40 schillings. It no one is in the ticket booth, don't worry. Get on the train and you may purchase your ticket from the conductor who will come around.
     • This train will take you into Vienna and you may exit at a number of places including Wien Mitte and Wien Nord (Praterstern). If you are going to Webster University, exit at Wien Nord and then see below for instructions from there where you will take the U-bahn (subway).
  2. Taking the airport bus. (Not a very good option if you are going to Webster University.) The bus will have signs for it over the exit door to the right of where you come out of the baggage area. Follow those signs to the busses. The busses stop at two of the major train stations in town, the Westbahnhof (West Train Station) and the Sudbahnhof (South Train Station). I'm not sure what it cost, but about the same as the train, perhaps a bit more.
• Getting to Webster University from the airport train