Austria Public Transport Guide: Buses, Trains & Metro
The Austria Public Transport Guide is your essential resource for navigating the country efficiently, whether you’re travelling between cities or exploring urban centres.
From trains and trams to buses and Vienna’s U-Bahn metro, this guide covers all you need to know to get around Austria with confidence.
This guide also links to specialised city transport guides and practical travel tips to help you plan seamless journeys across Austria.
For step-by-step guidance on planning your entire Austria trip, from itineraries and entry requirements to transport logistics, visit our Plan Your Trip Hub for expert tips and experience-led advice.
Hi, I’m Tammy — founder of Wanderlustria and the Austria Travel Planning Facebook group. I live in Austria and have explored the country extensively. Having lived in Vienna and visited its major cities, towns, and villages, I know first-hand how public transport works.
Understanding Austria’s public transport can be overwhelming, so this guide focuses on practical, experience-led advice to help you navigate efficiently. Everything shared here is based on local knowledge and countless journeys, so you can plan your routes and itinerary with confidence and less stress.
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How Austria’s Public Transport Works
Austria’s public transport system is highly efficient, well-integrated, and generally barrier-free. The network includes trains, trams, and buses connecting cities, towns, and rural areas. When a destination is not directly accessible by train, connecting bus services from railway stations are typically available. Within cities, trams and buses dominate, while Vienna offers the U-Bahn metro system for rapid transit.
For full national travel, see the Getting Around Austria: Transport Guides Hub for complementary transport tips, trains, and car options.
Austria Public Transport Tips
Austria has an extensive bus network that complements trains and trams, connecting both cities and rural regions.
♦ Austria’s public transportation is generally barrier-free and operates on an honour system.
♦ Tickets must always be purchased in advance; fines apply if travelling without a valid ticket.
♦ Tickets can be bought online, at stations, in tobacco shops (Tabak), or sometimes from drivers (cash usually required).
♦ Paper tickets must be validated before your first journey: at underground station machines in Vienna or at the front of buses/trams.
Tickets purchased on buses/trams are automatically validated.
♦ Online ticket purchase is the easiest and fastest option.
Use the regional operator’s website listed below.
Buses in Austria
Austria has an extensive bus network that complements trains and trams, connecting both cities and rural regions.
Most services are operated by POSTBUS, along with several regional providers.
Each operator has a dedicated website for schedules, ticket purchases, and route maps.
♦ Salzburgerland Salzburg Verkehr
♦ Tyrol Verkehrsverbund Tirol
♦ Vorarlberg VMOBIL
♦ Upper Austria ÖOVV
♦ Lower Austria, Vienna and Burgenland VOR
♦ Styria Verbund Linien
♦ Carinthia Kärntner Lin
Public Transport in the Main Cities
Austria’s main cities all have reliable urban transport systems, including buses, trams, and metro (Vienna).
Below is a brief overview of key cities:
Vienna Public Transport
Vienna’s transport network includes U-Bahn (metro), trams, and buses.
Tickets can be used across all modes.
For full details, visit our Vienna Public Transport Guide.
Salzburg Public Transport
Salzburg relies on buses for city transport, supplemented by regional bus connections. See our Getting Around Salzburg guide for schedules and ticket info.
If you are staying in paid accommodation (hotel, B&B, or self-catered apartments) in Salzburg city or anywhere in the state of Salzburg, you will receive the Salzburg Mobility Card, which provides free public transport on buses and trains across the entire state. This card is ideal for exploring Salzburg and its surrounding towns and attractions without needing to purchase separate tickets.
Graz Public Transport
Graz operates an integrated network of trams and buses connecting the city and the surrounding suburbs. For schedules, routes, and ticketing, visit the Graz Public Transport Website for up-to-date information.
For ease of travel, you can also download the Graz mobile app to purchase tickets, plan journeys, and access real-time public transport information.
Innsbruck Public Transport
Innsbruck’s public transport includes buses and trams that link the city with nearby alpine villages and attractions.
You can find timetables, routes, and tickets on the Innsbruck Transport Website
Note: The website is only in German.
Linz Public Transport
Linz offers a well-connected network of buses and trams.
For planning journeys and purchasing tickets, visit the Linz Public Transport Website. Note: The website is only in German.
For ease of travel, you can also download the LinzMobile App to purchase tickets, plan journeys, and access real-time public transport information.
Getting to Austria’s Main Destinations by Public Transport
For travellers planning access from outside the city, these destination guides are helpful:
♦ How to Get to Vienna – How to reach Vienna by plane, train, bus, or boat.
♦ How to Get to Salzburg – Covers regional travel options, including long-distance trains and buses.
♦ How to Get to Hallstatt – Practical advice for reaching Hallstatt by train, car, and ferry.
♦ How to Get to Zell am See – Detailed transport options from major Austrian cities.
Travelling by train is one of the most efficient ways to get around Austria. For detailed guidance on schedules, routes, ticket types, and planning scenic rail journeys, see our Trains in Austria- What you need to Know Guide . This resource covers both national and regional services, including ÖBB and Westbahn trains, so you can plan your travel with confidence.
Austria’s public transport network makes it easy to explore cities, towns, and alpine regions efficiently. Whether you’re using trains, trams, buses, or metro systems, careful planning ensures a smooth journey.
For a complete overview of all transport options and step-by-step travel planning across Austria, visit our Getting Around Austria: Transport Guides Hub
You can also access our broader travel resources in the Plan Your Trip Hub to design your entire Austrian itinerary with confidence.