How to Get From Berlin to Vienna: Train, Bus, Flight Options

Are you wondering how to get from Berlin to Vienna? In this post, I’ll show you options for taking the bus from Berlin to Vienna, taking the train from Berlin to Vienna, and info about flying to Vienna from Berlin.

Vienna is a popular city to visit before or after Berlin. It’s a fantastic city full of interesting sights and history, and it’s well worth visiting as a contrast to what you’ll experience in Berlin.

Keep reading for details on getting from Berlin to Vienna by train, bus, and even flying to Vienna from Berlin.

Are you interested in going the opposite direction? Check out how to get from Vienna to Berlin.

How to get to Vienna from Berlin

Traveling from Berlin to Vienna is easy when you know how to do it.

What is the distance from Berlin to Vienna?

The driving distance from Berlin to Vienna is roughly 680km (423 miles) depending on exactly which route you take. This means it can take seven and a half hours or longer to drive depending on which route you choose, traffic conditions, and any road work that might be happening.

Driving could be an interesting option if you enjoy road trips, if you understand the road rules, and if you want to make stops along the way. The route goes through Prague, so if you’re planning a Berlin-Prague-Vienna itinerary, this might be appealing.

But keep in mind, parking isn’t easy in central Berlin or central Vienna, and you have to understand German, Czech, and Austrian driving laws. If you’d rather avoid the stress, traveling by train can be faster and easier.

That’s why I have all the details you need for taking the bus or train from Berlin to Vienna.

How to Get from Berlin to Vienna by Train

Getting around in Germany using Deutsche Bahn is pretty simple, and getting from Berlin to Vienna is no exception.

Most of the train routes from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Vienna Hauptbahnhof involve at least one switch. There’s almost no reason to choose one that has more than one switch, but there are those options. And occasionally there are direct trains to Vienna from Berlin. The travel time is just under 8 hours for either the route with one switch or the one with the direct train.

This is taking the ICE trains, which are Inter City Express trains. They are high speed trains that make fewer stops than regional trains and fewer stops than the IC (Inter City). Sometimes you’ll see an EC train, which is similar to an IC but run by another country’s railway, in this case the Czech rail company.

You might also see a route with no transfers that has RJ in the train number. This is RailJet, an Austrian railway company, which is also a good option. The only downside is it has a few more stops than the ICE route so it is slightly slower, taking about 8.5 hours.

Since there are two or three different Berlin stations that these long distance trains use on this route, check which train station is closest to where you’re staying in Berlin to see which one makes the most sense. You can click on the train information to see its full route, including all other train stations in Berlin that train stops at.

Using high speed trains from Berlin to Vienna

When using high speed trains, you are usually bound to the exact train you choose, so you can’t hop on any train on that route. So if you booked a train from Berlin to Vienna for 8:30am, you must take the 8:30am train. (These are just example times, not indicative of any actual schedule.)

The exception is if you buy the more expensive Flexpreis (Flexible Fare) ticket that allows this. I generally don’t think it’s worth the extra expense, unless you absolutely need that flexibility.

Using regional trains from Berlin to Vienna

There are ways of reaching Vienna from Berlin using only regional trains, but it will take you 15-24 hours and involve switching several times, usually at least 6 times. It only takes one small delay to throw off your whole connecting schedule and add hours to your already long journey.

If you do decide to use the regional trains, your ticket is valid for any regional train that day. So you can buy a ticket for a train that departs at 9am, oversleep, and grab a 10am train. (Again, these are just example times, not indicative of any actual schedule.)

But in general, I think Berlin to Vienna is way too far for using the regional trains. If you plan ahead, you can usually get a pretty good price on the ICE train, and you’ll lose a lot less of your vacation time.

Taking a night train to Vienna from Berlin

You might be thinking that almost 8 hour train journey from Berlin to Vienna is a bit long, and I get it. Flying could save you a few hours (more on that later on in the post) but another option that can work for some people is the night train through the Austrian rail company RailJet.

The Berlin-Vienna route takes just under 12 hours, leaving Berlin a little after 7pm and arriving in Vienna at 7am. You can book a seat, a bed in a couchette, or a sleeper cabin depending on your budget and comfort needs. And since this is your transportation and essentially your hotel for the night, it can work out a little cheaper when you compare to an actual hotel plus a train or flight. Plus it saves time since you’ll be sleeping during most of the journey.

We’ve taken NightJet before (though it was Berlin to Basel) and booked the sleeper cabin because it gave us a private cabin for just the two of us, and we had our own bathroom. The couchette does not have an attached bathroom, and you just book one bed, so you could share the couchette with strangers. Although there is an option to book the whole thing for your group. For budget travelers, you can just book a seat, but then you’re sleeping sitting up, which is no fun.

Are there seat reservations on trains to Vienna from Berlin?

On high speed trains in Germany, your second class ticket does not come with a seat reservation. This means you can sit anywhere within second class that isn’t already reserved.

Seat reservations cost 5.50 euros, and it’s highly recommended that you reserve. At busy times, and on popular routes such as Berlin to Vienna, the train could be rather full, and having a seat reservation means you won’t get stuck standing.

If you buy a first class ticket, seat reservations are included as long as you select it at the time of booking.

Regional trains do not have seat reservations. But be aware that most regional trains do have a 1st class section.

How to buy a train ticket from Berlin to Vienna

There are several ways to buy a train ticket to Vienna from Berlin, and all are fairly simple. High speed trains are often cheaper if you book several weeks or more in advance, so planning ahead helps.

They have recently made it harder to buy tickets on the train, and in some cases it’s not even possible. You will get checked almost every time, so don’t get on a train without a ticket.

In person
Deutsche Bahn has ticket offices in the train stations in Berlin, so you can buy a ticket in person. They won’t always speak English though, so this can be tricky.

If you decide to buy your ticket this way, I highly recommend going to Berlin Hauptbahnhof (central station) to buy your ticket. Here you’ll have a better chance of finding an employee who speaks at least some English.

At a machine
There are Deutsche Bahn ticket machines at the train stations, and they have a language option so you can switch it to English. These are the same machines used at Sbahn stations.

Simply follow the prompts to buy your ticket. Remember that times are often displayed in a 24 hour format, so 5pm would be 17:00, as an example.

Online
Tickets can also be purchased on the Deutsche Bahn website, which is also available in English. Once you’re done with your purchase, you’ll get an email with a PDF of your ticket which you can show on the train.

Deutsche Bahn app
The Deutsche Bahn app is also available in English, and it’s easy to use. Once you’ve purchased your ticket, you’ll have it right there in your app.

Types of tickets

When buying tickets online, once you put in your start and end cities, date and time info, and number of people, you’ll get a list of routes for that day. Choose a time, and you’ll have different ticket options to choose from, as seen in the photo below.

In general, cheaper tickets have more restrictions. The Sparpreis tickets bind you to the exact train, while the Flexpreis tickets let you take any train on that route that day.

For more detailed info, jump over to my step-by-step instructions on how to book train tickets on Deutsche Bahn.

Are there other companies that run trains from Berlin to Vienna?

Since the Berlin to Vienna route crosses country borders, you could take several different train companies to get there. Deutsche Bahn runs many of the routes, but you could also buy a ticket on the Austrian RailJet. There are also a few situations where you could end up taking the Czech railway for all or part of the route. Luckily you can book any of these options through Deutsche Bahn so you’re not getting confused with multiple train websites.

The budget bus company FlixBus also runs some train routes under the name FlixTrain, but they do not currently have any train routes from Berlin to Vienna. They do run buses though, which I will discuss next.

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Have questions about planning your trip to Berlin?

Join the Facebook group here to chat with Ali (she runs this site) and other people who have been to Berlin for tips.

How to Get from Berlin to Vienna by Bus

If you’re traveling on a budget, FlixBus is another great option.

They have several buses that leave in the morning and early afternoon, and several that leave in the evening and go overnight to Vienna from Berlin. The shortest journey takes 8 hours 30 minutes, while the longest journey without having to switch buses takes 9 hours 30 minutes, without traffic problems.

Berlin has bus services from several stations, though not all stations are on every route. The buses to Vienna from Berlin mostly leave from the central bus station, though there are a few that leave from one of the other Berlin bus stations. If you can get one from Südkreuz or Alexanderplatz, either is likely to be closer to where you’re staying.

The central bus station, called Berlin ZOB, is located in the western side of Berlin, quite far from the center, despite the name. Give yourself plenty of time to get there.

FlixBus is a comfortable option that will most likely save you money if you’re willing to take a longer journey getting from Berlin to Vienna.

Always compare Flixbus with Deutsche Bahn to determine which price and time combo works best for you.

I’ve taken FlixBus more times than I can count, both in Germany and in other parts of Europe. Their buses are comfortable and safe, and I would highly recommend them if you’re trying to save a few bucks.

The buses do have a bathroom, though I can’t vouch for their cleanliness because I do whatever I can to avoid going to the bathroom on moving vehicles.

Are there seat reservations on buses to Vienna from Berlin?

FlixBus does have an option to reserve a seat. This is good for people who want to make sure they’re seated with their family or friends, or if you are particular about where you sit.

But buying a ticket guarantees you a seat, so you don’t have to reserve a specific seat if it’s not important to you. Standing is not allowed on long distance buses.

Prices for seat reservations vary depending on the type of seat the route. They range from 1.50 to 5 euros.

How to buy a bus ticket from Berlin to Vienna

There are a few different ways to book a bus ticket to Vienna from Berlin.

In person
Technically you can buy a FlixBus ticket from the ticket office at the ZOB (central bus station) but I wouldn’t recommend it.

I’ve definitely been over there to catch a bus and noticed that the office was closed. Even if they were just closed for a short break, this feels too stressful when there are easier ways to book a ticket.

There are multiple travel agents around the city that can book you a FlixBus ticket, but finding them is even more of a hassle.

Online
The FlixBus website is an easy way to book tickets. It’s available in multiple languages.

You can search your route, and it’ll show you all starting and ending points. So if you want to travel from Berlin to Vienna, you can see which stations the bus leaves from and buy based on that.

Once you’ve purchased your ticket, you’ll get an email with a PDF that you can show the bus driver when boarding the bus.

FlixBus app
The FlixBus app is also easy to use to search for routes and buy tickets. It’s available in multiple languages.

Are there other companies that run buses from Berlin to Vienna?

Other bus companies operate routes in Germany, but they are not as widespread as FlixBus. RegioJet is the only other one I can find for getting from Berlin to Vienna, but all the routes are showing at least one switch for roughly the same price as the FlixBus option that has no switches.

Flight from Berlin to Vienna

The flight time from Berlin to Vienna is about one hour 15-25 minutes. This might make it tempting to fly from Berlin to Vienna because it is faster.

Don’t forget to also factor in how long it takes to get from the Berlin city center to the Berlin airport, being at the airport 1-2 hours ahead of your flight, waiting for your checked bags when you arrive in Vienna, and then getting from the Vienna airport into the city center.

You will likely still spend less time getting to Vienna from Berlin if you fly vs the train or bus. The total journey will probably take around 5-6 hours once you account for all the other pieces before and after the actual flight, so you’ll save 2 or 3 hours by flying.

The airlines offering nonstop flights are Austrian Airlines and EuroWings. I don’t think it’s worth taking another airline that will involve a layover since that will take much longer.

So should you flight from Berlin to Vienna? Maybe, if saving a couple of hours is important to you. I find the train to be more relaxing and flying to be more stress than it’s worth for such a short time savings, but I can understand doing it in this situation. Be sure to compare prices for flying vs trains since that could be a big factor in your decision.

What’s the cheapest way to get from Berlin to Vienna?

Ticket prices fluctuate for the train, bus, and flying to Vienna from Berlin, but all are affordable.

Taking FlixBus will usually be cheaper than the train, but it also depends on how far in advance you are planning. While writing this post, I searched for trains and buses roughly two weeks out, and the FlixBus options were 25-40 euros, while Deutsche Bahn was 90-220 euros. But searching almost two months in advance, FlixBus was very similar, while Deutsche Bahn was 40-90 euros.

Flight prices were anywhere from 40-100 euros one way, and that can really vary depending on when you’re traveling and how far ahead you book.

They’re all reasonably comfortable, but I’d have to give a little more credit to the train for comfort compared to the bus or flying. The train is faster than the bus but slower than flying.

If you’re in Berlin on a budget, every dollar and euro counts. This is definitely a situation where you have to weigh the cost savings with the time savings and decide which is more important to you. And since prices fluctuate, the cheapest option can change depending on several factors.

Vienna tour recommendation

One of my favorite things we did while in Vienna was take this food tour. It was a fun way to learn about the culture and how the food ties in, and we got to see lots of different parts of the city. I highly recommend it.

Berlin Travel Resources

I want you to have the best trip to Berlin, and hopefully this guide for to how to get to Vienna from Berlin is helpful. But there are lots more tips on the site!