About Vienna and Travel Information

Weather

It will be extremely cold this year. The temperature is around minus 5 degree Celsius (23 Fahrenheit) during day and minus 14 degree Celsius (7 Fahrenheit) in the night and there will be snow in the city.

About Vienna

Vienna (in German: Wien) is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and provides the highest quality of living (as ranked by Mercer). Vienna was the capital of the Austrian-Hungarian empire for many centuries, ruling much of Central Europe and leaving as a legacy magnificent buildings befitting the capital of a large empire, such as the Hofburg and the Schönbrunn and Belvedere palaces. Today, Vienna is the capital as well as cultural and economic center of the Republic of Austria and hosts major international organizations such as the United Nations, OPEC, and OSCE. Vienna is still regarded as the musical capital of Europe or even the whole world by many music lovers. It offers exciting concerts, operas and musicals, as well as impressive exhibitions. Enjoy the delights of Viennese cuisine, typical Viennese “Gemütlichkeit” at cafés and Heurigen, or the green side of Vienna in the citys many parks. See Vienna’s official tourist information website for more information about Vienna and ticket bookings for concerts and opera performances.

Skiing

At the end of February, when there are the first signs of spring and the first flowers in the city of Vienna, you will find perfect conditions for skiing in the mountains. By car you can reach Stuhleck, which is one of the most popular ski resort for skiers from Vienna, within 50 minutes from the conference venue. By public transport it takes longer. From the conference venue, avid skiers can take the Lokalbahn Wien-Baden light rail to Bahnhof Meidling (11 min) and then the train to Spital am Semmering (105 min). From there it is a ten minute walk to the ski lifts. Skiing equipment is available for rent. There are also some coach services from Vienna during the winter season. The slopes can get crowded on days with nice weather and on weekends. A famous spot for ski mountaineering is Breite Ries on the Schneeberg.

Transport

Public Transport in Vienna

There are five underground lines (tickets must be purchased in the stations before proceeding to the platforms) and more than 100 tram and bus lines operated by Wiener Linien, the municipal transport corporation. Here is a map of fast connections. The conference venue has a direct connection with the city center by the Lokalbahn Wien-Baden light rail line. The stop at the conference venue is “Vösendorf-SCS”, in the center bottom on the map. The city center terminus is just opposite of the Opera on the Ringstraße. During rush hour, trains operate every 7,5 minutes, with intervals of up to 15 minutes during evening hours. The last train to the hotel leaves at 23:42 from the Opera terminus (timetable), the last train to the city in the evening leaves at 23:58 at the conference venue (timetable). The ticket machines inside the tram only take coins and small bills, the ticket machines at most of the stops also take credit cards. Be aware that the stop for the conference venue “Vösendorf-SCS” is the first stop beyond the city border in Vienna’s suburbs. Consequently, a ticket for the city center (core zone (in German: Kernzone)) is not sufficient, and if you are already in possession of a ticket for the city center you have to buy a ticket from “city border” to “Vösendorf-SCS”. At the stop Schedifkaplatz or stop Bahnhof Meidling you can change to the underground line number 6 and trains to the airport and to international trains (Österreichische Bundesbahnen).

From and To the Airport

The Vienna International Airport (VIE) (Flughafen Wien in German) in Schwechat is about 25 km from the conference venue in the south-east of Vienna. There are modern Railjet trains from the airport to Bahnhof Meidling every 30 minutes with a stop of 6 to 9 minutes at Hauptbahnhof. Additionally there are connections with one change using the Schnellbahn S7 at stop Rennweg (you change the direction there and the train leaves on the opposite side of the platform). At Bahnhof Meidling you take the exit Schedifkaplatz and the Lokalbahn Wien-Baden to the conference venue (see above). Do not use the City Airport Train (CAT) as it does not offer suitable connections to the conference venue.

Checking the schedule and buying the ticket is simple. Just follow the signs at the airport to the trains and go to one of the red ticketing machines (NOT the green machines). Enter the first 3 letters of the destination “Vös”, then choose “Vösendorf SCS” as destination from the offered choices. Please be sure to choose “Vösendorf SCS”, NOT “Vösendorf Siebenhirten” which is not far enough. Select your connection and buy your ticket (cash and cards accepted). The adult fare is Euro 4,10. This ticket covers the complete journey from the airport to the hotel.

Alternatively, you can book a transfer service by AirportDriver with a negotiated conference rate of Euro 40, by entering the code “TU-Wien Konferenz Vösendorf”. Alternatively, taxi service is also available (rates vary).

Using a car

We advise against using personal cars in Vienna’s city and around historic venues, as traffic can be heavy with long delays and scarce parking. Vienna’s excellent public transport system will allow you to reach most destinations in the city more quickly. The conference venue itself is outside the city, and offers less traffic and ample parking, with the exception of heavy shopping traffic on Saturdays. You will need a car only if you arrive by personal vehicle, or you plan to explore the mountains surrounding the city.