After the Graz Marathon: Vienna
The Route: Graz → Vienna → Vienna Airport Logistics: Direct Railjet from Graz Hauptbahnhof to Wien Hauptbahnhof, about 2 hours 30 minutes. One hotel for three nights. Airport by Railjet in about 15 minutes. Marathon Month: October Duration: 3 nights
Graz Hbf ──(about 2 h 30 Railjet)──> Wien Hauptbahnhof ──(U1 / tram)──> City centre hotel
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Vienna Airport (VIE) ◄──(Railjet ~15 mins from Hbf)─────────────┘
The Monday after the Graz Marathon is a poor day for museums in Vienna, as in Graz. The big ones, including the Kunsthistorisches Museum, close on Mondays outside the summer months. A three-night stay turns that into an advantage: the first evening is for getting there and resting, and the museums open the next morning. The railway does the long part of the journey for you, and you finish with a short ride to Vienna Airport.
October in Vienna: the chestnuts in the Prater have dropped their conkers and the leaves are turning, which makes the avenue worth walking. Daytime highs are mild but the evenings are cool, and the city's coffee houses are at their best when the weather turns damp. The wine taverns known as Heuriger serve Sturm, the lightly fermented young wine, in the weeks after the harvest, usually from September into October. Availability varies by year, so ask.
Getting there
Direct Railjet services link Graz Hauptbahnhof with Wien Hauptbahnhof in around two and a half hours. Book at oebb.at; the cheapest Sparschiene fares are limited and sell out on busy dates, so book as soon as you know the date. A seat reservation costs little and is worth adding. From Wien Hbf, the U1 metro and trams reach the centre in minutes.
Nights one to three: Vienna
Pick one hotel and keep it. Two reasonable choices are the Motel One Wien-Staatsoper, a central budget-design hotel close to the Opera, and the Hotel Sacher on Philharmonikerstraße, behind the Opera, for a more formal stay. Check availability and breakfast times when you book. Both are within walking distance of the Ringstrasse sights.
On the first evening, walk a short loop on the flat. The Ringstrasse circles the old town and the pavement is level; a section around the Stadtpark takes 20 minutes. The Prater Hauptallee is a straight, flat avenue of about 4.5 km lined with chestnut trees, which is easy on legs that have just run a marathon. Walk part of it and turn back.
On the Tuesday, go to the Kunsthistorisches Museum. The Bruegel room and the Habsburg collections take two to three hours. Entry is approximately €21 (£18); check the current price at khm.at. The Belvedere holds Klimt's The Kiss; opening times differ by building, so check belvedere.at. Prices on the day vary, so use the figures as a guide.
For something sitting-down, the coffee house tradition is the point. Café Sperl at Gumpendorfer Straße 11 dates from 1880, and Café Central at Herrengasse 14 occupies a vaulted hall. Order a Melange and a slice of Sachertorte or an Apfelstrudel, and stay for an hour.
For dinner, Figlmüller at Wollzeile 5 is the long-standing schnitzel house. A schnitzel costs approximately €25 to €30 (£21 to £25). For Sturm, go to a Heuriger in the wine villages of Grinzing or Nussdorf on the northern edge of the city, reached by tram; ask your hotel to suggest one that is open on your evening. Expect a short uphill walk from the tram stop.
The Naschmarkt runs from Karlsplatz and sells produce and prepared food Monday to Saturday; it is closed on Sundays. The Saturday flea market sits at the far end.
Getting to Vienna Airport
Vienna Airport (VIE) is about 15 minutes from Wien Hauptbahnhof on the Railjet, with S-Bahn services running more slowly but more often. Check the timetable at oebb.at. Allow time at the station on the morning of your flight, since platform changes are common.