← Neusiedler See Marathon·1 night

Mörbisch and Rust: Across the Lake by Ferry

A late-season ferry crossing to the western shore, an old town of storks and shuttered courtyards, and one night on the Seekanal in Rust.

Duration1 night
TransitSeasonal ferry from Illmitz to Mörbisch, about 20 minutes, then a short road or cycle ride
DepartsIllmitz Seebad

After the Neusiedler See Marathon: Mörbisch and Rust

The Route: Illmitz Seebad → Mörbisch (ferry) → Rust → Mörbisch → Illmitz Logistics: Ferry about 20 minutes each way, then a short ride or taxi to Rust. Check that the ferry is running before you commit. Marathon Month: September Duration: 1 night

Illmitz Seebad ──(ferry, about 20 mins)──> Mörbisch ──(short road / cycle ride)──> Rust
       ▲                                                                              │
       └─────────────(ferry back, or road via Neusiedl am See)────────────────────────┘

The Seebad in Illmitz is where you finished the marathon, and it is also where the passenger and bicycle ferry to Mörbisch leaves from. Crossing the lake that you have just run beside has a satisfying symmetry, and the ferry gives you 20 minutes of sitting down with a view. There is a catch. In the 2026 timetable the late-season service ran hourly from 10:00 to 16:00, needed a minimum number of passengers and gave way to the weather. The Monday after the race is the sensible day to try it, and only after you have checked the current schedule with the operator, Schifffahrt Gangl, or with the Illmitz tourist office.

September in Rust: the late-September light is low and warm, the vines on the western shore are close to harvest, and the day temperature at the nearest weather station, Neusiedl am See, averages 21.4°C (1981 to 2010). The lake itself is very shallow, and the reed beds change colour through the month.

Getting there

Take the ferry from the Seebad to Mörbisch if it is running. If you carry a bicycle, it goes aboard; if you do not, a taxi or a pre-arranged lift will take you the short distance on to Rust. If the ferry is not running, the land route runs around the lake via Neusiedl am See and is much longer, so a taxi is the practical fallback. Take your luggage across with you, since you will not return to Illmitz until the next day unless you choose to.

Night one: Rust

Rust is a small free city by the lake with an old town of low houses, courtyards and chimneys topped with stork nests. The town's tourism pages list the Altstadt, the Fischerkirche, the Pulverturm, the Kremayrhaus and a lakeside Seebad. All are within a short, flat walk of each other, which suits a recovery stroll. A loop of the old town takes an hour at a slow pace. Opening times for the church and the towers change by season, so check at the tourist office.

Rust is also the home of Ruster Ausbruch, a sweet wine made from late-harvested grapes. Wine cellars in the old town offer tastings, and September is harvest time, so some will be busy and some will be shut. Ask at your hotel which are open.

For a bed, Seehotel Rust stands at Am Seekanal 2-4, and describes itself as a lakeside hotel with a restaurant serving seasonal dishes. Ask about breakfast hours and late checkout when you book. If the Seehotel is full, the tourist office keeps a list of guesthouses in the old town.

Where to eat

The Seehotel's restaurant is the simplest option because dinner and the bed are on the same property. In the old town, courtyard restaurants serve Burgenland dishes alongside local wine. Menu and opening days vary by season, so book a table the same morning.

Getting home

Return by ferry to the Seebad the next morning, again checking the timetable first, or take a taxi if the weather has stopped the service. If you fly out of Vienna, the usual public route from Illmitz is the bus to Neusiedl am See and then a train towards Wien Hauptbahnhof, about two hours, followed by the 15-minute Railjet to the airport.