Originally Posted by
sfvoyage
Thanks for the concern about timing. Luckily, I will have my luggage checked through and my onward boarding pass printed already, so I only plan to get back to VIE at most an hour prior to my flight time. I don't want to sit in the SEN lounge at VIE and will try to rediscover Vienna, albeit just for a couple of hours, after a long absence.
Great - enjoy your trip.
Might I suggest the bus rather than the train as it's right outside the entrance and it should get you to Schwedenplatz in less than 30 minutes. The train will take you longer and cost more.
You then take a few minutes walk up Rotenturmstrasse to get you to St Stephens in a few minutes. If you'd like a beer before you start then the bus stops below the stairs that take you up to Ruprechts church where my friend Ronnie sells the best natural beer in Vienna at the Dragoncook! This would be a great first five minutes for you to spend on your arrival in Vienna and would set you up well for your two hour wander. From Bus to Beer is 1 minute. Make sure you have the house beer of which Ronnie is very proud.
Using the bus places you in the middle of Vienna and I think gives you the easiest trip .... and you get your beer at Ronnies with the money and time you've saved!
Length of journey: at most 22 minutes
Post Bus Timetable
Fare
Kuchldragoner
And then ... if you are really lazy ... you can then walk back down the steps and get the tourist tram around the Ringstrasse. I think the ticket allows you on and off .... and all of this is within a nat's wingspan of where the bus stops so you can get back on from the tram at the end of your two hour on/off curcuit - although you might get off at the Opera and walk down Kartnerstrasse to the Cathedral and then down Rotentermstrasse to another beer and then the bus.