From 7 September 2026 until the end of October 2027, the core section of Vienna’s inner-city S-Bahn line between Praterstern and Hauptbahnhof is closed for major modernisation works. To preserve the capital’s main air-rail link, the City Airport Train (CAT) has replaced its non-stop 16-minute rail service with premium coaches running up to every 12 minutes between Wien Mitte/Landstraße and Vienna International Airport. The temporary “CAT by bus” offers five departures per hour between 07:00 and 19:00 and a 15-minute headway at other times, with a journey time of 21 minutes. While the in-town check-in desks at Wien Mitte are suspended, most other CAT perks – including Vienna City Card integration and online discounts – remain. Travellers heading to the city centre can also use ÖBB Railjet, REX 7 and S7 services, but these are partially rerouted or truncated during the works, making the dedicated bus the fastest option for many itineraries. For globally mobile employees, the change removes the predictability of rail but provides comparable frequency and journey times. Mobility managers should update arrival instructions, particularly for VIPs accustomed to CAT’s in-town check-in, and allow extra time for potential road congestion at peak hours. Meeting organisers should also revisit airport-hotel transfer schedules, as the new bus terminus is on Marxergasse instead of inside Wien Mitte station. The project illustrates how infrastructure upgrades can ripple through corporate-travel ecosystems. Airlines that code-share or market CAT tickets may need to re-issue passenger advisories, while travel-management companies should adjust policy guidance in online booking tools so travellers choose the correct product. Once the €2 billion Stammstrecke rebuild is complete in late 2027, CAT expects to relaunch with double-deck Stadler KISS trains and restore the city-check-in service, potentially shortening airport transfers to 15 minutes.
Source: Vienna Tourism Board (wien.info)
