Is it possible to mix hostelling, city sightseeing and alpine hiking into one affordable European trip? That was the question I wanted to answer when planning a mini interrailing route through Munich, Mayrhofen and Vienna with my housemate, Shaun.
After starting in Munich and adding a short hiking escape in Mayrhofen, the final stop of the trip was Vienna. For this section, we stayed at Vienna Hostel Ruthensteiner, a classic backpacker base that gave us a social and affordable place to stay while exploring one of Europe’s most beautiful capital cities.
This guide covers our stay at Hostel Ruthensteiner Vienna Austria, including what the hostel was like, who it suits best, and whether it deserves its reputation as one of the best hostel options in the city. I’ll also share our Vienna 2 day itinerary, covering St Stephen’s Cathedral, Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere Palace, the Old Town, Vienna State Opera, Kohlmarkt and a very memorable hostel night out.
If you are looking for a Vienna hostel with character, strong social atmosphere and good value for an interrailing trip, Hostel Ruthensteiner is a great option to consider. It works especially well as a Vienna backpackers hostel for travellers who want more than just a bed, with a relaxed communal feel and easy access to the city by public transport.
Part 1 of this series covered Munich and Wombat’s City Hostel, Part 2 focused on Mayrhofen and alpine hiking, and this final part explains how we made the most of Vienna before ending the trip.
Vienna
Overview: Austria’s capital and cultural heart, Vienna (Wien in German), is steeped in imperial history and artistic legacy. One of the prettiest cities I’ve visited, with sculpted gardens, impressive architecture and plenty of culture to immerse yourself in! We have 2 days to immerse ourselves in the gorgeous city and visit the stunning palaces and gardens. Like most modern European cities, there is a convenient and reliable transport system to get from Schönbrunn Palace and around the city.
Vienna blends modern industry to stay relevant with its musical, architectural and artistic history. It’s a city that offers a diverse culture and is perfect for tourists looking to learn about the influence Vienna has had on the world. The city is full of parks and green spaces along the stunning buildings, which have made it one of the world’s most liveable cities.
Vienna Hostel Ruthensteiner
Vienna Hostel Ruthensteiner offers a hub for backpackers around the world to meet, share stories and create everlasting memories. It’s one of the highest-rated on HosteWorld and attracts glowing reviews thanks to its community spirit. It was even voted Europe’s Best Hostel 2024!! With a history spanning back over 50 years, Vienna Hostel Ruthensteiner has built a reputation for its artsy, sustainable and friendly atmosphere. From affordable organic, nutritious breakfasts to hostel-cooked meals and group games, it’s easy to mingle and meet like-minded travellers. We met a large group of Brits, Americans, Australians and other backpackers while chatting over dinner, at the bar and then playing group games before heading to the bars.
From experience, I loved the ambience with people jamming on musical instruments, very in tune with the heritage of Vienna. There are plenty of activities to do, free bike rentals and tours of the city. The Vienna Hostel Ruthensteiner garden is a highlight with lush plants and comfortable furniture, making it the ideal place to meet fellow backpackers over a drink or board game. Vienna Hostel Ruthensteiner is located a short 5-minute walk from the Westbahnhof train station, between the city centre and the Schönbrunn Palace.
Highlights:
- Renowned for classical music, with ties to Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert.
- Architectural gems include Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere Palace, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and the Ringstraße.
- A hub for international diplomacy, hosting the UN, OPEC, and OSCE.
Vibe: Elegant and intellectual, Vienna offers a refined mix of history, art, and gemütlichkeit (cosy charm)
Hostel Ruthensteiner
Trip Planning
Flights
- We managed to get cheap flights from Heathrow to Munich with Lufthansa (only £59 each). Then had a return from Vienna to Heathrow with British Airways costing £46 each. Overall, this trip was made possible by the bargain flights when we travelled in 2022. Vienna International Airport is 18Km from the city centre and connected by high-speed public transport links.
Hostels – Vienna Hostel Ruthensteiner
- I used HostelWorld to research accommodation, as well as using Shaun’s previous experience. In Munich, we stayed at Wombat’s City Hostel near the Hauptbahnhof for its great central location. The choices were limited in Mayrhofen, with mainly hotels and apartments available. Hostel Chillertal was much more affordable and located next to the river, a short walk from town. Finally, in Vienna, I took Shaun’s advice to stay in Hostel Ruthensteiner, which turned out to give great social vibes and to meet people. As explained above, Vienna Hostel Ruthensteiner is a must-stay in not just Austria, but in Europe too!
Transport
- From Munich Airport to the centre, there is a fast and reliable metro system costing only 4 euros. And similar to Vienna, there is cheap public transport out of the city to the Airport. We spent 11euros for both airport trains; however, the Interrailing trains were much more. From Mayrhofen to Vienna cost us 44 euros (£38) for the 3-hour scenic trip into the mountains on the ÖBB Railjet. In Vienna, the Airport is connected via the City Airport Train (CAT) to Wien Mitte in only 16 minutes, costing a Single: €14,90, return: €24,90. ÖBB Railjet is another option to Wien Main Station, costing only €4.60 for a single. Otherwise, the S7 S-Bahn railway runs every 30mins and takes 20mins to travel into the centre. Buses are €11 for a single and take over 40 minutes, so I would recommend the S-Bahn or OBB Trains.
Kit List
- For this Hostelling Interrailing trip, I used my trusted Hostelling Packing List in my Osprey Farpoint 40 Travel Pack. As we planned 2 days hiking, the additions were my much-loved La Sportiva TX4 GTX approach shoes and a small compact 10L Quecha hiking pack (which doubled as a day-pack in the cities). This gave me sufficient quality hiking gear to safely hike out of season.
Mayrhofen Interrailing Essentials
Activities
- Our plan was to visit the Allianz Arena for a Stadium Tour thanks to our shared love of football. We debated visiting the BMW Welt, but needed another day in Munich, so we visited the Englischer Garten (English Gardens) instead (for free). Mayrhofen would give us 2 incredible alpine hikes with a surprise visit to the Water Park and Swimming Pool on Day 3. In Vienna, we planned to visit the famous Schönbrunn Palace and Belvedere Palace. Then spend the rest of our time enjoying the views on foot.
Day 6- Vienna
Train
It was time to leave Mayrhofen for our last destination, Vienna. This was the longest train journey at over 5hours with a single transfer at Jenbach. I daydreamed about hiking and climbing the Austrian mountains we rolled past. It gave us a good opportunity to reflect on our backpacking trip so far and exchange ideas. It was here that Shaun and I first discussed a podcast and brand which encompasses what we enjoyed most. We talked about psychology, adventure, sports and travel for hours enthusiastically. I brainstormed different concepts and ideas to branch out. I guess the earliest ideas of a blog and website, such as Backpacker’s Mentality, came from this conversation in Vienna.
Vienna, Hostel Ruthensteiner
The train arrived at Vienna Central Station, where we changed to a metro towards Hostel Ruthensteiner. The rain was pouring, so we jumped off at Westbahnhof and raced over to the Hostel. Vienna Hostel Ruthensteiner is located down a quiet residential road. The unassuming exterior gives way to the popular Hostel. With a revolving door of backpackers, there are people moving frequently from days out into the kitchen, bar or lounge. Music can be heard from inside alongside laughter, which is a good sign upon arrival. The Check-in was detailed, with many activities and recommendations to discuss before we could get to our dorm. We got ready to explore the city centre despite the poor weather.
Old Town
A short metro journey from the hostel took us to Stephansplatz, where the enormous Gothic-style Cathedral towered above us. In hindsight, we should have paid the 8 Euros entry to see the inside, but instead, we roamed around in the rain. We took shelter in various shops such as Steffl and other high-street brands, but didn’t pull the trigger on any gifts or souvenirs yet. In search of dinner, we stumbled upon Diwan Holzkohlengrill 1060 MaHü, which actually had vegetarian options!
We enjoyed falafel and kebab wraps under the covers outside before treating ourselves to ice cream. We visited the insanely highly regarded Eissalon Garda Zanoni Raffaello (4.7 with over 2000 reviews on Google). The ice cream was worth the hype! Before retiring to the hostel, we went to visit one of Shaun’s favourite bars in Vienna, Travel Shack Vienna. A dark party bar with live sports, cheap drinks and a fun vibe for backpackers to socialise.
Day 7- Vienna
Schönbrunn Palaces
The day started with a nice 30-minute walk to Schönbrunn Palaces from Vienna Hostel Ruthensteiner. We picked up breakfast from the hostel, which was filling and healthy, plus cheap to keep the trip costs down. The Palace Classic Pass costs € 40.00, including Schönbrunn Palace, Privy Garden, Orangery Garden, Maze and Gloriette. We decided to skip the inside of the Palace rooms and chose to take in the impressive exterior design.
Youthfully, we pretended to be a rich Austrian aristocrat from the balcony overlooking the vast entrance. The Schönbrunn Palace Park is free to walk around and is a must-see! Some of the gardens (Orangery and Irrgarten) are paid for, but there are plenty of free paths to stroll along, and the Rose Garden is beautiful to visit.
Belvedere Palace
After the Schönbrunn Palaces, we got coffee at the incredible GOTA Coffee experts. We jumped on the U3 from Westbahnhof to Stubentor and switched onto the tram to Schloss Belvedere. The Palace was even busier than Schönbrunn, being in the heart of the city. There are 2 Palaces; the upper palace is a Baroque style with 800 years of history and art masterpieces by Klimt, Schiele, Funke, Messerschmidt and van Gogh.
We only visited Upper Belvedere, which cost us €22,50 (€21,00 online). The Palace is stunning, and with such impressive artworks, including The Kiss. There was a hall full of head bust sculptures, which we found amusing and terrifying with their facial expressions. The gardens between Upper and Lower Belvedere are very charming to see.
Vienna’s Historic Old Town
For lunch, we popped into Honu Tiki Bowls for a refreshing meal. Then explored the historic buildings further by walking past Vienna State Opera, Hofburg, Heldenplatz and Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien over to Volksgarten and Rathausplatz. It’s unlike any other city with a grand piece of architecture on every street. We walked past the Butterfly House in Burggarten, along with the Mozart-inspired gardening.
Vienna City Hall is another must-see next to Rathausplatz, in the Gothic style seen across the city. We soaked up the mix of architecture and landscaping before walking towards the river. Similar to Munich, we strolled along the graffiti-covered path before jumping back into the Old Town. It is easy to visit each of these famous Vienna attractions, but the cost will add up quickly!
Karlskirche
Now the day was brighter, we got a better look at St Stephan’s Cathedral and were in awe of its enormity. Whilst it is free to enter the main nave, the 136m tower climb did require a ticket. And we were getting tired after a day walking around the city. Before returning to the Hostel, we visited Karlskirche, another icon to tick off. Karlskirche is an 18th-century Habsburg domed cathedral with a 32.5-meter platform with great views of the ornate frescoes. We hopped on public transport back to Westbahnhof and had some much-needed downtime before what turned into a very late night.
Day 8- Vienna
Night-out
Technically, part of Day 7, but it was such a late night into the early hours of Day 8, the lines were as blurry as our vision by the end. It all started with cheap hostel drinks at the bar, as every good backpacking night out does. Instead of venturing out, we opted for the hostel’s cooked meal by the staff after sparking up a conversation with several groups of Americans and Australians. The vegetarian pasta dish was tasty, and the group was quickly expanding! We were split between staying for a group game or hitting the bars early. The vote decided to stay for a game of Wolf
Recovery
To say we were feeling worse for wear with pounding headaches and minimal sleep was an understatement. First, we packed our bags in the dorm and had quick showers to freshen up (separately to clarify). It was quick to check out of Vienna Hostel Ruthensteiner, and the bags were stored in a luggage room until later. Next, we grabbed breakfast from Hofer near Westbahnhof to help with the hangover. We returned to the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, an imposing 19th-century museum, but decided against paying to enter as we wouldn’t have appreciated it. The views of Heldenplatz and Hofburg were worth seeing again before exploring the next area of Vienna.
Kohlmarkt
We continued our walk over to the Sisi Museum and the shopping district. Kohlmarkt is where all the high-end fashion brands are located. It’s a much more popular street with shoppers jumping between the watchmakers, clothing boutiques and other luxury brands. The Sisi Museum and Peterskirche nearby are spectacular buildings to observe. Next, we walked over to the Albertina Art Gallery, but our brains couldn’t deal with an art exhibition. When I return to Vienna, I plan on visiting the Museums, Galleries and Opera House to fully appreciate all the history and culture of the city. Finally, we didn’t have time to visit the famous Café Central with its history involving Trotsky and Freud.
End of Trip
Our 8-day trip was almost over as we returned to Vienna Hostel Ruthensteiner to collect our bags. We said farewell to one of the best Hostels I’ve stayed at. Then headed to Vienna International Airport via public transport. The trip had packed as much as we could in Munich, Mayrhofen and Vienna.
The flights and trains allowed us to spend the maximum time in each location and gave us freedom to explore on foot with handy trains & metros where needed. The highlights for me will be the Allianz Arena tour in Munich, the Mayrhofen hiking days and the Belvedere Palace visit in Vienna. If hiking is not your thing, then swap the Alps for Salzburg, similar to my First Solo travel involving Munich and Salzburg!
Starting the trip in Munich?
Begin the interrailing route with Munich’s Wombat’s Hostel, Marienplatz, Englischer Garten, Allianz Arena, beer halls and a compact 2-day city itinerary.
Read the Munich Guide
Want the Alps section of the trip?
Continue into Mayrhofen for Hostel Chillertal, alpine hiking, Olpererhutte, Filzenkogel and a budget-friendly Austrian Alps adventure.
Read the Mayrhofen GuideBudget
We planned for this to be a cheap budget trip and tried to save as much money as possible. We stayed in hostels instead of hotels or AirBnBs, and we found great prices for return flights, which helped. The biggest surprise cost was the Vienna trains at over £80, but these took 5hours respectively and were booked late. The hostels cost on average £25 per night, which is a bargain! Also, we kept our costs down by using supermarkets for breakfast and lunches instead of eating out every day. In total, for the 8-day trip, we spent £86 a day, which safely qualifies for a budget trip.
Food & Drink
The food in Vienna had the best variety, in my opinion, and offered far more vegetarian options. We enjoyed a hostel-cooked dinner to save on eating out and enjoyed a healthy breakfast as well. My favourite dish was the poke bowl, as I was craving fresh and organic food. We didn’t try too many authentic Austrian dishes in Vienna, so unfortunately, I can’t give too many recommendations here. And the Austrian Beer is very good as well, in particular Stiegl! The Travel Shack is the place to visit to meet fellow travellers and get very cheap drinks!
Art
Final Thoughts
Looking back, this interrailing trip successfully combined two European cities with alpine hiking using only trains for transport. The route through Munich, Mayrhofen and Vienna gave us a proper mix of hostelling, sightseeing, mountain adventure and budget travel. Apart from the slightly hungover final day in Vienna, we made the most of almost every part of the itinerary.
Vienna was easily the prettiest and most elegant city of the trip. The mix of Gothic churches, Baroque palaces, grand shopping streets, museums, music history and modern city life makes it one of the most charming European capitals I have visited. Even with a compact Vienna 2 day itinerary, we still managed to visit major highlights like Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere Palace, St Stephen’s Cathedral, the Old Town and Vienna State Opera.
Vienna Hostel Ruthensteiner was a big reason why the final stop felt so memorable. It had the atmosphere I want from a good backpacker hostel: social, relaxed, affordable and easy to use as a base for exploring the city. While the location was not as central as some alternatives, public transport made it simple enough to reach the main sights, and the hostel itself had far more personality than a generic budget hotel.
If you are searching for a Vienna hostel for an interrailing trip, I would strongly consider Hostel Ruthensteiner Vienna Austria. It is especially suited to travellers who want a proper Vienna backpackers hostel experience, with enough social energy to meet people but still enough comfort for a short city break.
I would recommend at least 4 days in Vienna if you want to properly visit the palaces, museums, galleries, cafés and classical music attractions without rushing. But if you only have a couple of days, this Vienna 2 day itinerary gives a strong introduction to the city and pairs well with a hostel stay at Ruthensteiner.
What is your favourite European city for hostelling? Let me know in the comments, and check out Parts 1 and 2 of the interrailing series for Munich and Mayrhofen.
FAQs
Is Vienna Hostel Ruthensteiner a good hostel?
Yes, Vienna Hostel Ruthensteiner is a strong hostel choice for backpackers and interrailers. The hostel has a friendly social atmosphere, bar, garden, hostel meals, activities and a location near Westbahnhof, making it a useful base for exploring Vienna.
Is Hostel Ruthensteiner Vienna good for interrailing?
Yes, Hostel Ruthensteiner Vienna works well for interrailing because it is close to Westbahnhof and connected to Vienna’s public transport network. This makes it practical for arriving by train, storing bags, exploring the city and continuing onward by rail.
How many days do you need in Vienna?
Two days in Vienna are enough to see major highlights like Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere Palace, St Stephen’s Cathedral, the Old Town, Hofburg and Karlskirche. However, 4 days is better if you want to visit more museums, galleries, palaces and music-related attractions properly.
What can you do in Vienna from Hostel Ruthensteiner?
From Vienna Hostel Ruthensteiner, you can walk to Schönbrunn Palace in around 30 minutes, use public transport to reach Stephansplatz and the Old Town, and visit Belvedere Palace, Vienna State Opera, Hofburg, Volksgarten, Rathausplatz and Karlskirche.
Is Vienna expensive for backpackers?
Vienna can become expensive if you visit lots of paid museums, palaces and galleries, but backpackers can reduce costs by staying in hostels, using public transport, eating supermarket breakfasts or hostel meals, and choosing free palace gardens and walking routes.
