My family and I just returned from an epic 3.5-week trip to Europe. If you’ve been following along, we kicked things off by flying from Los Angeles (LAX) to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), also known as Roissy Airport.
We spent three incredible nights in a Whimstay apartment. Since our apartment wasn’t going to be ready until at least 2 p.m. and we landed at 9 a.m., we partnered with Daytrip to do some sightseeing instead of waiting around. One of the highlights was attending Sunday Mass at Notre Dame.
Related: 10 things to know about traveling to Paris this summer.
For our flight to Vienna, I had originally planned to take an Uber or Bolt (similar to Lyft) to CDG at 4:30 a.m. for our 7:05 a.m. departure. But a major rail strike was scheduled that day. Before and during every trip to Europe, I always check Strike Tracker for transportation disruptions. Since this strike looked significant, I pre-booked a local taxi (Victor Cabs) for €115. It was at least twice the price of a rideshare, but I didn’t want to risk an Uber or Bolt canceling at the last minute.
The drive to CDG took exactly 30 minutes. We were flying out of the iconic circular Terminal 1, which many frequent travelers don’t like because it opened in 1974 and can feel dated.
I actually love it, and so did my kids thanks to its futuristic escalators and moving walkways. It must have been an incredible terminal when it first opened.
Austrian Airlines checks in from Hall 4. Since I had already checked in online, we just used one of the kiosks to print our bag tags.
Austrian wanted €14 per seat to choose our seats in advance, but I rolled the dice and we ended up together for free. I’m still not sure if that’s because we were traveling with kids. On another Austrian flight a week later, they automatically assigned us the row directly behind our original seats.
After taking the glass-enclosed escalator up, you go through security.
You’d think security would come first, but apparently not. It was a standard process with belts, liquids and laptops all coming out, and thankfully it moved pretty quickly.
The gate area is fairly small and doesn’t have a lot of seating.
One nice feature is a water bottle refill station near the restrooms, so be sure to bring an empty bottle. There was also a bakery selling pastries for €3.10 and sandwiches for €7, which I thought were reasonably priced. I bought both.
Austrian started boarding about 30 minutes before departure, even though a push notification said boarding would begin at 6:25 a.m., or 40 minutes before departure. Our aircraft was an Airbus A320, and the first thing I noticed was the flight attendants’ bright red uniforms.
We boarded in Group 3 of 5, and they were surprisingly relaxed about carry-on bags. That definitely wasn’t the case on our next flight, where it looked like every bag was being weighed and measured.
For the record, I have no status with Austrian or any Star Alliance airline.
Of course, the one visibly sick passenger Natalie and I had tried to avoid in the gate area ended up sitting directly in front of us in Row 19. He had bloodshot eyes and wouldn’t stop coughing, though at least he covered his mouth.
I quietly asked one of the flight attendants if we could move because of the coughing passenger. She told me to wait until after takeoff, even though we hadn’t pushed back yet. Apparently I asked the wrong flight attendant because another woman asked to move to the front with her young children a minute later and was immediately told yes.
Takeoff felt delayed, although in reality we only waited about 10 minutes. Six minutes after takeoff, the seatbelt sign was turned off and we made a beeline for the empty rows in the back.
The kids had no idea what was happening until I told them they could each have their own window seat since the last four rows were empty.
Austrian charges for everything except water, so I was glad I’d bought pastries and a ham-and-cheese sandwich in the terminal because my kids were already hungry.
The flight lasted 1 hour and 35 minutes. Announcements were made in both German and English.
There was complimentary Wi-Fi for texting, but you first had to join Austrian’s rewards program. After filling out the four-page registration, it kept failing at the final step. When I finally got connected, I discovered the free Wi-Fi lasted only five minutes.
There were no power outlets, USB ports or seatback entertainment.
The experience definitely felt a little more budget airline than full-service carrier, but Austrian did hand out a small Mozart chocolate to every passenger about 20 to 30 minutes before landing, which was a nice touch.
Details for OS370
Gate Departure: 7:02 a.m. CEST
Takeoff: 7:11 a.m. CEST
Landing: 8:49 a.m. CEST (scheduled for 9:20 a.m.)
Gate Arrival at Vienna International Airport Terminal 3: 8:54 a.m. CEST
Our checked bags arrived quickly, and we took the nonstop CAT Airport Train into the city. It costs: €14.90 per adult One-way and €24.90 round-trip. There’s also the less expensive ÖBB train.
If you’re traveling with three or four adults, the CAT probably isn’t worth the extra cost. But it’s incredibly easy to use, just follow the signs, and the trip takes only 16 minutes.
The train has both upper and lower levels. The views are a little better upstairs, but if you’re traveling with heavy luggage it’s easier to stay downstairs and keep an eye on your bags.
Besides, there’s not much to see right outside the airport since it’s mostly industrial. Trains depart every 30 minutes at :07 and :37. Just show your ticket on your phone. There’s no need to print it. Kids under 15 ride free.
Next stop Viva Cruises down the Danube!
