In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Austria
Krems an der Donau
Base in Krems for 1–2 nights to cycle or train the Wachau wine villages; skip it as a day trip from Vienna if you want the valley, not the town.
Krems is the working town at the eastern entrance to the Wachau, 1 hour by train from Vienna. Its old centre and Stein quarter are small; the reason to come is the valley — vineyards, Dürnstein, Spitz, Melk — reached by bike, boat or the local rail line. One night covers the town; two give you a full valley day.
- Country
- Austria
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (boats stop mid-October, vineyards bare, some museums shut)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards are widely taken, but some cafés, huts and small shops are still cash only.
- Daily spend
- Budget €55–85 excl. bed · Mid €90–140 excl. bed · High €160+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A1, Magenta and Drei are the networks; prepaid SIMs from shops and supermarkets (registration with ID).
- Emergency
- All emergencies 112 · Police 133 · Ambulance 144 · Fire 122
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Same plugs as Germany; UK and US devices need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Round up or 5–10%, told to the server when paying.; Café: Round up to the next euro.; Taxi: Round up or about 10%.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: €1–2.; Ski instructor or mountain guide: €10–20 a day for a good lesson, optional.
- Water
- Tap water is excellent. Ask for 'ein Glas Leitungswasser'; coffee in a café comes with a free glass of water.
- Toilets
- Public toilets in cities cost €0.50; cafés and museums have free ones for guests.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €3–5 |
| Heurigen plate with wine | €15–25 |
| Restaurant main course | €10–18 |
| Beer, 0.5 l | €4–5 |
| Local train Krems–Spitz | €5–8 (check) |
| Boat Krems–Dürnstein | €10–15 (check) |
| Museum entry | €5–10 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- VIE · Vienna International
- About 1 h 15 min to Krems by train via Vienna or St. Pölten; check connections.
Typical fares
- Train Vienna → Krems
- about €15–20, about 1 h (check)
- City bus single
- €2.10 adults
- Bike rental, one day
- about €15
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The centre and Stein are walkable end to end in about 2 hours. City buses run limited routes (single €2.10 adults, day ticket €4.20). Bikes rent by the day for the Danube path (about €15/day); the local rail line links Krems to Spitz and the valley, and boats run Krems–Dürnstein–Spitz–Melk mid-April to October.
See and do
Known for
- Wachau wine and Heurigen
- Kunstmeile Krems museums
- Stein old town and Steiner Tor
- Danube cycle path (Donauradweg)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Dürnstein | Boat from Krems mid-April to October, or bike on the Danube path; no direct train | About 30–45 min by boat or bike |
| Spitz an der Donau | Local train from Krems, about 30 min; or bike on the Danube path | About 45 min |
| Melk Abbey | Train to St. Pölten then west line, or boat in season | 1.5–2 h |
| Weißenkirchen in der Wachau | Boat from Krems mid-April to October, or bike on the Danube path; no direct train | About 40 min by boat or bike |
| Emmersdorf | Train to Melk, then cross the Danube (check ferry or bridge) | About 1.5 h (check) |
Sleep
- Krems old town (Innere Stadt)
- Walk to Landstraße, museums and the station; best for one night without a car.
- Stein
- Riverside quarter 15 min walk east; quieter, close to the boat docks.
- Donaupark / riverbank
- Camping and riverside stays; 20 min walk to the centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Grüß Gottgruess got |
| Thank you | Dankedahn-keh |
| The bill, please | Die Rechnung, bittedee rekh-noong, bit-teh |
| A glass of white wine, please | Ein Glas Weißwein, bitteine glahs vice-vine, bit-teh |
| Can I pay by card? | Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?kahn ikh mit kar-teh tsah-len |
| Where is the station? | Wo ist der Bahnhof?voh ist dair bahn-hohf |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Grüß Gott' or 'Guten Tag' entering shops and huts; handshakes; avoid: Walking in without a greeting
- Titles: Use Herr/Frau and academic titles in formal settings; avoid: First names with older strangers
- Coffee houses: Linger; call the waiter 'Herr Ober'; avoid: Expecting fast service
- Punctuality: Be on time; avoid: Arriving late to concerts: doors close
- Quiet: Keep voices down on public transport; avoid: Loud phone calls in trains and trams
- Mountain trails: Greet other hikers with 'Servus' or 'Grüß Gott'; avoid: Leaving gates open on pastures
Scams and watch-outs
- Boat services on the Wachau run only mid-April to October; outside that, use the train or bike.
- Heurigen often close one or two days a week and shut by early evening; check before you walk out.
- Some museums close November to March; confirm hours the day before.
- Wine tasting and cycling do not mix — plan the ride before the tasting, not after.
Krems is a low-risk town; the real issues are cycling on the B3 road, river currents if you swim, and late-night walks back from Stein where lighting is patchy.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Krems an der Donau yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Wachau wine and Heurigen
- Kunstmeile Krems museums
- Stein old town and Steiner Tor
- Danube cycle path (Donauradweg)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Krems Tourismus: www.krems.info/
- City of Krems: www.krems.gv.at/
- ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways): www.oebb.at/en/
- DDSG Blue Danube — Wachau line: www.ddsg-blue-danube.at/linie-wachau/linie-wachau/
- Brandner — Wachau route: www.brandner.at/en/wachau-route/
- Wikivoyage: Krems, revision 5250570 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5250570
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Krems an der Donau
Zu dieser Adresse, bitte
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Austria has no foreign embassies in Krems; most are in Vienna (check your country's site).
Tipping: round up or add about 10%, said to the server.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/krems). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.