# Day trip to the Wachau from Vienna: Danube cruise and Melk Abbey

Train to Krems, three hours by boat upriver among vineyards and castles to Melk, lunch in the centre and the Baroque abbey in the afternoon, before the train back.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/austria/lower-austria/wachau/itineraries/melk-abbey-and-danube-cruise · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## El día
- 08:30 · Salida: 1 h 15 by train (ÖBB train from Vienna to Krems; check the departure station while the S-Bahn closure lasts)
- 10:15 · Boat through the Wachau between Krems and Melk (MS Dürnstein daily · Dürnstein 10:45, Spitz 11:45, Melk 13:20 · from €34.50) · DDSG Blue Danube, From €35 per person
  - 15 min on foot
- 13:40 · Hotel zur Post restaurant (dish of the day · lunch kitchen until 14:00 · closed Monday) · Hotel zur Post restaurant, €€
  - 10 min on foot
- 15:00 · Melk Abbey, library and Baroque church (€16 · open until 17:30, last entry 17:00)
- 17:15 · Vuelta: 1 h 15 by train (train from Melk on the western line · in Vienna around 18:30–19:00)

The Wachau is the classic day trip from Vienna, and the best way to do it without a car is one-way: train to Krems, boat up the river to Melk and train back from Melk. The morning boat takes three hours, which pass quickly: Dürnstein with its blue tower and ruined castle, the vineyard terraces of Weißenkirchen, Spitz and, at the end, Melk Abbey high above. You have lunch in the centre of Melk and see the abbey in the afternoon, with fewer groups.

## The day, hour by hour

8:30 · Train to Krems. From Vienna there is a regional train to Krems in about an hour. While the closure of the central S-Bahn section lasts (until the end of October 2027), check on ÖBB which station yours leaves from. From Krems station to the Krems/Stein landing stage is about a 15-minute walk.

10:15 · Boat to Melk. DDSG's MS Dürnstein leaves daily at 10:15 and reaches Melk at 13:20, with stops at Dürnstein (10:45) and Spitz (11:45). From €34.50. On Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays there is also a boat at 11:00, which reaches Melk at 14:05. In high season and at weekends, buy your ticket online.

13:40 · Lunch in Melk. The restaurant of the Hotel zur Post, in the centre, serves a dish of the day and a midday menu until 14:00; closed on Monday. From the landing stage to the centre is about 15 minutes.

15:00 · Melk Abbey. The library, the Marble Hall and the Baroque church above the Danube. €16 for adults, €32 for a family. From April to October it is open until 17:30, with last entry at 17:00.

17:15 · Return. Train from Melk station, a few minutes from the centre, towards Vienna on the western line.

## If you go with children or it rains

The boat works very well with children: they move around the deck and there is a restaurant on board. If it rains, the boat is still a good plan from inside, and the abbey is under cover. With older children and good weather, swap the boat for a bike ride downriver, from Melk to Krems, doing it the other way round.

## Cómo llegar

### Without a car
Train to Krems, DDSG boat to Melk and train back. It is the classic and most comfortable way.

### By car
A little over an hour to Melk on the A1. Go to the abbey first thing and then drive along the north bank to Spitz, Dürnstein and Krems, stopping at a Heuriger if someone isn't driving.

## Consejos

### Buy the boat ticket online at weekends
DDSG recommends it in high season.

### Don't do it on a Monday if you want to eat at the Post
The restaurant rests that day.

### Sit outside on the way out
The scenery is on both sides: change sides at Dürnstein.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How much does the day cost?
Between €90 and €130 per person with trains, boat, abbey and lunch.

### Can it be done in winter?
Not with the boat: DDSG sails from 20 March to 1 November 2027. In winter, go by train to Melk for the abbey and drive around Dürnstein.

### Which direction is better for the boat?
Krems – Melk has a fixed morning timetable and leaves the abbey for the afternoon. Downriver, from Melk to Krems, is faster.

### Do I need to book the abbey?
Not for individual travellers; the guided tour in Spanish leaves in summer at 14:50.