The train to the flight
There are not that many Airport Express train operators in the world where you can check in for your flight at a station in the city center. One of them is CAT, the City Airport Train in Vienna
Andrew Sharp, Director General of the International Air Rail Organization, the association of airport express companies, is intensively involved with the train to flight issue. "I believe the interest in a good quality rail link to the airport continues to grow". Heathrow Express in London, for example, is very successful, as is the CAT in Vienna. There are other successful Airport Express trains in Hong Kong, Stockholm Arlanda and Kuala Lumpur. In November of this year, the construction work at Wien Mitte station will finally be completed, making the CAT city check-in for flights that much more attractive. "We have around 1.4 million passengers a year at CAT and have been operating profitably for four years.
An enlarged check-in hall will then be available at the station in the center of Vienna, including a shopping mall. We assume that it will be even more attractive to check in in the city and travel to the airport by CAT," explains Elisabeth Landrichter, Managing Director of CAT. There are currently no plans to increase the frequency of the trains, which currently depart every 30 minutes. All CAT trains have recently been given a general overhaul, "I think our passengers simply expect the good quality of these trains, including maximum punctuality". Soon there will also be a mobile ticket, which means you can book online and send it to your mobile phone via SMS. Further improvements in ticket purchasing: for example, when passengers buy a CAT ticket on the Austrian Airlines homepage in addition to their flight. But also the combination with Vienna's public transportation system. A good deal, for example, a CAT return ticket and a 24, 48 or 72 hour ticket, from 14 euros.(www.cityairporttrain.com)
"We have the technology to expand this kind of service". Wireless LAN is not absolutely necessary on the train, as the journey time is only 16 minutes, but Internet expansion in the stations may be considered. There will be a price increase from May, partly due to higher energy costs, but good return ticket offers are promised. One-way 11 euros, return 17 euros will be the standard fare from May. It is also possible to collect miles with the frequent flyer program Miles & More. London City Airport has 51 percent of all passengers travelling by train, followed by Osaka Kansai with 50.8 percent. Oslo Gardermoen is also strong. In Vienna, 30 percent of all passengers already take the train, around half of whom use the CAT. "We are the only ones in Europe with a City Check In," says Landrichter, who expects 1.4 million CAT passengers this year. At London Heathrow, six million passengers take the train to their flight, and ten million in Hong Kong. CAT is researching cooperation with other airlines in order to enable passengers from other airlines to use the City Check-In in the center of Vienna. We recommend taking a look at the CAT website. In general, the following applies to City Check-In... ̢ۢ Check-in possible up to 75 minutes before departure ̢ۢ Early evening check-in from 18:00 (for all Austrian flights from 24 hours before departure)
̢ۢ A valid CAT ticket must be presented at check-in
Kurt Hofmann
(May 2012)
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