Austrian drops Vienna to Zagreb: how to travel from 11 January

Austrian Airlines operates its last flight from Vienna to Zagreb on Sunday 10 January 2027. An Austrian spokesperson confirmed to ExYU Aviation that the route will not return in the summer 2027 schedule either. From 11 January, Croatia Airlines is the only airline flying direct between the two capitals. Travellers from Vienna also have a direct EuroCity train and ten buses a day.

What Austrian is cutting

Austrian has served Zagreb since the mid-1980s, with breaks during the war and the pandemic (ExYU Aviation). It once offered up to twelve flights a week. Since late 2024 the airline has cut the route step by step and switched to smaller turboprops, leaving one flight a day in summer 2026. Austrian keeps flying daily until 10 January, with some flights operated by Lufthansa subsidiary Air Dolomiti. Austrian has given no official reason (news.at).

Vienna to Zagreb from 11 January: the options compared

Train times come from the ÖBB journey planner for Friday 15 January and Sunday 17 January 2027. ÖBB notes that its timetable from 13 December 2026 is not yet complete, so check again before you book.

EuroCity 79 is the only daytime train without a change. It calls at Graz, crosses into Slovenia at Šentilj and reaches Zagreb main station late in the evening. EuroCity 78 runs back early in the morning and is in Vienna by early afternoon. FlixBus puts the road distance at 372 kilometres. By car the route follows the A2 to Graz, enters Slovenia at Spielfeld, passes Maribor and joins Croatia's A2 at the Macelj border crossing. From 1 December 2026 Austria sells only digital vignettes; prices are in our guide to vignettes and tolls.

What it means for visitors

• Advent in Zagreb: the Christmas market runs from 28 November 2026 to 7 January 2027, and Austrian flies until 10 January, so Advent visitors from Vienna are not affected. Travel and hotel tips are in our Advent weekend in Zagreb guide.
• Booked after 10 January: check your booking. When a flight is cancelled, EU rules give passengers the choice of a refund, re-routing or a return flight (Your Europe). Compensation is only due if the airline tells you less than 14 days before departure, which rarely applies to a cut announced months ahead.
• Connecting in Vienna: Croatia Airlines, like Austrian, is a Star Alliance member. According to news.at, the airline is only liable for a missed connection if both flights are on one ticket. From Germany, Lufthansa also flies to Zagreb once a day from Frankfurt and twice a day from Munich (ExYU Aviation).

Summer 2027: more turboprops at Croatia Airlines

Croatia Airlines doubled its Vienna flights to ten a week in summer 2026 (news.at). For summer 2027 it plans a second wet-leased ATR 72, and from Zagreb the turboprops are to fly most often to Sarajevo, Munich, Vienna and Zurich (Aerotelegraph). The number of weekly Vienna flights has not been published yet. Heading for the coast in summer? Our overview shows which airport suits which destination.