Krems

Krems an der Donau is a riverside town in the Danube's Wachau Valley tourist region of Lower Austria.

Understand

Krems, along with neighboring cities Stein, Egelsee, Dürnstein and Spitz an der Donau are known for their world class wine production as well as their proximity to the Danube.

Get in

By train

From the west take the regional train (Regionalzug, denoted by big R) from St. Pölten (usually every 30-50 min. every hour) to Krems.

All other directions regional (express) (Regionalexpress, denoted by a big REX) train from Vienna's Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof, Spittalau (U4/U6) or Heiligenstadt (U4) station which takes about one hour and leaves every hour.

  • 🌍 Train station (Bahnhof), Bahnhofplatz 1, ☏ +43 2732-82536-345. Ticket office: M-F 05:30-19:15, Sa Su and holidays 07:00-19:15; automats: 24hrs. Use ÖBB's SCOTTY to look up train information online. 

By car

From west: Highway A1 (Westautobahn) to Melk, B3 through Wachau. From South/East: Highway S33 from St. Pölten or A22/S5 from Vienna From North: B37 via Zwettl or through the Kamptal/Horn

By boat

From mid-April through October Dürnstein can be reached by river boats which ply the route between Krems/Stein, Dürnstein, Spitz, Emmersdorf, and Melk.

Get around

The city and its neighbours are all very accessible by foot and it's no more than a two hour walk from one extremity to the other.

  • City bus (Stadtbus), ☏ +43 2732 801-459. M-F 06:30-18:30, Sa 06:30-12:30. The city bus system serves limited and serpentine routes. A map with schedule and bus fares is available. Dogs (muzzled and leashed) are permitted for an extra fare of €1.30. Single trip: €2.10 (adults), €1.20 (concessions), €1.10 (children); day ticket: €4.20; week ticket: €11.90; month ticket: €37.80; block of 10 tickets: €12 (adults), €7 (children). (updated May 2016)

By bicycle
  • 🌍 Zweirad Aichinger KG, Hohensteinstraße 22a, ☏ +43 2732 82876, fax: +43 2732 71887, . Mar-Sep: M-F 08:00-12:00 13:30-18:00, Sa 08:00-12:00 13:00-17:00; Oct-Feb: M-F 08:00-12:00 13:30-18:00, Sa 08:00-12:00. Offers road and mountainbikes for rent. Rental during Sundays and holidays can be arranged beforehand; if you are overnighting in Krems you can return your bicycle at your hotel. €15/day, €80/wk. 
  • 🌍 ÖAMTC Donaupark Camping - Krems, Yachthafenstrasse 19, ☏ +43 2732 84455, fax: +43 2732 84455, . Rents out bicycles. €6/half-day, €10/day. 
  • Nextbike, ☏ +43 2742 22 99 01 (hotline). After registration (online or by mobile), pick up a bicycle at any Nextbike location, and drop it off at the same or any other Nextbike spot. A map of pickup and drop-off points can be found here (click 'Wachau' for Krems); a brochure for the Wachau region is available for download. €1/hr, €10/day. 

Taxi

See

The historic town centres of Krems and Stein are well-worth exploring.

  • 🌍 Steiner Tor, Obere Landstraße. One of the old city gates, dating from the 15th century. 
  • Kunstmeile Krems. Various art and culture sites, among them: Combiticket for Kunsthalle, Karikaturmuseum, Forum Frohner, Ernst Krenek Forum, Kunstraum Stein and Klangraum Krems Minoritenkirche: €15. 
  • 🌍 Museumkrems, Körnermarkt 14, ☏ +43 2732 801-567, fax: +43 2732 801-576, . Apr-May W-Su, holidays 11:00-18:00; Jun-Oct Daily 11:00-18:00; closed Nov-Mar. Has well-curated permanent exhibits illustrating the history of Krems and the wider region, and hosts temporary exhibits of contemporary art. €5 (adults), €4 (concessions), free (children/youth under 19). (updated Jan 2017)
    • 🌍 Gozzoburg, Hoher Markt 11. Built in the 13th century, this is one of the most significant medieval city buildings in Austria, and is now used for special exhibits. In 2006 and 2007 restoration work uncovered a remarkable set of 13th-century frescoes; along with the Iwein frescoes in Thüringen, Germany, these are the only surviving indoor 13th-century murals north of the Alps. The murals can be viewed only with a guided tour, arranged through the Museumkrems.
      Note: From January until September 2017 the Gozzoburg cannot be visited due to ongoing restoration and renovation work.       (updated Jan 2017)
  • 🌍 Jewish Cemetery Krems (Jüdischer Friedhof Krems), Wiener Straße. Established in 1880 for the Jewish community of Krems, the cemetery was abandoned in 1936 and now is a memorial under the auspices of Vienna Israelite Community. Located on the grounds is a 42m-long metal memorial by Hans Kupelwieser, engraved with the names of the Krems Jews who died during the Holocaust. In 2004 the Irish/Israeli artist duo of Clegg & Guttmann installed three public bookshelves as another memorial. 
  • 🌍 Piaristenkirche (Kremser Frauenbergkirche), Piaristengasse 1, ☏ +43 2732 82092. The oldest church in Krems. The earliest foundations date to the 13th century, while the current structure is from the late Gothic period of the early 16th century. The interior was remodeled during the Baroque era. 
  • 🌍 Burgruine Rehberg (Rehberg Castle Ruins), Plankstraße 4 (Rehberg), ☏ +43 2732 801571, . Outer castle open 24 hrs, inner castle by prior arrangement only. Established in the 12th century, the castle changed hands many times over the centuries before it was finally abandoned in the early 19th century. Free. (updated Nov 2016)
  • 🌍 Burgruine Senftenberg (Senftenberg Castle Ruins), Kirchenberg 12, 3541 Senftenberg. The castle is located few kilometers north of Krems. Built in the 12th century, the fortress was abandoned after the Thirty Years' War. Easily accessible by foot and offers a great view of the surrounding vineyards. Free. (updated Dec 2018)

Do

There are a number of bike trails along the Danube, as well as hiking paths through the mountains and vineyards – the tourist office can offer maps and advice. It is also possible to tour the many wineries in the area, as well as the nearby monastery.

Buy

The area is known for its wine which is available at reduced tariffs.

Eat

There are a number of restaurants in town serving the typical Austrian fare. Consider the local traditional eateries called Heuriger, which offer inexpensive dinner and nice wines in a relaxed atmosphere.

Drink

As with the entire region there are a number of wonderful Heurigen (wine bars) in the area.

Sleep

There's a number of guest houses in the area.

Camping
  • 🌍 ÖAMTC Donaupark Camping Krems, Yachthafenstraße 19, ☏ +43 2732 84455, fax: +43 2732 84455, . Open from mid-March to the end of October, the campground has sites for tents and caravans, as well as four mobile homes for rent. Has a small café onsite with free satellite TV and Wi-Fi, and can rent bicycles by the day or half-day. Pets permitted for no extra charge. (updated Nov 2016)
  • 🌍 Camping Ettenauer, Untere Hauptstraße 35, ☏ +43 676 9129993, +43 664 1164808, . Open April to the end of October. The family-run vineyard has a number of camping spots available, and can accommodate up to five caravans as well as a number of tents. Facilities include electric hookups, toilets, recreation room, wine bar, and Wi-Fi; dogs permitted. For those who prefer more creature comforts, they also have a number of guest room, all of which include a toilet/bath and breakfast. Camping spots: €19+; rooms: €29 (double room p/p), €33 (single room). (updated Nov 2016)

Budget

Mid-range
  • 🌍 Parkhotel Krems, Edmund-Hofbauer-Straße 19, ☏ +43 2732 87565, fax: +43 2732 87566, . Check-in: 12:00-22:00, check-out: 06:30-11:00. A three-star hotel, free wi-fi available in most rooms, pets accepted. Has an onsite restaurant. €96+. 

Splurge

Go next
  • Visit the Wachau Valley, situated between Krems and Melk (40 km upstream), which is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Notable places include:

    • Göttweig and Melk monastery
    • Dürnstein, a medieval castle/ruins which served as a prison for Richard Lionheart (Richard I of England), city walls, monastery
    • Wine towns Spitz and Weissenkirchen and the nearby
    • Ruins of Hinterhaus, a 1000 year old ruins
    • Aggstein Castle

Most of the Wachau (except Aggstein) can be reached by the local train Krems-Spitz or by bike on the Danube cycle track (Donauradweg). Göttweig is at the train station Krems-St.Pölten line and Melk at the Westbahn.

In summer many tourist boats operate in the Wachau. The biggest and most visible boat companies are DDSG (Donaudampschifffahrtsgesellschaft) and Brandner, but they are not necessarily the cheapest. MS Stadt Wien is a popular alternative among locals (weekends only).

  • Visit the Kamp Valley
  • Visit Langenlois
Routes through Krems
Linz ← Melk ←  W  E  → END
Ends at ←  N  S  → END


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