Austrian Grand Prix ⋅ Getting to the Red Bull Ring
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Getting to the Austrian Grand Prix might take a little planning, but whether you’re road-tripping in or flying halfway across the world, few circuits reward the effort quite like the Red Bull Ring.
The Red Bull Ring is in the state of Styria, near Spielberg — a small market town in the south-east of Austria. The nearest large city is Graz, some 75 km away, while Vienna is about 200 km away.
Many fans drive in from across Central Europe, cars piled high with camping gear and enough beer to survive a nuclear holocaust. But for those flying in, getting to the Red Bull Ring is still straightforward. Despite its rural setting, the region is well connected by coach, rail, and shuttle services.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about getting to the Austrian Grand Prix — including flights, the best driving routes, public transport options, parking, and more.
International Travel: Flying to Austria for the Austrian Grand Prix
Most visitors who fly in for the event either choose Vienna International Airport (VIE) or Graz Airport (GRZ). Both Austria’s capital and second city are viable gateways to the Austrian Grand Prix, but each has its own advantages depending on where you’re coming from and how you plan to travel onward.
While Vienna has far more direct international flights and budget airline options, Graz is closer to Spielberg and usually offers quicker access to the circuit.
Flights to Vienna (VIE)
There are direct flights to Vienna from multiple UK airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Manchester and Birmingham.
Elsewhere in Europe, Vienna is connected to cities like Dublin, Barcelona, Rome, Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, and Paris. Long-haul routes include New York (JFK), Toronto, Dubai, and Tokyo
Airlines: Austrian Airlines, Ryanair, Wizz Air, Lufthansa, and Turkish Airlines.
Onward travel: 200km / 2–2.5 hrs by car, train or bus.
Flights to Graz (GRZ)
There are no direct flights from the UK to Graz, but easy one-stop connections are available via major European hubs such as Frankfurt, Munich, Amsterdam, Zurich, and Vienna.
Elsewhere in Europe, Graz is connected to cities including Düsseldorf, Berlin, Istanbul, and Stuttgart.
Airlines: Lufthansa, KLM, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Turkish Airlines
Onward travel: 75km / 1 hr by car, train or bus.
Skyscanner’s powerful search tools help to uncover the cheapest routes and the best flight deals. Set price alerts to get deals when they drop, or use the monthly chart view to find the best time to book.
Local Travel: Getting to the Red Bull Ring by Car
Whether you drive from your front door to the track or hire a car in Vienna or Graz, driving is one of the best ways to get to the circuit, especially if you plan on camping.
Driving Directions to the Circuit
If you’re driving to the Austrian Grand Prix, the best route will depend on where you’re coming from. Austria’s motorway network is as efficient and scenic as you’d imagine, and there are several approaches feeding into the region around Spielberg. Below are the recommended routes from major regions:
From Vienna / East Austria:
A2 → Seebenstein junction → S6 → St. Michael junction → S36
From Graz / South Styria:
A2 → Bad St. Leonhard → B78 Obdach → Weißkirchen in der Steiermark
or
A9 → Gleinalmtunnel → St. Michael junction → S36
From Salzburg:
A10 → St. Michael im Lungau → B96 → Tamsweg → Murau → Judenburg
From Upper Austria:
A9 → Bosrucktunnel → Trieben → B114 → Triebener Tauern → Pöls → Judenburg
or
A9 → Bosrucktunnel → St. Michael junction → S36
From Carinthia:
S37 → B317 → Neumarkt → Judenburg West → S36
or
A2 → Bad St. Leonhard → B78 Obdach → Weißkirchen in der Steiermark
From Schladming / Selzthal Region:
B320 → Liezen → B113 → Trieben → B114 → Triebener Tauern → Pöls → Judenburg
As you get closer to the Red Bull Ring, your route will vary depending on which direction you’re coming from, so follow signs for Red Bull Ring or “Projekt Spielberg”. Around the track diversions may be in place during the Grand Prix weekend so be prepared to ignore your GPS or maps app of choice.
Parking at the Red Bull Ring
There is ample parking at the Austrian Grand Prix, and it’s provided free of charge, about 10 or 15 minutes walking distance from the circuit. Keep an eye out for local signage for parking and follow the directions of stewards and local police. The colour of your F1 ticket determines the parking area that you should use.
Park and Bike
You’ll get plenty of time for walking once you get to the circuit, so why not save your feet the walk? If you bring bicycles with you, simply park the car and continue by well-organised cycle routes to bike parks near the circuit.
Park and bike recommended parking is at the Therme Fohnsdorf car park, just off the S36 (Judenburg-Ost exit). From here it’s a 7 to 10 kilometre pedal from one of the three bike parks at the track. There are two bike parks to the south (east and west) and one to the northeast.
Local Travel: Getting to the Austrian Grand Prix at Spielberg by Public Transport
Getting to the Red Bull Ring by train and bus is relatively easy. As well as express coaches from further afield that drop off at the circuit gates, there are buses that shuttle F1 fans to and from the circuit and the nearby train station over the Grand Prix weekend.
Taking the Train to the Red Bull Ring
The best train station for getting to the Red Bull Ring is Knittelfeld Hbf. While Zeltweg is technically closest, Knittelfeld is more practical for most fans. From Knittelfeld, there are frequent shuttle buses to the circuit gates, about 7km away.
Trains from Graz Hbf run about once an hour and including the one and only stop, reach Knittlefeld in about 90 minutes.
From Vienna Central Station (Wien Hauptbahnhof), trains are just as frequent, but including stops takes nearly 3 hours. There are also some direct trains which cover the journey in about 140 minutes.
You can search train schedules across multiple operators simultaneously to and from just about any station in Europe using Omio (formerly GoEuro) and purchase tickets for the same cost as buying direct from the train lines.
Free Shuttle from Knittelfeld Station
From just outside Knittelfeld train station, there is a free shuttle bus service that takes fans to and from the circuit.
Going to the track, these are most frequent from 8am to midday and back to the station, there will be buses until about 8pm. On Saturday only, there is an extended service running until 11pm, though slightly less frequent after 8pm.
Shuttle Bus Timetable
- Friday to Sunday: every 20 minutes from 07:00 to 20:00
- Friday & Saturday: every 30 minutes from 20:00 to 23:00
Shuttle Buses and Express Coaches to the Red Bull Ring
Travelling by bus is a popular, hassle-free option for reaching the Red Bull Ring, especially if you’re staying in Graz, Vienna, or elsewhere in Austria.
They use dedicated traffic-free routes, avoiding general congestion near the track. All buses park close to the circuit, and drop-offs are coordinated to keep walking to a minimum. You won’t need an additional transfer once you arrive.
Two types of services operate during the Grand Prix weekend:
1. Shuttle Buses
These shuttle buses run from dozens of towns and cities across the region (116 in total), including Graz, Leoben, Murau, and Bruck an der Mur.
Services stop at multiple points per town (including hotels and transport hubs) and are ideal if you’re staying locally, but they are the slower option.
- Operating days: Friday to Sunday
- Pricing: bus fares start at €35 per day, €65 for Saturday & Sunday and €95 for all three days.
- Ticket types: Return only (no one-way tickets)
2. Express Coach
For fans coming from further afield, express buses are a faster, limited-stop service running from major cities like Vienna (Wien), Salzburg, Graz, and Wiener Neustadt.
- Operating days: Saturday and Sunday only
- Pricing: fares start at €49 per day or €90 for the weekend.
- Ticket types: Return only (no one-way tickets)
Pick-up points for the Express Bus are:
- Gloggnitz – Motorway Exit
- Golling an der Salzach – ENI
- Graz – Hauptbahnhof
- Hallein – Europastraße
- Leibnitz – Bahnhof
- Leobersdorf – Park & Ride
- Neunkirchen – Bahnhof
- Salzburg – Hauptbahnhof
- Vienna (Wien) – Erdberg (bus terminal)
- Wiener Neustadt – Bahnhof
- Wildon – Bahnhof
Where to book your bus tickets: You can book both the shuttle buses and express buses at busfinder.com
Regional bus services in Styria
As well as the extra services listed above that are put on for the Grand Prix, there are of course, regular bus services connecting towns in the Styria region, which can be helpful for getting around, especially if you’re staying in one of the smaller towns in the area. You can search for local bus timetables here.
About Me
I’m Danny, an incurable Formula 1 fan for over 35 years and founder of The F1 Spectator. My aim is to inform and inspire, arming you with helpful tips and advice for your next F1 trip.
