The Vienna airport gets points for the fast security lines, free wifi and nice loungey areas. However, there's an amazing number of lines to go through. After security there's the registration line for us/Canada/China/India. Then there was yet another line at the gate before boarding. Of course, this could be a US entry-specific problem and the lines weren't too long so I can't complain much. Overall, the airport environment is very nice.
The cheapest way to get to the airport is to take the S-bahn (S7) which supposedly costs about 4 euros but if you have an unlimited metro card you can just pay a 2 euro supplement (which I didn't end up paying because I couldn't figure out how to pay on the machines and no one came to collect. Overall, very few people come around to check tickets and such - I only saw it once in my 2 weeks here where 2 people got fined (I don't know how much) for not having tickets on the tram. This is in contrast to Budapest where my ticket got checked about 45% of the time.
I had a really nice stay in Vienna. I love the beautiful buildings all around, even in the non-touristy area. It was clearly the center of a very wealthy empire and likely still house many wealthy people today. From a tourist's perspective, it's a really nice city to visit. In addition to being beautiful and clean, there's a lot of tourist attractions (churches, palaces) within easy walking distance in the center of the city. There is clearly no shortage of cafes or delicious treats at these cafes. I wish I could have tried all the awesome looking cakes.
I think living in Vienna is also really great. The transportation system is really good, fast, clean, and has great coverage over the city. The city is very clean and safe. I also like the fact that it's relatively easy to buy things here. Unlike living in France or Italy where all the shops close early, for lunch, and/or are closed on weekends, Vienna makes things pretty easy for those of us used to things being available all the time. I was able to grab groceries on my way home on most days (there was a supermarket less than a block from where I lived that was open until 7:30). In a pinch, there are always stores open in the big metro stations or in the city center. There's also a lot of great green space throughout the city. In addition to all the gardens the one belonged to the palaces (which are great free places to walk, run, or just relax and enjoy the view) there are parks by the Prater, the canal, and the Danube river areas. Another thing I really loved about living in Vienna were the plentiful markets. Yes, there's Naschmarkt which is a permanent market of many foods and spices. However, I really love the little ones that take you by surprise - like the one at Freyung and larger one next to it. They have just little wine stands, beer, snacks and whatever else they peddle. They're just fantastic!
I also really enjoyed Budapest city layout. The city was easy to walk around and having the Danube between Buda and Pest really gives the city beautiful riversides to walk and eat along and bridges to walk across. Unlike Vienna, there's isn't as much old world charm as much of the city had to be rebuilt after the devastation during the world wars and the Soviet take over but the benefit is that the rebuilt stuff is brand spanking new :)
Being in Vienna makes me think of opulence. Being in Budapest makes me think of a fresh new city rebuilding and regaining its charm after years of darkness (under Nazis and Soviets).
I hear that people in Vienna are more racist than those in Hungary. That goes with the opulence vs rebuilding theme. I, however, never felt racism since I can't understand German or Hungarian.
