Bodypainting Festival

The World Bodypainting Festival (WBF) is a bodypainting festival and competition. The festival used to be held in Pörtschach on lake Wörthersee, but since 2017 it has taken place in Klagenfurt. It is attended by artists from 50 nations and attracts over 30,000 spectators.

Official  website

Basic information

Page navigation: Basic information > Must to See & Do > Transport

It consists of a preparatory week followed by 3 main days of the festival/competition. The workshops offer many educational programs and lessons by leading artists in brush & sponge, airbrush, special effects, beauty make-up, head dressing including colour theory and history. All workshops are run and handled under the WB Academy and are also scheduled throughout the year in various cities worldwide.

⇒ General Info • Program • Tickets

Side events include parties such as the surreal Costume Ball (Body Circus) with international DJs and musical stage performances. Also included are exhibitions, gatherings, meeting points and industry discussions.

The three main days are open to the general public in a park also known as “Bodypaint City” where the World, Special and Amateur Awards are held. The festival is open to both adults and children and is considered a family-friendly environment.

Hiring a bicycle is recommended if you wish to travel to Klagenfurt’s beach, on the shore of the Wörthersee in the Western outskirts of the city. There is a cycle path along the Lendkanal (map), taking you from Heiligengeistplatz (take the underpass) to the beach and continuing along the northern shore of the Wörthersee all the way to Velden (map). Bikes can be hired at Neuer Platz.

Hochosterwitz Castle (map). One of the most impressive medieval castles in Austria, dating back to the 9th century, is 20 km outside of town. This rock castle stands on a dolomite rock towering 175 m above everything else, and is considered a landmark for the entire Carinthia state.

Also сheck оut мore info about World Bodypainting Festival: Wikipedia • Wikivoyage

Transport

Page navigation: Basic information > Must to See & Do > Transport

Journeying to and through Austria by rail is easier than ever before. What better way to travel than through stunning alpine scenery, lush valleys, historic towns and picturesque villages on comfortable trains?

STW.at – public transport in the city of Klagenfurt and the suburbs.

⇒ TRANSPORT & BUS TIMETABLES (visitklagenfurt.at) • Getting There & Around (austria.info)

Eurolines Austria / ÖBB postbus.at / InterCityBus

Trains are the best and most common form of mass transportation in Austria. Comfortable and moderately priced trains connect major cities and many towns; buses serve less significant towns and lakes. The two forms of transport are integrated and designed to complement each other, and intercity coaches exist but don’t provide anywhere near the level of intercity rail service.

FlixBus are one of the leading long-distance providers in Europe and operate a network of around 1,700 stops within 28 countries. Within Austria, this coach provider operates a network of 34 stops which make it easy to travel even further.

RegioJet are a private Czech coach provider, who operate bus routes around the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and 90 other cities throughout Europe.

Klagenfurt Hauptbahnhof (map) is located at a railway gateway to Italy, Slovenia and Germany, it can be easily reached from any bigger Austrian city. There are hourly connections to Vienna, Graz and neighbouring Villach.

The railways are managed by the Austrian Federal Railways ÖBB. Wien Hauptbahnhof (map) – is the main railway station in Vienna. The station names of all stops in Vienna start with its German name “Wien“.  + Rail Europe

Wien Westbahnhof (map). The services from Salzburg run by the private company WestBahn terminate here. Apart from it, only regional trains serve the Westbahnhof. Westbahn also serves a few other otherwise regional stations such as Wien Mitte and Wien Praterstern.

The Alpen Express is a sleeper train that takes you directly from Amsterdam to Austria’s most famous ski areas in Tirol.

Travelling times between major Austrian cities:

  • Vienna ⇔ Salzburg = less than 2,5 hours with ÖBB railjet
  • Salzburg ⇔ Innsbruck = less than 2 hours with ÖBB railjet
  • Innsbruck ⇔ Bregenz = starting from approx. 2,5 hours
  • Vienna ⇔ Graz = 2 hours 38 min.
  • Graz ⇔ Linz = starting from approx. 3 hours
  • Graz ⇔ Innsbruck = starting from approx. 6 hours

Austria has a well-developed road network which lets you reach your destination with ease. Find all pertinent information about rules of the road and answers to frequently asked questions.

⇒ “Vignette” toll sticker • Current traffic information • Austrian driving rules in detail • Electric filling stations in Austria • Hire a car

An excellent motorway, highway, and federal road network connects Austria with its neighbouring countries. All main border check points are open day and night. In general, Austrian traffic regulations and traffic signals are similar to those enforced in other European countries.

Vienna International Airport (map), located 18 km (11 mi) southeast of the city center. City Airport Train – non-stop airport transfer to Vienna! (+ St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport)

Riverboats on the Danube include connections with Linz, Bratislava and Budapest, but are slower and more expensive than other options.

LOD – Run a fast hydrofoil between Vienna and Bratislava May–October with up to two daily departures.

Twin City Liner – A fast catamaran between Vienna and Bratislava March–December with up to four daily departures.

Mahart Passnave – Operate a fast hydrofoil between Vienna and Budapest May–October with daily departures during the peak season.

Video source: World of Bodypainting

Links to additional resources with useful information for planning your trip.