Rust

City · Burgenland, 🇦🇹 Austria

Rust is a tiny wine town on the western shore of Lake Neusiedl, in Burgenland. Its old centre has low baroque houses, cobbled streets and storks nesting on the chimneys. The town and lake landscape are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Rust is known for sweet wines and for its cycling. The lake is shallow, so it warms quickly in summer and is good for sailing and swimming.

Rust – Planning a Trip?

Build your day-by-day itinerary in the Tripomatic app.

Start Planning

When to visit

May to September is best for cycling, swimming and sailing. Late summer and early autumn bring the grape harvest and wine festivals. Spring is good for birdwatching. Winters are cold, windy and quiet, and many businesses close.

Best time to visit: May, June, September

Select a month

Typical weather in January

Poor

3° (feels like -3°) · extremes -13°–11°
-4° at night
9 rainy days
3 sunny days
3 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
UV index 1 · low

Typical weather in February

Poor

6° (feels like 0°) · extremes -11°–14°
-2° at night
8 rainy days
5 sunny days
4 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
UV index 1 · low

Typical weather in March

Poor

11° (feels like 6°) · extremes -5°–19°
1° at night
8 rainy days
8 sunny days
5 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
UV index 2 · low

Typical weather in April

Good

17° (feels like 13°) · extremes -1°–24°
5° at night
8 rainy days
10 sunny days
7 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
UV index 4 · moderate

Typical weather in May

Great

22° (feels like 19°) · extremes 5°–29°
10° at night
13 rainy days
9 sunny days
8 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
UV index 5 · moderate

Typical weather in June

Great

27° (feels like 25°) · extremes 9°–34°
15° at night
12 rainy days
11 sunny days
9 hours of sunshine per day
Comfortable humidity
Light breeze
UV index 6 · high

Typical weather in July

Good

29° (feels like 27°) · extremes 12°–36°
17° at night
13 rainy days
12 sunny days
9 hours of sunshine per day
Comfortable humidity
Light breeze
UV index 6 · high

Typical weather in August

Good

28° (feels like 27°) · extremes 11°–36°
17° at night
11 rainy days
12 sunny days
8 hours of sunshine per day
Comfortable humidity
Light breeze
UV index 5 · moderate

Typical weather in September

Great

23° (feels like 20°) · extremes 6°–30°
12° at night
9 rainy days
10 sunny days
6 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
UV index 4 · moderate

Typical weather in October

Good

17° (feels like 13°) · extremes 0°–24°
7° at night
8 rainy days
6 sunny days
4 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
UV index 2 · low

Typical weather in November

Poor

10° (feels like 5°) · extremes -4°–18°
2° at night
8 rainy days
3 sunny days
3 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
UV index 1 · low

Typical weather in December

Poor

4° (feels like -1°) · extremes -10°–10°
-2° at night
9 rainy days
2 sunny days
2 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
UV index 0 · low

Climate data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2) · 1996–2025

Top sights

📍

Fischerkirche

📍

St. Margarethen Family ParkAmusement park ideal for families with small kids. Fairytale-themed attractions make for a great day out.

📍

Weinakademie Österreich

📍

Pulverturm

📍

Vogelbeobachtungsturm

📍

Kirche zur Hl. Dreifaltigkeit

The old town is a small area of low houses, courtyards and wine taverns.
Fischerkirche is a fortified church with medieval frescoes.
Pulverturm is a small tower from the town's old defences.
Kirche zur Hl. Dreifaltigkeit is a church in the town.
Weinakademie Österreich is a wine school and tasting room.
Vogelbeobachtungsturm is a birdwatching tower on the lake.
Familypark Neusiedlersee is a family leisure park near the lake.
Lake Neusiedl is a large steppe lake, with reed beds and many bird species.

Featured Lists

Joachim Risopp / CC-BY-SA

Rust Essentials

Rust, a UNESCO World Heritage town on Lake Neusiedl, is defined by its historic wine-growing tradition and the white storks that nest on its chimneys. This selection features the town's architectural landmarks, such as the Pulverturm, and prominent wine institutions like the Austrian Wine Academy and the biodynamic Weingut Feiler-Artinger. Visitors can explore the lake via Seebad Rust or local birdwatching towers, dine at regional restaurants like Wirtshaus im Hofgassl, and visit the nearby Familypark, Austria's largest amusement park.

9 places

What to experience

Cycle the lake path.
Taste sweet wine in a courtyard tavern.
Watch storks and other birds.
Swim or sail on the lake.
Visit Eisenstadt for Haydn.

Tours & Activities

Rust — Map

Day trips

Vienna is about 1 hour away by car.
Eisenstadt, the town of the composer Joseph Haydn, is about 30 minutes away.
Neusiedl am See, on the north shore, is about 40 minutes away by car.
Sopron in Hungary is about 30 minutes away by car.
The Seewinkel national park, east of the lake, is a haven for birds.

Where to explore

Vienna is the nearest major city.

Getting there

By air: Vienna Airport is about 1 hour away by car. Bratislava is also near.
By train: The nearest main station is Eisenstadt or Neusiedl am See, and buses run to Rust. Vienna takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. Check times on ÖBB.
By car: The road from Eisenstadt follows the lake.

Getting around

The old town is best on foot. Bicycle hire is widespread, and cycling around the lake is the main way to explore. Seasonal boats and local buses link lakeside villages.

Driving

A car helps for the villages away from the lake. The old town has limited parking. Motorways in Austria need a vignette. Roads are flat and easy.

Food & drink

Rust is known for Ruster Ausbruch, a sweet wine. Lake fish and Heuriger meals are typical, and the region serves Hungarian-influenced dishes such as goulash. Wine taverns open in courtyards in the season.

Dinner

Wiener SchnitzelA thin, breaded and pan-fried veal cutlet, traditionally served with potato salad or parsley potatoes and a wedge of lemon.

TafelspitzBoiled beef in broth, served with roast potatoes and a sauce of apples and horseradish — a favourite of Emperor Franz Joseph.

Viennese Goulash Wiener SaftgulaschA rich beef stew slow-cooked with onions and paprika, typically served with a bread dumpling or bread roll.

Snacks & street food

KäsekrainerA grilled pork sausage studded with melty cheese, a classic order at Vienna's ubiquitous Würstelstand (sausage stands).

Sausage Stand Snack Würstel vom WürstelstandGrilled or boiled sausages (Bratwurst, Frankfurter, Bosna) served with mustard, bread and a pickle from street kiosks.

Sweets & desserts

ApfelstrudelThin pastry rolled around spiced apples, raisins and breadcrumbs, usually served warm with vanilla sauce or cream.

SachertorteA dense chocolate cake with a thin layer of apricot jam under a dark chocolate glaze, famously served with unsweetened whipped cream.

KaiserschmarrnA fluffy shredded pancake caramelised with sugar and dusted with icing sugar, served with plum or apple compote.

MarillenknödelApricot dumplings wrapped in potato or quark dough, rolled in buttery breadcrumbs — a Wachau and Viennese summer specialty.

Drinks

Viennese Melange Wiener MelangeThe signature Viennese coffee: espresso topped with steamed milk and milk foam, the centrepiece of coffeehouse culture.

Grüner VeltlinerAustria's flagship crisp, peppery white wine, widely poured in Vienna's Heuriger (wine taverns).

SturmA cloudy, lightly alcoholic partially-fermented grape must, available only for a few weeks in autumn.

Safety & health

Rust is very safe. Sun and wind on the lake can be strong, so wear a hat and sunscreen. Mosquitoes can be common near reeds. Tap water is clean and safe to drink. The emergency number is 112.

History

Rust became a free royal town in 1681, after paying a large sum and 500 barrels of wine to the Hungarian king. It lay in the Kingdom of Hungary and joined Austria in 1921 as part of Burgenland. Its wine trade and baroque centre earned World Heritage status in 2001.