Vienna Travel Guide: What to Know for Your Visit
If you are planning a visit to Vienna, you’ll be curious to know more about the ins and outs of the city. Whether you’re spending a week in the Austrian capital or just the weekend, we’ve got you covered with our comprehensive Vienna travel guide. Below you’ll find our Vienna insider tips about how to get around, general etiquette, emergency service information, public holidays, and our favorite neighborhoods.
What to Know Before Visiting Vienna
Once the center of the Habsburg Empire, Vienna lies on the Danube River in Central Europe. The city abounds with stately buildings and world-class museums; it has a rich cultural heritage and tempestuous history. Baroque palaces neighbor on brilliant art nouveau facades and modernist architecture. Vienna’s sophisticated story includes Sigmund Freud and psychoanalysis, scrumptious pastries, elegant waltzes and the dark chapters from WWII and Anschluss. For a great start to learning about Vienna’s eras, we recommend our Introduction to Vienna tour.
In addition to its role as the seat of emperors and because of it, Vienna has also served as a cradle of classical music, home of renowned composers Mozart and Beethoven, Haydn and Schubert. You can explore Vienna’s dazzling musical heritage on our City of Music tour.
Austria is a member of the European Union and is part of the Eurozone, meaning that Euros are the currency in use here. A majority of businesses take credit cards, but carrying some cash is always recommended.
Safety in Vienna
Vienna is one of the safest capital cities in the world. The Economist Intelligence Unit ranked Vienna first in the 2024 Global Livability Index with safety a top consideration. As in most cities, however, be aware of your surroundings and watch out for pickpockets, particularly in crowded tourist areas.
How to Get Around in Vienna
By Foot
The areas best explored on foot in Vienna are the central parts of the city in the Innere Stadt (literally Inner City) district, where you’ll find most of the main tourist attractions, such as the Hofburg or Imperial Palace. If you’re planning on exploring outside of this central zone, Vienna’s excellent public transporation system is a great option.
Public Transportation in Vienna
A mixture of accessible metro lines, trams, and buses make Vienna’s public transport system one of the highest rated in the world. You can purchase a 24, 48, 72-hour or even 7 day pass for reasonable rates. Buy tickets at ticket machines, or on the mobile app called Wien Mobil. Make sure that your ticket is validated before jumping on public transport by stamping it in the blue machines located in metro station entrances, in buses and trams, otherwise you may face a hefty fine.
Current costs for public transport passes (2024): 8 euros (24hr), 14 euros (48hr), 17 euros (72hr), 18 euros (7 days). A single trip ticket costs 1.20 euro.
By Car
If you prefer getting around the city at your own pace by car or want to travel outside of Vienna, you need to be prepared for paid parking lots. A map of parking lots can be found here. You can use the HandyParken app to pay for parking in lots and street parking or you use prepaid vouchers that can be purchased at several locations around the city. A full list of locations, prices per hour, and how to use the vouchers can be found here. Another idea is the Park & Ride lots right at strategic city entrances where you can leave your car in order to switch to public transport for your visit. If you would like to arrange private transfers within and out of the city, contact us at info@insightcities.com.
From the Airport
To get from the Vienna airport to the city center, take the City Airport Train which departs every thirty minutes and brings you straight to downtown Vienna in about 15 minutes. Purchase tickets online or at the station when you arrive. A single ticket costs 14.90 euros or you can buy a round trip ticket for 24.90 euros.
Alternatively, book an Uber or arrange a driver and vehicle with us. Email us at info@insightcities.com for more information about transfers and driving services we can provide for you within Vienna or transfers to other cities and destinations in Austria and Europe.
Important Austrian Public Holidays & Store Closures
Austria observes many public holidays and typically stores are closed on these days. Make sure you’re aware of any public holidays in the city during your stay and plan accordingly! Many stores are also closed on Sundays.
- January 1 – New Year
- January 6 – Twelfth Night
- Easter holidays (Easter Friday – Monday)
- May 1 – Labor Day
- May 9 – Ascension
- May 20 – Whit Monday
- May 30 – Corpus Christi
- August 15 – Mary Ascension
- October 26 – National Holiday
- November 1 – All Saints’ Day
- December 8 – Immaculate Conception (stores are open)
- December 24 – Christmas Eve
- December 25 – Christmas Day
- December 26 – Boxing Day/St. Stephen’s Day
Read about how to enjoy Vienna’s seasonal offerings in more detail in these articles – Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn.
Emergency Services
In the rare situation that you should end up in an emergency situation while in Vienna, it’s good to know who to contact. The general emergency number for the European Union is 112, which will connect you to an operator who speaks English.
There are also specific emergency numbers for Austria.
144 – Ambulance
133 – Police
122 – Fire
General Etiquette & Tips
As in all cities, it’s important to remember that while Vienna is your vacation destination, it is home to many people who live and work in the city every day. Do your best to be considerate of visitors and locals alike. Respect local quiet hours, use trash bins, and be aware of your surroundings.
Basic Phrases in German
Hello! —> Guten Tag!
Thank you —-> Danke
Please/You’re Welcome —–> Bitte
Goodbye —-> Auf Wiedersehn
Cheers! —–> Prost!
Tipping in Vienna & Restaurant Etiquette
At cafes and restaurants, it is customary to tip about 10%. Unless stated otherwise, service is at the table, not at the counter. So once you get to a restaurant or a cafe, seat yourself if there is no host and let the waiter come to you.
Public Transportation Etiquette
There are a few unspoken rules on Vienna’s public transport. When going in and out of metro stations, stand on the right side of the escalator (so walkers can pass) and walk on the left if you’re in a hurry or prefer walking. If you’re feeling hungry, wait! Eating is not allowed on any Viennese public transport vehicles.
Coffeehouse Culture in Vienna
An important part of the Viennese lifestyle is its coffeehouse culture, beginning with the coffee beans introduced in the 17th century from Turkish invaders all the way to iconic cafes that still conjure up the Belle Époque with their thonet chairs, newspapers trees and marble-topped tables. So woven into Viennese culture are historic coffeehouses that they are designated by UNESCO on the intangible cultural heritage list for Austria! One of the elements that characterizes this tradition is the lack of pressure to move on. Staff are happy to have you sit at your table long after you’ve finished your cup of coffee to sit and read a newspaper. This relaxed atmosphere is what helped Vienna cafés become an important setting for artistic and philosophical activity, hosting such illustrious figures as Beethoven, Freud, and Klimt. Our favorite coffeehouses include Cafe Sperl and Cafe Mozart.
While coffeehouses differ on what exactly their menu contains, you’ll likely always find a display case full of traditional Viennese confectionary delights, like the Sacher torte. So sit back, relax, and enjoy spending your morning or afternoon in leisurely elegance under the chandeliers.
Vienna Neighborhoods
Excited to explore the distinct neighborhoods of Vienna? Read on for information about our favorites and what you can see in each.
Innere Stadt
Located within Ringstrasse, the Innere Stadt is the heart of Vienna and is home to the many of its most iconic sites and museums. Here you’ll find St. Stephan’s Cathedral, the Albertina, Mozart’s House, the Vienna State Opera House, the Rathaus (City Hall) and an array of the aforementioned historic coffeehouses. Curious about the legendary ring boulevard that circles this district and replaced the medieval city walls? Check out our Ringstrasse Project tour!
Gußhausviertel & Karlsplatz
This neighborhood houses the spectacular Karlskirche as well as several significant museums in Vienna including Kunsthalle and the Wien Museum. More laid back than Innere Stadt, visiting this area gives visitors a sense of calm while also still being Viennese in character. The Gußhausviertel neighborhood lies just behind Karlsplatz and is situated between several major Viennese locations: Karlsplatz, Belvedere Palace, and the main train station.
Spittelberg
Full of restaurants, cafes, and bars, Spittelberg is a foodie’s dream destination in Vienna. The small streets give off a romantic vibe and the gardens provide respite from the bustling center of the city. The neighborhood is directly adjacent to Vienna’s fabulous MuseumsQuartier with world renowned museums such as the Leopold Museum, the Museum of Modern Art (MUMOK), the Kunsthistorisches Museum, and Architekturzentrum Wien.
Looking for an in-depth tour of one of Vienna’s marvelous museums? Contact us at info@insightcities.com and we can arrange a private tour of any museum in the MuseumsQuartier and beyond with a fantastic local guide.
Karmelitervierte
In this neighborhood in the 2nd District, you can find traces of Vienna’s Jewish past as well as the center of Jewish life in the city today. A vibrant culinary scene has grown in the area with many restaurants as well as the bustling local market, Karmelitermarkt. The city’s oldest baroque garden is also in this district – Augarten. Here you can find the Vienna Boys’ Choir, the Augarten Vienna Porcelain Manufactory, and two anti-aircraft Flak towers that are a reminder of Austria’s darker history.
Freihausviertel
Directly next to the famous Naschmarkt, Freihausviertel is one of the trendiest neighborhoods in Vienna. The district is packed with stylish restaurants, small designer and vintage shops, and art galleries. It also holds the Freihaus Theater, where Mozart’s The Magic Flute premiered, and the stunning concert hall, Palais Ehrbar. The heart of the neighborhood is Schleifmühlgasse street, where you can find some of the best shopping in Vienna.
Stuwerviertel & Prater
If you’re in need of more fun, look no further than Stuwerviertel. Here you can find the world-famous amusement park, Prater, where fun can be had by travelers of all ages. Full of activity, the area has a relaxed atmosphere too and welcomes those who are looking for something a little different than the mainstream sights of Vienna. Directly next to the amusement park is a green space where families and friends can relax after experiencing the excitement of the rides.
Looking for more family friendly activities in Vienna like Prater? Check out our Vienna for the Family blog post!
Is there a question you have or a topic we didn’t cover in this post that you’re curious about? Check out our other Vienna blog posts or feel free to reach out to us directly at info@insightcities.com! We are happy to answer questions regarding your upcoming trip to Vienna and neighboring capitals.