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Vienna Travel Guide: How Many Days and Budget

Schengen AreaAustriaCity guide

Two to three days are enough for Vienna: two for the old town, a third for Schönbrunn Palace. We have been twice, in spring and at Christmas. Below: what a day costs, whether the Vienna Pass pays off, the airport transfer, and where we ate and stayed. Every palace, with tickets and hours, is in our Vienna sights guide .

Vienna Quick Facts
Weather11°C
Local time02:01
VisaSchengen Area
Austria visa guide 
LanguageGerman
German phrase guide 
InterneteSIM guide 
CurrencyEuro (€, EUR)
PlugsType C and F, 230 V
Country code+43

Top Sights in Vienna: Schönbrunn, Hofburg, Belvedere, St. Stephen's

16 stops
Yellow facade and forecourt of Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna
1

Schönbrunn Palace

Tickets, Opening Hours and the Gloriette

Historic siteNeubau and MariahilfPalace
Price
€30-42, park free
Metro
U4 Schönbrunn
Time
allow a full day

We moved quickly through the palace, the gardens, the zoo, the imperial carriage collection and the maze, and it still took us 5 hours. The Schönbrunn Palace gardens are too big to cover on foot, so we took the little garden train.

We watched the city from the panorama terrace and saw an apple strudel show; the train, the terrace and the show were all included in our Vienna Pass.

  • Park is free
More about this stop

If you have a Vienna Pass, don't join the entry queue: you first have to scan the pass at the ticket desk to get your palace ticket. We were sent back from the gate to the desk.

Schönbrunn Palace tickets have new names: the State Apartments ticket (selected rooms) is €30 and the Palace Ticket, covering the whole main floor, is €42. The Classic Pass (€49), covering the palace, gardens, maze and the Gloriette terrace, is only on sale until 2 November 2026, and the published Gloriette terrace hours also end that day.

From 3 November 2026 to 31 March 2027 the palace is open daily 8:30-17:00 with timed tickets. The zoo is €29 for adults (official info, 19 October 2026). If you also want the Sisi Museum at the Hofburg, the Sisi Pass (€60) includes the Palace Ticket; see the Hofburg card (official info, 21 October 2026).

Watch in the video · 18:40Schönbrunn Palace tickets and tours Ad See Neubau and Mariahilf hotels Ad Neubau and Mariahilf area guide
Imperial crown and regalia in the Imperial Treasury at the Hofburg, Vienna
2

Hofburg Palace

Sisi Museum and the Imperial Treasury

Historic siteInnere StadtPalace and museum
Price
Imperial Apartments €15, Treasury €16
Metro
U3 Herrengasse
Time
allow a full day

The Habsburgs' winter palace is huge. We rushed through parts of it; we'd recommend setting aside a whole day just for the Hofburg. The lockers inside take a €1 or €2 coin, which you get back when you leave, so carry some change.

  • Treasury: closed Tuesdays
More about this stop

The Sisi Museum is being redesigned and reopens in its new form on 19 November 2026. Until then only the Imperial Apartments are open, at a reduced adult price of €15; the new day-ticket price hasn't been published yet.

The Imperial Treasury (Schatzkammer) is €16 online and €18 at the door, open 9:00-17:30 every day except Tuesday, and since 1 April 2026 entry is by timed reservation only (official info, 19 October 2026).

Sisi Ticket or Sisi Pass: the official combined ticket is called the Sisi Pass. It covers the Schönbrunn Palace Ticket (the whole main floor), the Sisi Museum with the Imperial Apartments at the Hofburg and the Vienna Furniture Museum for €60, children from 6 €38.

Until 18 November the Sisi Museum is open daily 10:00-16:30, last entry 16:00; with a Vienna City Card the reduced ticket is €13.50 instead of €15 (official info, 21 October 2026).

We had breakfast at the Palmenhaus, the glasshouse in the Burggarten right next to the palace.

Watch in the video · 26:00Hofburg Palace tickets and tours Ad See Innere Stadt hotels Ad Innere Stadt area guide
Upper Belvedere Palace and its garden, Vienna
3

Belvedere

Klimt's The Kiss at the Upper Belvedere

MuseumLandstrassePalace and museum
Price
Upper €23, both €32
Tram
D to Schloss Belvedere
Time
2-3 hours

When we visited, the finest facade, the one facing the gardens, was under renovation, so we couldn't get a good photo. The palace is ticketed in parts: the Upper and Lower Belvedere are separate. Klimt's The Kiss hangs in the Upper Belvedere, so if Klimt is why you came, that is the part of Vienna's Belvedere to book.

  • Timed tickets required
More about this stop

Upper Belvedere €23, Lower Belvedere €20, a combined day ticket for both €32; free under 19. The Upper Belvedere is open daily 9:00-18:00, the Lower Belvedere 10:00-18:00. Timed tickets are required for every part (official info, 19 October 2026).

Watch in the video · 19:24Belvedere tickets and tours Ad See Landstrasse hotels Ad Landstrasse area guide
St. Stephen's Cathedral and its tower on Stephansplatz, Vienna
4

St. Stephen's Cathedral

Towers, Catacombs and Tickets

Church / mosqueInnere StadtCathedral
Price
€8 per area, all €29
Metro
U1/U3 Stephansplatz
Time
1-2 hours

Stephansdom stands in the middle of the old town. We saw the free part by the entrance; the towers, the catacombs and the guided tour need separate tickets. The story told here is that during the second siege of Vienna in 1683, people gathered in the cathedral and the Ottoman army was watched from the tower.

On the side of the church there is a statue that, we were told, symbolises the victory over the Ottomans; we show this corner in the video. We're not historians, we're passing on what we were told there.

  • Towers: daily 9:00-19:00
More about this stop

Tickets for St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, catacombs included (official info, 19 October 2026): the cathedral tour, the North Tower (with lift), the South Tower (343 steps) and the catacombs tour are €8 each; the All-Inclusive ticket covering the cathedral, one catacombs tour, both towers and the Teutonic Order treasury is €29 and valid for a year.

Tourist visiting hours are Monday to Saturday 9:00-11:30 and 13:00-16:30, Sunday 13:00-16:30, and can change during services. Large suitcases aren't allowed and there is no left luggage.

On our Christmas trip we came at 21:30 to see the Christmas market in front of the cathedral; the sign said 22:00, but it had already closed. If you're going in the evening, come early.

Watch in the video · 28:30St. Stephen's Cathedral tickets and tours Ad See Innere Stadt hotels Ad Innere Stadt area guide
16stopsThings to Do in Vienna: Palaces, Tickets, HoursSee all 16 places 

Vienna Travel Map

Every stop on this page is on one map. Each section has its own layer, so you can switch them on and off.

Plan Your Vienna Itinerary

Pick how many days you have and the plan builds itself, day by day, with a place to eat near each day’s stops. With two days in Vienna, a two day Vienna itinerary covers the old town and Schönbrunn; a 4 days in Vienna itinerary adds Belvedere, the museums and the Prater, and a Vienna itinerary of 5 days adds Kahlenberg and Nussdorf. For a Prague and Vienna itinerary, or a Budapest, Prague and Vienna itinerary, Prague is about 4 hours away by train and Budapest 2 hours 40 minutes.

1 How many days are you staying?
2 Which meals?

Choose how many days you are staying and your route takes shape here, day by day. Add meals and we suggest places to eat close to each day's stops.

Where We Ate in Vienna: Schnitzel, Tafelspitz and Coffee Houses

10 food stops

The best-known dishes of Viennese cooking are Wiener Schnitzel, Tafelspitz (boiled beef in broth), Kaiserschmarrn, apple strudel, Sachertorte and the milky coffee called melange. We ate at every place below ourselves; the Sachertorte we had at Café Sacher in Salzburg, not in Vienna. Every dish, with prices, is in our Vienna food guide .

1

Figlmüller

Where to Eat Schnitzel in Vienna

RestaurantsInnere Stadt
Per person
€20.90-28.90
What to order
pork schnitzel, chicken schnitzel, potato salad
Address
Wollzeile 5 and Bäckerstraße 6

Restaurant Figlmüller is the first name that comes up for schnitzel in Vienna. We ate at the original restaurant on Wollzeile. The waiter told us the most original one is the pork schnitzel; Umut ordered the chicken one, and we tried both.

The schnitzel is thin and crispy and hangs over the plate. People had told us it was overrated; we did not find it so, and the potato salad was as good as the schnitzel.

  • Hours: daily 11:00-22:30 (Wollzeile)
  • Reservations: book early
More about this place

Know before you go: there is no veal schnitzel on the Wollzeile menu in Vienna. Figlmüller's own schnitzel is pork (€21.90) and the chicken schnitzel is €20.90. Veal Wiener Schnitzel is only at the Bäckerstraße branch 150 metres away (€28.90). Wollzeile is open daily 11:00-22:30, Bäckerstraße 11:30-23:30 (official info, 19 October 2026).

When we went there was no table for days; we kept checking and caught a slot that opened up. The official site also recommends booking early and tells walk-ins to try their luck.

Watch the short  Schnitzel and potato salad at Figlmüller

Watch in the video · 14:00Book a table at FiglmüllerSee Innere Stadt hotels Ad Innere Stadt area guide
2

Plachutta

Tafelspitz and Veal Schnitzel

RestaurantsInnere Stadt
Per person
€28.90-36.90
What to order
Tafelspitz, veal schnitzel
Address
Wollzeile 38

We came after a whole day of museums without a reservation and waited a while at the door. We liked the schnitzel more than the one we had at Landtmann earlier that day. But we came for the Tafelspitz: beef boiled in a clear vegetable broth, served with sauces and potatoes. The beef was meltingly tender; in the video we gave it 10 out of 10.

  • Hours: daily 11:30-23:30
  • Reservations: on its website
More about this place

The two of us had a schnitzel and a Tafelspitz and paid about €80 with drinks. On the current menu the Tafelspitz is €36.90, the veal Wiener Schnitzel €28.90 and potato salad €7.10 extra; open daily 11:30-23:30 (official info, 19 October 2026).

Watch in the video · 5:36Book a table at PlachuttaSee Innere Stadt hotels Ad Innere Stadt area guideOur full Plachutta guide
3

Demel

Kaiserschmarrn and Apple Strudel, Vienna's Best-Known Dessert

Pastry shopsInnere Stadt
Per person
€7.90-12.90
What to order
Kaiserschmarrn, apple strudel
Address
Kohlmarkt 14

We queued for about half an hour before we got a table. Kaiserschmarrn is a pancake torn up as it cooks in the pan and dusted with icing sugar; it comes with fruit compote, and we liked it. The apple strudel was warm and soft; we would have liked it a little crispier. We paid €37 for a Kaiserschmarrn, an apple strudel, a coffee and a water.

  • We paid €37
  • Hours: daily 10:00-19:00
  • Reservations: not taken
More about this place

Demel does not take reservations; you have to queue. It closes at 19:00, so if you go late you may have to hurry (official info, 19 October 2026).

Watch the short  The story of apple strudel

Watch in the video · 19:20See Innere Stadt hotels Ad Innere Stadt area guideOur full Demel guide
4

Café Landtmann

Schnitzel, Mozart Dessert and Melange

CafésInnere Stadt
Per person
€29.20-38.70
What to order
schnitzel, Mozart dessert, Melange
Address
Universitätsring 4

Our first stop in Vienna, and our first Viennese coffee house. We ordered a schnitzel, a Mozart dessert and a Melange; with a small salad it came to €49. The Melange is close to a cappuccino, a little milkier and lighter.

The Mozart dessert felt light to us; we expected something richer. The chestnut Mont Blanc dessert the waiter recommended is only served in winter, and we missed it.

  • We paid €49
  • Hours: Mon-Sat 7:30-24:00, Sun 7:30-22:00
More about this place

On the current menu the Wiener Schnitzel is €29.20, the Mozart cake €8.50 and a Melange €6.90. It is open Monday to Saturday 7:30-24:00 and Sunday 7:30-22:00, and you can book a table online on its website (official info, 19 October 2026).

Watch in the video · 0:46Book a table at Café LandtmannSee Innere Stadt hotels Ad Innere Stadt area guideOur full Café Landtmann guide
Food Tip

What we paid: at Café Landtmann, schnitzel, a Mozart cake, a melange and a small salad came to €49. At Plachutta, schnitzel, Tafelspitz and drinks for two were about €80. At Demel, Kaiserschmarrn, apple strudel, coffee and water came to €37. These are from the bills in our videos; today's menus may be a few euros higher.

10placesWhat to Eat in Vienna: Schnitzel, Cafes, DessertsSee all 10 food stops 
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Our Two Vienna Hotels and Which Area Suits You

5 areas

Hotels in Vienna fall into five areas: Innere Stadt, the historic centre; Neubau and Mariahilf for cafes and shopping; Landstrasse on the Belvedere and Wien Mitte side; Leopoldstadt by the Prater; and the Hauptbahnhof area for train travellers. We have been to Vienna twice and stayed in Neubau and Landstrasse; every area is compared in our Vienna stay guide. See all Vienna hotels  Ad

5areasSee all 5 areas in ViennaArea-by-area comparison and details of the 2 hotels we stayed atFind your area 

Stay

Where we stayed in Vienna

two trips · two hotels

First visit: Innere Stadt. Better value and a local feel: Neubau. Centre fully booked: Landstrasse. Arriving by train: Hauptbahnhof. Book early for the Christmas market weeks.
See all Vienna hotels  Ad

1

Miiro Spittelberg

Neubau · our first trip, three nights

Near the MuseumsQuartier15-20 minutes on foot to the cathedral

Why we liked it: close to the centre and a really nice hotel; we stayed three nights here when it was still called K+K Hotel Maria Theresia.

Keep in mind: the hotel has been renovated since our stay, so check the latest reviews. Miiro Spittelberg prices  Ad

Watch the video 10:41
2

Mercure Grand Hotel Biedermeier Wien

Landstrasse · our Christmas trip, one night

5 minutes on foot to U4 Landstraße400 m to Wien Mitte

Why we liked it: during the Christmas market week there was almost nothing left near the centre, so we found this hotel. We loved the room, far more than we expected, and everything was spotless.

Keep in mind: the old town is a 15 to 20 minute walk, so we bought a 24-hour transport ticket. Mercure Grand Hotel Biedermeier Wien prices  Ad

Watch the video 51:22
Plan your trip to Vienna
  1. FlightsAdStep 1: Find your flightVienna International Airport (VIE)
  2. FlightsAdFind cheap flights
  3. HotelsAdStep 2: Book your hotelthe centre fills up early at Christmas
  4. Tours & ticketsAdStep 4: Vienna Passgood value if you see many museums

Day Trips from Vienna: Hallstatt, Salzburg, Bratislava and the Wachau

Trips

Day trips from Vienna

four cards

We saw the Wachau Valley, Hallstatt and Salzburg on one day tour booked on GetYourGuide, and went to Bratislava the next morning.

2

Salzburg

about 1 hour 15 minutes from Hallstatt

Back in Vienna late at night

At the Hotel Sacher cafe we tried Sachertorte and Linzer torte; honestly, we were not big fans of either. At the end of the tour we were back at our Vienna hotel between 23:00 and midnight, so do not plan an early start the next day. Salzburg day trips from Vienna  Ad

Watch the video 11:22
3

Bratislava

Slovakia’s capital, half a day is enough

Breakfast at Café Mayer

We crossed to Bratislava early in the morning and explored until 14:00. We had croissants and coffee for breakfast at Café Mayer on the main square; the croissant was really good.

Watch the video 28:55
4

Wachau Valley: Göttweig, Dürnstein and Melk

the first half of the tour, along the Danube

Small van for 6 to 7 people

The first half of the tour followed the Danube: Göttweig Abbey, Dürnstein, famous for its apricots, and Melk Abbey . We walked into Melk told it was “the biggest library in the world”; it is not, and we think the National Library in Vienna is far more beautiful.

Watch the video 0:23

Is Vienna Expensive? Daily Budget in Euros and the Vienna Pass

On a Budget
€40-55

A 24-hour ticket, the free stops (St. Stephen's main nave, the Graben, the Rathausplatz Christmas market, the Naschmarkt), a Naschmarkt snack for lunch and a döner or sausage stand for dinner.

Mid-Range
€95-115

A classic Vienna day: tickets for the National Library and the Upper Belvedere, breakfast at a cafe, schnitzel at Figlmüller for lunch and cake at Demel in the afternoon.

Luxury
€170-200

A one-day Vienna Pass for museums and a boat trip, the Danube Tower slide and Tafelspitz at Plachutta for dinner. A full day in Vienna, without the hotel, lands in this band.

Per person, for one day. Food is included; accommodation and flights are not.

Food prices are from the bills in our videos; ticket and transport prices are from the official fares (official info, October 2026).

In our video we said Vienna is as expensive as Paris.

Public transport: a single ticket is €3.00 digital or €3.20 on paper; a 24-hour ticket €9.70 digital or €10.20 on paper (official info, October 2026). The old town is walkable; you need a ticket for Belvedere, the Naschmarkt, the Prater and the Danube Tower.

Tickets and tours: museum and palace tickets cost €12 to €23. If you plan to see a lot of museums, the Vienna Pass price starts at €109; it covers more than 90 attractions and the hop-on hop-off bus, but not public transport (official info, October 2026).

We bought one and it paid off at our pace; for two or three museums, single tickets are cheaper. If you mainly want transport plus discounts, look at the Vienna City Card instead (from €19 for 24 hours). Vienna Pass options  Ad

Food: schnitzel, cake and coffee at a cafe cost about €45 to €50 per person; snacks at the Naschmarkt €5 to €10. Our bills are in the food section.

Free: the main nave of St. Stephen’s, the Graben and the Plague Column, all the Christmas markets, the Naschmarkt, entry to the Prater amusement park, and the Opera and City Hall seen from the outside on the Ring. Vienna tours and tickets with current prices  Ad

Vienna Airport to City Centre, Public Transport and Trains

By Air

You land at Vienna International Airport (VIE, Schwechat), about 18 km southeast of the centre. How to get from Vienna airport to the city center works differently for now: the main S-Bahn line between the airport and the city is closed from 7 September 2026 to 31 October 2027.

During the closure the CAT train is replaced by a CAT bus between Wien Mitte (Marxergasse) and Terminal 3, €14.90 one way and €24.90 return. The S7 only runs as far as St. Marx, where you change to tram 18 or 71.

The fastest train from Vienna airport to the city center is the Railjet to Vienna Hauptbahnhof (main station), about 15 minutes (official info, October 2026).

On our first trip we took an Uber from the airport to our hotel, and after the Prague train on our Christmas trip we took an Uber again because of our big suitcase; with heavy luggage, a taxi or Uber from Vienna airport to the city center is the easiest door to door option. Find the cheapest dates for flights to Vienna  Ad

By Bus

Vienna public transport (U-Bahn, trams and buses, run by Wiener Linien) uses one ticket for everything. A single ticket is €3.00 in the app or €3.20 on paper from a machine; a 24-hour ticket is €9.70 digital or €10.20 on paper.

The 48 and 72-hour tickets were scrapped on 1 January 2026, so for three days or more the 7-day ticket (€25.20 digital) is the better deal, and it starts on any day you choose (official info, October 2026).

The Vienna City Card is a different product: it includes public transport plus discounts at museums and sights, and it still comes in 24 hours (€19), 48 hours (€31), 72 hours (€37) and 7 days (€39) (official info, October 2026). The Vienna Pass works the other way round: it gets you into the attractions but does not include public transport; more on that in the budget section.

The old town is easy on foot; we needed transport for Schönbrunn, Belvedere, the Naschmarkt, the Prater and the Danube Tower.

By Train

If Vienna is one stop on a bigger Central Europe trip, the train is the easiest way between cities. Prague, Budapest, Bratislava and Salzburg all have direct trains from Vienna, so it is simple to arrive from one city and carry on to the next.

Prague to Vienna by train: about 4 hours. On our Christmas trip we saw Prague’s Christmas markets  first and came on to Vienna by train. We took a connection with a change at Břeclav; it was cheaper than the direct trains and we only waited a few minutes for the connection.

Direct Railjet and RegioJet trains also take about 4 hours. Vienna to Prague train times and prices  Ad

Vienna to Budapest by train: Railjet and EuroCity trains take about 2 hours 40 minutes, roughly every hour, the shortest way to add Budapest to the same trip. Vienna to Budapest train times  Ad

Nearby cities from Vienna: Bratislava is about 1 hour away by REX regional train (two an hour) and Salzburg 2 hours 25 minutes by Railjet Xpress. Hallstatt  takes 3 to 4 hours by train with a change at Attnang-Puchheim, and you cross from the station to the village by ferry.

By Car

You do not need a car in Vienna; public transport goes everywhere. A car makes sense for trips out of the city, such as Hallstatt and the lakes or the Parndorf outlet. Picking one up at the airport and heading straight onto the motorway is easier than looking for parking in the centre. Vienna Airport car rental prices  Ad

Best Time to Visit Vienna: Weather by Season
Apr-MayBest
7-16°C
Jun-AugGood
20-26°C
Sep-OctBest
6-17°C
Nov-MarGood
0-4°C
Vienna Travel Vlog: Best Moments on YouTube
1:10From the airport to the city · two train options into the centre1:55Café Landtmann · schnitzel, Mozart cake and a melange6:16Vienna Pass · more than 90 attractions, skip the ticket queue13:02National Library · the baroque State Hall13:46Plachutta · Tafelspitz and schnitzel19:24Belvedere Palace · a palace ticketed in parts27:17Hofburg and the Plague Column · a palace worth a full day28:30St. Stephen's Cathedral · the cathedral and the siege of Vienna30:06Figlmüller · Vienna's best-known schnitzel40:17Danube Tower and the Prater · the tower, the slide and the Giant Ferris Wheel Watch the full Vienna vlog

Vienna Travel Tips: Tickets, Museum Hours and Reservations

Tips

Vienna travel tips

seven things

Transport tickets, museum hours and restaurant bookings are the three things that change your plan most.

1

The 48 and 72-hour tickets are gone

only 24 hours and 7 days since 1 January 2026

24 hours · 7 daysWiener Linien

On our Christmas trip there were 24, 48 and 72-hour tickets; Wiener Linien dropped the 48 and 72-hour ones on 1 January 2026. If you stay three days or more, the 7-day ticket (€25.20 digital) is better value; it starts on any day, not only on Mondays (official info, October 2026).

2

Museum hours change day by day

some close at 14:00, others at 18:00

Timed ticketsTuesday and Monday closures

Every museum in Vienna keeps its own hours, and few are open from morning to evening. The Imperial Treasury is closed on Tuesdays and the National Library on Mondays in winter; Belvedere and the Treasury need timed tickets. Check the official hours before you plan the day.

3

Book Figlmüller and Plachutta ahead

we waited for days

Online bookingWatch for cancellations

Figlmüller was fully booked for our whole trip; we kept checking the website and caught a slot that opened up. We went to Plachutta without a reservation and queued at the door. Book both before you arrive; if Figlmüller is full, the Bäckerstraße branch takes walk-ins.

Watch the video 15:01
4

Carry coins for the lockers

€1 or €2, returned when you open it

€1 · €2

Museum lockers work with coins: you drop in €1 or €2 to lock it, and the coin comes back when you open it. Not every locker takes cards.

Watch the video 25:49
5

Café Central is closed for now

renovation since 16 March 2026

Temporary address: Freyung 3/1Planned to reopen in winter

The cafe has been closed for renovation since 16 March 2026, and the owners plan to reopen in winter 2026. Meanwhile the same team runs DECENTRAL at Freyung 3/1 (official info, October 2026). Our own experience is in our Café Central guide .

6

Visas and the neighbouring capitals

Bratislava, Budapest and Prague are in Schengen too

SchengenBratislava · Budapest · Prague

Austria is in the Schengen Area, and whether you need a visa depends on your passport; see our Austria visa guide . Bratislava, Budapest and Prague are in Schengen as well, so there is no border control, but keep your passport with you on the train because ID checks can happen.

7

Pickpockets in crowded squares

Rathausplatz is packed on Christmas market evenings

Bag in frontBusiest after 18:00

The Rathausplatz and Stephansplatz markets are shoulder to shoulder in the evening; keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket. A big backpack is a nuisance both in the crowds and at the amusement park.

Festivals and Events in Vienna

Xmas

Christmas markets from mid-November to late December

the biggest is in front of City Hall, on Rathausplatz

Free entry

The markets go up in the city’s squares from mid-November to the end of December; the biggest, the Wiener Christkindlmarkt on Rathausplatz, runs from 13 November to 26 December in the 2026 season (official info, October 2026).

On our Christmas trip we walked around Rathausplatz; we found it crowded and modern, and we felt the old Christmas atmosphere more in Dresden. Dates and opening hours for every market are in our Vienna Christmas markets guide .

Frequently Asked Questions About Vienna

How many days do you need in Vienna?

Two days cover the old town: St. Stephen's, the Hofburg, Belvedere and the cafes. Three days are enough if you give Schönbrunn a day of its own, which is what it needs. With four to seven days, add day trips to Bratislava, Hallstatt or Salzburg.

What is the best time to visit Vienna?

The best time to visit Vienna, Austria is spring (about 7 to 16°C) or autumn (about 6 to 17°C), the best weather for walking between palaces. Summer is warm, around 20 to 26°C. Winter is cold, around 0 to 4°C, but from mid-November to late December the Christmas markets fill the squares; it is also when hotels are hardest to find.

How do I get from Vienna Airport to the city centre?

While the main S-Bahn line is closed (7 September 2026 to 31 October 2027), the CAT bus runs between Terminal 3 and Wien Mitte for €14.90 one way. The Railjet reaches Vienna Hauptbahnhof in about 15 minutes, and the S7 runs to St. Marx, where you change to tram 18 or 71 (official info, October 2026). We took an Uber to our hotel.

Is Vienna expensive?

Yes, Vienna is expensive to visit; we found it as expensive as Paris. Without the hotel, a budget day is about €40 to €55 per person, a classic day with two tickets and a schnitzel lunch €95 to €115, and a full day with a Vienna Pass and dinner at Plachutta €170 to €200.

Many of the best things, such as the Christmas markets and the main nave of St. Stephen's, are free.

Is the Vienna Pass or the Vienna City Card worth it?

The Vienna Pass (from €109) covers more than 90 attractions and the hop-on hop-off bus but not public transport; we bought one and it paid off because we saw a lot in a short time. The Vienna City Card includes public transport plus discounts, from €19 for 24 hours (official info, October 2026).

Vienna City Card vs Vienna Pass, in short: the card is for transport, the pass for entry. For two or three museums, single tickets and a transport ticket are cheaper.

Do I need a visa for Vienna?

Austria is in the Schengen Area, so the answer depends on your passport. Who needs a visa and how to apply is in our Austria visa guide .

What language is spoken in Vienna, and do people speak English?

The official language is German. Austrian German has its own words: tomatoes are Paradeiser on menus and January is Jänner on calendars. We got by in English without any problem in museums and hotels. For greetings, numbers and menu words, see our German phrases for travel .

How far is Vienna from Prague, Budapest and Salzburg?

Prague is about 335 km by road and about 4 hours by train, direct or with a change at Břeclav. Budapest is about 244 km, 2 hours 40 minutes by Railjet. Bratislava is about an hour by train and Salzburg 2 hours 25 minutes.

What should I buy in Vienna, and is there an outlet?

The most popular things to take home are Mozartkugel chocolates, Manner wafers, boxed sweets from Demel and handmade ornaments from the Christmas markets. There is no outlet in the city itself; the best known is Parndorf Designer Outlet, about 54 km southeast of central Vienna.

How We Made This Guide

Prices were checked on site or with official sources. Prices and opening hours can change, so confirm with official sources before you go.

Near Vienna

our guides

Austria Travel Guide 

the country guide: map, visa and transport

Trains from Vienna

timetables on Omio

Train to Salzburg 

2 hours 25 minutes by Railjet Ad

Train to Bratislava 

about 1 hour Ad

Train to Hallstatt 

with a change Ad

Tours without a car

day trips on GetYourGuide

Hallstatt day trip 

the lakeside village Ad

More Guides from the Same Country

Salzburg 

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