Vienna Travel Guide
First Time in Vienna
The practical primer for a first visit — public transport and the airport, time-slot tickets, the tourist tax rise of July 2026, Sunday closing, coffee-house etiquette, tipping and the changes worth knowing this year.
Vienna is one of the easiest cities in Europe to visit. It is safe, clean and efficient, the public transport is excellent, and English is widely spoken. But it has its own rhythms and rules, from time-slot tickets and Sunday closing to the etiquette of the coffee house, and a few things have changed recently. Here is what to know before you go.
Getting in from the airport. Vienna International Airport is about 20 kilometres east of the city. The City Airport Train, the CAT, runs non-stop to Wien Mitte in about a quarter of an hour and is the fastest option; the regular S-Bahn suburban trains take a little longer to the same station and cost much less; and national railway trains run direct to Wien Hauptbahnhof, the main station. Taxis and ride-hailing apps are available, but agree to use the meter or the app price. Buy rail tickets from the machines or apps before boarding.
Getting around. The Wiener Linien network of underground lines, trams and buses is fast, frequent and simple. Tickets work across the whole network within the city, and for visitors the 24-hour, 48-hour and 72-hour tickets are the best value, or a Vienna City Card, which adds discounts at many sights. Paper tickets must be validated in the blue machines before you travel; tickets bought in the WienMobil app are valid immediately. There are no barriers, but plain-clothes inspectors check regularly and fines are steep. Most of the centre is walkable, and the Ringstrasse trams double as a sightseeing tour. Cyclists have fast, busy bike lanes: never walk in them.
Booking and time slots. Many of Vienna's top sights now use timed entry. Schonbrunn has long been timed and sells out in busy periods; the Kunsthistorisches Museum has required a reserved time slot since 8 September 2026; the Belvedere sells timed slots online at dynamic prices; and the Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments use fixed entry times. Book these online before you travel. The Spanish Riding School's sessions, the opera and concerts should also be booked ahead. Free sights, such as the Schonbrunn park, the Belvedere garden, the Ringstrasse, the Naschmarkt and the MuseumsQuartier courtyards, need no booking.
What is changing in 2026. The redesigned Sisi Museum in the Hofburg reopens on 19 November 2026 after its final refurbishment, with more rooms; until then only the Imperial Apartments are open, at reduced prices. The Hofburg's Silver Collection has been closed since 2023. The Kunsthistorisches Museum is preparing a major building project from 2027, and some of its big exhibitions in 2026 are held in other buildings. The Naschmarkt has a new market hall, opened in November 2025, and a new park at its western end. And the tourist tax has gone up, as explained below.
The tourist tax. Vienna charges a local tourist tax, the Ortstaxe, on overnight stays, calculated as a percentage of the accommodation price, excluding breakfast. On 1 July 2026 the rate rose from 3.2 per cent to 5 per cent, and it is set to rise again to 8 per cent from 1 July 2027. The rate depends on the date of the night you stay, not the date you booked. It is usually added to your hotel bill rather than included in the room price you see online, so check the booking terms.
Opening days and Sundays. Shops in Austria are closed on Sundays, apart from those in major railway stations and the airport, and the Naschmarkt is closed too. Museums and the main sights are open on Sundays, but some museums close one day a week, often Monday, so check before you go. Religious services take priority in churches, so St Stephens limits sightseeing during masses, especially on Sunday mornings. The State Opera has no performances in July and August.
Money and tipping. Austria uses the euro, and cards are accepted almost everywhere, though a few traditional cafés, market stalls and sausage stands still prefer cash. Tipping is customary: round up or add around 5 to 10 per cent in restaurants and cafés, and tell the waiter the total you want to pay when you hand over the money, rather than leaving coins on the table. Taxi drivers appreciate rounding up.
Coffee-house etiquette. In a traditional Viennese coffee house, you wait to be seated or choose a free table, order from the waiter, who may be formal to the point of grumpiness, and stay as long as you like over a single coffee; the glass of water that comes with it is free and refilled. Newspapers are provided. Do not expect to be rushed, and do not expect fast service either. Ask for the bill when you are ready.
Etiquette and safety. Say Gruess Gott or Guten Tag when you enter a shop. Wait at red pedestrian lights, even when the street is empty; the Viennese do. Keep your voice down on public transport. Vienna is very safe, but pickpockets work the crowds at St Stephens, on Kaerntner Strasse, at the Christmas markets and on busy trams. Be wary of street sellers in costume selling concert tickets near St Stephens and the opera; their tickets are often genuine but overpriced.
Seasons and crowds. Vienna is busy from spring to autumn and in Advent, when the Christmas markets draw huge crowds at weekends. January to March, outside the ball season and school holidays, is the quietest time, cold but atmospheric, with the opera and concert season in full swing. Whatever the season, get to the big sights early, and leave time to do as the Viennese do: sit, watch and take your time.