Welcome to the latest funky info packed city guide for your pocket. Just print it off for when you are cruising past the sights of Vienna. Afterwards you can pass it on to someone else, make an origami shape, keep it as a souvenir or recycle it in some other tree huggin' hippy way.
LANGUAGE - GERMAN
English is becoming more widely spoken in the younger generations as it is taught at school. It is useful to know some numbers and a few short phrases to get you around. See our printable phrase guide to get you started.
CURRENCY -EURO €1EU =$1.19USD =£0.68GBP (02/06)
Cash machines or ATMs are widely available and accept all major credit cards and those displaying the PLUS or CIRRUS logos.
TIME - CENTRAL EUROPEAN TIME (GMT+1HR)
Clocks forward(+1) last Sunday in March, back last Sunday in October, (-1)
PHONE - COUNTRY CODE 0043
To use local payphones you need a Telekom Austria Calling Card, available from post offices, Metro stations and Tabaks.
| AMBULANCE | 144 | |
| FIRE | 122 | |
| POLICE | 133 | |
| MEDICAL ASSITANCE | 141 | |
| ALLGEMEINES KRANKENHAUS (HOSP.) | 01 40400 | Wahringer Gurtel 18-20 |
| TOURIST OFFICE | (01) 2111 4222 | Albertinaplatz/Ecke Maysedergasse |
| USA | 01 31339 7535 | Parkring 12, A-1010 |
| UK | 01 716 130 | Jauresgasse 12, A-1030 |
| CANADA | 01 531 38 3000 Â | Laurenzerberg 2, A-1010 |
| AUSTRALIA | 01 506 74 | Mattiellistrasse 2, A-1040 |
| NZ | 01 318 8505 | Salesianerg 15/3 |
| SOUTH AFRICA Â | 01 320 6493 | Sandgasse 33, 1190 |
| IRELAND | 01 715 4246 | Landstrasser Hauptstrasse 2 |
| FRANCE | 01 502 750 | Technikerstrasse 2, A-1040 |
| ITALY | 01 712 5121 | Metternichgasse 13, 1030 |
| GERMANY | 01 71154 0 | Metternichgasse 3, 1030 |
| S. KOREA | 01 478 1991 | Gregor Mendel Strasse 25, A-1180 |
Getting there and getting around
Vienna International Airport (Wien Schwechat)
The airport is 18km south east of the city centre and well connected with train and buses. The main carriers are Austrian Airlines, BA, Continental, KLM and Lufthansa. There are no budget airlines currently flying into here. The S7 S-Bahn operates every half hour (€3 single) to Wien Mitte and Wien Nord. Journey time is 25mins. Buses to the City Air terminal every half hour, journey time 20mins. Tickets for other buses to Sudbahnof and Westbahnhof are between €5-5.80 for singles.
The main train for national and international travel is OEBB. They are efficient, clean and have a wide network.
Eurolines run buses locally and to neighbouring countries. The domestic bus line is Bundesbus.
The S-Bahn is the overland commuter trains while the U-Bahn is the underground. Trams also operate (Strassenbahn) around Vienna along with buses. A single ticket is €1.50 (€2 if bought on board) and must be validated on board to avoid the €40 fine. There are various passes available that cover the transport network such as 24HR (€5) 72HR (€12) and the Vienna Card (€16.90) with unlimitied 72hr travel and discounts of up to 50% in some shops, restaurants and entry to attractions. Tickets are available from Tabaks, ticket machines and Wiener Linien outlets.
Cheap and environmentally friendly. The area inside the Ringstrasse is easily walkable in a day and the main shopping arcade(Graben) of Stephansplatz is pedestrian only. Sites beyond the Ringstrasse are better accessed by U-bahn or tram.
What to see in Vienna.
Kunsthistorische Museum (Fine Arts)
The Hapsburgs were to the arts of the 18th C what the Medici's were to the renaissance. This museum was built to house the immense collection, although much of the excess has had to be rehoused in the Hofburg and Schloss Schonbrunn palaces. The collections include works by Raphael, Rembrandt and Ruebens as well as some very important Egyptian and oriental pieces. Open Tues-Sun 10am-6pm, (9pm Thu), admission €9.
The building is the mirror image of the fine arts museum, this one was built to house the scientific collections of Maria Theresa Hapsburg's husband Francis I. Inside are 3 million fossils, pieces of meteorites, prehistoric animal skeletons and the 25,000 year old 'Venus of Willendorf' sculpture. Open Wed-Mon, 9am-6pm (9pm Wed), admission €6.50
Hofburg Palace (Winter Palace) - Ub Herngasse
This was the Imperial winter home of the Hapsburgs and allowed them to stay close to the political pulse of their empire until 1918. The origins were a mediaeval castle but it expanded along with the empire and each successive emperor. The complex includes the Spanish Riding school, home of the talented Lipizzaner horses, royal apartments, the Hof Kapelle where the Vienna Boys Choir perform and Treasury rooms with important exhibits from the Hapsburg's reign. Also home to the Austrian president's office. Opening hours for the Imperial Apartments Wed-Fri 10am-6pm (9pm Thu), entry €7.50
Archduke Charles II imported some Andalusian horses in 1580 from the Spanish arm of the family to create a mixed breed capable of working in combat. They were bred with other horses at a stud farm in Slovenia at Lipica (Lipizza), and so began the origins of the Lipizzan breed. Foals are typically born black and mature into a white horse. Quick thinking by General George Patton in WWII during the liberation saved the breed from extinction. The horses perform an equine ballet that represents complex manoeuvres in battle with leaps, turns and dressage elements. The gala performances are held in the indoor arena, which can hold up to 10,000 people. Tickets are always in high demand and need to be ordered well in advance. The morning training sessions are the easiest way to see the horses strut their stuff, 10am-12pm Tues-Sat. Tickets can only be bought on the day at the door (€11.50). Performance tickets range in price from €35-105 for seats or €24-28 for standing and can be booked via the internet. Entry to the museum is €5 or there is a combined training and museum for €14.50. Season runs March-June and Sept-December.
This was the Hapsburgs summer residence, built in 1696 it is said even to surpass Louis XIV efforts at Versailles for grandeur. The Baroque gardens are UNESCO World heritage listed and have the worlds oldest zoo, a maze, stunning views as well as areas for summer performances in the open. Open daily 8.30am-5pm April-October (7pm July-August) and 8.30am-4.30pm Nov-March. Admission is €7.50 or €14 for the VIP pass (April-October only).
Fredensreich Hundertwasser had a vision for people to live in interesting houses in order to lead interesting lives. His architectural vision lives on in this building which has a unique café, print shop, exhibition space and details about his life and works. The apartments can only be viewed from the outside. Open daily 10am-7pm, admission €8 and all exhibitions are half price on a Monday. HAUS DER MUSIK - Ub Stephansplatz
If the Statsoper and Volkstheater are fully booked this may be a fun alternative as you get to be the audience, performer and the conductor. The Haus der Musik is a new attraction combining art and technology over five floors, from the Philharmonic museum rooms to the Sonosphere examining sound with large instruments, to the Virtual conductor where you get to lead the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The café on the top floor gives you a chance to contemplate your next symphony while over looking St Stephans Cathedral. Open 10am-10pm daily, admission €8.50, Vienna Philharmonic Museum €5 or combined ticket €10.
What to eat in Vienna.
Take one very thinly slice piece of veal or pork, coat in breadcrumbs, shallow fry and serve with fries and a squeeze of lemon. Be warned, they can be huge, often hanging off the plate so be hungry. The cheapest place to get filled up would be at Centimeter, I, II or III where you can get 2 large schnitzels, fries and salad for €6, (impossible to finish on your own unless you're nuts). Lenaugasse 11, Stiftgasse 4 and Bauernfeldplatz 2. They also serve 'giraffes' of beer and 'wheel barrows' of food for groups to share.
Believe it or not the Viennese had a café society before the Italians did. After the Turks were repelled in 1683 a soldier began experimenting with some beans that were left behind and the coffee house was born. Can be taken with or without whipped cream and usually lingered over a lot longer than an espresso. Café Aida is the oldest chain.
Perhaps the best accompaniment with the coffee is a pastry similar to filo filled with either apple or curd cheese, dusted with icing sugar. There are savoury versions as well. Delicious hot or cold.
Traditionally the word means late harvest wine but now these taverns are setting up all over. They can only sell wine from their own estates and can only open for 10 months of the year. Many are in the outer suburbs and small villages and they also serve traditional Austrian-Bohemian fare. Expect lots of meat, dumplings, pickles, sausages and cheese.
If you are sitting down in a café or restaurant the waiter will bring the receipt to the table, either on the serving tray or if requested. You pay to the waiter or leave the amount in the paying book. Tipping is normally 10% or just round up the amount with the change if service has been good.
You've had all the history and classic culture, now to try the local social scene. The bars/clubs are open until 2am during the week and 4am on the weekend and have cover charges from €8. The bouncers can be selective about who they let in so it usually pays to dress up a bit. You can expect to pay up to €5 for a beer. Try the old Jewish Quarter in what's known as the Bermuda Dreieck , around Ruprechtskirche towards the river, or around Amerlinghaus in the Spittleberg area. Flex , U4 and Volksgarten provide the ravers with a mission while Club Roxy and Atrium pump out the latest dance hits. Weekly publication Falter (€2) lists all the latest shenanigans.
Things to do when you're broke.
One of the other most famous landmarks in Vienna this 13th c basilica was built on the site of a 12th C Romanesque sanctuary. It has been badly damaged by both the Ottoman Turks in 1683 and Russian bombs in 1945. It was fully restored in 1948 and reopened with a new roof. The design pattern is typical of a church dedicated to St Stephen, typically seen on churches in Hungary. The steeple rises to an almighty 450 feet while the catacombs offer a macabre display of urns containing the internal organs of the Hapsburg family. Probably started with the collection of Augustinian friars hearts they also have stored down there along with the skeletons of thousands of plague victims.
Stretching from the Black Forest to the Black Sea this almost 3000km long river passes through 9 countries and provides an important transport link for eastern Europe. It has also provided musical inspiration to the likes of Johann Strauss and his Blue Danube Waltz. Walk through the gardens and parks line that the banks as well as around the lower canals and locks.
High speed ADSL connections are fast becoming popular with many new modern internet cafes popping up all over the place. You can expect to pay up to €4 per hour. These are some websites you may find useful during your stay :
Fasching (Carnaval) held the first 2 weeks of February. Not the typical street parade type but the more sedate indoor masquerade ball version.
Wiener Festwochen held mid May to Mid June. Loads of theatre, music and dance productions held all around the city and performed by world artists.
Ball season begins New Years eve and runs all the way through to June. Various balls include the Imperial (Kaiserball) Blumenball (flower ball) and Kaffeesiderball (coffee ball)
Donauinsel Fest put on by the social Democrats, fireworks, rock and jazz concerts.
Jazzfest Wien is in the first weeks of July attracting loads of famous acts.
These won't make you into an SAS commander but they may help avoid some difficulties as you travel around.