Is Vienna Pass worth it? A detailed review about how to save €70 using the pass and from where to buy it (to get a free cancellation).
Vienna (Wien) is a truly gorgeous city. Unfortunately, it’s pretty expensive, too. The entrance fees are costly and you’ll end up throwing a small fortune only to see the most popular attractions.
That’s exactly what happened to me during my first visit to Wien. I paid about €150 for sightseeing for 3 days. It was more expensive than Paris or Rome!
At that time only the Vienna City Card was available. It offers unlimited access to public transportation plus over 210 discounts at attractions and shops. It’s a great deal if you plan to use public transport a lot. However, it wasn’t useful to me, as I stayed right in the city centre.
Luckily for my next trip, the Vienna Pass was already available. Although I didn’t use the hop-on hop-off buses, I managed to save about €50. It’s a really great deal especially if this is your first time in the city.
How to save €70 with Vienna Pass
Vienna Pass is totally worth the cost. The pass includes free admission to all the popular attractions, a boat cruise, a hop-on-hop-off bus tour and a walking tour. You can save up to €70 for 3 days using the pass. Vienna Pass is the best way to explore the city and save a lot of money.
In this Vienna Pass review, I do the math to show you how much you can save by using it.
How much you can save with the 2-day pass
Although 2 days is a short time to see Vienna, you can tour the most popular attractions. Keep in mind that you need to plan your time ahead and start your day early. Also using the hop-on hop-off tour, included in the card, will save you a lot of time.
By using the 2-day pass you can save up to €65.
Here is an example of a 2-day itinerary, that covers the must-see sites (all included in the card). You’ll be short on time, so skip the treasury and the tower of St. Stephen’s Cathedral (plus they are not covered by the pass). The cathedral itself is free to visit.
Also, visit Schönbrunn Palace early in the morning, because even with the pass you’ll need to get a timed entry ticket first. Skip the gardens and visit only the palace (you’ll need hours to explore the gardens).
Day 1
- Spanish Riding School Morning Exercise – €16
- St. Stephen’s Cathedral – free to visit
- Imperial Palace – €15
- Imperial Treasury – €12
- Rathaus – free
- Boat cruise along the Danube Canal – €24
- Viennese Giant Ferris Wheel – €12
- Guided walking tour (optional) – €15
Day 2
- Schönbrunn Palace – €26
- Imperial Carriage Museum – €9.50
- Apple Strudel Show – €6.50
- St. Charles’s Church – see it from the outside
- Belvedere Palace – €16
- HOP ON HOP OFF Bus Tour (optional) – €36
Attractions included in the card – €113
Walking tour, boat cruise and hop-on hop-off buses – €75
Total without the card – €188
If you use the card – €123
Total savings – €65
How much you can save with the 3-day pass
3 days is the perfect amount of time to explore Vienna. Here is a brief example of a 3-day itinerary. As you can see even if you use the pass only for its primary feature, the free entrances, you’ll save money.
By using the 3-day pass you can save up to €73.
You can always switch any of the sites below with another attraction that interests you more. For example, the Imperial Burial Vault and Mozarthaus are also covered by the pass.
Day 1
- Spanish Riding School Morning Exercise – €16
- St. Stephen’s Cathedral – free to visit
- Imperial Palace – €15
- Imperial Treasury – €12
- Rathaus – free
- Viennese Giant Ferris Wheel – €12
- Guided walking tour (optional) – €15
Day 2
- Natural History Museum or Kunsthistorisches Museum (€12 or €16)
- Burggarten and Mozart Statue – free
- St. Charles’s Church – €8 (not included in the card)
- Schwarzenbergplatz and Soviet War Memorial
- Belvedere Palace – €16
- Boat cruise along the Danube Canal – €24
Day 3
- Schönbrunn Palace – €26
- Imperial Carriage Museum – €9.50
- Apple Strudel Show – €6.50
- Wien Zoo or Danube Tower (€22 or €14.50)
- HOP ON HOP OFF Bus Tour (optional) – €36
Attractions included in the card – €151
Walking tour, boat cruise and hop-on hop-off buses – €75
Total without the card – €226
If you use the card – €153
Total savings – €73
Vienna Pass price 2023
The card is available for 1, 2, 3 and 6 days.
- 1-Day card – €87
- 2-Day card – €123
- 3-Day card – €153
- 6-Day card – €189
Where to buy Vienna Pass
It’s easiest to buy the pass online (and this is what I did – I bought it online from GetYourGuide). Then you just have to collect it from the service office near the Opera State House.
The best part is that if you book with GetYourGuide you can cancel and get a full refund up to 24 hours before the activity starts.
The pass will be activated at its first use at an attraction. This counts as the first day. Thus to make the most of it, activate it in the morning.
Vienna Pass benefits
What’s included in Vienna Pass
- free admission to over 60 attractions
- fast-track entry at many sites
- unlimited rides on the hop-on-hop-off buses
- boat cruise along the Danube Canal
- guided walking tour
- guidebook
Free admission to over 60 attractions
This is the primary benefit. You get a free entrance not only to the most popular attractions but also to numerous museums. Plus, you’ll save time skipping a lot of the queues with the fast track entry. All you need to do is to show the card at the entrance. And using an all-in-one ticket makes everything so easy!
You can use the fast-track option at the following sights: Belvedere 21 – Museum of Contemporary Art, Albertina, Belvedere, Desert Experience House Gloriette, Maze, Privy Garten, Orangery Garden and Children’s Museum at Schönbrunn Palace Gardens, Hofmobiliendepot · Imperial Furniture Collection, Imperial Palaces Schloss Hof and Schloss Niederweiden, Imperial Treasury Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Leopold Museum, mumok (Museum of Modern Art Ludwig Foundation), Museum of Natural History, Museum of Technology, Schönbrunn Zoo, Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel, State Hall of the Austrian National Library.
Please note that for Schönbrunn Palace you have to get a free timed ticket at the Group Center (located in front of Schönbrunn Palace). Arrive as early as possible, because in the high season, it is possible the maximum capacity to be already reached, and you will receive a ticket with an admission time for the following day.
Unlimited rides on the hop-on-hop-off buses
Wien has a compact city centre, that you can tour on foot. However, few of the must-see attractions are located far away and you need to use public transport. The included bus tour has 5 different routes and takes you in no time to Schönbrunn Palace, Danube Tower, the Prater and many other popular attractions.
Boat cruise and guided walking tour
The included boat cruise and walking tour are nice bonuses. The 1h walking tour shows you the most famous attractions in the city centre. And the boat cruise along the Danube canal is a great way to see this beautiful city from another angle. If you have to pay additionally for these tours, it’ll cost you €39.
Guidebook
The 100+ page digital guidebook is packed with useful information about the city and its top attractions. It’s an easy way to learn something more about this imperial city and its history.
Is Vienna Pass worth it after all
Yes, it’s totally worth it, no matter how many days you are in the city. The pass covers everything that most of the visitors are interested in. If you plan to see a lot and want to get most of the city, this is the way to do it.
Even if this is not your first time in Vienna, the pass can save a lot of money if you plan ahead your time.
If you decide not to use Vienna Pass, I strongly recommend booking tickets in advance for the following sites and events.
Schönbrunn Palace – it’s one of the most popular attractions with long queues. You can buy tickets in advance from the official website.
Spanish Riding School – one of the most popular activities in Vienna, so book tickets in advance here.
Giant Ferris Wheel – book your ticket ahead to avoid waiting in line.
Attend a classical music concert – tickets for the most popular concerts sell out fast, so book as early as you can (see all concerts here).
Got the 3-day pass and saved so much! I highly recommend it to anyone who intend to visit Vienna.
Totally agree with you, Edwin!
Planning to visit Vienna in Sep,2022. Vienna pass makes sense to me..
Will be visiting in October so will try the pass ….thank you
Thank you for your comment, Zak! I wish you a lovely trip to Vienna. 🙂
With the Vienna pass giving entrance/admission to these attractions, once entered in the attractions are there any additional fees to pay to explore the places?
Hi Bonnie, no, there aren’t any additional fees.
Hi Milena, sorry, just editing my above query to add that on the official website it states that there is a “100% refund on your non-activated Vienna PASS within 30 days of purchase” and I note in your blog above that with Get Your Guide, “you can cancel for free up to 24 hours before the activity (which is not possible if you book with the official website)”. Are these not similar?
I don’t believe on Get Your Guide you could get a mobile pass but on the official website you can. Is there an advantage to purchasing through Get Your Guide vs the official website? The cancellation abilities seem similar both ways. Thanks again.
Hi Bonnie, the last time I updated the article (just a few months ago), there was no possibility of a refund on the official website, I guess it was a recent change. The option of a refund is the main reason I recommend and use (when I buy my tickets) GetYourGuide. Almost none of the official websites offer a refund, which is not acceptable to me.
I am traveling to Vienna for a week with my 15 and 18 year old children. Is it worth getting the 6 day pass for them? Most of the sights are free for under 19 yet the pass is $101. Thank you!
Hi Vanessa,
no, it’s not worth it. The lines at the attractions in Vienna are much shorter than in Paris or Rome for example (and tourism in Europe is still not fully recovered after the pandemic). Thus, in your case considering the amount of money you’ll save, it will be best not to buy the pass for the children.
Hi Vanessa,
Thanks for the details of the card. My kids are 8 and we plan to visit Vienna in Oct. I see most places charging for kids above 6 years. Wanted to clarify considering your post above.
WATCH OUT! If you purchase a “VIENNA PASS” or “FLEXI PASS” and want to explore the Schönbrunn Palace (inside) and/or the Vienna State Opera House (with a tour) and the places are crowded you will have to wait – maybe for hours – maybe until the next day! This makes the pass USELESS if you create an itinerary including other activities/reservations or have a tight schedule…
Hi Wolfgang,
Schönbrunn Palace is one of the most popular sights in Vienna, that’s why I always recommend visiting it as early in the morning as you can. I am not sure if this is something new (to have to get a timed ticket when having the pass), as the few times I visited the palace I always went at its opening to avoid the crowds. Moreover, it is not mentioned that Vienna Pass will give you a fast track at the Schönbrunn Palace. In fact, the pass includes a fast track to 16 sights, but not the palace (I will update the article to make things clearer).
However, you’ll have the same problem if you try to buy tickets at the place, they are sold for a certain time slot (which could be after a few hours, if the maximum capacity has already been reached). Of course, you could buy timed tickets from the official website of Schönbrunn Palace, but in this case, it will be pointless to buy Vienna Pass (you won’t save much from the other attractions).
I’m still not sure whether the 6 day pass comes with free transport. I’d love to hear your suggestions. Thank you. Tony
Hi Tony,
Vienna pass doesn’t include free transport, it includes only the hop-on-hop-off buses. If you want a city card which includes the public transport, please take a look at Vienna City Card (it offers free public transport and discounts at many attractions).
I’m looking to purchase the Vienna Flexi Pass. I know this is a different pass than your specific review, but both look to be similar and include the boat cruise. I’m curious how you use your pass to get on the cruise. Is it necessary to go early to get a ticket for the desired time slot, or do you just show up before you’d like to go? Also, for the Ferris wheel, it looks like booking a ticket in advance is necessary since this is a popular attraction. How does that work with the Pass and the skip the line feature? Any insight you can give is much appreciated.
Hi Brooke,
It is not possible to buy a time-slot ticket for the Ferris wheel, only for a certain date (even from the official website). Thus, no booking in advance is posiblle for the pass, too. With the both pass you’ll skip only the line at the cashier desk for Ferris wheel. However, you can’t skip the second line (for people with tickets), where you have to wait for your turn to ride the Ferris wheel.
Please note, that this is valid only for the Ferris wheel. For attractions like Schönbrunn Palace and the Spanish Riding School you have to book your time-slot in advance (my advice is to visit them as early in the morning as you can).
Concering the cruise, I think (not completely sure) that is also not possible to book a time slot in advance. You just show up and show your pass (valid for the both types of pass) at the ticket office at the Schwedenplatz pier. Note, that if you’re travelling in the high-season, there could be long lines, so don’t leave this activity for the last day.