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Vienna -- From Europe for Visitors

Information for Vienna, Austria. Current as of July, 2002.

Getting to and from the Airport

Currently, there is construction work on the line of the fast city train (S 7) to the airport - for the time being, you can take the bus from the south or west train station that runs about every half hour and costs 5.80 Euro one way. There is a discount when you use a Vienna card.

Getting Around Vienna

The extensive underground, tram, and bus system is all you need. A Vienna Card will set you back 16.90 Euro and can be purchased at your Vienna hotel, a tourist information office or at Vienna Transport sales counters.

A Vienna Card provides:

Unlimited free travel by underground, bus (excluding night buses) and tram for 72 hours

Vienna Airport Lines - shuttle bus from the airport in the city center or vice versa at 5 Euro instead of 5.80 Euro.

Reduction or benefits at 170 museums and sights, theaters, concerts, shops, restaurants, cafés and Heurigen (wine taverns).

Other transportation options include a 24 hour transportation ticket for 5 Euro and 72 hour ticket for 12 Euro. A single ticket costs 1.50 Euro.

Trams 1 and 2 make a loop around the historic core of Vienna. If you're tired or it's raining and you want a cheap unguided tour, just ride one of these trams (they're both on the same route, they just go in opposite directions around the loop.)

Accommodations in Vienna

If you arrive in Vienna without hotel reservations you may need the services of the City Center Tourist Information office in the 1st district, Albertinaplatz / Maysedergasse. It's open daily 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. There's another Tourist Information Office in the Airport opposite the baggage carousels that's open daily 8.30 a.m. - 9 p.m. There are travel agencies in both train stations, but check outside first for convenient hotels.

Vienna hotels tend to be expensive, but no more expensive than in most European capitol cities. We stayed at the Hotel Congress Wien for 80 Euro (note that this walk-up rate is lower than reported on the web site). There was another 3 Euro charge for using the internet on the one computer they had in the lobby. The Hotel, at Wiedner Gurtel 34, is across the street and to the left as you exit the South train station (Südbahnhof). You can easily walk there.

Restaurants

There are many restaurants in an area called Spittelberg, a reconstructed Biedermeier neighborhood. Walk down Spittelberg street (in the museum quarter, the tourist map you get at the hotel will point it out) and you'll notice a lively restaurant, arts, and bar scene.

Our best meal was just off Spittleberg on the Burggasse in an up and coming Viennese restaurant called Zu ebener Erde und erster Stock at Burggasse 13. We were able to snag a table without reservations, but got the last one by the door. We're not German speakers, but the waiter happily repeated the entire menu in English for us. We settled on the special, a gourmet multi-course meal built around the local crayfish, with a glass of Austrian wine for each course selected to go with the food. Dinner with wine and a glass of the local sparkling wine an aperitif came to around $100 with tip. And it was worth it.

Zu ebener Erde und erster Stock
Burggasse 13
Vienna
Tel. 523 62 54
Closed Sunday, Monday and holidays, no lunch on Saturday.

In the summer, International food stalls are set up in front of the City Hall (Rathaus) and movies are shown on a giant screen. Go here if you're looking for bargains or you miss your Texas barbeque.

Europe for Visitors
http://goeurope.about.com/

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