Numerous sights, attractions, and culinary delights attract large crowds of tourists to Vienna. UNESCO designated the historic center of Vienna as a World Heritage site. The same applies to Schönbrunn Palace located there. Landmarks of the city include the Ferris wheel in the Prater and St. Stephen's Cathedral. The quality of life in Vienna is considered very high. According to studies, Vienna is even the most prosperous city in the world.
The many sights in the Austrian capital take several days to explore extensively. Getting between individual attractions – provided they are not within walking distance – is made possible by a well-developed public transport network. The subway network is ideal for reaching any point in the city with as little effort as possible. In addition, tram and bus lines are available for mobility. In total, around 120 buses, trams, and subway trains are in operation. The distance covered amounts to more than 180,000 kilometers per day.
Old and long tram network in Vienna
A tram has been available in Vienna since 1865. The corresponding network now extends to almost 180 kilometers. These facts make the Vienna tram network not only one of the oldest but also one of the longest of its kind worldwide. The Vienna Stadtbahn followed in 1898. The current subway has been operating on its track network since 1976. Bus lines followed in March 1907.
For night owls, a 24-hour train service is available on weekends. In addition, there is the Vienna NightLine. This is a network for night traffic that operates daily from 12:30 a.m. until the early morning hours. The Vienna transport network, together with other bus and train lines from the surrounding area, forms the Verkehrsverbund Ost-Region (Eastern Region Transport Association). The transport association extends over a distance of approximately 60 kilometers from the center of Vienna.
Available tickets for public road transport in Vienna
Tickets for Wiener Linien are available in the form of zone-based single tickets or as time-based tickets. For single tickets, there are standard and reduced fares. For repeated trips within a short time, a 24-hour network ticket is recommended. If a stay of several days is planned, the 72-hour network ticket is also an alternative. However, in this case, the so-called "Vienna Card" might be the better choice. Said card offers its owner free use of the city of Vienna's public transport for 72 hours. Subway, bus, and train are included.
In addition, the Vienna Card contains a number of discounts in shopping centers, cafés, restaurants, museums, and for concerts. The trip from the airport to the center is also discounted. With every Vienna Card, the buyer receives a 96-page coupon booklet. The Vienna Card is available via the internet, at the tourist information office, and at information and sales points of Wiener Linien.
Photo by Andreas, meinhaushalt.at
