Vienna Pass and Card comparison: which one is worthwhile?
If you plan to visit the wonders of the city of Vienna, I recommend that you consider the convenience of purchasing a Vienna tourist pass.
There are several types of passes available.
There are cards such as the Vienna Pass or Flexi Pass that maximize savings for visiting attractions, museums and sightseeing experiences in the city.
Or the Vienna City Card and Vienna EasyCityPass, similar cards that include public transportation with some discounts for attractions and restaurants.
The Austrian capital offers many interesting attractions, the price of which can affect your vacation budget quite a bit.
With passes or cards to Vienna you can save money and make the most of your trip.
Let's see below what they include, what the differences are, how they work, and when they are convenient.
INDEX
Vienna Pass or Vienna Card: which is better?
Both the Vienna Pass and the Vienna Card are good choices both, which one is more convenient depends on what your vacation idea is and what you plan to visit.
If you plan to have a classic, culturally rich tourist vacation, visiting the best Vienna has to offer, in my opinion the Vienna Pass is worthwhile in this case.
Because it includes many museums and attractions, with skip-the-line entry. Plus you can add the Vienna EasyCityPass to it to have public transportation included as well.
If, on the other hand, you want a more leisurely vacation, taking advantage of the public transportation pass plus some discounts, then I recommend the Vienna City Card or the Vienna EasyCityPass.
These are two similar products with which you have public transportation included in the price to move around freely, but with discounts on attractions you decide to see and on some of the city's restaurants.
Doing an online search you will essentially find these 2 passes/cards for Vienna, but there is actually also a third option, the Vienna Flexi Pass.
This is, as the name anticipates, a flexible solution that has already been successfully tested in many other cities.
The Vienna Flexi Pass as we will see later in detail, allows you to choose from 3 or 4 attractions and is in my personal opinion a good compromise for a weekend in Vienna or a short vacation.
What I recommend is that you first try to draw up an outline itinerary of your vacation, listing the things you would like to see or do. This way you can assess whether or not a pass or card to Vienna is worthwhile.
Vienna card and pass comparison
In the table below I provide a comparison of the various Vienna passes available.
It is a summary comparison, to highlight the differences, before analyzing them one by one in the logic of operation.
Sothat you can understand the main differences at a glance and choose the best pass for your Vienna vacation.
There is also a summary comparison table at the bottom of the page, where a bit of calculation between prices of individual attractions and passes is displayed, to assess the cost-effectiveness from an economic point of view.
| PASS TYPE. | WHEN TO CHOOSE IT | VALIDITY. | LINK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
ATTRACTIONS | For a vacation full of things to do and see, visiting at least 5 attractions Plus: all-inclusive 60+ attractions |
1, 2, 3 or 6 days | Buy the Vienna Pass |
|
ATTRACTIONS | By weekend in Vienna, with balanced itinerary Plus: Choose the number of attractions, decide only in Vienna where to go |
3 or 4 attractions (max 30 days) |
Buy the Vienna FlexiPass |
|
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. | Unlimited public transportation - to get around the city without so many attractions Plus: unlimited transportation, discounts on attractions, museums, stores and restaurants -> Ideal to combine with one of the previous passes. |
24, 48, 72 hours and 7 days | Buy the Vienna EasyCityPass |
|
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. | Unlimited public transportation - If you don't plan to see a lot of things Plus: Unlimited transportation, discounts on attractions, museums, stores and restaurants |
24, 48, 72 hours | Buy the Vienna City Card |
Vienna Pass
The Vienna pass is available for 1, 2, 3 or 6 days, during which you can visit the more than 60 included attractions at will.
Days means consecutive calendar days, so it's best not to activate them in the evening, otherwise by midnight one of the validity days will have passed: activate it in the morning!
Vienna Pass Prices
Below I have given the list costs, but you can purchase the Vienna Pass at a discounted price at the link below
- 1 day € 89 - junior € 47
- 2 days € 127 - junior € 65
- 3 days € 159 - junior € 79
- 6 days € 199 - junior € 99
The reduced Vienna Pass children 's version is reserved for children and young people between the ages of 6 and 18.
Children up to age 6 can enjoy the same benefits and enter for free when accompanied by an adult Vienna Pass holder.
Public transportation
The Vienna Pass does not include public transportation, but you will have unlimited access to hop-on hop-off buses for the duration of the pass, allowing you to move comfortably between all of the city's various tourist spots.
If you have special needs, such as getting to your hotel or getting around with more freedom, you can add a Vienna Travel Card, which is an unlimited public transportation pass for 24, 48 or 72 hours.
You can buy it directly on the spot when you arrive at the airport or another metro station.
Vienna's transportation network is very efficient, and with a season ticket you will have unlimited rides on all public transportation (metro, bus, and streetcar) in the central part of the city. Below are the prices:
- 24 hours - € 8
- 48 hours - $14.10
- 72 hours - $17.10
Children up to 6 years old ride free on public transportation, and up to 15 years old only on Sundays, holidays and during Viennese school vacations.
Remember to obliterate the tickets, although there are no turnstiles the checks are very frequent.
When does it pay off?
The Vienna Pass has a high price at first glance, but if you plan to do or see some of the included attractions, the savings are there.
Admission to museums and attractions in Vienna is indeed often expensive. You might want to make a list of the things you would like to see and compare costs.
In the summary table at the end of this article, I have tried to include a comparison of the prices of individual attractions with the various passes and cards, so the choice is easier.
All in all, it is a pass that is worthwhile if you visit at least 4 / 5 of the included attractions.
It is also ideal for those who want to get around with the convenient hop-on hop-off bus, which is included for the duration of the pass.
Consider that with the Vienna Pass you haveskip-the-line (Fast Track) entry to many places, a nice perk and time saver, always valuable when on vacation.
How to purchase it
I recommend that you purchase the Vienna Pass on the Tiqets website, where it is available at a discounted price. You can use it directly from your smartphone.
Purchase Vienna PASS on English websiteIt can also be purchased on the official website www.viennapass.it.
If you wish, you can request the pass to be sent home for an additional charge, otherwise the pass must be picked up in Vienna in the city center at the Vienna Sightseeing & Vienna PASS Service Center (located near the Oper stop, Karlsplatz U).
Each pass has its own number and a bar code that must be shown to access attractions (at the cashier or turnstile).
Vienna Flexi Pass
This is a flexible pass that allows you to visit 2, 3, 4 or 5 attractions of your choice from about 30 of the city's major tourist spots, such as the Schoenbrunn Zoo, the Ferris wheel, the Natural History Museum, the Danube Tower and more.
Buy the Vienna Flexi PassSkip the line admission is provided at some of these.
Also always included is the free round-trip shuttle to the Parndorf Designer Outlet (not counted as a visit).
The pass is valid for 30 days from the date of first use
Vienna Flexi Pass Prices
- 2 attractions € 49 - junior € 27
- 3 attractions € 67 - junior € 37
- 4 attractions € 85 - junior € 45
- 5 attractions € 99 - junior € 55
The Vienna Flexi Pass Junior is provided for children and young people from 6 to 18 years of age.
Under the age of 6, they can attend for free when accompanied by a paying adult.
When does it pay off?
The Vienna Flexi Pass is an interesting formula that is well suited to typical stays in Vienna.
It is generally good for a weekend or short vacation, or perhaps for those who have already been to Vienna and would like to visit something in particular.
You can baste a balanced itinerary between visiting attractions and exploring the city, in the time available.
It is suitable for those who already have a fairly clear idea of what they want to go and can quickly calculate the savings.
If, on the other hand, you have longer stays that warrant an even richer itinerary of things you want to see, the best option remains the Vienna Pass seen above.
Also worth considering is the combination of Flexi Pass and one of the transportation cards (more on that later in this article), such as the EasyCityPass.
The latter - in addition to covering public transportation - offers discounts on admission to certain attractions that you can possibly add to those covered by the Pass.
How to purchase it?
You can purchase the Flexi Pass on the website of GetYourGuide, a secure and reliable tourism portal
Buy the Vienna Flexi PassYou will receive a voucher via email, to be used to pick up your pass at the Vienna Sightseeing office in Vienna, Opernring 3-5, across from the Opera House.
Vienna EasyCityPass
To the use of subways, buses and streetcars, it adds a range of discounts on attractions, events and restaurants in the city.
How does it work?
Basically, it is to be considered as a card for public transportation.
If taken alone, therefore, it is suitable for those who want to visit Vienna mainly "from the outside," without having a lot of sights to see (museums, etc.) planned.
The interesting part is that EasyCityPass holders are entitled to several discounts on major Viennese attractions.
Even major discounts, on average 20-25%.
And so your choice does not exclude saving even to those who want to see some attractions.
You can see the list of discounts reserved for EasyCityPass holders.
However, it remains suitable for itineraries with few things to see, where the main advantage is public transportation.
Otherwise, it is better to go for the earlier passes that provide more savings.
What public transportation does it include?
It includes all urban public transportation.
So the subway, S-Bahn, buses, streetcars and regional trains.
It does not include any transfer to the airport, which in that case must be done separately (you will make a dedicated ticket for that journey only).
Vienna EasyCityPass Prices
- 24 Hours - $15.90
- 48 Hours - $21.90
- 72 Hours - $26.90
- 7 Days - € 35,90
The prices shown are for adults. There are no prices reserved for children and teens.
Children up to 14 years old can travel for free when accompanied by an adult.
If they are at least 15 years old, they will have to make a pass like adults.
When does it pay off?
When evaluated in direct comparison with a traditional public transportation pass, it costs a little more.
It does take away the tedium of doing season tickets once in town, though, first of all.
And for a little bit more, it has the whole package of discounts and benefits that in my opinion is very attractive if you take advantage of it.
Even just considering the dining part, if you have a family dinner with 10% discount at one of the participating restaurants, you each get back the difference you paid extra for this card.
If you add shopping in some participating stores, one of the tourist experiences provided, the benefit increases significantly.
The Vienna EasyCityPass practically always pays off, if used well.
If we consider that in exploring Vienna, it is convenient to use public transportation to optimize travel.
Excluded from convenience are those cases in which one stays a short time, stays in the center, does not visit attractions, and mainly moves around the historic center on foot.
The ability to choose different formats from 24,48,72 hours and 7 days makes it flexible to various needs.
Combine it with other passes
The smart thing in my opinion is to consider combining it with other passes more dedicated to attractions.
Take the case of a 4-5 day trip, which statistically is the most common cut of stays in Vienna.
I mean a typical trip, so with a desire to see all the major attractions and museums in the city.
In this case it agrees:
- 1) Choose an attraction pass--between Vienna Pass or Vienna Flexi Pass seen first.
- 2) also purchase the EasyCityPass to cover public transportation, as well as to take advantage-as needed and only where there is no coverage from the attractions pass-some discounted access or services.
How to purchase EasyCityPass?
You can purchase the EasyCityPass on the website of GetYourGuide, a secure and reliable tourism portal.
You will indicate your arrival date in Vienna, which is needed by the provider to distribute the pass.
You will receive your pass by e-mail about 24-48 hours before the date you indicate.
There is no need to convert it once in Vienna; the pass you receive by e-mail is already valid.
Free cancellation: thanks to the GetYourGuide portal you have the possibility of free cancellation up to 2 days before the given date, with full refund.
Which is very convenient in case of unforeseen travel circumstances.
Once you receive the vouchers by email, they will no longer be refundable.
Vienna City Card
Commonly called Vienna Card, includes theunlimited use of public transportation (subways, buses and streetcars) and a series of discounts on museums and attractions, for the duration of validity of 24, 48 or 72 hours.
It is a moment more complex to understand than the previous one, because thanks to some options that can be added at the purchase stage, it changes its price and convenience.
Let's try to put it in some order.
How does the Vienna City Card work?
The Vienna City Card has recently changed its commercial distribution formula.
Previously, the card was sold in 4 different denominations, depending on what it included.
Today, however, the card is a single one, and during purchase it is possible to optionally add some pluses, which extend its benefits.
The basic card includes public transportation in the city, combined with a range of discounts on attractions and dining.
It is available in 24/48/72-hour and 7-day denominations.
Optional services that can be added are:
- Hop-on / hop-off tourist bus service, lasting 24 hours (regardless of the duration of the card)
- Airport transfer service
So the Vienna City Card is a single product, in a basic version and possibly configurable with options.
What does the Vienna Card include?
As mentioned in the introduction, it includes public transportation combined with a number of discounts on attractions and dining.
The discount portion is a benefit that is always included, regardless of whether optional services are chosen or not.
Then, depending on the options you choose when purchasing, you can customize the benefits.
Let's see with a summary image all the various possibilities.
So the basic version is the equivalent of EasyCityPass, only the participating partners where discounts ("benefits") are provided change.
- The AIRPORT TRANSFER option adds transfers to and from the airport.
- HOP-ON HOP-OFF includes 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus tour with guided city tour.
- The most comprehensive one, which provides both options, includes both airport transfer and tour bus service
The Vienna Card must be activated online, indicating the date and time when you will use it for the first time on public transport. The validity is in hours, only for transportation: that is, if you start using the 24h card at 10 p.m., for example, it will not expire at midnight, but will be valid until the following evening, same time.
Instead, you will have to indicate another date from which to start the discounts on museums, attractions, stores and restaurants. These reductions are always valid for up to 7 days.
Airport transfer and hop-on hop-off bus tour are also within the 7-day validity period.
Transfer from Vienna airport to downtown
None of the other Vienna cards and passes include travel from Vienna Airport to the city center.
Today with the Vienna City Card with Airport Transfer option you can have your preferred means of transportation included between CAT, train or bus.
The City Airport Train - CAT is a fast train that connects the airport with Wien-Mitte station in central Vienna.
The ticket is expensive, €12 one way and €21 A/R, but with the Vienna City Card Transfer is already included.
Alternatively-if you do not take this card with the transfer included-there is the S7 line train that connects to the metro network. With this train, the ride takes a bit longer (about 25 minutes). The standard ticket costs €4.50, while with the Vienna City Card + Airport Trasnfer option it is included.
If you buy a basic Vienna City Card (without options), the cost is only 2.10 € (you basically only pay for the leg from the airport to the outer city limit of Vienna, from here on the journey is covered by your Vienna Card).
Finally, Vienna Airport Lines buses run between Morzinplatz/Schwedenplatz and the airport.
Vienna City Card Prices
- Vienna City Card (basic version)
24 hours - € 17
48 hours - € 25
72 hours - € 29
The Vienna City Card basic version I recommend buying it in the Tiqets portal. Convenient, in Italian language, with prices aligned with the official ones.
Buy the Vienna City Card- Vienna City Card + Hop-On Hop-Off Option
Vienna Card + 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus tour and self-guided walk with audio commentary in Italian language
24 hours - € 48
48 hours - € 56
72 hours - € 60
* Vienna City Card with the Hop-On Hop-Off option can only be purchased at the official website.
- Vienna City Card + Airport Transfer
Vienna Card + transfer to and from Vienna Airport
24 hours - € 39
48 hours - € 47
72 hours - € 51
* Vienna City Card with the Airport Transfer option can only be purchased from the official website.
- Vienna City Card + both Airport Transfer and Hop-On Hop-Off options
Vienna Card + transfer to and from Vienna Airport + 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus tour and audio-guided walking tour
24 hours - € 70
48 hours - € 78
72 hours - € 82
* Vienna City Card with both Airport Transfer + Hop-On Hop-Off options can only be purchased from the official website.
Reductions and discounts for children with Vienna City Card
There are no reductions for children, students or frail persons but, a number of benefits are provided:
- With each Vienna Card purchased for an adult, one child under the age of 15 (15 years NOT completed) or one dog can travel free on public transportation.
- if you add the transfer option, the Vienna City Card + Airport Transfer allows 2 children under the age of 15 (15 years of age NOT completed) to travel for free.
In addition, museums and attractions already provide discounts and reductions for young children.
When does it pay off?
If used only for public transportation, the Vienna Card is not cheap.
Better to buy a corresponding 24-, 48- or 72-hour ticket (Vienna Travel Card) that costs you about half as much.
But I doubt that on a sightseeing vacation you will pass up visiting any of the wonders Vienna has to offer.
The Vienna Card offers quite a few discounts on attractions and museums (available at this link), as well as restaurants and stores, which will save you some time and money.
The options available are also interesting. As for the hop-on hop-off option, the hop-on hop-off buses offer a good overview, and are a nice way to get to know Vienna, with audioguide in Italian.
The Vienna Card + Airport Transfer is also an attractive package for those arriving by air.
How to purchase the Vienna City Card
The Vienna City Card can be purchased online at the tourist office website, with a choice of printing the card (print at home), use via the Ivie - Vienna Guide App or with a voucher.
All versions can be purchased on the official tourism website.
If, on the other hand, you chose the Vienna City Card basic version, I suggest you purchase it on the Tiqets portal.
In Italian language, and very simple and intuitive to use (more than the official website, no doubt).
It can also be purchased on the spot at one of Vienna's tourism offices, many hotels and Wiener Linien metro ticket offices.
Vienna Explorer Pass
Go City's Vienna Explorer Pass is a pass that was withdrawn in July 2024, and therefore can no longer be purchased.
I mention it here for completeness of information, should you have found any info about it online, unfortunately it is a type of pass that no longer exists.
Vienna Card and Pass Summary Table
Below you will find a summary comparison table to evaluate the affordability of various passes and cards to Vienna and choose the most suitable for your vacation.
I took a 3-day vacation to Vienna as a reference, listed the main attractions, indicating where they are included and how much they would cost.
>> For optimal reading of the table, look at it from desktop pc or rotate your smartphone.
| Attractions | Without pass | VIENNA PASS | VIENNA FLEXIPASS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel Card 72h (subscription public transportation) |
€ 17,10 | € 17,10 | € 17,10 |
| Hop-on hop-off bus | € 41,00 | free | free |
| Hofburg | € 16,00 | free | - |
| Schoenbrunn Palace - Grand Tour | € 31,00 | free | - |
| Albertina Museum | € 16,90 | free | free |
| Ferris wheel | € 14,00 | free | - |
| Schoenbrunn Zoo | € 24,00 | free | free |
| Belvedere | € 15,90 | free | free |
| Museum of Art History (KHM) | € 21,00 | free | free |
€ 196,90 |
€159 + 17,10 = € 176,10 (unlimited, you can make more) |
€ 99,00 + 17,10= €116,10 (5 attractions) |
|
| LINK TO PURCHASE | Buy the Vienna Pass | Buy the Vienna FlexiPass |
The two transportation cards - EasyCityPass and Vienna City Card - are not in the table.
They are cards designed for visits with few attractions, so they would have been inconvenient in the example, but this example is not their focus.
Ideal possibly to combine with one of these passes (instead of the €17.10 transportation item), for a few euros more (about €10) they equip us with all the discounts and opportunities they include in addition to public transportation.
General considerations about passes to Vienna
Let's do a kind of summarizing thought.
If you want to see a fair number of attractions, to get to know the city and what it has to offer, go for one of the passes in the table: Vienna Pass or Flexi Pass.
These are the ones that guarantee the biggest savings.
The Vienna Pass is an unlimited pass, so you see whatever you want.
For example, if you have purchased the Vienna Pass, chances are that if you have some time left over you will go and see an extra museum or attraction perhaps even in fast mode, "it's free anyway."
Without the burden of budgeting over the course of your vacation.
The more things you see in your itinerary, the greater the savings. This is the rule of thumb.
Transportation cards are great--taken alone--for exploratory vacations with a few attractions (discounted anyway).
If, on the other hand, you are in the former case (want to see several things), consider combining them with your other passes.
In my opinion, a good combo is the Flexi Pass + Vienna City Card Base (I paired them this way by evaluating the duration cuts they have respectively).
The discount part always comes back good, because it gives you access to opportunities usually not included in attraction passes.
If you are traveling as a family, with children, you will have to do some extra calculations to assess the possible savings.
As I always suggest, however, not only the economic aspect should be considered, but also the freedom, flexibility and other advantages offered by tourist passes.
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