I was eager to travel again after more than two years of not going anywhere. I researched about places to visit during the pandemic and found out I could enter some European countries. One of them was Austria; so I decided to apply for a Schengen visa. I got my visa after a few days and finalized my itinerary, which included Vienna.
I hope this guide helps you plan your upcoming trip.
Travel Guide Budget and Itinerary for Vienna
Vienna is the capital of Austria. It has a long history that spans centuries. It's a city with plenty to offer all sorts of visitors and budgets. It's not exactly a cheap city but there are ways to save money. I enjoyed walking around the city. It has beautiful architecture both modern and old world, which makes it an interesting destination. There are also plenty of museums for those who want to dive into art and culture during their visit. There are old churches and palaces turned into museums.
Getting a Visa
I was able to get a visa from the Austrian Embassy. They gave me a multiple entry visa which allowed me to include Croatia in my itinerary.
Here's a link to my guide: how to get a Schengen visa for Filipinos
Things to Do and Places to See
These are some of the places and things you can do when planning your budget and itinerary for Vienna.
Hofburg
The Hofburg was the seat of the Habsburgs for several centuries. It is also the official seat of the country's president. It's a sprawling museum complex where tourists can learn more about the history of the country.
Entrance fee: €15 for adults
St. Stephen's Cathedral
This beautiful gothic church has a long history that dates back to the 12th century. It's located in the city's historic center. The interiors are just as beautiful as the exterior.
Schonbrunn Palace
This stunning palace is one of the main attractions of the city. It has more than 1000 rooms and has a garden that many people just hang out in. The palace complex is also a UNESCO-listed heritage site. You can view some of the rooms used by Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Maria Theresa.
Entrance fee: €22 (grand tour)
You can book tickets through https://www.schoenbrunn.at/en/tickets-and-prices/all-tickets-tours. There are different kinds of tickets depending on what you want to do.
How to go: The closest subway station is Schonbrunn Station. Take the train along the U4 line anywhere in the city center depending on where you'll be coming from. The most convenient station for me to reach the palace was Karlsplatz Station.
Belvedere Palace
The Belvedere is another palace you might want to visit during your trip. There is an upper and lower building that contain different exhibits, sculptures, ceiling frescoesc, and artworks.
Entrance fee: €15.90 Upper Belvedere, €13.90 Lower Belvedere both prices are for one adult (there are discounts if you meet the criteria)
You can book your tickets online through https://www.belvedere.at/en/tickets or you could just walk in.
Albertina
The Albertina holds different exhibits from different artists. I saw the works of Picasso, Andy Warhol, Cezanne and others during my trip.
Entrance fee: €16.90 for one adult ticket
Vienna State Opera House
This beautiful piece of architecture that dates back to the 1860s and has hosted world-renowned musicians, conductors, composers, dancers and soloists. Buy a ticket as early as possible to one of the shows, they sell out very quickly.
Karlskirche
This Baroque church dates back to 1737 and was dedicated to St. Charles Borromeo.
Entrance fee: €8
This theater has produced and hosted numerous German plays over the decades. Some of the theater's notable performers include Mozart and Beethoven.
Other places of interest include:
- Colorful Homes of Hundertwasserhaus
- Museum of Natural History
- Rathaus (currently under construction when I visited Dec. 2021)
- Kunsthistorisches Museum and Maria-Theresien-Platz
- Prater
- Vienna Zoo
- Museum Quartier
- Jewish Museum & Judenplatz Holocaust Memorial
- Austrian Parliament Building
Getting Around Vienna
Vienna is a compact city with many of its attractions within walking distance from each other. The Schonbrunn Palace is not near the other famous attractions but is easily accessible by public transportation. My preferred method of going around is the subway. Many of the places of interest in the city have a nearby subway station. I would recommend getting a day pass. You can get passes for 24, 48 and 72 hours. You have to validate the ticket once for these passes at the stamping machine. You also have the option to buy a single ticket. There are buses and trams in the city as well.
Day Trips
Melk
Melk is a quaint town that has a history that dates back centuries. It's part of the UNESCO-listed Wachau Cultural Landscape. This small town has some cafes, restaurants and shops. Its main draw is the beautiful Melk Abbey. I would recommend going because the complex has one of the most beautiful churches I've seen. It also has a beautiful library. Visitors can't take pictures of either one though.
How to go: You can take a direct train from Wien Westbanhof from Vienna. I bought round trip tickets for €38.80. The train station is not too far from the town center and the Melk Abbey.
St. Polten is the capital of Lower Austria that has a history that dates back to several centuries. You can spend an hour or so at the center or explore more of the city if you have more time. You'll find the usual churches, cafes, restaurants, shops and beautiful buildings here. It's more of a city compared to the quaint and small town of Melk.
How to go: There are direct trains traveling from either Wien Westbahnhof or Hauptbahnhof, a one way ticket from Vienna costs around €14.40.
There are other places that I wanted to visit but am saving for another trip. You can browse train schedules and ticket prices for destinations such as Graz, Salzburg and others here: https://tickets.oebb.at/en/ticket
Where to Stay in Vienna
You have many options for accommodation when you plan your budget and itinerary for Vienna. I stayed at a&o Hostels during the winter. I stayed in the dorm.
Budgeta&o Wien Hauptbahnhof: Rates and Availability
Do Step Inn Central: Rates and Availability
At holiday Hostel: Rates and Availability
Wombat's the City Hostel Vienna: Rates and Availability
Mid-Price
Hotel Atlanta Vienna: Rates and Availability
ibis Wien Hauptbahnhof: Rates and Availability
Hotel Pension Baronesse: Rates and Availability
You can search for more accommodations here:
How to Go to Vienna
By AirVienna airport is well-connected to various cities around the world. There are numerous flights that depart and arrive at the airport. It's easy to find a direct flight or at least with just one stop to Vienna wherever you are.
Getting Out of the AirportYou have a handful of options to get out of the airport as soon as you arrive. You can take the train, bus or hire a car or taxi. The airport is small and easy to navigate. There are signs directing you to public transportation or taxis. I used the train to get to the city. There are two trains the CAT and the regular S-Bahn. The S-Bahn ticket costs around €4.30.
By LandAustria is easily accessible by land. Countries surrounding its borders include Switzerland, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia and Italy. You can take the train, bus, ride share, hitchhike, bike or whatever.
I booked bus tickets through: https://www.flixbus.com
You can browse schedules and book train tickets here: https://tickets.oebb.at/en/ticket
Budget for Vienna
Here's a list of my expenses, this might help you plan your budget and itinerary for Vienna.
Everything's in Euros (€)
52.96 - 2 nights a&o Hostel
34.70 - Food and drinks
8.60 - Train from airport to city center (Wien Hauptbahnhof)
14.10 - 48 hours pass
8 - 24 hours pass
22 - Schloss Schonbrunn grand tour
8 - Karlskirche entrance fee
5 - Souvenir
16.90 - Albertina exhibits fee
38.80 - Round trip train ticket to Melk (Wachau)
13 - Melk Abbey entrance fee
30 - Bus to Zagreb, Croatia252.06 - Total for 3 days and 2 nights
You can either spend more or less depending on what you do, where you eat, where you stay and other stuff you want to spend your money on. I was in Vienna before New Year's so prices for accommodation were higher compared to after the holidays. I tried to save money while still doing stuff I wanted to do. I was able to spend 3 full days in Vienna because I arrived in the morning and left for Zagreb late in the afternoon. 3 days isn't enough for Vienna I think because of the many things you can do in the city. Vienna is also well connected to other parts of Austria, which makes it easy to go on day trips to places like Graz, Salzburg, and others. I'd go back just to see more of the country. You can save some money by purchasing the Vienna Pass or City Card, or buying combo tickets for different museums.
***Austria was part of a longer trip in Europe that included Hungary, Croatia, Spain and Ukraine.
You might want to add Budapest in your itinerary, here's a link: budget and itinerary for Budapest
Itinerary for ViennaHere's a sample basic itinerary:
Day 1Vienna historic center
St. Stephen's Cathedral
Museum Quartier
Hofburg
Vienna Opera House (depends on if you want to watch a show
Day 2Belvedere Palace
Schonbrunn Palace
Day 3Karlskirche
Albertina
Prater
There's plenty of museums in Vienna and the number you go to depends on how much you like them. You can add and delete some of my suggestions, depending on what your interests are. It's also possible to do day trips to other cities during your stay. There are trains and buses that can take you to Budapest, Bratislava, Salzburg, Wachau, and others.
