Vienna Pass and Card comparison: which is it worth it?
If you plan to visit the sights of Vienna, I recommend considering whether it’s worth buying a Vienna Tourist Pass, choosing from the various options available.
There are cards like the Vienna Passor the Flexi Passthat help you save the most when visiting the city’s attractions, museums, and tourist experiences.
Or the Vienna City Card and the Vienna EasyCityPass, similar cards that include public transportation along with discounts on 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 take a look below at what they include, how they differ, how they work, and when they’re a good choice, so you can pick the best option for your trip.
INDEX
Vienna Pass or Vienna Card: which is it worth it?
The “Vienna Pass” and “Vienna City Card” are the most popular tourist passes for visiting the city, and both are good choices. Which one is best for you depends on what kind of vacation you’re looking for and what you plan to see.
For those looking for a classic sightseeing vacation packed with cultural experiences and featuring the best Vienna has to offer, I think the Vienna Pass is the way to go.
The reason is that it includes admission to many museums and attractions, with skip-the-line access. Plus, you can add the Vienna EasyCityPass or the Travel Card to include public transportation.
If, on the other hand, you want a more leisurely vacation, taking advantage of the public transport 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 transport 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.
In addition to the Vienna Pass, City Card, and transit passes (Vienna EasyCityPass and Travel Card), there is another option: the Vienna Flexi Pass.
Although not quite as well-known, as the name suggests, it is a flexible solution that has already been successfully implemented in many other cities.
The Vienna Flexi Pass, as we’ll see in more detail later, lets you choose between 3 or 4 attractions, and in my personal opinion, it’s a good option for a weekend in Vienna or a short vacation.
With all these options, how do you actually go about choosing the right one?
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
The table below compares the various Vienna passes available.
This is a brief comparison designed to highlight the differences before we examine how each one works in detail.
This way, you can see the main differences at a glance and choose the best pass for your vacation in Vienna.
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 transport. | Unlimited public transportation – for exploring the city without visiting many attractions Plus: unlimited transportation, discounts on attractions, museums, shops, and restaurants → Ideal when combined with one of the previous passes. |
24 hours a day, 7 days a week | Buy the Vienna EasyCityPass |
|
public transport. | Unlimited public transport - If you don't plan to see a lot of things Plus: Unlimited transport, discounts on attractions, museums, stores and restaurants |
24 hours or 7 days | 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: €109 – Junior: €55
- 2 days €149 – junior €75
- 3 days €175 – Junior €89
- 6 days € 199 - junior € 99
The child version of the Vienna Pass 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 transport
The Vienna Pass does not include public transport, 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 specific needs—such as getting to your hotel or getting around more freely—you can purchase a Vienna Travel Card, which offers unlimited access to public transportation for either 24 hours or 7 days.
You can buy it online (www.wienerlinien.at) or in person when you arrive at the airport or at another subway station.
Vienna's transport network is very efficient, and with a travel card you will have unlimited rides on all public transport (metro, bus, and tram) in the central part of the city. Below are the prices:
- 24 hours – €10.20 ( digital version €9.20)
- 7 days – €28.90 (digital version €25.20)
Children up to 6 years old ride free on public transport, and up to 15 years old only on Sundays, holidays and during Viennese school vacations.
Remember to validate the tickets, although there are no turnstiles the checks are very frequent.
When is it worth it?
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: €59 – children: €35
- 3 attractions: €79 – children: €45
- 4 attractions €95 – children €53
- 5 attractions: €109 – children: €59
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 is it worth it?
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 put together 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 transport cards (more on that later in this article), such as the EasyCityPass.
The latter - in addition to covering public transport - 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 trams, 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 transport.
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 transport.
Otherwise, it is better to go for the earlier passes that provide more savings.
What public transport does it include?
It includes all urban public transport.
So the subway, S-Bahn, buses, trams 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 – €17.90
- 7 Days – €39.90
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 is it worth it?
When evaluated in direct comparison with a traditional public transport pass, it costs a little more.
First of all, it takes away the hassle of buying tickets once you're in the city.
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.
Considering that when exploring Vienna, it's advisable to use public transport to make getting around more efficient.
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 available options (24 hours or 7 days) might seem a bit limiting, but when you do the math, the 7-day version costs just a few euros more than two 24-hour EasyCityPasses. Therefore, even if you’re only staying for 2 or 3 days, it’s still worth buying the 7-day EasyCityPass.
This corresponds to the new types of travel cards for Vienna’s public transportation, which are available only as 24-hour or 7-day passes.
Combine it with other passes
In my opinion, the smart thing is to consider combining it with other passes more focused on attractions.
Let's consider a 4-5 day trip, which is statistically the most common duration for stays in Vienna.
By that, I mean a typical trip, with the desire to see all the city's main attractions and museums.
In this case, the best strategy is:
- 1) Choose an attraction pass--between Vienna Pass or Vienna Flexi Pass seen first.
- 2) also purchase the EasyCityPass to cover public transport, 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 transport (subways, buses and trams) and a series of discounts on museums and attractions, for the duration of validity of 24, 48, 72 hours, or 7 days.
It’s a bit more complicated to understand than the previous one, because depending on the options you choose at checkout, the price and value for money can vary.
Let’s try to sort this out.
How does the Vienna City Card work?
What makes the Vienna City Card unique is that when you purchase it, you can optionally add certain extras that extend its benefits.
The basic version includes city public transportation, along with a range of discounts on attractions and dining.
It is available in 24-, 48-, 72-hour, and 7-day options.
Optional services that can be added are:
- Hop-on/hop-off sightseeing bus service for the entire duration of the card
- Airport-to-downtown shuttle 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 transport 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 table all the various possibilities.
| Options | public transport, benefits/discounts |
Airport transfers | 24-hour Hop-on Hop-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| VIENNA CITY CARD | 🔶 | ||
| + AIRPORT TRANSFER | 🔶 | 🔶 | |
| + HOP-ON HOP-OFF | 🔶 | 🔶 | |
| + AIRPORT TRANSFER + HOP-ON HOP-OFF |
🔶 | 🔶 | 🔶 |
So the basic version is equivalent to EasyCityPass. The participating partners offering discounts (“benefits”) and the card’s validity period vary.
- The AIRPORT TRANSFER option adds transfers to and from the airport.
- HOP-ON HOP-OFF includes a hop-on hop-off bus tour with a guided city tour, valid for the entire duration of the city card
- 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 transport: 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
With the Vienna City Card plus the Airport Transfer option, your transfer to and from the airport and the city center is included, using your preferred mode of transportation— CAT, train, or bus.
The City Airport Train (CAT) is a high-speed train that connects the airport with the Wien-Mitte station in downtown Vienna.
The ticket is expensive—€14.90 one-way and €24.90 round-trip—but it’s already included with the Vienna City Card Transfer.
Alternatively—if you don’t purchase this card with the transfer included—you can take the S7 train, which connects to the subway network. The trip takes a little longer on this train (about 25 minutes). A standard ticket costs €5.40, while the transfer is included with the Vienna City Card + Airport Transfer option.
If you purchase a basic Vienna City Card (without options), the cost is only €2.20 (you essentially pay only for the trip from the airport to the outer city limits of Vienna; from there on, the journey is covered by your Vienna City Card).
Finally, Vienna Airport Lines buses run between Morzinplatz/Schwedenplatz and the airport.
None of the other Vienna cards and passes include transportation from Vienna Airport to the city center.
Vienna City Card Prices
Here are the prices for the basic version of the Vienna City Card:
- 24 hours – €19
- 48 hours – €31
- 72 hours – €37
- 7 days – €39
You can purchase it on the Tiqets website. It’s convenient, and the prices match the official ones.
Buy the Vienna City CardAdd-ons are optional extras that are charged in addition to the base price. Specifically:
- €34– Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing bus with audio commentary in your language
- €22 –Transfer to and from Vienna Airport
You can add “add-ons” when you redeem your Vienna City Card voucher, or at the Tourist Information Offices. You’ll find one right at the airport upon arrival, or right in the city center at Albertinaplatz.
On the official website, you can add extra options directly to your cart during checkout.
Reductions and discounts for children with Vienna City Card
There are no discounts for children, students, or people with disabilities, but a number of benefits are available:
- 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 transport.
- 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 is it worth it?
If used only for public transportation, the Vienna Card isn't particularly cost-effective.
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 audio guide.
The Vienna Card + Airport Transfer is also an attractive package for those arriving by air.
How to purchase the Vienna City Card
You can purchase the Vienna City Card on the Tiqets website. It’s in Italian and is very easy and intuitive to use.
Purchase the Vienna City Card Standard on English websiteOnce your purchase is complete, you will receive a 12-digit voucher code via email, which you must enter on the viennacitycard.at websiteto redeem your city card.
You can then customize your card by adding any add-ons and choose how you prefer to use it (as a PDF ticket or via the IVIE app).
On the same website (viennacitycard.at), you can also purchase the Vienna City Card, either in its basic version or by adding extra options before checkout.
You can also purchase it on-site at one of Vienna’s tourist information offices, at many hotels, and at Wiener Linien ticket desks .
Vienna Explorer Pass
The Go City Vienna Explorer Pass was discontinued a few years ago and is therefore no longer available for purchase.
I’m including this here for the sake of completeness; if you happen to come across any information about it online, please note that this type of pass 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.
| Attractions | WITHOUT PASS | VIENNA PASS | VIENNA FLEXIPASS |
|---|---|---|---|
7-Day Travel Card (public transportation) |
€ 28,90 | € 28,90 | € 28,90 |
| Hop-on, hop-off bus (72 hours) | € 53,00 | free | free |
| Hofburg - Sissi Museum | € 20,00 | free | free |
| Schoenbrunn Palace | € 25,00 | free | - |
| Albertina Museum | € 19,90 | free | free |
| Ferris wheel | € 14,50 | free | - |
| Schoenbrunn Zoo | € 29,00 | free | free |
| Upper Lookout | € 22,50 | free | free |
| Cost Summary | € 212,80 | €175 + 28.90 = € €203.90 (+ many other attractions at the same price) |
€109.00 + €28.90 = € €137.50 (up to 5 attractions) |
| LINK TO PURCHASE | / | Buy the Vienna Pass | Buy the Vienna FlexiPass |
The two transport 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.
These options can be combined with one of these passes (instead of the €28.90 transportation option); for just a few euros more (about €10), you’ll get access to all the discounts and benefits they offer, 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—on their own—for exploratory vacations with just a few attractions (which are discounted anyway).
If, on the other hand, you fall into the first category (you want to see a variety of things), consider combining them with other passes.
In my opinion, a good combo is theFlexi Pass + Vienna City Card Basic (I paired them this way based on their respective durations).
The discount aspect is always worthwhile, because it gives you access to opportunities not usually 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.
I hope you found this analysis useful. Figuring out whether and which pass to buy for Vienna seems complicated, but with the calculations at hand, you can make the right choice (even if it means not buying one!).
I'm Lory, Senior Travel Analyst and founder of PassTuristici.com.
I combine analysis of prices and conditions of passes with my direct experience in the field: objective data and personal advice to optimize your budget and enjoy your vacation.
Simply put, your guarantee of savings ✅.
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