Vienna City Card or Vienna Pass: Which Card to Buy?

Are you planning a visit to Vienna and you are wondering which tourist card to buy? Have you heard of the Vienna City Card and the Vienna Pass and you don't know which one to choose?

In this article we discover together what are the pros and cons of each card, and we will see together which one is best to buy depending on the duration of your stay or type of travel.

Are you ready? Let's get started!

Better Vienna Pass or Vienna City Card?

The two Vienna tourist cards have very different costs and benefits:

• The Vienna Pass offers free admission to a large number of attractions. For those who are interested in visiting many of Vienna's major attractions, this could be a good deal. In many, but not all places, it allows you to avoid long queues. However, not all major attractions are covered by the Vienna Pass (more on this later).
• La Vienna City Card is a discount card that allows free travel on public transport. It does not provide free admission to attractions, but grants discounts on admission to museums and other points of interest, as well as to participating hotels and restaurants.

Comparative table

	Vienna City Card	Vienna Pass
Free admission to major attractions	No	Yes
Number of attractions included	over 100	over 70
Free use of city transport	Yes, unlimited	No
Hop on hop off bus included	No	Yes
Airport transfer	Only with City Card + airport transfer package	Yes
Possibility of free cancellation	Yes	No
Costs	1 day: €87 2 days: 123€ 3 days: 153€ 6 days: €189	24 hours: €17 48 hours: €25 72 hours: €29
	BUY ONLINE	BUY ONLINE

Difference between the main tourist maps of Vienna

Vienna Pass

The Vienna Pass offers free access to over 70 major attractionsincluding the Schönbrunn Palace, the Hofburg Museum, the Albertina, the Spanish Riding School and hop-on hop-off bus tours. This option allows you to visit as many attractions as desired during the selected period of validity, also offering the possibility of free cancellation within 30 days.

Vienna City Card

The Vienna City Card serves as official tourist card for visitors, offering free access to public transport throughout the city area, discounts on various attractions, shops, clubs and activities. It can be used for a maximum 72 hoursdepending on the version chosen, while discounts remain valid for 7 days for all purchasable variants. The additional cost compared to the standard 24-hour ticket is around 11 euros for the 48- and 72-hour versions. However, this expense can be offset visiting Schönbrunn Palace (with the Classic Pass), the Zoo and the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, getting a discount of about 15 euros on the purchase of tickets with the Vienna City Card.

Vienna Pass or Vienna City Card: which one is better for me?

When is the Vienna Pass worthwhile?

If you want to explore many tourist destinations in a short time, the Vienna Pass is the tourist card for youeven an intensive 2-day programme can justify the investment. The 3- or 6-day versions are just as convenient even if you don't complete a busy itinerary. If you are far from a hop-on hop-off bus station, you can consider purchasing an additional short-term ticket for unlimited public transport in the city area, conveniently ordered online from Wiener Linien.

When not is the Vienna Pass worthwhile?

The Vienna Pass is not recommended for those who only visit Vienna's most important museums and art palaces. Given the rather high cost, it is not very convenient for those who do not wish to explore several museums and other attractions in depth, but prefer to limit themselves to the most important museums and palaces (in this case, the City Card is recommended).

When is the Vienna City Card worthwhile?

The Vienna City Card is ideal if you plan to use public transport frequently and wish to explore mainly the city's main attractions. Besides granting discounted prices for various attractions, it also allows you to save on other activities such as shopping or restaurants. Furthermore, if you plan to use additional services for a fee, such as a 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus tour or an airport transfer, the Vienna City Card offers an additional opportunity to save money compared to local prices.

When not is the Vienna City Card worthwhile?

The discounts at the various attractions are rather small, so it is not a real alternative to those passes that grant free admission to, for example, several museums or other attractions. The major part of the cost of the Vienna City Card is the transport part. It is therefore (obviously) not recommended for those who do not intend to use public transport to get around Vienna.

Vienna City Card or Vienna Pass: Frequently Asked Questions

Which attractions are not included in the Vienna Pass, but are discounted in the Vienna City Card?

The most important attraction that is not included in the Vienna Pass is Belvedere Palace. Vienna City Card holders get a discount of € 3.50 on the combined Belvedere Upper+Lower ticket of € 20.00. The Vienna City Card offers discounts for certain restaurants and musical events, while the Vienna Pass does not cover restaurants or concerts.

Do I really need a travel card to visit Vienna?

The centre of Vienna (Innere Stadt and immediate surroundings) is walkable. The ticket for a single ride on public transport (€ 2.20 per ride) may be sufficient for most tourists. However, if you plan to visit Vienna during autumn or winter, you should know that temperatures can get really cold, and it is always nice to be able to get on a bus, tram or metro, even for a short journey of 1-2 stops. Some places you are likely to visit require the use of public transport (Schönbrunn, Central Cemetery). Overall, therefore, if you make 8 or more trips in a 72-hour period, the 72-hour travel card is a good deal for getting around Vienna.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the choice between the Vienna Pass and Vienna City Card depends on your travel preferences and plans for exploration. Carefully consider which attractions you intend to visit and how much you intend to use public transport. A well-considered decision will help you get the most out of your trip to Vienna.

Photo credits:

• Photos of Sandro Gonzalez at Unsplash
• Photos of Dan V at Unsplash