Constructive Feedback on an Itinerary to Vienna, bitte?

Hotel staff opined we will likely not arrive on time at the Opera

Nonsense. You may not have time for a leisurely dinner beforehand, but can certainly make a 18:00 curtain. Take the S7 train from the airport to Wien Mitte, then one stop on the U-Bahn and a short walk to the hotel. You could grab a sausage on the street, then reserve a table for a snack at the first intermission.

Hi markcw: Sorry I made a typo! Our flight arrives at 16:10 (4:10 PM). I will correct in the body of the message above!

see Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien

Regarding Day 2, you could spend the entire afternoon at the Kunsthistorisches Museum. So, if there are just a couple of things you want to see there, this is doable at a fast pace.

If you don't mind the ask, why Prater? The rest of you proposed itinerary is very dissimilar from Prater's attractions. Of course, if you are going to recreate the scene form The Third Man, then I'm all in.

Performances of Barber of Seville are at 19:00 or 19:30 in October.

Hi Emily: I will revise.

I appreciate the attention to detail.

If I've made any erroneous assumptions I welcome correction.

The performance of the Barber of Seville at the Staatsoper begins at 19:00 (7pm) for our tickets.

I had been given to understand (and assumed, perhaps wrongly) that one must be seated by or before 18:40 (6:40pm) so I expected that one should aim to arrive at the Staatsoper at 18:00 (6pm) in order to pick up our tickets, move through any lines, and check any coats, and be seated by 18:40 (6:40pm).

If this timing is too tight between landing in VIE at 16:10 ( 4:10 PM) and getting seated at the Staatsoper in time for a 19:00 (7pm) performance, then, I believe that our options would be (a) to keep our current flight time and offer the tickets for resale/chance making 1/2 the show, or, (b) attempt to rebook our tickets, which, best case, would mean waking up at 4am ish in Florence in order to make a 7 am flight from Florence to Vienna.

Hi JKH, you asked

If you don't mind the ask, why Prater? The rest of you proposed itinerary is very dissimilar from Prater's attractions. Of course, if you are going to recreate the scene form The Third Man, then I'm all in.

I like a Ferris Wheel.

I understand the performance is at 19:00, one should be seated around 16:40 [you mean 18:40], and to pick up tickets, etc. it might be desirable to arrive around 18:00)

I still have the PDF of my ticket to Tosca from December 2024 - you should have your tickets in advance. The opera house is incredibly efficient - I overshot my tram stop and had to run back on the evening I attended, and still made it in plenty of time to make my way upstairs and check my coat. I think you could arrive at 18:40 and still be OK. They will obviously be quite strict in not allowing you to be seated once the performance begins.

If your flight lands at 16:10, you could still be walking to your hotel at 17:00 or shortly after if all goes well. Transportation in central Vienna is incredibly efficient, and the distances within the Ringstrasse are relatively short. I say go for it.

Hi again markcw. I elected to pick up tickets at the opera house rather than get e tickets for printing at home and bringing with us because (1) our usual modus operandi at home ois just to pick up tickers at the box office and (2) I was worried about losing them, but now given the flight timing I suppose I could ask if we could change to an e ticket.

I guess the only other thing we could try to save on time would be to try for a private transfer to the hotel, ask to drop the bags, then scoot to the Staatsoper but I’m not sure if that’s worthwhile. Everyone comments how efficient public transport is in Vienna.

In the Staatsoper you need to be seated at 18:59 at the latest if the performance is scheduled for 19:00 hours.
You just need to calculate enough lead time for picking up your tickets, dropping your coats at the cloak room, and reaching the auditorium.

Take the S7 train from the airport to Wien Mitte, then one stop on the U-Bahn and a short walk to the hotel.

Due to track maintenance the S7 does not run to Wien Mitte for more than a year from now on, and even if it would, this is not the best (and fastest) connection.

Best is to take an express train (RJ, RJX, IC) or a regional express train (REX 7, five minutes slower) to Wien Hbf (main train station), a ride of 15 minutes, change then to subway U1 (red line) in the direction Leopoldau, alight at Schwedenplatz (a ride of 6 minutes), take the exit Laurenzerberg. Then you have to walk 4 minutes (180 yards) to the hotel.

Trains from Vienna International Airport leave approximately every 15 minutes, alternating between express and regional express trains. If your flight is on time you should easily make it to the opera. From the hotel to the opera you take the U1 again (in the other direction), riding two stops (4 minutes).

1. I'm confident you can make the opera if your flight arrives on time and if you don't dilly dally along the way.
2. I like a ferris wheel, too, and the one at the Prater is very cool.

Hi wmt1,

Thank you for the detailed information about how to go from VIE airport to the hotel Austria wein— I have to admit I’m a little intimidated! It’s probably been at least a decade since I navigated a subway system. At least now I have a sense of what’s involved so I can make an informed choice!

You land at 16:10. Do you have checked luggage? If not, you can be in an Uber and likely at your hotel in less than an hour. That gives you time to check in, freshen up and get to the Opera well ahead of time.

If you have a checked bag, then add 20 minutes. Still enough time.

The only issue would be if your flight is significantly delayed. You can’t control that.
Arriving at 18:59 is fine. Do yourself a favor and order drinks and snacks for the intermission. Nothing is classier than walking up to your reserved table with a glass of champagne waiting for you.

Do yourself a favor and order drinks and snacks for the intermission. Nothing is classier than walking up to your reserved table with a glass of champagne waiting for you.

https://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/en/food-drink/

I’m a little intimidated! It’s probably been at least a decade since I navigated a subway system.

Accept the challenge. :-)

Vienna's public transport system is very easy to use, everywhere available, safe even in the night. The signage is very clear and consistent, just read the signs and don't stare at the display of your mobile phone as so many tourists do all the time.

You need to buy a ticket to Vienna at the airport (which is outside of Vienna) from a ticket vending machine (€5.20), which is valid for the whole ride to the hotel.

Alternatively you can take a bus from the airport directly to Schwedenplatz (line VAB 2, departing from platform 8), but from the bus stop to the hotel it is about 600 yards to walk (8 minutes). You buy the tickets from the bus driver.

As for feedback on your overall agenda, I have the following comments:

1. The sword you mention is not in the KHM, but in the Welt Museum.
2. I prefer the mass at the Jesuitenkirche over the mass at the Augustinerkirche. The church is immensely more beautiful and the music is just as good, sometimes better.
3. Wine Garden is a Heuriger in Vienna. These are on the outskirts of the city, but well worth seeking out. I can recommend Feuerwehr Wagner, Schuebel Auer and Mayer am Pfarrplatz. Best to go in the afternoon when the sun is still up - especially on a Sunday, the heuriger are afternoon activities.

Hello Emily. Thank you for your responses.

1. The sword you mention is not in the KHM, but in the Welt Museum.

1.A. Thank you ! You are right - the sword and helm of Skanderbeg, Hero of Albania, are physically located in the Imperial Treasury at the Weltmuseum Wien administered by Kunsthistorisches Museum. You saved us!

2. I prefer the mass at the Jesuitenkirche over the mass at the Augustinerkirche. The church is immensely more beautiful and the music is just as good, sometimes better.

2.A. Thank you for the tip!

3. Wine Garden is a Heuriger in Vienna. These are on the outskirts of the city, but well worth seeking out. I can recommend Feuerwehr Wagner, Schuebel Auer and Mayer am Pfarrplatz. Best to go in the afternoon when the sun is still up - especially on a Sunday, the heuriger are afternoon activities.

3.A. Thank you for the advice!

Due to track maintenance the S7 does not run to Wien Mitte for more than a year from now on, and even if it would, this is not the best (and fastest) connection.

Thank you for the update. It got me wondering whether the CAT airport train was also affected and it apparently is - they are running express coaches as replacements. Note that mention of the CAT is met with disdain by locals as being overpriced.

Note that mention of the CAT is met with disdain by locals as being overpriced.

Under normal circumstances train S7 and CAT run along the very same route, with the exception that the CAT has no stops. The ticket for the S7 is €5.20 and entitles you to continue your trip using public transport in Vienna, the CAT ticket for €14.90 does not.

Until end of 2027 the CAT is replaced by busses. If you like to go by bus you can use the different VAB lines (Vienna Airport Bus) for a much cheaper price.

Train S7 connects now the airport with Wien St. Marx station, where you can change to tram lines 18 and 71. Depending on where your final destination in Vienna is, it can make sense to use this route.

In general, I always recommend taking an express train (15 minutes ride) from the airport to Vienna's main train station.