I'm an older, experienced female traveler, and have traveled alone to other parts of the world from time to time - I love staying out of the fray - this B&B in Neubau looks absolutely wonderful, peaceful and in a real neighborhood (not to mention very fair rates) - do you think this area is relatively safe to be walking in alone, mostly during the day? I would be walking to see and experience the neighborhood, while on my way to the center/museums, etc.
If I go to music events in the evening, I can always take a taxi back to the B&B if necessary.
I know things get blown out of proportion in the press, but recently there has been a marked increase in street crime in some areas and in Metro and train stations - I'm just asking your opinion. Please approach this from the perspective of an older female, (with common sense) - traveling and walking alone.
Your recent personal experience of this neighborhood is what I am after.
All opinions and comments are welcome - danke :)
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
5381 posts
I walk through that neighborhood routinely. I actually walk about 4 km every day in Vienna - all over the city - for exercise. I am also female. My kid takes public transport alone to school - subway and train - since he was 10 years old. Neubau and Vienna as a whole is just about the safest city in the world. No need to take a taxi at all. I am unclear about the increase in crime you have read about as that is not my experience.
Posted by
OP
77 posts
OK Emily - thanks for that -- I didn't want to sound alarmist - that's great information to hear. I'm sold on that B&B.
I was recently robbed in a Target parking lot in the USA - at 4 pm - in broad daylight - so I am a little paranoid !!! - altho I try not to be. I'm just more aware... but I do know that Vienna is generally a very safe place. I'll put that to rest.
By the way, I checked out the links you sent about the Naschmarkt et al, excellent information all around.
About the Taxi, I'm not sure how old you are, you have a young child -- I will be 70 when I visit Vienna next year. Traveling alone when you are older, is a completely different experience from winging it when you are younger (alone or with a friend) -
I've done that many times. Life and age changes you, (for me) it takes extra mental/physical energy, and after a long walking day out, taking a taxi home from a late-ish evening venue may be a treat to myself....However, after your comments on the neighborhood, now I feel that if the tram is convenient to where I am when it's time to go home, I'm up for that, too. Thanks again for such useful information - how wonderful for you to be able to live in such a grand old city.
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
5381 posts
I think that I may be older than you suspect. I'm closer to your age than I am to my 20s, put it that way.
Posted by
San Francisco
14507 posts
Hi,
"...a completely different experience... when you are younger...." I would not go that far but I can see your point. Before I got back to Vienna in the 21st century, I was there twice within six years prior to the completion of the U-Bahn network, which makes it a lot easier and convenient getting around the city, ie to outskirts, etc when using the tram and U-Bahn combination.
The main difference in traveling when younger is that you have energy to waste. I traveled alone then, I do likewise now, most of the time, unless that portion of the trip is with family members. In Austria and Germany I travel alone. Compared to my younger days of traveling, I do much better now in getting around in cities, tracking down sites, etc. In certain ways traveling was easier then, in certain ways it is easier now, depending on one's travel style, comfort zone or lack of it, itinerary, etc.
Posted by
NYC
380 posts
I traveled to Vienna this summer--solo traveler, middle-aged woman. I found the Neubau area to be delightfully calm. Reminded me of Kollwitzkiez in Berlin--a mix of shops, small museums, housing, comfy little restaurants. You should be perfectly happy and safe there!
The only place in Vienna I felt a bit on guard was in Stephansplatz, during the day when it was massed with tourists and there was a greater hypothetical risk of pickpockets, etc. But I didn't see anything suspicious happening at all.