Over age 65

You will pay. Free public transport for the elderly is a thing, but you need to be resident and most times have a pass issued, of course varies by locale

You can buy discounted tickets (65+) at any ticket machine or online from the WienerLinien website. If you are checked and if you look young, it might be a good idea to have proof of your age. Otherwise, it is an honor system.

But the age discount applies only to single ride tickets (or the one-year pass). For all other tickets (e.g. one day, week, 48 hours, etc.) there is no discount for seniors. Buying single ride tickets is the most expensive way to use public transport in Vienna, so I always discourage people to use them.

Now that I'm "eligible" for such discounts I always look but rarely find them worth any hassle.

Free transit is going to be a benefit of citizenship, although years ago in Bern we got a free transit card good for our entire stay just by asking when leaving the train station.

As far as I know, discounted or even free transit is available for seniors in Prague, Bratislava and Budapest, but it may be limited to EU citizens.

Now that I'm "eligible" for such discounts I always look but rarely find them worth any hassle.

I only qualify for a few (not yet 65), but my feeling is that there is no sense trying to research and go to the hassle to find a discount. As a visitor, I am perfectly willing to pay my way on a trip that cost much much more. Troubling a clerk or bus driver to get a discount seems unnecessary, if they offer, or there is a box to click online, fine, but not going to press the issue.

Forget the transport discounts. See above replies. But it may be worthwhile to ask at museums. Easy to do. Nothing to figure out. You simply ask.

If anyone is still interested, the official transport website doesn’t say you need to be an EU senior. We bought tickets anyway last night, out of an abundance of caution, and the ticket inspector told my husband he didn’t need one as he’s over 65.

I always look for senior discounts. Why not? Train tickets, museum admissions, etc.

If it's being offered, take it.

In prior years in Hungary the free senior was a Hungary and EU thing. Now, it is indeed open to everyone over 65 in Hungary. Just carry an ID with your birth date on it. I ride the metro every day and have yet to have an inspector read my ID.

"In prior years the free senior was a Hungary and EU thing. Now, it is indeed open to everyone over 65."

Perhaps I misunderstood, but are you claiming that any senior can take any local public transportation for free in the EU?

Certainly not here in Sweden, which is an EU country.

If you (tourist or resident) ride a city bus, tram, or metro here in Sweden without a valid ticket, you'll be fined 1500-1900 sek, or roughly $140-175. The only free senior rides you get here are for certain hours if you are a resident of that particular city/municipality and have a valid bus card issued in your name. There are senior discounts in some municipalities, like Stockholm. Others not.

OP needs to check the rules when he/she arrives.

No, context got lost. I will fix that. Hungary.

At the risk of offending others, I feel that we seniors who can affort to travel to Europe can afford to pay full price for transport, museums, etc. We didn't pay into their tax systems while working and are not receiving an EU-funded pension.

Converse it true here at home in the US. We paid taxes (still do!) and I am comfortable with taking any and all of my senior discounts.

I am certain that the transportation company will have no problem selling you a ticket.

Most often, the discounts are limited to citizens and to EU citizens when the country is a member of the EU; and all of that makes sense.

I'm not sure why Hungary opened to everyone. Maybe it's easier than trying to enforce it by country of origin. Maybe to do something to attract more tourists? Maybe tired of bad PR when they fined an old geezer.

The full fare by the month is $0.80 a day, so it's not a terrific savings, but everything helps.