Two Day Vienna Itinerary

Before you consider the Pass, check the closing days of each museum you're interested in. Have a wonderful time in this fantastic city!

https://search.ricksteves.com/?button=&date_range=2y&filter=Travel+Forum&query=Vienna+itinerary&utf8=%E2%9C%93

What are your interests?
You will get much better help if you are more specific.
We were told by a TI office person that a Vienna Pass was not worthwhile for us, but our circumstances were very different; seniors with 5 weeks.

I think your best bet is to stay close to the downtown "Ring" to where you can get to the most popular tourist sights. And you should stay close to underground system because it can get you around the city fast and efficient.

We've been staying at K&T Boardinghouse the last 20 years as it was where Rick Steves was staying back then. KTBoardinghouse.AT

The rooms are priced well, large and they're incredibly clean. AND it's 50 feet and across the street from the Neubaugasse Underground station. It's 2 stops and 5 minutes from the downtown palace and museums. And it's easy to get to the Schoenbrunn Palace on public transportation too.

Thank you for all your inputs! Specifically we plan on seeing Schonbrunn, Stephansdom, Hofberg -optional, Prater Ferris Wheel, and a City Walk as possible to see the city by foot. Also visit a few cafes and Naschmarkt shopping/food area. Its just that I feel tempted to get the Vienna Pass as it will give me the skip -the- line as well as the Hop-on-hop off access. But I'm not sure if Hop-on hop-off access is sufficient or I additionally have to use public transportation for easy access and saving time.
We will be there 17th evening, 18 and 19 full days in August. Any help to plan a small itinerary will be helpful. Have an 8 year old so want to make it a fun trip for her as well. I have heard about Schonbrunn Zoo and an Apple Strudel show.
Thanks!

Not far from the Prater (location of the ferris wheel) is the enormous Augarten. Wide open spaces. Flowers. Gardens. Viennese being Viennese. Still-standing enormous anti-artillery towers from WWII. I love that place. While many would say it is not worth a visit on a 2-day stop in Vienna, I think it's great. And since you will be in the area...

Here is a little folder, targeted at short-time visitors. It gives you a good overview of the main sights in Vienna, suggesting two walks in the city center. (Ignore the very last page which is not up to date, as this folder is out of print since 2020.)

Your kid may have fun here:
https://www.nhm-wien.ac.at/en
Especially kids love the Dinosaurs, but there is much more.

When visiting Schönbrunn palace you may go into the maze in the gardens, the zoo, or opposite the main building across the Vienna river to this museum:
https://www.technischesmuseum.at/en

We spent 3 days in Vienna this past June. On this forum, I read that it was recommended to skip the Vienna Pass in favor of the Vienna City Card. The City Card is a smaller investment to begin with, and includes unlimited rides on public transit (not the Hop on Hop off). I believe the City Card gets you a % discount on many attractions, including some/all that you've mentioned. You can use it to book ahead for reduced price timed entry ('skip the line').

After doing a lot of math calculations, we decided not to get either card. With the City Card, we would have broken even, or perhaps saved a marginal amount. You would need to research the fees for the attractions you're looking at, and see if either the Pass or the City Card benefits you.

To me, the Hop on Hop off buses looked crowded and annoying, and there were often a lot of people waiting for them. I don't think they're a good use of time, especially when your time is limited. We used the tram (for the Rick Steves audio tour, haha) and the light rail/subway when needed. But honestly, we walked most of the time-Vienna was highly walkable since we stayed in the historical center near the Opera House (our hotel was Pension Suzanne). I guess that would vary depending on where you're staying.

We only used the light rail when arriving to and departing from the city (airport and train station) and to go to Schonbrunn Palace, the Naschtmarket, and to the Central Cemetery (Beethoven's grave). We bought walk-up tickets to the Hofburg (Imperial Apts and Sisi Museum), St Stephen's Cathedral (walking tour and tower climb), and the House of Music. No long ticket lines at any of those places, at least for us in June. We did get timed entry (first thing in morning) for the Schonbrunn. We found it a little tricky deciding between all of the 'combination tickets' for Schonbrunn and the Hofburg, but managed to figure it out after a little research about what we wanted to see/do. Check the official websites of these places for the options, and then add things up to see if a Pass or City Card is 'worth it'.

Hope you enjoy your time in Vienna!

Thanks much, Dave, wmt1 and Barbara!

The HOHO bus is a waste of money as the bus can’t go into the historic center. There is no need to skip a line as the only line you might encounter is at Schönbrunn.

Use public transport. It is easy and cheap.

Thanks Emily! Great to know.