We are a group of 3: 2 forty-somethings and 1 sprightly 70-year-old. I have the public transportation directions written down for each trip. We have never been to Vienna. Here's what we would like to do/see. We will arrive in Vienna Saturday evening. We are staying at Pension Nossek on the Graben. Sunday- Lipizzaner stallions show (reservation are made), Austrian national library State Hall tour, Hofburg apartments and treasury Monday- stroll through Stadtpark, RS Ringstrasse tram tour, Freud museum, Parliament tour (if they are giving tours that day) Tuesday- Schonbrunn palace (do we need to make reservations for a weekday in October?), Vienna's technology museum that is near Schonbrunn, and go to a Heuriger that night (probably the Nussdorf area-seem easiest to get to using Tram D as described in RS book) Wednesday- Heeresgeschichtliches Army museum mainly to see the car Archduke Franz Ferdinand was in when he was assassinated, the New Palace museums, the Kunst museum, and the natural history museum (if we are running short on time/energy, we will split up and husband will go to the natural history museum and I will go to the art museum. My mom can choose which one she wants to see.) Thursday - travel back to the U.S.
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
Hi, I don't know which subway line gets you from Pension Nossek out to the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum im Arsenal, close to the former Südbahnhof (South train Station). From Westbahnhof (where I stay) it's tram #18 and the U-3. That car he was riding in is located on one of the upstairs floors (3rd ?) of the museum, the uniform he was wearing is in a display nearby. To Schönbrunn the tram #58 goes there, at least from Westbahnhof. Good that you have four full days set aside for Vienna.
Posted by
OP
Apache, OK
109 posts
Hi Fred,
This is the route I see for us to the army museum. U1 at Stephensplatz direction Reumannplatz. At Sudtrioler catch bus 69A direction Simmering. Ride 4 stops to Arsenal. Hope that works. Thanks for the information about the uniform. Wouldn't want to miss that pieceof hisrory.
Posted by
Stuttgart, Germany
3050 posts
This is doable, but also fairly busy with a lot of museums. I would try to leave time for relaxing at a cafe (cake!!!), a park, enjoying some of Austria's fantastic wine, etc. Wednesday seems like the most problematic day, the Heeresgeschichtliches (say that 3 times fast) museum is really cool, but it's not small. The Kunst museum isn't either (no idea about the New Palace museum). You won't be able to do all 4. Splitting up will probably be your only option, even then, I'd cut one of the museums and keep it down to a more realistic 2 (you will be tired by this point in your trip!) The Kunst musem is not-to-be-missed IMO. But as long as you remain flexible and identify maybe what your lowest priority is per day so you can skip it if you get tired or run low on time, I think in general this is a really good itinerary. I've been to Vienna twice and haven't seen half those things!
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
Cathy, That route sounds right, check with the hotel staff but as long as the bus stops at Arsenal/Südbahnhof, the signs there point you to the Heeresgeschichtlichesmuseum. As pointed out, it is a pretty large place. But if you intend to skip the 16th to 19th centuries, go directly to WWI, and see that car and the blood-stained uniform, you won't be spending most of the afternoon at the museum. Look in to the special exhibt (Sonderaustellung), which usually covers some aspect of WW I.
The inter-war years' displays are very revealing, esp. if you read the posters. The WW II displays include the 8,8 cm gun (88 mm), set up on the floor. Outside, after you go through the museum cafe and shop is the tank exhibit in the garden (Panzergarten), if you're into seeing armor.
Posted by
Washington, DC, USA
571 posts
Sarah said: "The Kunst musem is not-to-be-missed IMO." Ditto! The KHM was my favorite museum experience in Europe. Not too large, not too small. I enjoyed two hours alone just wandering through the art works and I'm not really an "art guy." Then as I was about to leave, I remembered the whole reason I wanted to go there: the ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman artifacts on the lowest level, and ended up spending more than another hour there. For reasons I can't fully explain even to myself it was just a pleasurable experience.
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
19 posts
Cathy - yeah Wednesday is going to be along day for you. The H-museum is a little bit of a commute from where you are staying. It may take 30-45 minutes to get out there and back. that being said, it is a great museum. I haven't heard of the New Palace museums, but I have been to the natural history museum and I would recommend skipping it unless you and/or husband are really into natural history museums. They have a huge rock collection and the gems are pretty cool, but the animal exhibits are old and faded. I would highly recommend the armory museum or the musical instrument museum at the Hofburg palace instead which is right across the street. Dirk
Posted by
OP
Apache, OK
109 posts
Thanks for your comments so far. Here's the RS description of the new palace museums: This "new" section houses three small but fine museums: an armory, historical musical instruments, and classical statuary from ancient Ephesus. Do any of these ring a bell with any of you? I guess we will just have to see how much time/energy we have that day. That being said, we did Versailles and the Louvre in one day. We aren't very good at sitting still or slowing down on vacations.