{"id":30352,"date":"2021-02-05T05:59:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-05T04:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/?p=30352"},"modified":"2026-01-27T11:47:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T10:47:17","slug":"city-passes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/city-passes\/","title":{"rendered":"Passes for Vienna"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/citycardssmall.jpg\" alt=\"Historical gateway\" class=\"wp-image-30358\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/citycardssmall.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/citycardssmall-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Various cards and passes can save you time and money on a trip to Vienna. But which ones make sense for your needs?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;ve looked at common choices to help you decide if any are worth purchasing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>All allow you to buy in advance without knowing when you&#8217;ll visit (but the duration of validity varies between passes and cards)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Browse &amp; book a variety of Vienna <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/vienna-city-passes-l203554\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_Cards\" rel=\"sponsored\">card &amp; pass options<\/a>* from one source<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>See also:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/visitorinfo\/save-time-money\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"4555\">How to save time and money in Vienna<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Jump to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#the-vienna-pass\">The Vienna Pass<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#Welcome\">Vienna Welcome Card<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#the-vienna-city-card\">Vienna City Card<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#flexi-pass\">Flexi Pass<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#a-final-tip\">Final Tips<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"which-pass-should-i-buy-for-vienna\">Which pass should I buy for Vienna?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Or should you even buy a pass?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s an overview of four main choices with my opinion on whether and when they make sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-vienna-pass\">The Vienna Pass<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/elephantandbaby.jpg\" alt=\"An elephant and calf\" class=\"wp-image-43068\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/elephantandbaby.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/elephantandbaby-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(The zoo is one of the many attractions covered by the Vienna Pass)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"main-benefit\">Main benefit<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Free one-time entry to all of the dozens of locations included in the pass during a fixed time period (one, two, three or six days). Online purchase options often have a discount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"who-is-it-for\">Who is it for?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re planning to visit various paid sights, particularly Vienna&#8217;s many museums and similar institutions, then you have the potential to save a fair amount of money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Extremely useful if you want to just pop into places to see the highlights (like Klimt&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/museums\/belvedere-sites\/kiss\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"1119\"><em>The Kiss<\/em> painting<\/a> at Belvedere) and don&#8217;t want to worry about the cost of individual tickets for quick visits. Lets you skip ticket counter queues in many popular places, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also a sound choice if you just want to forget about having to buy tickets, since the Vienna Pass really does include all the main tourist sights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"who-is-it-not-for\">Who is it not for?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Kind of obvious, but the pass makes little sense if you&#8217;re not going to actually make use of it as it&#8217;s quite an upfront investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re only planning one or two paid attractions and more general sightseeing on foot, then consider one of the other options on this page or skipping a pass altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Vienna Pass focus is also primarily on entrance tickets to sights; it doesn&#8217;t include too many activities (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/classical-concert\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"5359\">concerts<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/transport\/tours-overview\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"59926\">tours<\/a> and similar).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2192 More: see my detailed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/vienna-pass-review\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"3960\">review of the Vienna Pass<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.viennapass.de\/en\/shop?utm_source=markbrownlow&amp;utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_campaign=markbrownlow_visitingvienna\" rel=\"sponsored\">their website<\/a>*<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Welcome\">Vienna Welcome Card<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/thering.jpg\" alt=\"The Ring boulevard\" class=\"wp-image-47174\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/thering.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/thering-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(A network travel card with additional discounts, particularly for other mobility services)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Main benefit<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The card combines network travel passes for Vienna&#8217;s excellent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/transport\/public\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"310\">public transport system<\/a> with reductions at selected attractions, services and events. Various durations are available, as well as a ToGo version that just covers discounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who is it for?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Those planning on using Vienna&#8217;s municipal trams, buses and subways. The extra cost for accessing discounts compared to a standard network travel pass is low.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These discounts are particularly interesting if you want to use additional travel options like e-scooters or a river tour etc. Paid upgrade options typically also include hop on hop off buses and airport transfer on an express train.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who is it not for?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Those exploring largely on foot. Though the ToGo card is then an option if the discounts match your needs, such as if considering taxis or other mobility services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re planning to buy a lot of museum entrance tickets, then consider one of the sightseeing passes instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2192 More: see my detailed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/transport\/vienna-welcome-card\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"77567\">review of the Vienna Welcome Card<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/viennawelcomecard.at\/en?ref=77695468&amp;campaign_key=AllPasses\" rel=\"sponsored\">their website<\/a>*<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-vienna-city-card\">The Vienna City Card<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/moderntram.jpg\" alt=\"A modern tram\" class=\"wp-image-43481\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/moderntram.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/moderntram-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(As well as discounts, the Vienna City Card also works like a network travel pass)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"main-benefit\">Main benefit<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Also incorporates network travel cards for Vienna&#8217;s public transport system, plus entitlement to discounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These discounts cover a range of locations and activities (including tourist attractions, tours, stores and restaurants). Like the Vienna Welcome Card, it also has a discounts-only option with no public transport component.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"who-is-it-for\">Who is it for?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the city&#8217;s municipal tourist pass, suited to those doing a little bit of everything (shop, eat, drink, sightsee) and planning to make use of the reliable and frequent trams, buses and subways to visit attractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One kid under 15 also qualifies for free travel with each card bought, so definitely an option for families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Convenient paid upgrades (when available) include airport transfer and a hop on hop off bus tour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The premium you pay on top of the price of an ordinary network travel pass is relatively low, given the variety of discounts you get.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"who-is-it-not-for\">Who is it not for?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The discounts are mostly quite small, so this is not a direct alternative to those passes that get you free entry, for example, if you&#8217;re visiting museums or similar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2192 More: see my detailed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/transport\/vienna-card\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"3848\">review of the Vienna City Card<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.viennacitycard.at\/en\/\">their website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"flexi-pass\">Flexi Pass<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"363\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/hoponhopoff2025.jpg\" alt=\"A sightseeing bus in front of an opera house\" class=\"wp-image-83803\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/hoponhopoff2025.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/hoponhopoff2025-300x218.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(A Hop on Hop off 24-hour bus ticket is one choice among the Flexi Pass options)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"main-benefit\">Main benefit<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Free one-time access to two, three, four or five attractions from a pool of numerous locations and activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Online purchase options may come with discounts. Valid for 60 days from the first time you use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"who-is-it-for\">Who is it for?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>A little like a mini Vienna Pass, as largely for museums and similar attractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not as wide a choice as with the Vienna Pass, for example. But a cheaper alternative if you only want to visit a small number of places, have a fixed idea of what you wish to see, and the Flexi Pass covers your choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"who-is-it-not-for\">Who is it not for?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>More intense sightseers looking for a wider variety of options or activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More information: see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.viennapass.de\/en\/shop?utm_source=markbrownlow&amp;utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_campaign=markbrownlow_visitingvienna\" rel=\"sponsored\">their website<\/a>*<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div align=\"center\"><em>Ad:<\/em><br><\/div><div data-tiqets-widget=\"discovery\" data-cards-layout=\"horizontal\" data-content-type=\"venue\" data-content-ids=\"203554\" data-partner=\"visitingvienna\"><\/div><script defer src=\"https:\/\/widgets.tiqets.com\/loader.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"a-final-tip\">Final tips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Obviously, do the calculations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of the attractions included in the sightseeing passes are already relatively inexpensive and might not justify using a pass for them. Others are really quite expensive and you stand to save a decent amount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re visiting: choose your sights and activities, then see if you can find a pass to match. All common sense, really.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These main options each address different needs, but you can still enjoy Vienna without any of them, of course. Alternative options include, for example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/vienna-city-passes-l203554\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_Cards\" rel=\"sponsored\">tailor-made passes<\/a>* for specific locations and needs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Simply take in the sights and sounds on a self-guided <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/transport\/walking-tour\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"50322\">walk around town<\/a> using my suggested route, and pay for one or two attractions as required<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Various cards and passes can save you time and money on a trip to Vienna. But which ones make sense for your needs? I&#8217;ve looked at common choices to help you decide if any are worth purchasing. Jump to: Which pass should I buy for Vienna? Or should you even buy a pass? Here&#8217;s an [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30358,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-30352","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sights","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30352","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30352"}],"version-history":[{"count":43,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30352\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":88307,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30352\/revisions\/88307"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30358"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}