Getting to Schönbrunn
Schönbrunn Palace, gardens and related sights are well-served by public transport. First thing you need to do is call up this map, which has official, if brief, directions.
Then keep on reading.
Tram and bus
Trams 10 and 58, and bus 10A, all have a stop called “Schloss Schönbrunn,” which is opposite the main entrance on the road marked “Linke Wienzeile” on that map. The palace entrance should be obvious. If it’s not, look for the huge gateway flanked by two giant marble columns topped by golden eagles. Head for that.
Watch for this eagle © Mark Brownlow
Buses 8a and 58B take you round the back, and drop you on the road marked “Elisabethallee”. Get off at the stop Montecuccoliplatz and go southeast down “Elisabethallee” until you reach the entrance to the car park on your left. Go in there right to the far end.
That leads to a marked entrance into the park on the right. Go in there and continue down the lane until you reach a “crossroads” (just after the emu-like bird enclosure on your right.) Immediately on the left is the top zoo entrance, the right-hand path takes you to the Gloriette. And straight on takes you down (eventually) to the main palace. All around you is the park.
Car
Leave it in the garage if you want to avoid a long walk - parking is a problem. One option is to drive to the free car park intended for zoo visitors at the rear of the area (see above). That’s normally got space unless it’s a weekend and a particularly fine day.
Subway
From the center, the U4 subway takes you to the palace and there are two relevant subway stations.
The first is conveniently titled “Schönbrunn” and is the best for reaching the main palace and gardens.
Assuming you’re coming from the city center, exit the platform to the west (the train’s direction), where you can see the lifts. At the top of the lifts or stairs, cross over the glass bridge (over the tracks) and keep going straight on to a paved walkway.
This walkway takes you between a car park on your left, and playing fields on your right. After a short distance, it hits a main road at a pedestrian crossing. The palace grounds are on the other side of the road behind some buildings.
Cross over the road and go right along the sidewalk. Keep going for a couple of minutes until you reach the main entrance to the palace grounds. You’ll recognize this through the aforementioned two white stone columns with gold eagles perched on the top.
The other subway station is “Hietzing” and is the best for reaching the Palmenhaus, Wüstenhaus and zoo.
Whichever platform you reach at Hietzing, you can only exit to one side. Go up the lifts or take the stairs. When you emerge, look left - the wall you can see bounds the palace gardens.
Cross over the road on the left. There are two pedestrian crossings, and on the wall at the end of both you’ll see “Schönbrunn” written in big red letters. If you want to go to the palace, ignore the arrow and go left; just keep walking until you reach the main gates.
If you want to visit the Palmenhaus, Wüstenhaus or zoo, follow the arrow and go right. Follow the sidewalk around (it bends left) and keep going. Eventually you’ll see a church ahead of you, a post office on your left, and just past the post office a large park entrance. Go in there. You’ll find a map display inside.
If you go straight ahead, you’ll go through the gardens and eventually hit the palace. For the three other attractions mentioned above, keep to the right, past the panorama train stop, and turn right as soon as you can (after just a few meters).
This brings you onto a wide walkway which goes directly to the zoo, passing the Palmenhaus on your left (which you can see straightaway) and the Wüstenhaus on your right.
Tip: the lifts at Hietzing station are not in the covered building. Instead, you’ll find them outside to the east, on the other side of the tram tracks.