Key visitor information
A long list of sights to admire is all very well, but what about all the other aspects of seeing a new city? The information that takes the stress out of visiting, so you can focus on all the good things.
Do the Viennese speak English? How much do you tip? Are credit cards accepted widely in Vienna? What's the currency? What's the best time to visit? Is the water safe?
The answer to these and similar questions are below...
Best time to visit
Prices
Local time
Currency
Credit cards
Stamps and post
Wien?
Ordering and paying
Tipping
Drinking water
The national language in Austria is German. But foreign languages are second nature to many folk. >> Read more
All things being equal, just what is the city like at different times of the year? Here's my view... >> Read more
As the capital city of one of the world's richest nations, you might expect Vienna to be expensive. But it's not bad compared to the likes of London. >> Read more
The city is on Central European Time (CET), the timezone covering most of western and central Europe. >> Read more
The Euro (symbol: €) became the official Austrian currency on January 1st, 2002. One Euro is made up of 100 cents. >> Read more
Vienna and Austria in general does not have a strong tradition of credit card use. >> Read more
Even in today's electronic world, you might want to send a few postcards home to friends and family. And to your colleagues to point out that they're working hard while you're...well...not. >> Read more
What's this place Wien you keep seeing signposted everywhere? >> Read more
The vast majority of cafes, bars and restaurants in Vienna are table service only. Even those that look like you should order at the bar. And even those that look like British pubs. >> Read more
Tipping habits and amounts are pretty much the same in Vienna as elsewhere in major western cities. Tip porters, taxi drivers, waiters and waitresses, hairdressers and anybody who fixes anything in your apartment. >> Read more
Many visitors to a foreign city want to know if you can drink the water. Well in Vienna, mineral water comes out of the taps. >> Read more