Life is incomplete unless you’ve run up to the roof of Vienna’s cathedral, soared across a ballroom, sheltered from an air raid, or relaxed in a plague pit. Just some of the Time Travel tour experiences.
- A taste of Viennese history & culture
- 5D cinematic fun, VR & animatronics
- Also great for entertaining the children
- Book your time travel tour ticket*
- See also:
- Vienna with kids
- VR experiences in Vienna
Travel back in time
(DeLorean not included; the city speed limit is 50 km/h so it wouldn’t help anyway)
Think of the Time Travel tour as an experience, rather than a tour.
It all takes place in the underground chambers of an ancient monastery (genuinely) right in the centre of Vienna, with around 1300m2 fitted out with various rooms and tracts containing what we might call edutainment stations.
You walk from one to the next, accompanied by a friendly guide.
Each of the several stops tends to deal with a major event in Viennese history (like WWII) or a theme (like music).
And each involves some kind of immersive technology, whether a simple talk from an animatronic emperor or a full-blown VR and multimedia experience.
Three standout highlights for me:
- The opening 5D cinema with a film that takes you through (figuratively and literally) key historical moments, such as Roman Vienna, the plague, or the siege of 1683
(Your chair moves, you feel the wind on your face and “enjoy” a particularly impressive sensory surprise (no spoilers) as you scamper up the scaffolding into the roof of Stephansdom cathedral.)
- A virtual reality tour through Vienna’s musical history. Find yourself among the dancers in an opulent ballroom, enjoying a drink in a traditional wine tavern, or standing over the shoulder of Mozart at his piano
- A flying horse and carriage journey above Vienna’s historic buildings, complete with snow and laser effects
Just lean back and enjoy the ride.
Tickets & visitor tips
We got in almost immediately after turning up to buy tickets, but you might want to reserve a time online during busy months.
(Booking service provided by Tiqets.com*, who I am an affiliate of)
The Time Travel Tour narration is in German, but you get a free headset which gives you exactly the same narration and information in English (or a number of other languages).
The audio in the headset is timed precisely to match the displays as you pass through them. It worked perfectly on my visit.
A couple of further VR tips:
- The Time Travel people have a sister location over the road that takes you on a diverting virtual reality boat ride with Empress Elisabeth. Bored of court formalities, the empress appears to have taken a second job as a tour guide. She sat next to me in the boat (blush)
- Vienna now has several VR, immersive & multimedia experiences to offer visitors. From a journey into Mozart’s world to VR walking tours…
After your visit, walk up the road for the Graben pedestrianised street that leads to Stephansdom cathedral and see the real thing. Or go south down the road to reach Michaelerplatz and the start of the Hofburg palace complex.
You’re also close to two of Vienna’s most resonant locations for coffee and cake. Slip across to parallel streets to find:
- Demel Konditorei: a favoured supplier to Empress Elisabeth and extremely popular. Expect queues to get in
- Hawelka coffee house: a traditional second home to Vienna’s artists and intellectuals. Also famous for its Buchtel pastries
How to get to the tour
Like many sights and activities in Vienna’s city centre, the Time Travel tour is probably already on your walking route around the old town.
Subway: just a short walk from the central stations Herrengasse (on the U3 line) and Stephansplatz (on the U3 and U1 lines).
Tram/bus: trams don’t come to this part of the town as no tram lines run through the historical heart of the city. The 1A and 2A buses that squeeze their way around the centre both have a stop at Habsburgergasse.
Address: Habsburgergasse 10A, 1010 Vienna | Website