Various cards and passes can save you time and money on a trip to Vienna. But which ones make sense for your needs?
I’ve looked at common choices to help you decide if any are worth purchasing.
- Browse & book a variety of Vienna card & pass options* from one source
- See also:
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Which pass should I buy for Vienna?
Or should you even buy a pass?
Here’s an overview of five main choices with my opinion on whether and when they make sense.
The Vienna Pass
(The zoo is one of the many attractions covered by the Vienna Pass)
Main benefit
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.
Who is it for?
If you’re planning to visit various paid sights, particularly Vienna’s many museums and similar institutions, then you have the potential to save a fair amount of money.
Extremely useful if you want to just pop into places to see the highlights (like Klimt’s The Kiss painting at Belvedere) and don’t want to worry about the cost of individual tickets for quick visits. Lets you skip ticket counter queues in many popular places, too.
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.
Who is it not for?
Kind of obvious, but the pass makes little sense if you’re not going to actually make use of it as it’s quite an upfront investment.
If you’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.
The Vienna Pass focus is also primarily on entrance tickets to sights; it doesn’t include too many activities (concerts, tours and similar).
→ More: see my detailed review of the Vienna Pass or their website*
Vienna Welcome Card
(A network travel card with additional discounts, particularly for other mobility services)
Main benefit
The card combines network travel passes for Vienna’s excellent public transport system with reductions at selected attractions, services and events. Various durations are available, as well as a ToGo version that just covers discounts.
Who is it for?
Those planning on using Vienna’s municipal trams, buses and subways. The extra cost for accessing discounts compared to a standard network travel pass is low.
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.
Who is it not for?
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.
If you’re planning to buy a lot of museum entrance tickets, then consider one of the sightseeing passes instead.
→ More: see my detailed review of the Vienna Welcome Card or their website*
The Vienna City Card
(As well as discounts, the Vienna City Card also works like a network travel pass)
Main benefit
Also incorporates network travel cards for Vienna’s public transport system, plus entitlement to discounts.
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.
Who is it for?
This is the city’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.
Convenient paid upgrades (when available) include airport transfer and a hop on hop off bus tour.
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.
Who is it not for?
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’re visiting museums or similar.
→ More: see my detailed review of the Vienna City Card or their website
Flexi Pass
(A Hop on Hop off 72-hour bus ticket is one choice among the many Flexi Pass options)
Main benefit
Free one-time access to two, three, four, five, six, seven or eight attractions from a pool of up to 70 attractions, locations, and activities.
Online purchase options may come with discounts. Valid for 60 days from the first time you use it.
Who is it for?
A little like a mini Vienna Pass, as largely for museums and similar attractions.
Not as wide a choice as with the Vienna Pass, for example. But a cheaper alternative if you only want to visit a select number of places, have a fixed idea of what you wish to see, and the Flexi Pass covers your choices.
Who is it not for?
More intense sightseers looking for a wider variety of options or activities.
→ More: see their website*
Vienna E-pass
(The E-pass includes access to the towers of Stephansdom cathedral)
Main benefit
An entirely-digital pass that gives one-time free access to included attractions or discounts on selected activities. You choose between a time period (between one and four days) or a set number of attractions (two, four or six).
Who is it for?
The E-pass is like a hybrid of the existing sightseeing and discount passes, so you have flexibility. It does not cover as many locations and activities. However, it does include some unavailable with other sightseeing passes, such as the cathedral (and its towers), Time Travel Vienna and the Haus des Meeres.
Who is it not for?
As with the Flexi Pass, those needing more options.
→ More: see their website
Final tips
Obviously, do the calculations.
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.
If you’re visiting: choose your sights and activities, then see if you can find a pass to match. All common sense, really.
These main options each address different needs, but you can still enjoy Vienna without any of them, of course. Alternative options include, for example:
- Some tailor-made passes* for specific locations and needs
- Simply take in the sights and sounds on a self-guided walk around town using my suggested route, and pay for one or two attractions as required