Is the Vienna PASS Worth It? An Honest Verdict and How to Get the Most Out of It
Is it worth it?
- Worth itYes if you'll pack Schönbrunn, the Kunsthistorisches Museum and more into 1-3 days, riding the hop-on hop-off buses between them.
- Skip itNo at a relaxed pace.
- Skip itNo if you mainly need transport. The Vienna City Card is far cheaper.
- 1, 2, 3 or 6 days
- Up to 90 attractions
- Hop-on hop-off bus
What is The Vienna PASS?
With the Vienna PASS you pick 1, 2, 3 or 6 consecutive calendar days and visit as many of its attractions as you like, with unlimited hop-on hop-off bus rides.
In Vienna the anchor is Schönbrunn (€28-38 on its own), which takes a morning by itself, with the Ringstrasse sights and museums for the rest of the day.
Realistic on packed days; Vienna's café pace works against it.
- Attractions
- Up to 90
- Pass length
- 1, 2, 3 or 6 days
- Price
- From €109
- Hop-on hop-off
- Unlimited
How to get the most value out of The Vienna PASS
Schönbrunn and the Kunsthistorisches Museum alone are €50-62, so one packed day goes a long way.
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Start the pass in the afternoon | Days run midnight to midnight. Start at Schönbrunn at opening. |
| Do Schönbrunn's park on the pass | The park is free. Use the pass for the palace and paid garden attractions. |
| Plan St Stephen's on the pass | Entering the cathedral is free; only the towers, catacombs and audio guide cost (€25 all-in). |
| Ride the hop-on hop-off bus to Schönbrunn | The U4 is faster. Use the bus for the Ringstrasse loop. |
| Do the Hofburg after Schönbrunn | Two palaces in a day blur together. Put a museum in between. |
| Head to Schönbrunn Palace without checking how busy it is | Check Schönbrunn Palace's live crowd level on beatthecrowd.co first. If it's busy, do another Vienna sight on your pass and come back later. |
Before you set off for Schönbrunn Palace, check how busy it is right now on beatthecrowd.co. An hour in a queue is an hour of your pass gone.
Check live crowds in Vienna →Who The Vienna PASS is for
Good fit
- First-time visitors on a 1-3 day trip
- Schönbrunn, the Hofburg and the big museums are on your list
- You like hop-on hop-off buses
Skip it if
- You prefer an easy pace
- You mainly need public transport
- Under-19s: the big museums are free for them
- 1, 2, 3 or 6 days
- Up to 90 attractions
- Hop-on hop-off bus
What the pass covers
The pass includes up to 90 attractions and unlimited hop-on hop-off buses.
- Schönbrunn alone is €28-38, so it's a big part of the pass's value.
- Under-19s get into the Kunsthistorisches Museum free.
The big sights
- Schönbrunn PalaceIncluded€28-38 on its own.
- Schönbrunn ZooIncluded
- Kunsthistorisches MuseumIncluded€22-24 on its own. One of the pass's headline sights.
- Hofburg / Sisi MuseumIncludedThe Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments.
- BelvedereIncludedKlimt's The Kiss is in the Upper Belvedere, so check that's the part your pass lists.
- Giant Ferris Wheel (Prater)IncludedAbout €14.50 on its own.
Also on the pass
- Unlimited hop-on hop-off buses
- 1, 2, 3 or 6 days
- Up to 90 attractions
- Hop-on hop-off bus
Pass vs individual tickets
Schönbrunn (€28-38) and the Kunsthistorisches Museum (€22-24) come to €50-62, about half the €109 starting price. You need two or three more paid sights, like the Belvedere and the Sisi Museum, in the same pass days for it to pay.
What the big ones cost on their own
| Attraction | Adult ticket bought separately |
|---|---|
| Schönbrunn Palace (Palace Ticket) | €38 in summer |
| Schönbrunn State Apartments | €28 |
| Kunsthistorisches Museum | €22 online, €24 on site |
| St Stephen's Cathedral all-inclusive | €25 (entry to the cathedral is free) |
| Vienna PASS | From €109 |
- 1, 2, 3 or 6 days
- Up to 90 attractions
- Hop-on hop-off bus
Fine print
- Activation
- Starts at first use at an attraction or on the bus.
- Days
- Consecutive calendar days, midnight to midnight.
- Refunds
- Unused passes get a full refund if you ask within 30 days of buying. Once you've used it, there's no refund.
Is it safe? Where people lose money
- Reassuring: The Vienna PASS is sold by Vienna PASS, the city's sightseeing pass operator.
- Reassuring: Refunds: Unused passes get a full refund if you ask within 30 days of buying. Once you've used it, there's no refund.
- Watch out: Days run midnight to midnight.
Where people lose money
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Buy the 6-day pass | Few people fill six days with paid sights in Vienna. |
| Use the pass for the cathedral | St Stephen's is free to enter. |
| Queue at Schönbrunn Palace at peak time | Check beatthecrowd.co for Schönbrunn Palace's quiet hours before you go. |
Queuing is the easiest way to lose value in Vienna. Check which sights are quiet right now on beatthecrowd.co, starting with Schönbrunn Palace.
Check live crowds in Vienna →- 1, 2, 3 or 6 days
- Up to 90 attractions
- Hop-on hop-off bus
Alternatives
Planning your order and avoiding queues is the simplest way to get full value: see how busy Vienna’s attractions are right now →
- 1, 2, 3 or 6 days
- Up to 90 attractions
- Hop-on hop-off bus
FAQs
Is the Vienna PASS worth it?
+
Yes if you'll fit Schönbrunn (€28-38) and several more into each pass day. At a slow pace, single tickets are cheaper.
Does the Vienna PASS include Schönbrunn?
+
Yes, Schönbrunn Palace and Schönbrunn Zoo.
Does it include public transport?
+
It includes the hop-on hop-off buses; check whether your version adds a public transport card.
Is St Stephen's Cathedral free?
+
Entering is free; the towers, catacombs and audio guide cost €25 together.