Vienna International Travel Guide

Christmas in Vienna 2018

Christmas in Vienna is one of the most renowned Christmas concerts. Every year, the concert programme fascinates with the varied interplay of classical Christmas songs and popular Christmas music from all over the world. This year it will get international with a medley of Russian, Italian, American and French Christmas carols, as a "Special Guest" Jose Feliciano will finally perform "Feliz Navidad".

December 7, 2018 · Sponsored Content

Bratislava - Vienna Railway Line Extended

The two EU capitals Vienna and Bratislava are approaching each other. After a construction period of about two years, representatives of Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), the EU, the City of Vienna and the Province of Lower Austria opened the first part, the so-called "Vienna section" of the Vienna - Bratislava line extension. The completion of the second part, the so-called "Lower Austrian Section", will last until 2023. The journey time from the main railway station in Vienna (Hauptbahnhof-Wien) to the main railway station in Bratislava (Bratislava hlavná stanica) will be reduced from 66 minutes to 40 minutes.

December 5, 2018

Expat Survey: Vienna for Expats Highly Attractive and Newcomer-Friendly

A study commissioned by the City of Vienna confirms that four out of five international professionals and executives who came to Vienna had a good or very good start. 93.9 percent confirm the city's high international attractiveness, 89.3 percent would recommend Vienna as an expat destination.

November 22, 2018

Vienna's Schönbrunn Zoo is Europe's Best

The Schönbrunn Zoo in the grounds of Schönbrunn Palace in the 13th district of Vienna was founded by the Imperial Habsburgs in 1752. At 266 years of age, it is not only the oldest zoo in the world to still exist, but has also been named Europe's best zoo for the fifth time in succession. The zoo scores above all with the successful keeping of the Giant Pandas. Second and third place go to Leipzig Zoo and Zurich Zoo.

November 16, 2018

Japan's Largest Airline ANA Expands Service Between Tokyo and Vienna

The Japanese ANA - All Nippon Airways relies on Vienna as its European hub for business flights to Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Poland and is expanding its range of services as a result of the facilitation provided by the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

October 31, 2018

Austrian Airlines - More Women in the Cockpit and Daily Flights to Tokyo

Become one of the few female pilots at Austrian Airlines. A total of 100 fully-trained pilots are currently being sought. As part of its expansion, Lufthansa's subsidiary intends to significantly increase the proportion of women pilots. The airline is also expanding its services to Tokyo, namely six weekly flights from March 2019 and daily flights during the 2019 summer timetable.

October 25, 2018

Canada: New Daily Flight Connection from 2019

From 29 April 2019, Austrian Airlines will be flying daily to Montreal, the second-most populous municipality in Canada. Air Canada will assume flights on the Vienna-Toronto route.

October 22, 2018

Vienna City Tourist Attraction "Fiaker" at Risk of Termination

A last ride quickly? Fiakers belong to the classic tourist image of Vienna. The sightseeing tours through the historic streets at a leisurely pace are very popular with Vienna travellers. According to various media reports, however, a ban on horse-drawn carriages is being considered for downtown Vienna (1st district). The hooves of the horses and carts would cause about 800,000 Euros of damage annually. Are they now part of the cityscape or are they just animal cruelty?

October 19, 2018

Agressive Southern Chinese Airline Launches Shenzhen-Vienna Service

The South Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines is pushing ahead with its expansion into Europe by adding Vienna - Shenzhen as the next non-stop route after Zurich at the end of August. The new twice-weekly flights will take off on October 20th, connecting Vienna with Shenzhen on Thursdays and Saturdays using the airline's Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft (see picture).

October 12, 2018

Outlook - Chinese Tourists and the Destination Austria

With around 900,000 arrivals (+23%) and 1.3 million overnight stays (+25%) in 2017, China is Austria's most important Asian market of origin with the greatest growth potential. From January to July 2018, Austria also recorded record figures with around 542,000 arrivals (+ 8.2) and around 781,000 overnight stays (+ 11.5 %) from China.

October 3, 2018 · Updated: October 11, 2018; 22:55

Expats in Austria: "You will never be able to make local friends"

We would like to share with you some of the findings of the Expat Network InterNations on the well-being of expats in Austria. Although these differ in some respects considerably from other annual reports, they also contain survey results which are a common thread in most studies. These include the fact that the quality of life is perceived as very high, but on the other hand intercultural communication and establishing friendships is perceived as very difficult.

September 20, 2018

Expansion of Nepal-Austria Relations Beyond Mountaineering

Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali paid a working visit to Austria. The visit focused on bilateral relations and the opening of the embassy in November last year.

September 19, 2018

Record Season for 2018 Film Festival at Vienna’s Rathausplatz

65 days of music, opera and dance on the big screen are now over. The City of Vienna reports about the great success of this year's Film Festival on Vienna's Rathausplatz. A perfect combination of culture, culinary delights and a splendid summer attracted almost a million guests.

September 5, 2018

Austrian Airlines Celebrates 60th Birthday

Austrian Airlines Österreichische Luftverkehrs Aktiengesellschaft was founded on 31 March 1958. This week, 2,500 guests celebrated the 60th birthday of the red-white-red airline in the hangar at Vienna Schwechat Airport.

May 25, 2018

Austrian Airlines Flies Once Again to Tokyo

As of today, Lufthansa subsidiary Austrian Airlines will again be flying directly to the Japanese capital. Due to changed economic fundamentals, the route, which was closed in autumn 2016, appears to be profitable again.

May 15, 2018

Fresh Hallstatt Air Instead of Toxic Chinese Smoke

Tens of thousands of tourists from China meanwhile visit Hallstatt in Upper Austria every year. Two companies now offer healthy Hallstatt air in cans to the Chinese and expanded Asian market. The inhabitants and the municipal council of Hallstatt are not thrilled.

May 11, 2018

International Congresses: Vienna Worldwide Number Two - UN Events Contribute 7% of Conference Nights

The Vienna meetings industry progresses from record to record. With 186 meetings, Vienna remains behind Paris with 196 meetings, number 2 in the Worldwide Ranking of the ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association). In the year prior to that, Vienna was still in fifth place. The proportion of congresses that can be allocated exclusively to the United Nations is enormous and accounts for around 7% of overnight stays.

April 24, 2018

A Competitive Classical Summer Stage for the World's Capital of Opera

The Danube Arena, a huge summer stage for classical concerts, opera and operetta, is reportedly to be built on the banks of the Danube in the middle of Vienna. The aim is to compete with the big summer venues Bregenz, Mörbisch and Salzburg and to give tourists and locals the chance to enjoy classical music even in summer (during the summer breaks of the established venues).

April 20, 2018

Tourism: Vienna Achieves New Record Number of Overnight Stays

Vienna recorded a new tourist record in March with an increase of 8.5% compared to the previous year. The number of guest overnight stays rose to 1,169,000. Most of the tourists came from Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, the UK and Switzerland.

April 19, 2018

Austrian Budget Airline LaudaMotion: Fighting the Top Dog Lufthansa

LaudaMotion is to become a powerful low-cost airline. Ryanair ultimately intends to acquire a 75 percent stake. From June 2018, a total of 65 routes are to be served from Vienna, from seven German airports (Berlin/Tegel, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart) and from Zurich to the Mediterranean region and to the Canary Islands.

March 30, 2018

Eurowings also Expands Vienna Connections

With the summer flight schedule 2018 Eurowings, the discount airline subsidiary of Lufthansa, is adding new destinations from Vienna to Corfu, Larnaca, Catania, Chania, Kos, Heraklion and Rhodes.

March 30, 2018 · Sponsored Content

AUA Starts with Summer Flight Schedule 2018: More Flights to Germany, but CEE Remains Core Market

Austrian Airlines offers a flight program with 138 destinations in 55 countries in summer 2018.

March 26, 2018

Vienna Forever the Most Livable of All Cities?

For the ninth time in a row, Vienna has been ranked number 1 worldwide in the Mercer Quality of Living ranking. Vienna owes this to the generous and liberal spending policy of the city government of recent decades. In view of the expected budget cuts, it remains to be seen whether Vienna will be able to maintain this leading position in the future.

March 20, 2018

Hotel Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom to Shine in a New Design

Different cultures meet in Vienna. The result, which is a fascinating blend of art and architecture is supposed to be reflected in the hotel Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom. The hotel with its 182 rooms and the hotel lobby is currently experiencing a facelift which will be completed soon. Since the beginning of the year the new general manager of Sofitel, Peter Katusak-Huzsvar, has been designing the impressive house in Vienna's Praterstrasse 1 as a lifestyle hotspot for both tourists and Viennese.

March 5, 2018 · Sponsored Content

Austrian Airlines to Hire 600 New Employees, to Fly to Tokyo and Cape Town

Close to 12.9 million passengers flew with Austria’s national carrier last year, comprising a rise of 12.8 percent compared to the previous year. In 2018 the airline plans the integration of another long-haul aircraft, a Boeing 777-200 jet, in its fleet. It is planned to hire 150 employees just to operate this one new aircraft. In total about 200 pilots, 300 flight attendants and 100 employees in the fields of aircraft maintenance and ground handling will be hired. The additional capacity will enable Austrian Airlines to expand its intercontinental route network to Japan and South Africa.

March 1, 2018

Historical Connection Between Klosterneuburg Monastery and Croatia

The Croatian ambassador in Austria, DDr. Vesna Cvjetković, visited the monastery Klosterneuburg, where the close historical ties became visible.

February 15, 2018

Salzburger Festspiele Generates EUR 215 Million Added Value per Year

The president of the Salzburg Festival (Salzburger Festspiele), Helga Rabl-Stadler, presented a new study proving the financial significance of the event. According to the study the festival generates added value of EUR 215 million per year in the whole country.

August 22, 2016

Most Expensive Expatriate Cities: Vienna Moves Up to 54th Place Overall in the Index

For the 22nd year running, global HR consulting firm Mercer has published its annual Cost of Living Ranking that lists the costliest and cheapest destinations for expatriates. Asia hosts five of the world’s 10 most expensive cities for expatriates. Hong Kong is once again the world’s most expensive city for expatriates. Vienna moves up to 54th place from 56th place overall in the index. 209 countries have been surveyed. See the full index below.

July 22, 2016

International Cuisine and Music Film Festival at City Hall Square

From 14 July to 4 September, Vienna’s City Hall Square is a vibrant meeting place for night owls who enjoy combining culture with food. Delicious dishes and music films from opera to pop guarantee great summer evenings.

June 29, 2016

Summer in the City: Vienna Open-Air Cinemas

Every summer in Vienna, numerous open-air cinemas show films on a wide range of topics. Admission is free of charge at the Musical Film Festival at City Hall, the “Cinema under the Stars” on Karlsplatz and at the wandering "Volxkino". Original versions with English or German subtitles can often be seen.

June 28, 2016

Europe's Biggest Free Open-Air Festival: The Danube Island Festival 2016

From 24 to 26 June, Vienna's Danube Island becomes a mega-party site for around three million visitors. About 1,500 artists offer a continuous program on around a dozen stages at the Danube Island Festival. There's entertainment on various themed islands to suit every age and taste, while numerous catering stands keep everyone well fed and watered.

June 16, 2016

Vienna's Glittering 2016 Summer Balls: The Concordia Ball and the Fête Impériale

Two glittering summer balls will be celebrated in Vienna: The Concordia Ball (June 17) in Vienna City Hall and the Fête Impériale (June 24) in the Spanish Imperial Riding School. The Concordia Ball has been one of Vienna's most sparkling and exclusive events for over 150 years. The Fête Impériale is famous for its opulent and imaginative decorations, and is held once again.

June 15, 2016

International Day of Yoga Celebrations in Vienna on 19th and 21st June

The United Nations General Assembly declared 21st June as the International Day of Yoga. The resolution adopted by the General Assembly invites everyone to observe that day as the International Day of Yoga. On occasion of the International Day of Yoga, the Embassy of India in Vienna is organizing the several events on 19th and 21st June, 2016.

June 15, 2016

Jazz Festival Brings Cyndi Lauper and Jamie Cullum to Vienna

The Vienna Jazz Festival, a fixed item in the annual festival series, offers more than the eponymous cool sound. Soul, funk, pop, electronic and ethnic sounds can also be enjoyed - and all in the best venues. From 28 June to 11 July, the Vienna Jazz Festival brings high-ranking stars such as Cyndi Lauper and Jamie Cullum to Vienna's stages.

June 14, 2016

Music and Culture Festival Draws 30,000 Guests to the Vienna Danube Canal

The three-day music and culture festival will draw about 30,000 guests to the Danube Canal in Vienna again for the tenth time, from 27 to 29 May 2016. The watercourse running through the city center, which is normally a popular local recreation area, becomes the stage for numerous live concerts by mostly Austrian Indie bands on this weekend.

April 29, 2016

Summer Night Concert by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

At the Summer Night Concert on 26 May the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra plays open-air in Schönbrunn Palace park and to the familiar high standard. What is unusual is that they play this concert, held each year since 2004, with free admission: it is a way for the famous ensemble to give around 100,000 visitors and the global TV audience a special experience.

April 27, 2016

AUA Started Flights to Shanghai, Tokyo Will Be Removed

The initial Austrian Airlines flight to Shanghai took off from Vienna yesterday. AUA will terminate the connection to Tokyo as of September 4 and will rather bet again on Chinese destinations. The economic slowdown of the Japanese economy made the Vienna-Tokyo route unprofitable. Instead AUA starts with five weekly flights to Shanghai on a Boeing 777.

April 7, 2016

Air India to Fly Daily Between Vienna and New Delhi

India's national passenger carrier Air India launched direct non-stop flight operations between Vienna and Delhi, India.

March 31, 2016

Austrian Airlines to Offer Flights to Hong Kong Starting September 5, 2016

AUA Austrian Airlines has signed an agreement with Hong Kong authorities to ad Hong Kong International Airport to its portfolio of long-haul destinations. AUA will fly up to 5 times a week to Hong Kong as of September 5, 2016. The direct link to Vienna will also be the gateway to Eastern Europe for the Hongkongese as well as the South-Chinese business community.

March 9, 2016

250 Years of the Vienna Prater Amusement Park

2016 is a major anniversary year for the Prater: Emperor Joseph II. opened the former hunting grounds to the public 250 years ago. On the 7th of April 2016 the Vienna Prater amusement park (Wiener Prater) will be celebrating its 250th anniversary.

February 29, 2016

Quality of Living - Vienna is still the Number One

Vienna again tops the quality of living survey in 2016. The results of the Mercer study show, for the seventh time in a row, that Vienna's approach to quality of living is internationally acknowledged. Vienna is followed by Zurich (2), Auckland (3), and Munich (4).Vancouver (5) is North America’s highest ranking city, and Singapore is the highest ranking Asian city, holding 26th place. London ranks 39th.

February 26, 2016

Starwood Sells Hotel Imperial Vienna for EUR 71 Million

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced that it has closed on the sale of Hotel Imperial Vienna, a Luxury Collection Hotel, to Al Habtoor Investment - the investment arm of UAE conglomerate Al Habtoor Group for 71 million euros. As part of the transaction, all rooms and suites of the iconic hotel will be renovated over the next four years. Hotel Imperial will continue to operate as part of The Luxury Collection brand under a new long-term management agreement.

February 26, 2016

Austrian Culture - Vienna’s Easter Markets

Traditional Easter decorations and artfully decorated eggs, culinary treats and a program of music await you at Vienna’s Easter markets in March. There’s all sorts of entertainment for young visitors to the markets.

February 26, 2016

Exhibition: Chagall to Malevich - The Russian Avant-Gardes

The period from 1910 to 1920 was the heyday of the Russian avant-garde. Reason enough for the Albertina to dedicate an exhibition to Chagall, Malevich and Co.

February 15, 2016

Vietnam: Doppelmayr Inaugurates World's Longest 3-Rope Cable Car System

The world's longest three-rope cable car system was inaugurated in Vietnam's northern Lao Cai province. With the total length of 6,292.5 meters, the system was recognized by Guinness World Records as world's longest three-rope cable car route, and the world's biggest height gap between its departure and arrival stations of 1,410 meters.

February 4, 2016

Vienna Ice World - A Paradise for Skating Fans

The idyllically illuminated façade of City Hall forms the fairytale backdrop for Vienna Ice World. From 21 January to 6 March 2016, City Hall Square transforms into a giant ice rink and becomes a paradise for skating fans of every age.

December 23, 2015

What to Do in Vienna at New Year's Eve?

New Year’s Eve in Vienna without music and dancing? No way! Whether Musikverein, Konzerthaus, Theater an der Wien or Kammeroper: Musical delights will be everywhere guaranteed.

November 27, 2015

Viennese Christmas Markets with Design

If you’re looking for original Christmas gifts, then head for the Vienna design Christmas markets. Apart from the numerous Christmas markets offering classic handicrafts, Vienna also has a few markets where designers offer original and individual creations for sale.

November 26, 2015

Pink Christmas in Vienna - Rainbow Christmas Market

The second gay and lesbian Christmas market Pink Christmas in Vienna will be held in November and December 2015.

November 25, 2015

Celebrate New Years Eve 2015/16 in Vienna

At the change of year, the whole of Vienna is given over to partying and dancing. The New Year’s Eve Trail in the Old City is the highlight. A great ambience can be enjoyed as much at a gala dinner or festive ball as it can at a concert, the opera, in a hip club or a sophisticated bar. Superb exhibitions and a dazzling array of events, concerts, operas, operettas and the hit musicals "Mary Poppins" and "Mozart!" promise a New Year's Eve program brimming with excitement throughout the day and night.

October 26, 2015