(info from nomadicmatt.com)
Vienna can be an expensive city if you don’t watch your budget. Accommodation, coffee, museums, and eating out can add up quickly. Here are some tips to help you save money when you visit Vienna:
- Take a free walking tour – Vienna offers a handful of free walking tours which are great ways to get familiar with the city and the culture. Good Tours, Anna Loves Vienna, Vienna Greeters, and The Original Free Vienna Walking Tour are all great options. Just be sure to tip your guide!
- Cook your own meals – If you want to save money on your food budget, stay in a hostel or Airbnb with a kitchen. Buying your own groceries may not be as glamorous as eating out, but it saves you money!
- Stay with a local – Staying with a local via Couchsurfing (or similar sharing economy sites) is a great way to save money. It’s also a great way to meet a knowledgeable local who can help you better understand the city and its people.
- Skip the fast train into Vienna – Unless you are in a rush to get downtown, skip the City Airport Train. It’s 11 EUR compared to the regular train (which is 4.30 EUR). The time difference is negligible, and that extra 6.70 EUR could be better spent on something worth your while.
- Get a Vienna PASS – With the Vienna PASS you get entry to over 60 attractions, museums, and monuments throughout the city. It costs 76 EUR for a one-day pass but if you’re planning to visit several of Vienna’s most popular museums/galleries then getting the pass could save you a fair amount of money especially as it has an option for public transportation too! If you’d rather not spend that much, some of the museums (that also belong to Vienna Pass) have also developed their own ticket packages
- Drink tap water – Vienna has some of the cleanest tap water in the world. You can save money on bottled water by carrying a refillable water bottle with you.
- Buy souvenirs at local markets – Vienna has many local markets where you can find unique souvenirs at a reasonable price. Naschmarkt is a popular market that sells everything from food to antiques.
- Visit museums on discounted days – Many museums in Vienna offer discounted entry fees on certain days of the week or at certain times of the day. Do some research and plan your museum visits accordingly.
- Take a walk around the Ringstrasse – For a sightseeing tour of Vienna on a budget, just follow the Ringstrasse. This ring road which runs around the centre of Vienna passes some of the city’s most famous buildings. Along the route you can see the Vienna State Opera, Imperial Palace, Parliament and City Hall. It’s an easy way to experience Vienna’s most beautiful architecture for free.