Chtistmas in Vienna

My husband and I will be in Vienna for Christmas from 23-27 December. We are staying in the Rennaisance Vienna Hotel a little way out of the City but we are told that public transport links are good. Can anyone advise us how to best spend our time. I hear that the Christmas markets are good but will they still be operating? Also we would like to %26#39;take in%26#39; some music. Are there any concerts in the afternoon and can we purchase tickets beforehand? Any other tips and suggestions which would make our trip/christmas a memorable one would be greatly appeciated. Finally is there likely to be snow and a festive atmosphere?

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We can not predict weather, but in the past several years it has been cold but no snow during this time.

However , it will be festive what ever the weather. To me, Vienna is best seen at this magical time of the year.

As soon as you arrive, go to the various Christmas Markets.

They will be open all day and into the evening on the 23rd.

most will close relatively early on the 24th. ( late afternoon)

I believe only the market at Schonbrunn Palace is open on the 25th.

Too many concerts are playing to mention here.

Look to Trip Advisor and Vienna Tourist website for more info.

Some will be in the afternoon, most at night.

Definitely purchase tickets before your visit as the city will be full of tourists during this period and tickets to good concerts, opera , and operettas will be hard to find if you wait too long.

Buy a 3 day ticket for public transport. Vienna has an excelent system that will take you to or near all sights.Excelent value.

Several lines will be near your hotel including subway U-4.

How many days to see....

Salzburg, Hallstatt and The Zillertall Arena(Krimml, Zell am See, Gerlos)?

Should we use Salzburg as a base for these sights, or one night in Salzburg, then one night in Hallstatt, then move on through the Zillertal region as we head to the Bavaria region of Germany west of Munich?

Any thoughts?

Heather

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I assume you will have a car for these places.

I would suggest:

One night in Salzburg

Much to see in Salzburg- you may want to stay longer.

While you can do Hallstatt as a day trip from Salzburg by train I think the drive to Hallstatt is very nice and Hallstatt is best seen after many tourists leave and the town becomes a little more quiet Several nice places to stay on prior posts here.

Are you looking to visit Zell am See or Zell am Ziller ? Or both ? Zell am Ziller would also fit your trip as it is in the Zillertal and not far from Gerlos.

Zell am See is on the way from Salzburg to Krimml and Gerlos.A beautiful lakeside village.

This would be a very long day trip( Zell, Krimml, Gerlos and Zillertal )and you would really not have enough time to see very much.

You are best to take your time and arrange a stay somewhere in the Zillertal and then on to Bavaria when you want.Many nice places in all price categories in Zell Am Ziller, Mayrhofen, and Fugen in the Zillertal.

This is a most beautiful part of Austria. However, if you do plan to do this in winter- the road Krimml- Gerlos - Zillertal is a mountain pass -type road that has many grade chages and curves. It can be very hazardous in snow and ice.

Enjoy!

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Basically I have eight days from Rothenburg to Baden Baden and in that time I wanted to include:

Romantic Road

Salzburg

Hallstatt

Gerlos and Krimmler Waterfall (and what ever is there without having to stay overnight)

Then somehow to the %26quot;Cinderella Castle%26quot; on my way to the Black Forest to end up in Baden-Baden to take a train to Paris.

Deep breath.

We will have a car and are flexible as far as transportaion.

I am so confused.

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And this is in three weeks. I have to have this figured out like ASAP

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The %26quot;Cinderella Castle%26quot; - Neuschwanstein?

(http://www.neuschwanstein.de/english/)

%26quot;By car

Take the A7 motorway (direction Ulm-Kempten-Füssen) until the end and at the exit to Füssen. From Füssen via the federal road B17 direction Schwangau and follow the signs to Hohenschwangau village. The village of Hohenschwangau only has private parking facilities, for which there is a charge. (4 € / car).%26quot;

What to See/Do in Vienna in Less Than 24 Hrs

Hi, can anyone recommend some things to see or do in Vienna with less than 24 hours? I%26#39;ve looked at a few tourist companies, but most of them seem to end by the time we arrive or the tours are too long to do in the morning. We%26#39;ll be getting in around 4:30PM and our flight leaves at 1:00PM the next day. We%26#39;d like to take advantage of our long layover by touring the major attractions, but with so little time we don%26#39;t know what to do. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

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That%26#39;s not much time where darkness won%26#39;t be a limitation. The first thing my wife and I thought of was a night at the opera. Darkness won%26#39;t matter, and you will be able to walk the shops, cafes, and the rest of the Kartnerstrasse (main shopping thoroughfare) next to the opera house. You can get tickets in advance and make it a stylish night, or just as easily go casual and use the standing room option for just a few dollars. The opera house is a beautiful place to see, on its own merits, and is centrally located. Cafe Oberlaa is a favorite of ours, and is close and comfortable as well. A little time on your computer checking their websites will yield good information if this sounds interesting. Just a thought......

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Hi Lindiloo, I suggest that you take a trip on tram 1 or 2, both take you in circles along the Ringstrasse, where you can see most of the famous buildings in the center of Vienna (townhall, theatres, opera, museums etc.). When you have done that (you can buy a 24-hours-ticket and get on and off everywhere) you make a walk to St.Stephans Cathedral, maybe crossing the Hofburg, the Emperor´s castle. Behind St. Stephans you can also take a stroll to the most antic quaters of Vienna (go to Schönlaterngasse and to Judengasse). I do not know in which period you come, but you can do that in about 3-4 hours. If you have time left in the morning, I would suggest or a trip to Schönbrunn with subway U4, or a trip to Belvedere. You can do that still with your 24-hours-ticket. Have a nice time!

Vienna in 3 Days (early November)

Hi Friends,

Thansk all for the valuable inputs for my trip to Salzburg last month ! It was excellent !!

Now, planning to visit Vienna on 5th - 7th november with Family. Need some advice/suggestion as we want to visit some plcaes around vienna also and not just the old town. Can someone suggest which of these areas should I be looking at : Burgenland , Lower Austria , Styria , Upper Austria ?

We thought to take soem tour for thsi(not sure if there is any) or, take a taxi and cover some other beautiful areas.

Kindly suggest as per the weather conditions also at that time(not sure)

Thanks

Nikesh

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Hi, november is not the best time to come... mostly foggy, wet and dark. Anyway... I would recommand to go to Krems/Dürnstein/Wachau if weather permits it. Thats in Lower Austria, a beautiful landscape with nice villages waiting for you. Another option might be a trip to Graz in Styria. In Burgenland, you could go to the Neusiedler See, if you like grey gooses, there will be plenty at this time. I would not take a taxi, but a car for a day-trip. Good luck!

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Thanks mate !

I shall now try and plan this out..

cheers

nikesh

anti-semitism

Have youexperienced anti-semitic incidents as a tourist or resident?

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No, as a matter of fact- Vienna in particular and Austria in general are truly trying to face up to their past and make right. I think that you see a lot more anti-senitism in the U.S.A. than you do in Austria.

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I lived there for a semester in college and never saw any evidence of anti-semitism. I did see a couple of instances when traveling in Germany, however.

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Last fall when I visited Vienna, I noticed a college student (I%26#39;m guessing she was a student) who had a pin on her backpack which had a swastika with a line through it. The opposite of anti-Semitism. Nice to see that!

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I was studying german in Vienna for a year and my boyfriend is viennese. I did not see much anti-semitism in Vienna but my boyfriend pointed out to me while we were walking through Stammersdorf that he saw a Nazi car pass by us. I was surprised he said that because I did not see any swastikas. He explained to me that the Nazi sympathizers use secret terms to express their views. The Car had a large sticker on it that stated %26quot;Berg 88.%26quot; The letter %26quot;H%26quot; is the eighth letter in the alphabet and the %26quot;88%26quot; equals %26quot;HH%26quot; which equals %26quot;Heil Hitler.%26quot;

From what I have seen in Vienna I would have to say that anti-semitism is frowned upon since the ones who are anti-semetic have to express their viewpoint in secret. So, to put it short, anti-semitism exists in Vienna but it is not the shared mindset of the masses. Most are ashamed of that portion in their history and are reminded of it every day.

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Its a shame they dont treat the arabs in the same manner as the viennese treat others.

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Villa..,what did you mean???

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The war ended 60 years ago, the newer generations are not fully familiar with the historical events. You learn a lot at school, but pupils are mostly not interested. (At this age it%26#39;s normal!) Nowadays almost all war participants have died, now it%26#39;s possible to discuss extensively, because there is nobody who can be blamed for anything! Ordinary Vienna residents don%26#39;t understand why all people believe we are anti-semitic.

The only occasion I spoke about Jews lately was when we were repeatedly blamed for being anti-semitic. You can imagine that people react disappointed if they%26#39;re charged unjustified.

Nevertheless there are groups attempting to distribute racist propaganda, but they%26#39;re not very successful.

Quote: Last fall when I visited Vienna, I noticed a college student (I%26#39;m guessing she was a student) who had a pin on her backpack which had a swastika with a line through it. The opposite of anti-Semitism. Nice to see that!

Wearing such stickers doesn%26#39;t imply being a good human with decent imagination. Those young persons often belong to left-wing groups, most of them just naive and unorganised, others play active roles in the extreme-left or anarchy wing becoming a serious threat in Europe. Such subjects often loiter at stations begging for money, in order to support their survival and fight against capitalism! Don%26#39;t trust such subjects only because they wear swastika with a line through it!

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I Take it we are all adults on this site? Jew, Black, Pink, Yellow, White , whatever, we are all people, able to travel and communicate, we all have our views, likes and dislikes.Your not here long make the most of it, we don`t have to hate anybody, just get on with your life, I know it can be tough, I don`t believe in any god, life is for living and do it,. Im White English, have loads of mates who are black, asian, muslim, gay, some i can not describe, so what! Should I say I don`t like French people because of what happened in the past, or German people for bombing my mum out of 2 houses in the war, no , its in the past, it hurts maybe, . ! just get on and stop the rot, chill out a bit please, Dave

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Hi far99, the person has not got the bottle to reply, or was drunk, or just after a response, which they got, One Who Conquers Onself is The Greatest Warrior!

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Okey -dokey Mikey in Vienna, but I will go on believing this young lady wearing the anti-swastika pin was countering the neo-nazi movement that%26#39;s been going on there for I don%26#39;t know how long. It was first brought to my attention by a German friend of mine in the early nineties who made frequent trips to Vienna for her job at the U.N. So I see this pin and think the problem with neo-nazis still exists, in the same manner as the white supremacist groups exist in the U.S., in such places as Idaho and some southern states.

Will it snow in December

We we see snow in Vienna in December?

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Probably not

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hi,

probably not, but it can also snow in novembre.

you will see!

:-)

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who knows... normally, just between Christmas and New Year it´s quite warm, but windy... Snow in Vienna is unusual at this time of year, you would have more luck probably in february...

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I will be in Vienna at the start of November for about a week and then I will be moving on to Budapest, does anyone know what sort of weather conditions can I expect?

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might be rainy, foggy, cold. But one never knows :-)

Christmas Accommodation in Vienna-Help Please!

There will be 4 of us staying in Vienna over Christmas, arriving the 24th and leaving the 27th. We are looking for somewhere different to stay, castle, chateaus, villa etc? Can anyone recommend anywhere to stay? Also, we%26#39;d like to have a Christmas lunch on the 25th, do you know anywhere that would cater for this? (knowing that they celebrate Xmas on the 24th)..

Thanks!

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Look at Palais Schwarzenberg ( info on this site)

also Hotel Imperial- both deluxe accomodations and convenient to sights.

Most things will close midday or a little later on the 24th. Best to reserve lunch and dinner in advance .

Both the above have good restaurants that I assume would be open for guests.

Sight seeing in Vienna

I will be driving from Munich to Vienna with my family of 4 persons. Can anyone suggest whether I should drive my car in Vienna. What%26#39;s the traffic like in Vienna and what will be the parking charges like in the city or should I leave my car at the hotel. For sight seeing is the distance far or use local commuter subways. What sort of Passes are avaiable for sight seeing and for commuter travel as I plan to stay 3 days in Vienna. Please advise.

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On the commuter travel question: you can get a 72-hour ticket from machines at all Ubahn (Underground) stations which you can use on buses, trams and underground. They%26#39;re great value. I%26#39;m sure you can buy them other places too, I just know I bought mine at the Ubahn. You can also buy Vienna cards, which include the 3-day travel, with discounts to some sites. I didn%26#39;t bother with this, though, I didn%26#39;t find any of the admission charges all that expensive.

Enjoy Vienna!

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Vienna is not a city for cars. Parking in garages is very expensive ( 30euros+- per day) Parking on streets is not recommended as various rules apply for parking. These rules are often hard for visitors to understand as rules vary by area and an active police ticketing and /or tow away causes problems.

Only exception is parking in the outer districts of the city where parking rules will not apply or by your hotel.

Traffic is usually heavy.

Find a place to park your car and leave it for your stay.

It is much better to take the excelent Vienna Transport System.Almost all major tourist sights are within a few minutes ride from most places in the city.

Tickets also available at most all Tabaks ( newspaper and cigarette shops) and numerous stations with ticket windows.

As prior poster mentioned, the 3 day card is best.

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Thanks for your reconmendations

Czech Austrian Railpass

I%26#39;m considering getting a Czech-Austrian railpass, and have some questions:

My first trip on it would be from Dresden to Prague. How do I get it validated?

Am I able to do so in Dresden? Or do I have to get it validated at the border? Or can I get its first validation on the train?

If using it from Salzburg to Munich is it good only to the border, then I pay from the burder to Munich?

Is use of the Czedh Austrian railpass the most const-effective for the following rail journey?

1. Deutsche Bahn from Dresdne to the border, thence CA Railpass to Progue

2. CA Railpass Prague to Vienna

3. CA Railpass Vienna to Salzburg

4. CA Railpass Salzburg to border, thence Deutsche Bahn to Munich

5. Deutsche Bahn Munich to Cochen

6. Deutsche Bahn Cochem to Frankfurt Airoprt

An alternative I suspect would be a Eurail Selectpass and pay cash to the Czech portions

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It seems like the longest distances you are going to travel are within Germany. It would make sense to buy a German railpass (is there one with Austria?) and pay for the Czech portions of your travels. Czech and in general Eastern European railway tickets are usualy much cheaper than the German and Austrian ones. Plus, Germany is a much bigger country than Austria and Czech Republic, so normal tickets within Germany would cost you (assuming similar km tariff) more than the others.

Vienna To Venice - October 29 - Day Trip

I%26#39;m hoping someone could suggest the easiest and most affordable means of getting from Viennat to Venice on October 29th. I am hoping to travel during the day via train, bus, or renting a car - depending upon which makes the most sense %26amp; is the most cost efficient. Any reccomandations would be greatly appreciated!

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Do you really want to make a day trip to Venice? It is at least 7 h one-way!!! There are trains from Vienna to Venice, look up at www.oebb.at, the official site of the Austrian Railways - if you can, try to get the special offer for 29 Euro. For this you have to book a certain connection. If you are not able to get one, just buy a ticket and go, but it might be more expensive. Buses are not a good option (see eurolines.com - very slow, very few connections). Renting a car might (or might not) be a better decision cost-wise if you are a group (3-4 pers.) but bear in mind that Venice itself is not accessible by car.

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You want to go to Venice for just one day? Or travelling from Vienna to Venice during the day?

For rail timetables, have a look at www.oebb.at (choose English on top). Enter From Vienna to Venezia S. Lucia. There are two trains during daytime (6:30 and 15:30) and it takes you about 7 hours to Venice.

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Sorry, I mis-spoke in the original request. I am looking to travel during the day %26amp; stay in Venice once I arrive. Thank you both for the links - I will look at them now.

Salzburg hotel

Can%26#39;t find info on the %26quot;Hotel Am Dom%26quot; - has anyone heard of it? Thanks :)

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http://www.amdom.at/index_en.html

** 45 seconds on Google **

Vienna in Febrary? Advice please!

Hi,

I was hoping to book my partner and myself a few days in Vienna over the February mid term break as a christmas present, but I am unsure of how poor the weather might be then! Would it be adviseable to go later in the year? We are not afraid of the cold, but are there any hotels you could recommend that would br romantic and warm? Also not bank breaking either!

Many thanks

Deirdre

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I made my first ever trip to Vienna in February this year, mid-ish, I think. It was cold but not nearly as cold as I%26#39;d expected - the long johns stayed in my case! It was a much drier, crisper cold, it seemed to me, than in England. It was cloudy-ish some of the time and one day it snowed but the street-clearance is fantastic and it was very easy to get about!

I stayed at the Pension Suzanne on Walfischgasse - I liked it, so I%26#39;m going back there at the beginning of December. It%26#39;s nothing to look at from the outside but the rooms are cosy in a shabby-chic kind of a way - is that what they call boho now? A single is 74 euros, don%26#39;t know about doubles - and from other posts I%26#39;ve read, it%26#39;s worth checking it%26#39;s actually a double you get, (at any hotel) not a twin - twin beds rather spoil the romance!

Apart from being cosy and cheap, Suzanne is only a few hundred yards from the Opera house and the fantastic public transport system. Basically the same location as the Sacher Hotel, for about the cost of their breakfast (I suspect, well, nearly!!!!!)

Vienna in February captured my heart - go! go!

Train from Munich to Berchtesgaden

With one week to travel, is it advisable to travel by train? Can it be done from the airport in Munich to Berchtesgaden?

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I%26#39;m not sure if you are looking for a 1-day trip to B%26#39;gdn or whether you are planning to stay in the region for a few days.

A day- trip by train is feasable, but kind of time consuming and probably tiring if you come directly from the US.

Look at www.bahn.de. for schedules. For departure, enter Muenchen Flughafen. If you are doing a day trip, get a Bayern Karte at the airport (Flughafen) station. You (and up to 4 people) can use it on weekdays after 9AM. Total trip must be completed by 3AM the next day. It%26#39;s a great bargain.

If you are staying longer in B%26#39;gdn, a car would be advisable. While there is public transport from B%26#39;gdn. to places like the Koenigsee, Obersalzberg(Kehlsteinhaus/eagle%26#39;s nest) and Salzburg, B%26#39;gdn is at the end of the train line, and other places like Hallstatt, Reit im Winkel are hard or impossible to get to by public transport from B%26#39;gdn.

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I%26#39;m not sure if you are looking for a 1-day trip to B%26#39;gdn or whether you are planning to stay in the region for a few days.

A day- trip by train is feasable, but kind of time consuming and probably tiring if you come directly from the US.

Look at www.bahn.de. for schedules. For departure, enter Muenchen Flughafen. If you are doing a day trip, get a Bayern Karte at the airport (Flughafen) station. You (and up to 4 people) can use it on weekdays after 9AM. Total trip must be completed by 3AM the next day. It%26#39;s a great bargain.

If you are staying longer in B%26#39;gdn, a car would be advisable. While there is public transport from B%26#39;gdn. to places like the Koenigsee, Obersalzberg(Kehlsteinhaus/eagle%26#39;s nest) and Salzburg, B%26#39;gdn is at the end of the train line, and other places like Hallstatt, Reit im Winkel are hard or impossible to get to by public transport from B%26#39;gdn.

Vienna to Switzerland via train

I am planning a trip from Vienna to Geneva ( or maybe another place in Switzerland) but would like to travel by train from one to the other. Has anybody travelled this route before, how much it is and how long it takes??

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hi..

I travelled to Vienna to Basel in Switzerland once. it takes a while. around 12 hours. but check www.oebb.at for details. Price should be about 150 Euro.

greets

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Hi, i am about to travel geneva to vienna. Just wondering how you ended up making the trip?

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For your information: the rail line over Arlberg (between the Swiss border and Innsbruck) has been destroyed by floods and not rebuilt yet. The trains are re-routed via Germany, it takes longer of course. Just look at www.sbb.ch and www.oebb.at for infos.

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Just to ad the good information just posted about the flood problems. The area west of landeck, in Austria, to the Swiss border is now being serviced by bus transfer if you go that way.

Or you detour via Germany. In each case the journey is much longer in time and more transfers are needed. Problems may still exist some places in Swiss too

Look for cheap flights- it may be easier for the near future but less scenic.

Geneva to Vienna

Wondering if anyone has any advise about this travel route. Is the train cheaper than a flight? And know of any companies flying this rourte? Thanks.

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Austrian Air flies direct--- Swiss air also flies with a stop in Zurich.

Prices are about 250-275 euros round trip. Not certain but I think that this is close to the train price or perhaps a little cheaper.

Check with your offices in Geneva- often special rates can be found.

Best Salzburger Nockerl?

Which Salzburg restaurant serves the BEST nockerl? Will be visiting in July. THANKS!

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Er, can%26#39;t say I%26#39;ve ingested a great many Nockerl (Nockerln?) in my time, but I did have one at the restaurant attached to the Hotel Elefant which was very nice. But we found it hard to move afterwards ... in July, you might prefer some good oldfashioned Austrian ice-cream!

But I can recommend the Elefant restaurant - I%26#39;ve always enjoyed the meals I%26#39;ve had there (eaten there about 3-4 times) and their desserts in particular are traditional in style and delicious (better than the Nockerl, IMO, was their warm tofpen strudel with vanilla sauce which I ate on a snowy day in November - delectable!) There%26#39;s always a swarm of local people eating there which I take to be a good sign, and the staff are very nice too.

Rol,. now feeling v. hungry.

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Salzburger Nockerln are delicious! I like the ones at st. peterskeller (supposedly the oldest restaurant in europe).

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If you realy want to enjoy Salzburger Nockerl - you must try it at the Glockenspiel Cafe on Getreidestrasse, Austria.

Remember to order the desert early, because it does take a little time to prepare this dish.

Of course it is best to eat the Nockerl on the balcony (weather permitting) and you might want to share it with a friend - it is a lot for one person to eat.

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We were just in Salzburg last month and the Glockenspiel Cafe was closed. We had great nockerls at the Sternbrau...actually had it twice there. YUM. Enjoy!

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Glockenspiel Cafe is being renovated.

Accomodation in Graz

I will be going to Graz Medical University for training from Okt to Dis 2005. I need a cheap apartment for 2 person attached with kitchen and bathroom. Anybody can help me.

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have a look at www.sws.or.at - go to %26quot;Zimmer%26quot;

good luck

barbara

Roley?

Are you on a very extended break in Wien or has your computer sunk somewhere? Your absence is missed. No, that%26#39;s not right, your presence is missed, your absence regretted!

Alice

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Yeah, extended Wien break and I%26#39;m just this minute back. The horror! I am ignoring the unpacking and screeching along to my Lustige Witwe cd ... I had nearly 3 weeks in Austria - Pertisau in the Tirol, Salzburg and finally Wien. Siiiigh! Lovely!

Of course have a trillion things to report ... Kletzenbrot and Tiroler Zelten are back in the shops hoorah! Sturm in all the cafes and the opera season is going full blast ... I went to a couple of things the best of which was deff. Zauberfloete at the SO - it was a real hoot and Milagros Poblador (sp?) was excellent as Queen of the Night. My travelling companion dragged me to a ballet which left me cold - a bit of ballet in an operetta is plenty for me! We also saw the German version of Sound of Music at the VO which was better than the film (!!) though the Maria had a very weird voice. But I preferred Lustige Witwe another night (different Danilo, more comic). We enjoyed refreshment at the Cafe Weimar after that lot! You must give the VO a go - they%26#39;re doing a new production of Zauberfloete too presently. Oh yes, and I had a blast touring the stables of the Spanish Riding School - they now literally turn you loose in there for 20 mins to gawp at the stallions and I was belting up and down asking for autographs (not!) They are so tiny in person. Also rather stout! but in a good way, you know. Muscle r.t. flab.

I had hot choc in the Grand Cafe - is that where you went? That was to recover after I had covered myself with shame by coughing my way out of the stehplaetze at the Musikverein. The musical toilet appears to be busted, it just makes constant flushing, gurgling noises at present. The shops are full of more luscious things than ever. I am going back in a month (a sort of hiccup in my bookings - don%26#39;t quite know how that came about!) and I can%26#39;t wait!

xr

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3 weeks in Oesterreich!! Envy, envy!!

What is Sturm in the cafes?

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Partly fermented grape juice. Produced only in the autumn following the grape harvest ... pretty toxic by the looks of it but the locals seem to love it! Me, I prefer the coffee ... slaver! But it%26#39;s a sign of the passing of the seasons I suppose ... it was odd, one day it was 26 and high summer, and I was gobbling ice outdoors at Oberlaa and then, whammo! Belting rain and 15 and Winter Is Officially Here. Away go the sunbrollies and pavement tables, everyone is inside guzzling Leberknoedelsuppe with their fur hats on (stylish!) Never a contrast like that in England where it gets steadily and imperceptibly colder and drearier ... it gives one a slightly hysterical feeling and like an agitated squirrel I found myself madly stockpiling Kletzenbrot and woolly garments.

Looking forward to Proper Winter in December, so I am!

xr

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Mmmmmh Sturm.

Was introduced to it on my first week in Austria by an %26quot;old hand%26quot; and never looked back. I prefer the red kind, though usually a white wine drinker.

Difficulties contacting the OEBB

I have been trying to purchase the discounted train tickets from Vienna to Budapest with no luck. First, my husband sent an email asking if we needed to call. After over a week, we decided to call. I tried two different numbers and basically, it hangs up each time. My husband tried as well and the same thing happened to him. First a man speaks, then we enter our selections, then there is music, and then it rings twice and hangs up. Does anyone have any suggestions?

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Have you tried booking using their online ticketing facility? I think the %26quot;Flexibel nach Europa%26quot; will do the Wien-Budapesth tickets, and you can print them out yourself after purchase. I%26#39;ve used this a lot for travelling within Austria and it works fine. You can do seat reservations like that too.

I avoid using the telephone where possible - my German%26#39;s not up to much!

r

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I believe that you can only book these discounted tickets by telephone at the ticket phone number ending in. 1717

Is this the number you called?

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Hi! Did you contact them at +43/5/1717, at which time?

oebb.at/vip8/…index.jsp

Normally it should not be a problem to book your tickets there! I only had the problem that sometimes I thought they %26quot;hang up%26quot; (no sound) but after some time somebody answered. Contact them between 7 am and 9.45 pm CET. The rail special at € 19 is only available in 2nd class.

Another possibility is to buy them online and print the tickets!

Go to:

https://ticket.oebb.at/bin/frame_ticket.pl…

Choose %26quot;Wien West - Budapest via Hegyes.%26quot;

Datum der Hinfahrt - Date of first journey

Datum der Rückfahrt - Date of journey back (If you want it one way, don%26#39;t enter a date)

Klasse - Class

Sitzplatz Reservierung - Reservation for seat ohne=none, mit=with (if you want one, have a look at the end of my message)

Reiseteilnehmer = People travelling

älter als 14=older than 14

Click on %26quot;Reiseteilnehmer hinzufügen%26quot; if you want to add a second passenger...

Ermäßigung - Reduction: KEINE=none

Zahlungsart: Mode of Payment

Click: Weiter im Bestellvorgang

---------------------------------------------------------------

Standardpreis in allen betroffenen Ländern = Standard fare in all affected countries (This ticket is available on all trains at the date you chose).

RailSpecial - the reduced fare, only valid on the train you choose. Hinfahrt=way to destination Rückfahrt=way back.

It only shows the trains where the RailSpecial fare is available.

Choose the train you want.

Kundendaten - Client%26#39;s data

Anrede/Titel = Mr/Ms/Dr....

Nachname = Surname

Vorname = First name

E-Mail = ENTER IT, then the ticket will also be sent to your e-mail account.

Zahlungsdaten - Data for payment

Kreditkarten-Nummer = Numer of your credit card

Gültig bis = valid to (Monat=month, Jahr=year)

Tarifbestimmungen:

Ich akzeptiere die Tarifbestimmungen und Geschäftsbedingungen der ÖBB=I accept terms%26amp;conditions of ÖBB

Click %26quot;Weiter im Bestellvorgang%26quot;

Bitte um etwas Geduld, die Überprüfung Ihrer Daten kann etwas Zeit in Anspruch nehmen = Please wait a moment, processing your data can take some time.

---------------------------------------------------------------

The next pays shows a summary. Bestellnummer=Order Number

Then you have 3 mins to click %26quot;Bestellen=Order%26quot; and your credit card will be charged. Wait a second and you will see your ticket, just print it. Your link which shows your ticket will also be sent to your e-mail-account. Mind that there%26#39;s no refund or changement possible for online-tickets.

If you want a seat reservation (which is € 3,40/person/oneway) you will have to choose:

Raucher/Nichtraucher = Smoker/Nonsmoker

Großraumwagen/Abteilwagen = coach car (4-4 seats) /compartment car (6 seats per compartment)

Fensterplatz (wenn möglich) = Window seat (if possible)

Choose the same connection you%26#39;ve chosen on top of the page by clicking %26quot;VERBINDUNG AUSWÄHLEN=choose Connection%26quot; vorherige=last connex. nächste=next connex.

So, now you%26#39;ve studied enough German, I don%26#39;t know why ÖBB is so stupid not to offer the booking dialog in English... but I hope that could help you. Just write another message if there are any questions. I often use the online-ticket and it%26#39;s very convenient, furthermore you save phoning fees.

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Thank you so much for your help! This is very useful to me and I don%26#39;t think I could have figured it out myself since I do not purchase from OEBB frequently. I did follow your directions but they only list dates through October 20 so I am going to check back next week since I need the tickets for November 11. I hope this does it!

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No problem, you%26#39;re welcome! Just wait, tickets for you date will be available later.

Berlin-New Years Eve Accommodation

Hoping somebody could help me? I%26#39;m looking for a hotel (double rooms priced 70-100 EUROS per night?) nr the Brandenburg Gate or just in the City East. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Cheers

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Perhaps you will receive a better response if you post on the Berlin Germany forum.

We have many beautiful sights in Vienna- But the Brandenburg Gate is not one of them.

visiting Vienna 25th - 28th November...any advice?

I will spend tree day in Vienna at the end of November with my boyfriend. I would like to get most out of the city so it%26#39;d be very helpful if you could provide me with some information on where to go, what to see, where to eat ect....

Also, i%26#39;m interested in tips on good shopping places :)

We have already booked a room at Hollmann Beletage, I hope that it was a good choice?

thank you in advance.

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Your hotel is a very small place , perhps one year old maximum( 8-10 rooms?) minimalist style-

looks very nice - a good location in the city denter near to restaurants, shopping and sight seeing.

The hotel is on a small street and is located on the first floor. You must look carefully for it. I think now , they have a small flag ouside the door as some probably could not find it!

for your other questions look to www.info.wien.at

This is a good official website that offers tips for shopping , food etc.

It also provides good information about public transport tickets.

After you review this and have further questions just post here.

Many posters here are regular visitors to Vienna and can provide good advice.

considering a tour with SMOLKA tour company.. any comments?

We are considering a tour with this company for our high school and we were just wondering if it%26#39;s a good company.

Please feel free to make any recommendations.

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This Tour Company is based in New Jersey USA. I do not know anything about it in Vienna.

As you know,recommendations by leaders of groups that have used their services is the best judge of services.

Travelling around Vienna

We are a family of 4 (children of 6 and 8) looking forward to a short break in Vienna between Monday 24th October and returneing evening of 26th.

Will be arriving at Vienna Internation and staying close to centre on Wahringer Strasse

Can anybody advise the best for of ticket to obtain to cover us for most Public Transport for the three days and a rough idea of cost (also... do you know if there is any discount for the kids)

Looking forward to your advice

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Sounds like your best bet would be a 72-hour travel card which covers the entire central-city zone except for the airport. That costs 12 euros for an adult (and i think it%26#39;s half price for children - is that right, genuine Vienna experts? :) That will cover all transport except your journey to and from the airport (and it sounds like it might be easier to get a taxi for that particular journey rather than marshall everyone and all your luggage thru the intricacies of public transport!) I think its possible to prebook airport transfers for about 25 euros in total which is cheaper than the ordinary taxi fare - this has been mentioned in previous discussions and perhaps one of the regulars could give you the information.

Waehringerstrasse is good for public transport - there%26#39;s loads of trams up and down there which are fun to use, as well as being fast and reliable!

r

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Roley gives you good advice.

Several airport transfer services provide Airport Arrival Hall to your destination for prices 23 -25 euros depending on the District you travel to in Vienna.

Airport Service-

www.airportservice.at

You can e- mail request and receive a confirmation.

For 4 peole this is not only the least expensive but also easiest way to transfer.

You are probably going to the 9th or perhaps 18th District- fares would be 23 euro to the 9th -- to the 18th 26.50

It would be normal to tip up to 10 %

The 72 hour card is probably best for city transport ( good on all bus, streecar and subway lines. Ticket is 12 euros. Children half price.

Children under 6 ride free. Children under 15 ride free on Sundays and Holidays.

You can buy tickets at %26quot; Tabaks%26quot; newspaper and cigarette store and in most subway stations- you will see a machine on the wall that sells tickets - just follow directiond.

Most major stations have ticket windows where you can buy tickets, get maps and advice.

Remember to validate tickets in the blue boxes provided as you enter all subways on in bus or streetcars.

for more info try www.wienerlinien.at for english click on British flag.

Most major tourist sights are near some form of public transport. It is clean , fast and safe.

As in any city, watch your wallet especially when riding at crowded periods.

Numerous streetcar lines run along Wahringerstrasse ( 37,38, 40,41 and 42) depending where you are on this street making an easy connection to the city center.

Enjoy your visit.

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Sorry forgot to add the following site for another airport taxi service

www.ck-airportservice.at

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Many thanks for your kind advice

Looking forward to a fun time in Vienna....................

Swiss Alps and Salzburg Area

We are going to Wengen for one week in September and one week to St Johann im Pongau - not far from Salzburg. We are wondering if it is better to get a car from Switzerland to Austria or to take the train. There are three of us and we are wondering what would be most cost effective.

Also, wondering what side trips or things to do you would recommend. We do love hiking, golf, shopping, sightseeing, wine and beer tasting etc!

Thanks.

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We will be traveling in June of next year and would love to hear how you do and where you would recommend going after you return from your trip! Have a wonderful time!

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While there be sure to visit Werfen...beautiful area and the castle is very neat...I think you may still be able to catch the Falconry show at 3:00 each afternoon.

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Check prices and convenience. In August, 4 of us are spending a week in Munich and a week in Interlaken. For us, it was about $175 per person for the train trip, plus 8 hours on the train. We decided it was worth renting a car for three days and do a little extra exploring. Not sure of the added gas costs yet, but it seems less expensive to rent a car and pay the one way destination charge. I used Autoeurope, they seem to be having the best deal.

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Everyone%26#39;s giving such good advice. Yes, AutoEurope is best. As long as you don%26#39;t go down into Italy or over into the former Eastern Countries, your weekly rental will be amazingly low.

Golfing - hmmmmmm, that%26#39;s tough. But there is a nice Golf course over near Berchtesgaden up on the %26quot;Obersalzburg%26quot; mountain.

Shopping . . . . Salzburg is the best. They are a wonderfully stylish people, the Austrians. You may even consider buying a piece of their %26quot;Tracht%26quot; clothing.

As for Beer tasting, try visiting the beer hall in the basement of the church which is on the %26quot;Old City%26quot; side of the river. With the river at your back, facing the fortress above you, head to your right up along the river. You%26#39;ll find the Augustinerbrau Beer celler. FRESH beer, served to your by Monks from wooden kegs. An absolute MUST if you%26#39;re going to be in Salzburg.

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As for how to get from Wengen to St. Johann ...

www.sbb.ch gives the following route:

Wengen-Lauterbrunnen (local train) - 7 minutes

Lauterbrunnen-Interlaken (local train) - 20 minutes

Interlaken-Zurich (InterCity) - 2 hrs, 5 minutes

Zurich-Salzburg (EuroCity) - 5 hrs, 40 minutes

Salzburg-St. Johann (local train) - 55 minutes.

Departure is at 0953, arrival 2100.

Now there%26#39;s probably an easier way to do this, which is to rent a car to get you to Zurich, then you have a little more choice of trains. There%26#39;s remarkably few Zurich-Salzburg expresses, but one leaves at 0940, arriving in Salzburg at 1529, which means a saner arrival time.

I%26#39;m not particularly clued-up on rental car prices but you might find that the cost goes up if you want to travel internationally, especially as Switzerland is not part of the European Union and Austria is.

I would suggest if that is the case that you consider renting a car in Switzerland to get you to Zurich, take the long train journey to Salzburg and then hire another car in Salzburg to get you to St. Johann.

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thank you all for your wonderful advice. We did decide to rent a car from Autoeurope in Zurich and keep it for the week - it was only a few more dollars to rent for the whole week rather than 3 days which we originally thought about doing. We will drop it off in Salzburg. FYI - The drop off fee was $250.00 .

Thanks for the tip about Italy. I knew the Eastern Europe countries would be more costly but I didn%26#39;t know that italy would be also when renting a car.

We are really excited about the trip and will let you know if I pick up any tips while there. Thanks.

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How long do you figure that it will take to drive from Interlaken or Zurich to Salzburg? Maybe I should consider that too, although I will have to do all the driving myself.

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%26quot;francetravel%26quot;

Good sources for driving directions/distance/time/cost are Michelin at: viamichelin.com/viamichelin/gbr/dyn/controll…

or map24 at: http://www.us.map24.com/

where to stay near airport?

Hi,

I am flying from Asia and , I will stop over in Vienna for long transit. Will arrived before 12 noon in Vienna and have to leave from Vienna%26#39;s airport in the next morning 10am.

This is the first time for me to visit Austria and I am solo female traveller . I don%26#39;t know where to stay ?

Can anyone advise me

1. is there a BnB or cheap hostel close to airport .

2. If I stay near to the airport, how can I visit the city?

I would like to see Danube River and the master piece of %26#39;Der Kuss%26#39; painting.

Would appreciate your halp very much.

Thanks.

Jane

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It is probably easier for you to stay at the airport Hotel ( NH Hotel) directly across the street from the Arrivals Hall.

However this may more costly than you want to spend as you look for a hostel or Pension ( none at the airport)

This location makes it easy for you to leave baggage assuing it is not %26quot; Checked Through%26quot; and makes for an easy Check-in in the morning.

The alternative id to look for accomodations in the city center

look to www,info.wien.at for good information onthe city, hotels etc.

look for a hotel with a postal code 1010 as this will be city center.

From the airport you can take a bus, train of taxi to city center.

The Cat Train is probably the easiest and fastest ( 16 minutes)

15- 16 euros round trip.

You find it in the lower level of the airport.

When you arrive at the city station %26quot; Wien Mitte%26quot; buy a 24 hour public transport ticket ( 5 euros)

Proceed to your hotel then sightseeing

Or if you are staying at the airport.

Take airport bus to Sudbahnhof - Buy round trip ticket from driver ( 12-14 euros? ) bus leaves every 20+- minutes from the front of the Arrivals Hall Trip takes about 25-30 minutes.

When you arrive at the Sudbahnhof- look for the entrance to the Palace Belvedere across the street and the Klimt paintings.

Walk in the nice gardens too.

After your visit to the Palace , walk back to the Sudbahnhof and before crossing the street find the Streetcar %26quot; D%26quot; Take the %26quot; D%26quot; to the Oper stop ( 10 minutes) walk down stairs to the Subway U-1 . Take the U-1 ( direction Kagran) to the Donau Insel stop ( The Danube) when you exit the station , you are directly on the river.

To return - just reverse this route.

If you have time walk a little in the city center look at the sights, perhaps eat something.

A quick trip - but you see what you wanted.

Travelling between budapest and vienna

We would like to travel from budapest to vienna and then vienna. What is the best way...train or car service? If train what is the best place to buy tickets...raileurope or is there some site or place better/cheaper?

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You can buy your ticket at the train station in Budapest.

Generally no need to reserve seats - 2nd class is OK.

Many trains daily.

If travelling 1-2 people trin is probably cheaper.

You may want to clarify your question as it appears you intend to travel onward after Vienna and perhaps did not type city?

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Hi! For a train timetable, have a look at http://fahrplan.oebb.at/bin/query.exe/en

From: Budapest

To: Vienna

You can buy your train tickets just before you go (often there%26#39;s a long queue at Budapest keleti pu, so be there in time. Train travel is something very usual in Europe, absolutely no need to book in advance, tickets can never be sold out and you will find many free seats on the trains. Do not book at raileurope... they are very expensive and, as I said, no need to book or buy in advance.

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Thanks for the info....yes i meant to write vienna to prague. Is it the same for that...go to the train station to get the ticket?

THanks so much for the input.

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Yes regarding your ticket for Prague. But check schedule - Vienna has several train stations- Prague trains leave from Westbahnhof, Sudbahnhof and Franz Josef Bahnhof.

The best route and shortest travel time is usually found on those trains leaving Sudbahnhof- 4-5 hours.

Stag Do October 27-29 HELP!

Hello I was wondering if anyone could help me?

I am organising my brothers stag do for 18 people at the end of October. Although I have bought a fair number of guide books etc, I am still unsure where to go.

Obviously the tourist sight seeing route is pretty mapped out, so I wuld like to know about some good clubs / bars we can visit that will accomodate a large group.

Ideally I would like to get in touch with some of the clubs before we arrive so that I can make sure that they will accept a larger group.

Any help on all matters of budapest would be much appreicated, if anyone has been on a stag do an itinary would be greatly recieved!

Cheers

Jon

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Are you looking for information on Budapest ?

Better results posting on that forum rather than Vienna.

If not reply here . Vienna has some good places to party!It is not all museums, palaces, and cafes.

Vienna Sight Seeing Tour review

We went to Budapest with Vienna Sight-Seeing Tour, and to Prague with Royal Tour.

We were very disappointed with Vienna Sight-Seeing Tour. There were only 7 of us in the tour. The tour was actually done by Euro Bus company. The bus company uses the same bus for the tour as well as for transporting bus passengers from Vienna to Budapest. The bus had to make a detour to Vienna airport to pick up more passengers.

Upon arriving Budapest, the bus made a detour to Budapest Euro Bus terminal to drop them off.

When returning, we had to wait another half an hour to pick up passengers at Budapest Euro Bus Terminal again and drop them off at Vienna Airport. They also use the same bus to transport light load cargo such as books., which means we had to wait for them to load. So we wasted about 2 hours for picking up and dropping off those bus passengers.

On the way to Vienna, we had a tour guide who did not provide much information, only pointed out the mountains and lakes to us. Once we arrived in Budapest, we had a local guide that was slightly better, but only spent a short time with us. The tour made 3 stops only: 1) Hero%26#39;s Sq. 2) one-hour lunch stop 3) Castle District for about 40minutes which is not enough. After that the tour guide left us shopping in down town for 2 hours. We did not stop at the most beautiful building in Budapest - the Parliment. The bus just drove by the parliment.

On the other hand, Royal Tour was excellent. Again there was 6 of us, but we went in a small Merc van. It was great, because the guide talked as he droved out the city. We received a Vienna city tour and Prague tour as well. His English was excellent and we really had a great tour with him. In fact, the other couple on our tour also tried both tour companies and hated the V. Sight-Seeing tour so much that they complained to the hotel staff. We are mad about getting rip off with this Vienna Sight-Seeing Tour company that we decided to post it on the internet so that others will not be ripped off as well.

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Funny but we are not sure how we liked Roysal tour to Salzberg.....to many stops along the way for coffee (where I think the guide got cheap/free food) not much time in the city not much information in the city and questionable facts (all alters face East toward Vienna...Columbus found America in 1429???).....it was maybe not the best option though it was in a van with an English speaking guide.

Salzburg for the Day

I will have a day, perhaps a night as well, to spend in Salzburg, just before New Years. Any %26quot;cant%26#39; miss this%26quot; things to do and/or can%26#39;t miss place to stay. Will be traveling w/ a 21, 19, and 16 year old, then, heading toward Zurich for a return to the U.S. Any other suggestions for things to do in the area would be appreciated. We are probably headed to Salzburg after having visited Budapest. I%26#39;ve been to Vienna and Innsbruck, but not Salzburg. Charlie

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The official Tourist Office website provides a good overview for sighseeing: http://www2.salzburg.info/sehenswertes.html

Highlights would be: Salzburg%26#39;s Cathedral, St. Peter%26#39;s church and cemetery, Hohensalzburg Fortress, Getreidegasse street, and the Easter in Salzburg and Christmas in Salzburg stores.

A traditional beer hall is the Augustiner Bräustübl Tavern located north of the old town towards the RR tracks: www.augustinerbier.at/pages/estuebl/index.htm

Air Berlin

Looks like I will have to cancel - further to my last post in July headed Air Berlin our much anticipated trip looks like it is in ruins. Air Berlin have just sent an email announcing that our flight on December 27th has been changed from 8am in the morning to 4pm in the afternoon. As our trip was only for 3 days this effectively robs us of the first day in Vienna and makes the cost of the hotel for 3 nights very expensive. I imagine we will be able to get a full refund on our flights but this is not the point I just cant believe it when we have organised this trip so far in advance. We only want to fly from Stansted anybody got any suggestions for alternative trips?

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Oh that is wretched! I hope they give you a refund - I cancelled an Air Berlin flight quite a way in advance and got most of my money back.

Have you considered the Ryanair flight to Bratislava and then connecting to Wien from there? But again it may take up so much time that it wastes too much of your short holiday.

As an alternative, how about Salzburg? That%26#39;s easily reached from Stansted and the flights are good - the early flight gets you there at 9.30 in the morning and then the journey to town is very quick so you get your maximum length for your first day. There is a late flight back to Stansted too, leaving after 9pm, which means you get maximum time on your last day. I took those flights when I spent 3 nights there in July and it meant I got 4 full days in Salzburg which was good.

I%26#39;d feel more confident of booking Ryanair far in advance too. When I booked Air Berlin to Wien they altered the schedules too - that time the arrival was only an hour later but it disrupted my onward-travel plans. It%26#39;s not much good for holidaymakers if you can%26#39;t count on arriving at the specified time!

r

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Hi Roley thanks so much for your post have just phoned Air berlin and they have agreed to cancell in full so can start again.The suggestion re Saltzburg is very helpful the times sound perfect and I must admit I did consider it at the time of booking Vienna but wondered if there would be enough to do for 3 days in Winter. Spent that amount of time in Prague last year and kept busy how big a place is it say in comparison to Oxford or Cambridge or is that a silly comparison?

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Not a silly comparison at all - I%26#39;d say the centre of Salzburg was about the size of the centre of Cambridge (not including the Grafton Centre!) so it%26#39;s easy to get round on foot. But of course Cambridge lacks the enormous fortress towering over the town (a great improvement on the colleges!) I think you would find plenty to do there in 3 days if it%26#39;s your first visit. The fortress is great fun and you can do an indoor tour through that as well as clambering round the outside admiring the views. The town is interesting to explore (good shops and great food on both sides of the river) and there are a couple of galleries which I think are quite good but Art Is Not My Thing so I can%26#39;t say for sure! Then you can also go a little further afield and visit Hellbrunn which is a palace-and-gardens complex like mini-Schoenbrunn (complete with zoo) There is the Landestheater in Salzburg which has plays and operetta and stuff on so you might catching something there during your stay (at that time of year, I%26#39;m guessing Fledermaus) And there will be other concerts and probably church music as well. If the weather was decent you could do one of the guided tours such as the Salzkammgergut or whatever took your fancy.

There%26#39;s unquestionably more indoor stuff to do in Wien at that time of year, it%26#39;s true, but Salzburg is charming and I think you%26#39;d have a good time. Also Wien is a bit boring apres Christmas i think - and the hotels cost a bomb because of the Silvester thing. And I wasn%26#39;t impressed with the concerts on offer this coming Christmas in Wien either - I was thinking about going for Silvester and ended up going the week before Christmas instead because there was a livelier range of music.

The only thing that might daunt me a bit about Salzburg is what if it tosses down snow? If that alarms you maybe you should head for warmer climes. I was there during a snowstorm and the airport was fully operational but oooh, I had chillblains fore and aft, it was fierce! (that was in late November, so who knows what weather you%26#39;d strike) But one tip - if you do decide to go to Salzburg, I%26#39;d opt for a very centrally placed hotel - that way if it does belt down snow, you don%26#39;t have to walk for miles to get home. I%26#39;m going again in November this year for the markets but I am staying at Hotel Elefant so it%26#39;s only a short totter to the central heating in the event of blizzard conditions!

Hope that helps!

r

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Hi Roley helps a lot thanks. It snowed continuously when we were in Prague last time so not daunted dy that it was just a good excuse to take brandy with my coffee several times a day. Saltzburg is sounding favourite at the moment but I wont ask any more questions yet as my partner has just thrown Edinburgh into the equation and must admit I am a bit drawn to visiting Loch Lomond on a hopefully gloomy day and of course a nice malt whisky with my coffee purely to keep warm again you understand

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In reading your post re: Air Berlin, it frightens me a bit as I have a flight from Vienna to Paris on Air Berlin in Sept. Are they notorius for cancelling and changing flights? Is there an alternative for us to return to Paris on the 23rd of Sept. as we have a flight home from Paris to the US on the 24th at 1:30.pm. Just need some assurance here......or suggestions.

thanks.

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I wouldn%26#39;t worry too much about it Debbie - in both Bunnyjack%26#39;s %26amp; my cases, the flights were booked enormously far in advance - six months plus - and the schedules probably weren%26#39;t finalized with airport landing slots or what have you at that time. I%26#39;ve heard good things about Air Berlin generally and don%26#39;t think they%26#39;re in the habit of changing schedules at the last minute, as it were. Plus there will be other airlines flying that route out of Vienna so even if there were a problem with the Air Berlin flight they can jolly well put you onto another flight with another carrier if need be. I once had that experience out of Vienna - my Austrian Airlines flight to London was overbooked so they just put the extra people onto a British Airways flight leaving about an hour later and didn%26#39;t charge them for it - in fact, gave them 80 euros compensation for the delay. So I%26#39;m sure you%26#39;ll be fine.

r

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Thanks for the response regarding Air Berlin. I too made these reservations months ago, so I think I will worry just a LITTLE. I will e/mail them with my concerns to make sure. They are usually pretty quick with a return e/mail. Thanks again. Debbie

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We just took a flight on AB from Zurich to Vienna and it was the best flight of the trip and the least expensive.

ps. I reserved back in March and the times/dates never changed

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We just returned from our trip to France, Switzerland and Austria. I asked the Concierge in our Hotel to confirm the flight for me and everything was in order. The only problem at the Vienna Airport was returning the car and having to walk, with all our luggage from Hertz to the check in counters. Other than that, and the fact that we had to be bussed to the plane.....it was fine, on time, cheap, and with no problems. I guess sometimes there are glitches, as with anything. But I consider ourselves lucky with respect to Air Berlin.

What happened to the U5?

Hey, since there now seem to be a bunch of Viennese folks in these forums, how come there%26#39;s no U5 line?

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don%26#39;t know - just ask the viennese city planning office.

the u6 was the former %26quot;Vorortelinie%26quot; (translated does that mean, that this is a %26quot;train%26quot; for the suburbs). and why they called it u6 - really don%26#39;t know it. maybe there are some others who know it.

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While the Vienna Transport System works very well and allows travel to almost every part of the city easily, its planning has been a governmental nightmare.

Plans have regularly been drafted, porposed, redone and rejected again and again. I believe that the engineers spent too much time drinking wine and not thinking about work

Several plans had a line U-5, proposed- never built.

The line U-6 did not need to be constructed, except for recent extensions, as it follows the tracks of a steam train line that existed from the time of the Emperor. It, thus was an easy project, which was still %26quot; messed Up%26quot;

You wil note that the cars used on the U-6 line are completely different than those on all other U-bahn lines.

They must be as the %26quot; guage %26quot; or width of the wheel base of cars for this line is different

None of the idiots ,in charge recognized this until it was too late.

Not to be %26quot; Out Idioted%26quot; by former planners, recent additions of many cars( they are white and lower to the platform) proved too much for the engineering wizards, as they ordered cars too wide and that would hit the station platforms.

This skandal was fixed by trimming the station platforms to allow new cars to be useable.

Other examples of flawed planning exists on the street cars lines too.

Several lines were relocated underground in some places. This part of anothe rgrand plan.

This too fell victim to new plans and this concept was abandoned.

Ride lines #62 and 65 to see this marvel of poor planning.

Yet, some how the system is made to work by those who perhaps did not learn everything from a book and had no concept of the Real World.

Long explanation- but old history- some day , we get a U-5.

Now, we just get extensions to U-i and 2.

Buy many transport tickets while here, they need the money

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Thanks for the history lesson about the U-bahn. One of my favorite aspects about visiting my brother in New York is exploring the history of the subways there.

I am sorry about the government foul-up of your U-bahn system. To see a really splendid job of a government ruining a subway system, please visit Washington DC soon. Or if you%26#39;d like to experience a billions-overpriced tram system, may I suggest Los Angeles.

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Now we know where the planners emigated !

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Whatever the mistakes in planning, Vienna%26#39;s transport system is still the best I%26#39;ve ever used, anywhere...

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Whatever the mistakes in planning, Vienna%26#39;s transport system is still the best I%26#39;ve ever used, anywhere...

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Not to go off-topic here, and we can discuss the Washington, DC Metro in another forum, but I do want to point out %26quot;for the record%26quot; that the current problems with that system are not so much with the government agency that runs it (although that agency is far from blameless), but with the elected state and local governmental bodies that are responsible for fundiing it, and who seem to think that -- like refrigerators -- once built a railroad will operate forever without maintenance, much less replacement of worn-out machinery. And this is not even to mention those elected officials%26#39; apparent inability to fathom that more people using the system requires the purchase of more cars to carry them. And of course the current federal Administration (and past ones, for that matter) does not seem to think that just because it is the employer of the great majority of Metro users, it has any serious responsibility for funding either operations, maintenance, or infrastructure.

But we digress.

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hoftraveler, your point is well taken, but I was not going to sit by and listen to the Viennese say that their trains were worse than ours. Americans can take pride in the mediocrity of their mass transit, especially in Washington, DC, the second-most likely city in the country to be visited by foreign tourists!

While we%26#39;re digressing, does the subway go to Georgetown yet?

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To ttlms:

You did not read my post carefully- I did not say our system was worse- My comments were made regarding the planning of the system not the operations. Those comments were in answer to your question.

In, fact, I commented that it was good and provided service to most parts of the city. I would suggest that you read posts more carefully in the future.

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Umm ... okay.

There is an American phrase, tongue in cheek. I was really joking in my last posts. Everything I hear about Vienna%26#39;s subway is that it%26#39;s the best in Europe. If it%26#39;s better than Paris%26#39;s that%26#39;s very good indeed.

Good attractions in Vienna

Looking for two good places (area attractions) in Vienna.

Also would like to know how to get tickets for the Boys Choir?

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For the Boys Choir, try

www.viennaticketoffice.com

I%26#39;m not sure what you mean by your first question though - can you give a bit more detail of what you are looking for?

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Vienna is a good walking city, with tons of attractions in the central area of town, and a trolley goes around the city center on the %26quot;Ring Street%26quot;, with more attractions immediately outside the ring. Plenty of museums with everything from art to natural history, churches, flea markets, delicious cafe%26#39;s and the atmosphere and architecture are great. Do you have only a short time in town? There are also interesting attractions a short subway ride out of town, such as the Prater amusement partk, and the Schonbrunn Palace, along with river cruises. Have a wonderful trip!

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I second the motion about the trams around the ring. Take the 1 or 2 trams, which are circular routes, and you will see a lot of the standard sights, either close up or at a short distance.

If you are asking for two specific attractions that are unique to Vienna, one has to be the Stephansdom. For the other, there might be more choices, but I would choose Schloss Schönbrunn, which is not in the center of town but is certainly easily reachable by subway.

getting between train stations

We are traveling from Prague to Salzburg via Vienna. The train from Prague arrives at Sudbanhof and the train to Salzburg leaves from Westbanhof. How should be get between and how long should we allow for this?

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I hope you know that going via Vienna is a detour. Prague-Ceske Budejovice-Linz-Salzburg is the direct way and you don%26#39;t need to change train stations.

The way to go between Südbahnhof and Westbahnhof is tram 18 which needs 17 mins from Süd to Westbahnhof. (+ about 10 mins at each station for changing from/to trains). Mind that you need to get a seperate tram ticket! (€ 2,00 from the ticket machine behind the driver, € 1,50 from tabac-stores, ticket machines, newsagents).

Why don%26#39;t you go via Ceske Budejovice and Linz?

Go to http://fahrplan.oebb.at/bin/query.exe/en

FROM: Prague

TO: Salzburg

If you want to go via Vienna, click %26quot;VIA%26quot; and enter Vienna!

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If you decide to go this route-

it is an easy transfer from Sudbahnhof to Westbahnhof.

Exit the train station by main entrance cross the street to streetcar stop for the #18 direction Westbahnhof streetcar #18- takes you directly to Westbahnhof 15 - 20 minutes time

no transfers. the #18 will stop in front of the Westbahnhof. easy access to train in 5 minutes after leaving streetcar.

Ticket can be purchased in the automatic machines in the train station cost 1.50 euros.

When you enter streetcar- validate ticket in the blur machine near the door.

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You could also take a local train bounding for %26#39;Hütteldorf%26#39;, where almost all westbound trains (except EC and ICE) call. Make sure if your trains is believed to make a stop there.

As already mentioned before, taking tram #18 would be the most convenient choice because no transfer is necessary and you can see some spots of Vienna.

Christmas Recommendations in Austria- suggestions...

Hi,

we are two brits recently married and going to be having our first christmas together. As our respective children are grown and left home we tought it would be great to go somewhere where there would be snow and a real christmassy atmosphere. From what I have read, Austria seems ideal. We both have skied in the past but not sure how we would get on now so are looking for somewhere with a variety of things to do in case we dont ski too much. We would be staying for about 10 days. Any recommendations, particulalry in regard to hotels would be greatly appreciated. Does anyone recommend anywhere really full of Christmas Spirit and a hotel to match?

Thanks to all who may reply K %26amp; B

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The Christmas Holiday time is very busy and expensive in the mountain resorts, but a fantastic experience. The hotels usually have festive activities planned and gala evening dinners.

Some recommendations depend on your method of transport and where you might arrive in Austria.

Assuming you fly - numerous good connections

If Innsbruck arrival

look to Neustift about 20 km south of innsbruck. A nice ski village with easy access to Innsbruck for more variety if you want.

look to Hotel Jagdhof

www.hotel-jagdhof.at

a 4 star hotel- nicely decorated- excelent food - nice pool.

Berwang

A very small village - romantic - access from Innsbruck or Munich but a greter distance.

Hotel Singer

www.hotelsinger.at

Superb hotel and food - The Singer family does much to make a visit special - good wine cellar.

Less to do in town but Ludwig castles- Garmisch nearby

car is a good thing to have.

If flying to Salzburg

Zell Am Zee or Saalbach

both festive ski villages within an hour south of Salzburg

Numerous good hotels - look at the town web sites and info here on Trip advisor

Kitzbuhel is also good but often has not much snow due to lower elevation.

Hopes this lets you begin to look at the possibilities

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Thank you for your very useful reply, it will help loads I am sure

K %26amp; B

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A posting on your other thread reminded me of another area just east of Innsbruck and easily accessible by car, train or bus from Innsbruck- The Zillertal ( Ziller Valley)

Theresa Hotel in Zellam Ziller- in the middle of the valley- many ski possibilities-

Very nice family owned and managed hotel with excelent food and many festive things from torch light walks to sleigh rides etc, I have stayed in this hotel numerous times and have been very satisfied.

www.theresa.at

Easy day trip to Innsbruck or Salzburg Munich.

first trip to European country, need your advice

Hi we are from Asia and we (two girls) are going to our first trip to Europe in mid Oct. Need your advices:

anyone knows any hotel/pension near Sudhahnhof train station which is less expensive, safe also easily to get to from international airport. our next stop is Czech then Salzburg, Graz and back to Vienna.

can we see those beautiful Autumn red leaves at that time? and should we bring a heavy coat? we have no idea how cold it is then.

Thank you

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The most convenient hotel for you is probably the Hotel Prinz Eugen, Wiedner Gurtel 14.

This hotel ia across the street from the Sudbahnhof ( South Train Station) You will get the train to Czech from there.

It is an easy trip from the airport by the regular transfer bus you will find just outside the Arrival Hall. Several different busses leave from there. Be certain to get the one %26quot; Sudbahnhof%26quot;

The hotel is across the street from the Sudbahnhof - a 2 minute walk.

It is near to public transport ( Subway U-1 and streetcars D and 18 to make easy connections to many tourist sights,

Nearby is the Palace Belvedere- a place you should see!

website

www.hotelprinzeugen.at

It is less expensive than the best hotels and fits your needs as an easy place to get to from the airport and convenient to the trains.

Ask for a room at the back of the hotel with a view of the city.

Good breakfast too!

Look at reviews on trip advisor

You should not need a heavy coat in October- temperatures generally 10-15 grad.

Take a walk in the many parks to look at the leaves, especially around the Ring and at Palace Schonbrunn.

Night at the Opera

My daughter and I hope to visit Vienna next June to go to the State Opera House. Can anyone recommend a good Hotel which is a stones throw from this venue? Don%26#39;t like walking far in the dark!

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Vienna is a safe city and it is no problem to walk in the city center after dark.

The hotels Bristol and Sacher are across the street from the State Opera. These are 5 star property with a high price.

Nearby on the Ring- 1-2 minutes walk are the Hotel am Opernring www.opernring.at and also the Le Meridien ( often with special offers.

Another nice, small and quiet place very close is the Zur Wiener

Staatsoper.

You can find rates and more information on the Trip Advisor site.

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I stayed (and will again in December) at the Pension Suzanne on Walfischgasse, about 3 minutes walk from the opera house.

It is by no means fancy, has no bar or restaurant; but the rooms are comfortable, the breakfast is fine, the staff are friendly and the rates are about 74 euros for a single.

If a luxurious hotel is part of your holiday, Suzanne isn%26#39;t the one! but if you need some place warm and comfortable to sleep in a stunningly central location, it is!

And yes, although it%26#39;s hard for us in the UK to imagine, Vienna feels incredibly safe to walk around, day or night!

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You%26#39;ll find that Vienna is surprisingly busy once you leave the Opera...and certainly well lit! I have stayed in three separate hotels in Vienna over the years but the one I keep returnng to is the Konig von Ungarn. Excellent location, goos food, delightful atmosphere - just look at the reviews! The Imperial or Sacher would be an obvious treat, go for Le Meridien if you like a trendy modernist style of hotel.

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Another vote in favour of Vienna%26#39;s safety - I have no problem walking alone after dark in the centre, and the transport like trams and Ubahn is also fine to use at that time. There are loads of people about and the central city is very small (about 3/4 mile across) so distances aren%26#39;t huge.

My favourite hotel is Pension Pertschy which is about a 15 minute dawdle from the Opera (and very close the Hofburg). It%26#39;s mid-range in price (about 87 euros for a single) and is always very consistent with good service. It has a fridge in the room which is invaluable in June! The Pertschy family have a number of other pensions around the centre of Vienna too. Their website is www.pertschy.com

rol

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It%26#39;s also very safe in the subway stations IMHO, and the Karlsplatz subway station will take you right to the Staatsoper if you take the correct staircase out of the station. The Karlsplatz is supposed to be the most unsavory station but it%26#39;s nothing if you%26#39;ve ever waited for the A train at Times Square late at night.

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I should clarify my previous post: some travel guides mention Karlsplatz as a bit scary, but I think they%26#39;re wrong. Every time I was there (which was often) it was very crowded, usually with people going to the Opera or even the Musikverein. There is nothing wrong with that station.

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Message ttlms: Regarding the Karlsplatz- Oper U-bahn station

You probably only use the Oper entrance to this station. The other entrance -exit Karlsplatz and corridors nearby have in the past been infested by some people that could spread fear in people.

Prior posters are correct regarding the problem in this area.

It is bad enough that the City of Vienna and the Transport system are now in the process of a large improvement project in this area both in the subway and park area.

This , hopefully will eliminate this problem.

The Oper exits to the Ring and Opera have always been very safe and clean.

Many visitors only see this area and not the other end that had the trouble.

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Well, I actually did a lot of exploring at Karlsplatz, including going to the exit for the Secession and so on. Not late at night though. On the other hand someone who is going to the Opera will only be in that part of the station too, right? :)

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Not really, if you are taking U-1 and exit to the Opera you are not near this area.

Even traveling by U-4 and /or connecting to U-1 or exiting to the Opera you do not really see too much.

The Karlsplatz area has a police station located in it for good reason.

Due to all the complaints received , the city was forced to renovate the entire area including the park to hopefully eliminate this problem.

If the problem did not exist , they would not be spending these considerable sums.

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I only used the Karlsplatz station by day (had no need by night, I could walk to the opera in 3 minutes from my hotel).

I can only speak for myself when I say that I think what strikes me as a British person, used to yobbish behaviour in the streets by day, never mind by night, is that, in spite of the undoubted problems of night time at Karlsplatz, it still feels safer than many parts of England. I don%26#39;t doubt for a minute that there is a real issue at the station and I applaud the Viennese authority%26#39;s zero-tolerance of such anti-social behaviour.

Attractions in Upper Austria

We%26#39;re visintg Gmunden soon to take advantage of the low fares from UK with Ryanair. There%26#39;s a fairly easy train journey from Linz to Gmunden - has anyone tried that ?

We will probably visit Salzburg, St Wolfgang, Bag Ischl. Are there any other things you would recommend ?

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Hi! Linz to Gmunden is absolutely no problem! Just get on the bus 601 (to Linz Europaplatz) at the airport. Get off at the main railway station (Hauptbahnhof) where you can easily change to a train. You can get the ticket straight away from the bus driver, just tell him %26quot;nach Gmunden über Attnang%26quot;. The ticket is valid on all means of public transport, 2nd class.

In Gmunden, there is a tram waiting in front of the railway station that brings you directly to the centre, the ticket should also include this tram. (some say it%26#39;s the smallest tram in the world). There are also taxis available. Have a look at http://fahrplan.oebb.at/bin/query.exe/en

From: LNZ

To: Gmunden Franz Joseph Platz ...(that%26#39;s in the centre of town)

Salzburg, St. Wolfgang and Bad Ischl sounds good. I can also recommend you Hallstatt, which is a small village between steep mountains and lake Hallstatt. If you go there, don%26#39;t forget to visit the %26quot;Gebeinhaus%26quot; next to the catholic church (the one higher than the evangelic)... Have a look at www.tiscover.at/hallstatt (English version link on top).

If you want to go there by public transport, I%26#39;d recommend you to go by train from Gmunden to Hallstatt (you should get a ticket for this from the tram driver, if not, get it at the rail station.) If rail stations don%26#39;t have a ticket window or a self-service machine, you can get tickets from the conductor (and for a small fee also if you don%26#39;t have time to buy tickets before). From Hallstatt rail station to the village, you have to cross lake Hallstatt on a boat which leaves some minutes after the train has arrived. Single fare of the ship is € 1,90, mind that the last ship leaves Hallstatt at 17.50. If you don%26#39;t want to go by ship, there%26#39;s also a bus service available, just enter the details in the timetable link...

Hallstatt also has a salt mine... tiscover.at/at/…intern.html

Hope that I could help you a little bit!

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Adding to what Robbie said, after my trip.

The trains and buses worked well and we met a number of people from USA and other countries travelling the same way.

Trains run at least once every hour on each line. They are not all on time but they hold the connections for you so although we travelled on several late trains we never missed a connection.

The bus from Linz airport to Linz rail station runs every hour on the hour ON WEEKDAYS. Another time, we%26#39;d take a taxi here to give us more time to get rail tickets. We didn%26#39;t manage the trick of booking the train ride on the bus, but we did book a train/bus ticket at the train station one day. There are various discounts available and the ticket man usually sorts all that out for you and issues the cheapest ticket. The connections as noted above a usually held until you get there, note you usually have about 5 minutes to make it.

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I know it%26#39;s stupid, but the airport bus only runs on Mon-Sat hourly, on Sunday there%26#39;s only one ride (to and from the RyanAir flight to London).