+ 7 basics +
Some basic facts about Vienna!
History
Although Vienna has quite a long one (it started as a Roman fort called Vindobona), it took some time until it became a place of some importance. The Habsburgs ruled it from the beginning of the 13th century, but they only used it as their capital city sporadically. Vienna’s golden age was during the reign of Emperor Franz Josef I from 1848 until 1916 (that’s right – 68 years!). The Ring Road and many of the adjacent edifices date from those days. The population rose to over two million, many of whom were immigrants from all over the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Between the wars, the city became known as „Red Vienna“ while the rest of Austria became fascist, finally welcoming Hitler’s „invasion“ enthusiastically in 1938. After the war, Vienna was (like Berlin) a divided city under allied occupation, which ended 1955 and in a remote corner of the western world just a few miles west of the iron curtain. The city became the centre of its own universe, extracting its identity from the grand epochs while nonchalantly ignoring the not-so gleamy thirties and forties... In 1989, the iron curtain received a treat with the bolt-cutter; Vienna, again in the middle of the action, was subsequently kick-started into motion. Today, the city is (yet again) a gateway to the east. There is a lot of fun in this beautiful, peaceful city and the locals are a pleasant wacky bunch!
Orientation
Vienna is divided into 23 districts, with district number 1 (the old town) being inside the Ring Road, 2-9 are numbered clockwise around it and 10-23 are outside the traffic-clogged "Gürtel" (literally "belt"). You will find the district number in all addresses and street signs (e.g. "15., Grangasse 6" means "district 15, Grangasse, house number 6").
Transport
A single ride costs € 1.80, but you better buy a 24 hour ticket (€ 5.70), or a 72 hour ticket (€ 13.60). Get these from a vending machine or in a tobacco shop. Stamp them before the first use.
check www.wienerlinien.at
Back home after a booze cruise
The last U3 arrives at Westbahnhof at 0:48. After that, there are night buses. The major nightbus hub is in front of the Opera. Line N49 brings you back to Westbahnhof from there every 30 minutes between 1:02 and 5:02. Line N64 picks you up from anywhere north of Westbahnhof on the Gürtel (Chelsea, B72, Stadtbahnbögen).
- short-term parking zones (blue)
Parking Situation
In and around the city centre you have to display a parking ticket, which you can buy at tobacco shops. Since parking space is very scarce, we recommend not to use your car in Vienna, but public transport. In our district parking is still free, with the exception of Mariahilferstraße (the main road) and a few side streets – watch out carefully for traffic signs marking short-term parking zones though! In case you can’t figure them out please ask at the reception. It is absolutely safe to park your car in the street. We have elected all our thieves into government, where they only steal from taxpayers.
Eurolines
Cheap bus transfer between european cities.
In 65 mins from Vienna to Bratislava for € 6.00 (one way).
Opening hours daily 6.30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
wienXtra - Information for Young People
Mon-Sat 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
wienXtra-jugendinfo is a service institution for young people aged 13 to 26. They provide information and advice to young people on all issues that interest and affect them. They also sell discount tickets for concerts and special events.