Despite its monarchically prodigious cities, alpine villages at the foot of gondola peaks and enchanting lakeside hangouts, you don't need pockets as deep as an emperor to enjoy it. Austria.
Much like its Western European neighbors, Austria is far from a restricted destination. But public transport is inexpensive, guest cards bundle an impressive amount of discounts, you can wander to awe-inspiring sights and climb all the mountains without spending a dime, and the street food balances out the schnitzel madness.
Here's how to stretch your budget even further when visiting Austria.
Daily costs
- Dormitory bed in a hostel: €30
- Basic hotel room for two: €100
- Daily pass on public transport: €8
- City map, 24 hours: €70
- Entrance to the museum: €15
- Cup of coffee: €4.50
- Three-course restaurant dinner for two: €80
- A glass of Austrian wine: €4
- A pint of beer at the bar: €4
- Average daily cost: €150
Fly to Vienna for the best choice of economical airfares
While Salzburg, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt And Graz have airports, Vienna The international airport is the largest in Austria and serves more flights from budget airlines such as Ryanair, Wizz Air and Eurowings.
Travel during shoulder seasons for cheaper room rates
The winter (December to April) and summer (June to August) ski season are the busiest times to visit Austria. During spring and fall (May and September to November), you'll be more likely to find better priced rooms, get tickets on popular transportation routes, and find fewer crowds to make the most of your time in museums and others. major sites.
Book your train tickets in advance to travel at a lower cost
The cheapest way to travel in Austria is to purchase train tickets in advance. Save half or more off the price of a standard ticket by booking a fixed departure time Sparschiene ticket with national rail operator ÖBB. But before booking, compare prices with those of private train operators. West Station, which connects Vienna to Salzburg, Innsbruck and Bregenz with super economical and flexible tickets. And, depending on your plans, ask yourself if a Eurail Pass Austria – which starts at €144 for three days – could be more cost-effective.
Learn more: Everything you need to know about traveling to Austria
Get a 24-hour pass for unlimited public transportation
In big cities, a single trip on public transport can cost as little as €2.40, but don't pay as you go if you plan to travel several times in a day; you'll save money with a 24-hour pass, which costs less than €10.
Plan your days – a city tourist pass could save you money
Palaces, museum complexes and tantalizing day trips: traveling on a budget shouldn't mean having to limit yourself to just one highlight per day. Depending on your plans, you could save money with the city's sightseeing passes in 24, 48 or 72 hour variants, which include public transport and discounts on attractions.
THE Vienna City Card includes a 20% discount on participating hotels and restaurants.
You will get the Welcome card to Innsbruck with a two-night stay at partner hotels and includes weekly guided hikes and e-bike tours
THE Graz map adds free trips on the Schlossbergbahn and Schlossberglift, plus a tour of the Old Town.
THE Map Linz offers free entry to the museum, a €10 voucher redeemable for concerts and river cruises and jumping into a trundle bed on the Pöstlingbergbahn mountain tram.
THE Salzburg map represents the best quality/price ratio. It offers one night's accommodation and free entry to all the city's tourist attractions and museums that you can visit.
Book at partner hotels with regional discount cards
If you're traveling regionally, you can look for guest cards that offer unlimited transportation, entry discounts, and access to outdoor activities.
If you book a room in a partner hotel in TyrolVorarlberg, Land of SalzburgUpper Austria and Burgenland and you will receive a free card upon check-in.
In areas without links to partner hotels, you can purchase regional economy cards, such as Carinthia (Map Carinthia), Styria (Steiermark map) and Lower Austria (Lower Austria-CARD),
Look for attractions that cost nothing (nature is free)
The old towns protected by UNESCO are open-air museums and the landscaped gardens of opulent mansions, including those of Schönbrunn And Belvedere in Vienna and Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg – are enchantments accessible to the public. Beyond the gilded halls, several film and music events across the country do not require a ticket, including the one in Vienna. Summer Night Concert at Schönbrunn Palace (June), the Vienna Film Festival (June to September) and the Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg Sunday promenade concerts (from May to August).
For the ultimate in budget-friendly exploration, skip the cable car ticket and choose a hiking route to valley and vineyard peaks. And if you're not looking for a place on one of Austria's swimming lakes, swim in Vienna's Alte Donau or Salzburg's Almkanal, instead of the paid lidos.
Visit museums for free
Ticket prices to see all of Vienna's art and heritage add up quickly, but more than a million objects are on display for free at the Vienna Museum Karlsplatz, giving you a taste of the city's millennium of history. Admission is also free every first Sunday of the month from Villa Hermes (former escape of Empress Elisabeth, wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I) in the Lainzer Tiergartenthe loaded artifact Roman Museum (Roman Museum) and six houses that once housed the composers Beethoven, Haydn, Schubert and Strauss.
Maximize your ticket value at Evening Open Days – Vienna Vienna Art Museum And Leopold Museum are open until 9 p.m. on Thursday; THE Natural History Museum until 8 p.m. Wednesday; and that of Salzburg Modern Art Museum remains open until 8 p.m. on Thursdays.
Across Austria, for one night in October, the Long Night of Museums offers the opportunity to visit as many museums as you want from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. for the price of a single ticket of €15.
Look for discounts for children, students and over 60s
From transportation to theater shows, museums to ski lift passes, showing the correct ID can get you free or discounted entry.
Join free walking tours and hospitality programs
Take walking tours with locals who will give you “tips” about their city. Vienna offers nine free tours to choose. Discover the first free walking tour in Salzburg And The Innsbruck greeter network. Or guide yourself through the splendor of Austria with apps like GPSMYCITYwhich currently covers 13 destinations in the country.
Have breakfast in a bakery and not at your hotel
Replace expensive continental breakfasts with bakeries offering tasty breads, pastries and coffee. Ströck, Anker and Der Mann are freshly baked chains and the neighborhoods are dotted with independent bakeries.
Scour supermarkets for end-of-day deals
Whether in a Dorf (village) or a City (city), you will find a supermarket like Billa, Spar, Hofer or MPREIS to quickly stock up on the road or for a cheap feast at home. For farm-fresh produce, browse tempting markets like Naschmarkt And Brunnen Market in Vienna, Kaiser Josef Market in Graz, and the Halls in Innsbruck.
Download the Too Good to Leave app and pick up last-minute food bundles from grocery stores, supermarkets, bakeries and takeaways. Some generous goodie bags cost less than €5.
Snack on street food
A rite of passage in Vienna, but also found in other cities, the typical stop for a late night snack Würstel stand (sausage stand), this is where you can get a Pan (a sausage stuffed with small cubes of cheese) and a beer for less than €10. Thanks to the multicultural crossover, kebab and shawarma vendors abound, as well as Balkan street food like Bosnia (hot dog) and cevapčići (grilled meat).
Bring a reusable water bottle
Stay hydrated with the purest water straight from the mountains. Vienna's 1,300 water fountains bring fresh spring water from the Lower Austrian Alps of Styria to the streets, and 27 of Salzburg's 49 water fountains flow with the mountain spring elixir nicknamed “Champagne Untersberg.” In Austria, all tap water is drinkable thanks to its alpine freshness. This is why coffee and Spray (wine and sparkling water) taste so good here.
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