In Vienna, there are several tourist cards on sale with quite similar names but completely different contents.

Some act as a package of tickets for attractions, whilst others provide public transport and small discounts.

The most important difference: the Vienna PASS and Vienna FLEXI Pass include admission to selected attractions. The Vienna City Card and Vienna Welcome Card do not offer any standard free admission – they include public transport and discounts.

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In our view, the best choice usually works out like this:

• The Vienna FLEXI Pass for 3 to 5 more expensive attractions without having to rush from morning till night
• The Vienna PASS for a packed itinerary, especially if you also want to use the hop-on hop-off buses
• The Vienna City Card for public transport, families with a child under 15, and a selection of pre-selected discounts
• The Vienna Welcome Card as a slightly cheaper alternative to the City Card, if you don’t mind the compulsory mobile app
• Individual tickets and a standard public transport pass for a more relaxed visit with one or two paid attractions

A quick comparison of tourist cards in Vienna

Card	What’s included	Public transport	Price
Vienna PASS	Entry to 90 attractions and hop-on hop-off	No	1, 2, 3 or 6 days for 109 to 199 eur
Vienna FLEXI Pass	2 to 8 selected attractions	No	59 to 149 eur
Vienna City Card	Public transport and discounts at over 200 partner venues	Yes	24 hours to 7 days for 19 to 39 eur
Vienna Welcome Card	Public transport and discounts at up to 100 partner organisations	Yes	24 hours to 7 days from 16,90 eur
Vienna E-pass	Entry to over 55 attractions and the Big Bus	No	1 to 4 days for 115 to 189 eur
EasyCityPass / QueerCityPass	Public transport and discounts at over 80 partner venues	Yes	24 hours to 7 days for 17.90 to 39,90 eur

Vienna PASS vs. Vienna City Card

These two cards are most often confused, yet they cannot be used in the same way.

The Vienna PASS is a sightseeing card. During its validity period, you can visit each included attraction once and travel unlimitedly on hop-on hop-off tourist buses. Regular underground, trams and buses are not included in the price.

The Vienna City Card is primarily a public transport pass supplemented with discounts. You won’t get free entry to Schönbrunn, the zoo, the Albertina or the Belvedere. You’ll simply pay a little less at the ticket office.

If you want to visit several of the more expensive museums and sights over two or three days, compare the Vienna PASS and the FLEXI Pass. If your main priority is to get around the city comfortably, compare the Vienna City Card, the Vienna Welcome Card and standard public transport tickets in Vienna.

Vienna PASS

The Vienna PASS is the most comprehensive tourist card in Vienna. It includes one-off entry to up to 90 monuments, museums and other attractions, as well as unlimited use of Vienna Sightseeing Tours buses.

What’s included in the Vienna PASS

Some of the most interesting places included are, for example:

• The State Apartments at Schönbrunn Palace
• Schönbrunn Zoo
• Upper and Lower Belvedere
• The Albertina
• The Museumof Art History and the Natural History Museum
• The Sisi Museum and the Imperial Apartments at the Hofburg
• Imperial Treasury
• The giant Ferris wheel in the Prater
• Danube Tower
• Tour of the Vienna State Opera
• The Prunksaal at the Austrian National Library
• unlimited travel on hop-on hop-off buses for the entire validity period

Always check the official Vienna PASS website for the latest list. The offer is subject to change and some seasonal attractions are not open all year round.

What the Vienna PASS does not include

• regular underground, trams, city buses and S-Bahn trains
• travel from the airport to the city centre
• repeat entry to the same attraction
• automatic skip-the-queue access
• the full Palace Ticket at Schönbrunn

Be sure to check Schönbrunn carefully. The card includes the shorter ‘State Apartments’ tour worth 30 eur, not the full Palace Ticket.

You must book your visit in advance free of charge, and for the extended tour you can pay an additional fee of approximately 10 eur.

Price of the Vienna PASS

Validity	Standard price	Online price on the official website
1 calendar day	109 eur	98,10 eur
2 calendar days	149 eur	134,10 eur
3 calendar days	175 eur	157,50 eur
6 calendar days	199 eur	179,10 eur

This is currently a 10% promotion labelled ‘Special Price’, not a new standard price list. The official website does not specify an end date, so always check all retailers before making a purchase.

Days are counted from midnight to midnight. If you use the card for the first time in the evening, you’ll effectively lose the first day. Activate it in the morning.

Where to buy the Vienna PASS

At the time of our last check, the price of a one-day pass was as follows:

Retailer	Price	Terms and conditions worth considering
Official website	98,10 eur	Currently the cheapest; unused tickets can be returned within 30 days of purchase
GetYourGuide	109 eur	Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start, and the option to pay later
Booking.com	109 eur	Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start

If you’re travelling soon and your dates are fixed, we’d buy the ticket at current prices directly from the official website.

GetYourGuide or Booking.com may be a better option when booking well in advance, when the option to cancel your booking shortly before your trip is more valuable than the price difference 10,90 eur.

Is the Vienna PASS worth it?

Yes, but only if you have a packed itinerary. The hop-on hop-off bus makes the biggest difference. If you’d never buy a ticket for it separately, don’t include its price in your savings just to make the pass look good on paper.

A real-life example for two days:

Attractions	Standard price
State Apartments at Schönbrunn	30 eur
Schönbrunn Zoo	29 eur
Upper Belvedere	23 eur
Albertina	20,90 eur
Museum of Art History	24 eur
Total	126,90 eur

The currently discounted two-day Vienna PASS costs 134,10 eur, so with this itinerary you’ll lose out on 7,20 eur.

However, as soon as you add the hop-on hop-off bus, for which you would otherwise pay 39 eur, the individual purchases cost 165,90 eur and with the card you’ll save 31,80 eur.

The Vienna PASS is worth it if:

• you want to visit several of the more expensive attractions every day
• you’ll really make the most of the hop-on hop-off bus
• you plan your attractions based on location and opening times
• you don’t want to have to sort out payment at every ticket office

The Vienna PASS isn’t worth it if:

• you only want to visit one or two paid attractions a day
• you spend a long time in museums
• you want to spend most of your time walking and enjoying the city without a set schedule
• you are eligible for student, senior or other discounted admission

The one-day option offers the poorest value for money. A two- or three-day pass is usually the most sensible choice, but only if you’ve planned a specific itinerary.

Vienna FLEXI Pass

In our view, the FLEXI Pass makes more sense for most travellers than the unlimited Vienna PASS. You don’t buy a set number of days, but rather 2 to 8 entries from a list of up to 70 attractions and services.

From the first time you use it, you have 60 days to visit the attractions, so you’re not pressed for time. You can visit each attraction once.

Price of the Vienna FLEXI Pass

Number of visits	Standard price	Current price on the official website	Average price per visit during the promotion
2	59 eur	53,10 eur	26,55 eur
3	79 eur	71,10 eur	23,70 eur
4	95 eur	85,50 eur	21,38 eur
5	109 eur	98,10 eur	19,62 eur
6	123 eur	110,70 eur	18,45 eur
7	135 eur	121,50 eur	17,36 eur
8	149 eur	134,10 eur	16,76 eur

A simple rule: a four-entry ticket in the current promotion is worth it if the selected venues would cost more than 21,38 eur.

Don’t waste it on a cheap attraction that can be bought separately for less.

When is the FLEXI Pass worth it?

For example, the State Apartments at Schönbrunn, the zoo, the Upper Belvedere and the Albertina cost a total of 102,90 eur.

The four-entry FLEXI Pass currently costs 85,50 eur, so you’ll save 17,40 eur. Even at the standard price 95 eur , there’s still a small saving.

For a single visit, you can also opt for the 72-hour hop-on hop-off bus pass. This is quite expensive on its own, and if you really want it, it can significantly improve the value for money of the FLEXI Pass.

We’d recommend the FLEXI Pass if:

• you have a list of three to five more expensive attractions
• you don’t want to cram your visits into consecutive days
• you want to spend a day just walking around or on a trip outside Vienna
• you want to keep costs under control without being pressed for time

On the other hand, don’t buy it blindly. First, make a list of specific attractions, check that they’re included in the pass, and add up their standard admission fees.

You can find the current list and prices on the official FLEXI Pass website.

Prices are usually higher via GetYourGuide, but you’ll get free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.

Vienna City Card

The official Vienna City Card is not a pass offering free entry. It includes unlimited travel on public transport within Vienna’s core zone and discounts at over 200 partner venues.

One child under the age of 15 can travel for free on public transport with each card. For a family with one child, it can therefore work out cheaper than buying individual tickets, even if you only take advantage of a few discounts.

Price of the Vienna City Card

Option	Validity of discounts	Public transport validity	Price
24 hours	24 hours	24 hours	19 eur
48 hours	48 hours	48 hours	31 eur
72 hours	72 hours	7 days	37 eur
7 days	7 days	7 days	39 eur
Discounts Only	7 days	No public transport	9 eur

The 72-hour option is a bit unusual, but interesting: the discounts are valid for three days, whilst you get a public transport pass valid for seven days straight away.

The seven-day pass costs only 2 eur more, so it’s worth it if you want to continue enjoying the discounts beyond the third day.

For an additional charge, you can add:

• airport transport for 22 eur (Valid on CAT trains, which are unnecessarily overpriced – I do not recommend them)
• a hop-on hop-off bus for 34 eur

Without the airport supplement, the card isn’t valid for travel from Vienna Airport.

What discounts does the Vienna City Card offer?

Don’t expect half-price admission to the main attractions.

In 2026, for example, the card offers the following discounts

• 4 eur to Schönbrunn Zoo
• 4 eur to the Natural History Museum
• 2 eur to the Albertina
• 1,50 eur for individual admission to the Belvedere or 6 eur for the Sisi Pass.

You’ll find higher percentage discounts at some smaller museums, concerts, tours, restaurants and shops.

However, only count the places you would have visited even without the card. The complete, up-to-date list is available on the official Vienna City Card website.

Is the Vienna City Card worth it?

It’s best to factor in the cost of public transport and work out how much more you need to save through discounts.

The cheapest 24-hour ticket costs 9,70 eur and a 7-day pass 25,20 eur.

Vienna City Card	Cost of public transport alone	Amount needed to save on fares
24 hours for 19 eur	9,70 eur	9,30 eur
48 hours for 31 eur	19,40 eur	11,60 eur
72 hours for 37 eur	25,20 eur	11,80 eur
7 days for 39 eur	25,20 eur	13,80 eur

So, for a single adult, the card isn’t automatically good value. You really need to make the most of several discounts.

For an adult travelling with a child under 15, it can work out much better thanks to the family bonus.

In our view, the best option is to buy the Vienna City Card directly from the official website.

You’ll receive it as a PDF or via the ivie app, and you won’t need to exchange a voucher from an intermediary. Be careful when setting the date: personalised public transport tickets cannot normally be cancelled or changed.

Vienna Welcome Card

The Vienna Welcome Card works in a similar way to the Vienna City Card: it combines public transport with discounts, rather than free entry.

It’s cheaper, but has a smaller network of partners and only works via its own mobile app.

Price of the Vienna Welcome Card

At the time of our last check, the following prices applied. The amount 16,90 eur for the 24-hour card already included the current 10% discount.

Option	Price
24 hours	16,90 eur
48 hours	26,90 eur
72 hours Flex	28,90 eur
7 days	35,90 eur
72 hours – discounts only, no public transport	7,90 eur

The card can be extended to include Big Bus for 33 eur or a return CAT airport transfer for 20 eur.

Vienna Welcome Card vs. Vienna City Card

	Vienna Welcome Card	Vienna City Card
Price for 24 hours	16,90 eur	19 eur
Price for 48 hours	26,90 eur	31 eur
Price for 7 days	35,90 eur	39 eur
Number of partner organisations	Up to 100	More than 200
Usage	Mobile app only	App or PDF
Child on public transport	One child under 15 travels free	One child under 15 travels free

The biggest catch is the 72-hour Flex option.

The discounts are valid for 72 hours, but the price only includes two separate 24-hour public transport tickets.

The first becomes valid upon activation of the card, and you must activate the second one within the same 72-hour period.

If you want to use public transport for all three days, the 72-hour Vienna City Card is a better option. It costs 37 eur and includes a seven-day travel pass.

We’d opt for the Welcome Card for 24 or 48 hours if the discounts you’re looking for are included in its list.

You can cancel it via GetYourGuide up to 24 hours before it starts, but once you’ve entered the code and activated it in the app, don’t expect a refund.

Buy the Vienna Welcome Card

Vienna E-pass

The Vienna E-pass is a newer competitor to the classic Vienna PASS. It offers entry to more than 55 attractions, unlimited travel on Big Bus services and options for 1 to 4 consecutive days.

Standard public transport is not included.

Validity	Standard price	Current price on the official website
1 day	115 eur	95 eur
2 days	145 eur	130 eur
3 days	165 eur	154 eur
4 days	189 eur	165 eur

Variants for 2, 4 or 6 attractions are also available for 53 eur, 85 eur and 110 eur.

Depending on the specific programme, the E-pass may work out slightly cheaper than the Vienna PASS.

However, it has a more limited range of attractions and a shorter history. Furthermore, not everything is as digital as the name suggests: vouchers for the State Apartments at Schönbrunn, the Belvedere and St Stephen’s Cathedral must be printed out.

We’d only choose it if it offers better value for your specific list of places to visit. We wouldn’t buy it based solely on the total number of attractions.

Check the price of the Vienna E-pass

EasyCityPass and QueerCityPass

Both cards include the same public transport tickets and discounts of up to 50 per cent at over 80 partner venues. The QueerCityPass also features a selection of queer-friendly venues and services.

Validity	Price excluding airport	Price including return journey from the airport
24 hours	17,90 eur	22,90 eur
2 days	27,90 eur	34,90 eur
3 days	37,90 eur	44,90 eur
7 days	39,90 eur	—

Here too, one child under the age of 15 or one dog may travel on public transport free of charge with one adult.

The most interesting option is the + Airport package. It includes a journey on the ÖBB train (not the CAT train) from the airport to Vienna and back, as well as city transport.

For a short visit after arrival, this may be more practical than the Vienna City Card with the airport add-on.

If you don’t need public transport, there is the EasyCityPass Light, which offers discounts for 7 eur for a week.

You can find current prices and purchase options on the ÖBB website.

Which card to choose in Vienna

Your plans	Our recommendation
3 to 5 more expensive attractions at a more leisurely pace	Vienna FLEXI Pass
Several attractions a day and you’d also like a hop-on hop-off bus	Vienna PASS
One or two paid attractions over the whole stay	Individual tickets and standard public transport
Mainly public transport and you’re travelling with a child under 15	Vienna City Card or Welcome Card
Public transport for three days	Vienna City Card for 72 hours
Public transport for 24 or 48 hours, and a smaller range of discounts is sufficient	Vienna Welcome Card
You’re arriving by plane and want a return train journey from the airport included in the price	EasyCityPass + Airport
You want a four-day pass with attractions and the Big Bus	Vienna E-pass

First , choose the places you want to see in Vienna, and only then choose your card. Doing it the other way round often ends up with you visiting attractions just to get your money’s worth from the pass.

My verdict

For most visitors, we’d recommend checking out the Vienna FLEXI Pass first. It allows you to choose a few more expensive attractions and doesn’t force you to rush between museums over two consecutive days.

The Classic Vienna PASS is only better value if you have a packed itinerary. A large part of its value comes from the hop-on hop-off bus, so without it, you’ll find it much harder to get your money’s worth.

Don’t buy the Vienna City Card or the Vienna Welcome Card as an attraction pass. They are primarily public transport tickets with a discount bonus. For a single adult, the discounts on attractions really need to add up; for a family with one child under 15, they may be better value more easily.