Book cheap flights to Vienna

Vienna’s social calendar is dotted with a range of festivals and events all year round. Summer season (June – August) is considered the best time to visit Vienna. The skies are clear, the weather is pleasant, and a horde of summer events entice you to lose yourself in the festivities. Enjoy Vienna’s street culture and bloom of flowers that mushroom up all around the city. Escalated airfares and hotel tariffs can also be expected during this time of year. Vienna’s winter (December – February) seems like a scene straight out of a dream, covered in snow – or sometimes not – as festive lights decorate each house you pass by. During this time, Christmas festivities beckon you toward the sound of Christmas carols, friendly people and warm traditional cuisine. If you are considering spring time (March – May) to sojourn, then the splendour of the Schonberg Castle is breath-taking. Spring also means it is time for the Vienna Spring Festival.

South African Passport holders need a Schengen visa to visit Vienna, Austria.

• Leave plenty of time for visa processing.

• Ensure your current passport has at least 6 months’ validity from the date of departure and 2 blank pages for stamps.

• The application confirmation page from your online visa application.

• A copy of the barcoded confirmation document showing proof of payment and appointment.

• A recent passport-sized photo (35mm x 40mm).

The crime rate in Vienna is pretty low, however, pick-pockets are known to operate in crowded areas.

There are recommended vaccination requirements for visiting Vienna, such as hepatitis A & B, and rabies if you are travelling from a country outside of the US.

• Be vigilant at all times.

• Make copies of bank and credit cards, and other important documentation in case they are lost or stolen.

• Avoid public or local demonstrations.

• Remain alert when walking around at night, and abide by the local laws of Austria.

The Innere Stadt is the heart of Vienna and Vienna’s first district. If you are interested in great sightseeing and highlights, then stay in the city centre as these sites are easily accessible by foot. Landstrasse is also close to the city centre, but if you are concerned about finding high value accommodation and don’t mind sacrificing location to preserve your budget, then this is the ideal area.

Newbau is one of Vienna’s cool neighbourhoods. Here you will be exposed to galleries, industrial coffee shops and a young and hip vibe. If you would like to get a taste of indie, design and artsy Vienna, then this is definitely the place for you. Experience a moderate to high rate in accommodation fares.

Wieden is multicultural with a laidback nightlife. It offers another taste of cool Vienna, one that mixes hipster, hippie, designers and students, with low accommodation rates for those who are more budget conscious.

The four main forms of transport are U-Bahn (subway), Schnellbahn or S-Bahn (local train), Straßenbahn (tram) and Auto bus (bus). Vienna works on an honesty system. There are no ticket barriers at stations and no formal ticket checks on trains, trams and buses. You just hop on and off unchallenged.

Leaving the ethics aside, the lack of ticket checks does not mean there is no ticket checks at all. There are undercover agents travelling the transport system throughout the day. They could ask you at any time to produce your ticket, and if you can’t, there is a fine involved for travelling without a ticket.