The best of Vienna in 2 hours

Vienna's landmarks, without the walking

The Ringstrasse puts the Opera, the Hofburg, the Parliament and the City Hall in one line, and the Belvedere and Schönbrunn are a short drive beyond it. Two hours in a private car are enough to see how the city fits together.

Seven stops are suggested; take all of them or only a few. Agree your choice with the driver at the start, so the time goes to the places you care about. Pickup and drop-off are at your hotel or any address in Vienna.

1. 1
   

   Your chosen meeting point

   Confirmed before the ride

   Your driver meets you at your hotel or any address in Vienna. The exact pickup point is confirmed before the ride, as one-way streets and access rules can change the approach.

   Fixed
2. 2
   

   Hofburg Palace

   The Habsburgs' winter residence, grown over six centuries into a town within the town: courtyards, the curved wing on Heldenplatz, the dome above Michaelerplatz. An exterior stop; the apartments and museums are ticketed.

   Traffic permitting
3. 3
   

   St Stephen’s Cathedral

   The Gothic cathedral at the heart of the city, with its patterned tiled roof and a 136-metre south tower. The square is car-free, so the driver waits at the nearest point while you walk the last few minutes.

   Traffic permitting
4. 4
   

   Vienna State Opera

   The opera house on the Ring, opened in 1869 and one of the world's great stages. An exterior stop, and a good place to see how the Ringstrasse was laid out around the old town.

   Traffic permitting
5. 5
   

   Vienna City Hall

   The neo-Gothic Rathaus, with a central tower of almost 100 metres. The square in front hosts the city's markets, its summer film festival and its winter ice rink.

   Traffic permitting
6. 6
   

   Parliament Building

   The Austrian Parliament, built in the 1870s and 1880s like a Greek temple, with the Pallas Athena fountain in front. It stands next to City Hall, so you usually see both in one pause.

   Traffic permitting
7. 7
   

   Belvedere Palace

   Two Baroque palaces built for Prince Eugene of Savoy, joined by a terraced garden that looks back over the city. The gardens are free to walk; the Klimt galleries in the Upper Belvedere are ticketed.

   Traffic permitting
8. 8
   

   Schönbrunn Palace

   The Habsburgs' summer residence, just outside the centre: the long yellow palace, formal gardens and the Gloriette on the hill. The park is free; the state rooms need a timed ticket.

   Traffic permitting
9. 9
   

   Your agreed final address

   Confirmed before the ride

   Back at your hotel, or at any address in Vienna: a restaurant, a concert hall, a friend's door. The driver stops at the closest point local access rules allow.

   Fixed

What's included

Choose your vehicle

Price per vehicle for the whole ride, not per person.

Useful tips

• 01Schönbrunn is outside the centre and takes the largest share of the time. If it matters most, say so at pickup and the driver plans the rest around it.
• 02Want to go inside a palace? Book a timed ticket for the end of the ride and ask to finish there.
• 03In the old town, access rules can mean a short walk from the nearest point the car may stop. Comfortable shoes are enough.

Questions