Whether an amusement park, wax figure museum, relaxing walks, or the most popular “Stelze” in Vienna – in the Vienna Prater there is something for everyone.
On a holiday in Vienna, a visit to the famous Vienna Prater cannot be missed. You will not only find one of Vienna’s most famous landmarks there – the Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel – but also many other highlights, such as the “Wurstelprater”, the Prater Hauptallee, the Jesuitenwiese, and much more. The Prater is perfect for a day trip for both locals and tourists. You can find a brief summary of our personal highlights of the Vienna Prater here.
The Vienna Prater – the leisure paradise for locals and tourists
The Vienna Prater has an area of approx. 6,000,000m2 and is thus twice as large as New York’s Central Park. But an international comparison is worthwhile not only in terms of size, because according to the magazine “Focus”, it is one of the most beautiful city parks in the world. The park is located in the 2nd Viennese district (Leopoldstadt) and is between Pratertern and Winterhafen. Originally, the Prater was a hunting ground of the Habsburgs, but Joseph II opened it to the public in 1766. Since then, it has enjoyed great popularity with the Viennese as a recreational area.
The Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel – Vienna from a new angle
The Vienna Ferris Wheel (Riesenrad) is one of the most popular attractions in Vienna. When the cabin reaches its highest point at approx. 65 metres, you have a beautiful, broad view over Vienna and the adjacent amusement park. Perfect to get an overview before mixing into the crowd. If you want to save time when visiting the Vienna Ferris Wheel, you can buy your tickets online to avoid long queues. Admission is free to everyone who has the Vienna Pass!
The Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel: www.wienerriesenrad.com
Riesenradplatz 1
1020 Vienna
Opening hours: 29.04. – 03.09.2017: 09 am – 11:45 pm
Buy the Vienna Pass online: www.checkvienna.com/en/events-wien
The oldest amusement park in the world – the “Wurstelprater”
The “Wurstelprater” is a place for young and old, because with ghost trains, the chain carousel, autodrome, and the rollercoasters there is guaranteed to be something for everyone. It is considered one of the most modern amusement parks in the world and with its more than 250 attractions you can easily spend all day here. The Madame Tussauds Wax Figure Museum is also located on the redesigned Riesenradplatz, where you can not only be photographed with international stars, but also the world-famous Empress Sisi. There you will also find other well-known Austrians such as Falco, Romy Schneider, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Perfect motifs for a snapshot in the family album.
Prater Vienna: www.praterwien.com
Riesenradplatz
1020 Vienna
Arrival by public transport:
The clostest station to the Vienna Prater is „Praterstern“
- Underground: U1 and U2
- Railway: S1, S2, S3, S5, S6, S7 or S15
- Tram: Line 0 and 5
- Bus: 80a
And if you need a little refreshment after a busy day, we recommend a visit to the famous Schweizerhaus (Swiss House). There you can have the speciality roasted pork leg called “Stelze” and a refreshing beer in the shaded garden. We recommend the Rollercoaster Restaurant for those who still want to have animation while they eat. There you order using an iPad and then the food is served via roller coaster rails. If you would like to escape the hustle and bustle, not far from the “Wurstelprater” is the new campus of the Vienna University of Economics and Business. This is not only impressive due to its varied architecture, but also because of its charming cafés and restaurants – which are not just for students.
Schweizerhaus: www.schweizerhaus.at
Prater 116
1020 Vienna
Phone: +43 1 728 01 52-0
Rollercosterrestaurant: www.rollercoaster.rest
Riesenradplatz 6/1
1020 Vienna
Reserve your table online.
The green lung of Vienna – the Prater
It’s not only fairground fans who can get their money’s worth in the Vienna Prater. The generous park area has: playgrounds, beach volleyball courts, jogging tracks, cycle paths, and numerous widespread meadows to lie on. The most famous of these is probably the Jesuitenwiese. This 112,000 m2 meadow is a wonderful place for a picnic, and it also has the largest playground in Vienna. For all running fans: in the Prater running meetups are regularly held. They are free and led by a certified trainer.
And for those who want to take it easy, we recommend the subway station Praterstern (U1 or U2) as the starting point. From there you can stroll comfortably over the 4.4 km Prater Hauptallee which leads to the Lusthaus Рa former hunting lodge, which today houses a caf̩ and a restaurant.
Running Group: www.wienlaeuft.at/lauftreff
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Would you like to see Vienna from above without having to spend too much? We have a recommendation for those who are brave enough and not scared of heights: the 117-metre-high chain carousel is only a few minutes’ walk from the Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel and also offers a wonderful view over Vienna. A more affordable alternative, even if it is a bit windy!