Vienna Travel Guide

City Facts

Location

Vienna (federal province), eastern Austria.

Time Zone

GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Electricity

220 volts AC, 50 Hz; round two-pin plugs are standard.

Language

German is the official language and is spoken as a first language by almost the entire population. There are a number of variations between Hochdeutsch (standard German) and Viennese German, and there are also marked differences to other Austrian regional dialects. English is the most common second language, and is widely understood and spoken by those in tourism-related fields. When speaking to strangers, it is important to use the formal forms of address. The following characters are used in German, but not in English: ä (=ae), ö (=oe), ü (=ue) and ß (=ss). It is important to pay attention to the times of performances in Vienna – halb-acht (half-eight) means 0730; similarly, viertel-acht (quarter-eight) means 0715, a quarter of the way to eight o’clock. Phrases Yes - JaNo - NeinHello (formal) - Grüß Gott Hello (informal) - Servus / Grüß dichGoodbye - Auf Wiedersehen / Auf Wiederschauen / ServusPlease - BitteThank you - DankeMy name is … - Ich heiße …How are you? - Wie geht es Ihnen? (formal) / Wie geht’s? (formal) I’m very well - Mir geht es gut / Sehr gut, dankeI feel ill - Ich fühle mich unwohlHow much does it cost? - Wieviel kostet das? / Wieviel macht das?Do you speak English? - Sprechen Sie Englisch?I don’t understand - Ich verstehe nichtWhere is …? - Wo findet man …?Entrance - Eingang (Einfahrt for vehicles) Exit - Ausgang (Ausfahrt for vehicles) Danger - AchtungOpen - GeöffnetClosed - GeschlossenToilets - Toiletten / WCDoctor - Arzt / ÄrztinHotel - HotelRestaurant - RestaurantBeer - BierWine - WeinMenu - SpeisekarteToday - HeuteTomorrow - MorgenMonday - MontagTuesday - DienstagWednesday - MittwochThursday - DonnerstagFriday - FreitagSaturday - SamstagSunday - SonntagOne - EinsTwo - ZweiThree - DreiFour - VierFive - FünfSix - SechsSeven - SiebenEight - AchtNine - NeunTen - ZehnTwenty - ZwanzigThirty - DreissigForty - VierzigFifty - FunfzigSixty - SechzigSeventy - SiebzigEighty - AchtzigNinety - NeunzigOne Hundred - EinhundertOne Thousand - Eintausend

Cost of Living

Special Events

CarnivalandBallSeason
January to Shrove Tuesday (day before Lent)
Venues throughout the city
Website: www.vienneseball.org/calendar.php

Osterklang(SoundsofEaster)
March
Classical music festival featuring international artists.
Theater an der Wien
Website: www.theater-wien.at

ViennaCityMarathon
April
Begins Arbeiterstrandbadstrasse/Wagramerstrasse and ends Heldenplatz
Website: www.vienna-marathon.com

FestwochenWien(ViennaFestival)
May-June
An extravaganza of music, drama and dance.
Venues throughout the city
Website: www.festwochen.at

Donauinselfest(DanubeIslandFestival)
June
One of the largest contemporary music festivals in Europe.
Donauinsel
Website: www.donauinselfest.at

ViennaJazzFestival
June-July
Internationally famous performers.
Various venues
Website: www.viennajazz.org

ImPulsTanz
July-August
International avant-garde dance festival.
ImPulsTanz, 07, Museumstrasse 5/21
Website: www.impulstanz.com

ViennaleFilmFestival
Late October-early November
Austria's best film festival.
Various cinemas throughout the city
Website: www.viennale.at

Christkindlmarkt(ChristmasMarket)
Mid-November to 24 December
Markets selling trinkets, hand-made products, and, of course, glühwein (mulled wine).
Rathausplatz, Spittleberg Quarter, Freyung (corner of Innerstadt) and throughout the city