How to Find Cheap Hotels in Vienna, Austria

Vienna is Austria's capital and largest city, offering a great cultural experience inside a beautiful historic city. Located along the Danube River, the cosmopolitan city offers pastries, wines, music, art and waltzes to visitors from around the world.

Things You'll Need

• A computer with Internet access for making reservations

Instructions

Prepare for Your Trip to Vienna

1. Know that Vienna lives up to its title as the capital city of Austria. From food to politics, there is a wide range of experiences in the city.

2. Plan to visit in the summer for the best weather. Vienna experiences its high season from April through October, but July can be quite hot. Winter in Austria is beautiful as well.

Organize Transportation

1. Fly straight into Vienna on many international airlines. Flights from America may require a transfer in London, Munich, or Frankfurt.

2. Ride the bus between the airport and the City Air Terminal, which is directly across from the Wien Mitte/Landstrasse rail station. You can easily connect to the subway from there.

3. Use the Vienna Transport network, which includes the subway, streetcars and the bus. Buy a Vienna card for 72 hours of unlimited rides. They cost about $20.

Find Cheap Accommodations

1. Avoid the major chains. Family-run hotels offer rates about $50 less than the recognizable chains.

2. Arrange to stay in a private home through the local tourist office. Accommodations in Vienna are expensive, so this may be your best bet for cheap rates.

3. Consider camping. There are numerous campsites in and around Vienna offering cheap accommodations and equipment rentals. Expect to pay about less than $50 a night per person for a site, including tent rental.

4. Book youth hostels before you get there if possible. Since Vienna is a popular destination it helps to have reservations.

5. To book accommodations, contact Vienna Tourist Board at 011 ([phone] or visit their Web site (see Resources, below). If calling internationally but not from the United States or Canada, call 00 ([phone].

Be Familiar With Local Information

1. Indulge in a local favorite: Austrian pastries. Try the apple strudel, various chocolate cakes or a Sacher cake. Make sure to also enjoy a cup of Viennese coffee.

2. Stay up all night. Vienna offers 24 hours of non-stop entertainment. From live music to DJs, there always seems to be a party happening in the city.

Tips & Warnings

• Learn a few phrases in German. Almost everyone in Austria speaks English, but knowing a bit of the official language is helpful.

• The official currency in Austria is the Euro.

• Book early in Vienna, or anywhere in Austria, at Christmastime.

• Telephone country codes are within parentheses and begin with a "+" sign.

• Vienna is expensive. You will need to shop around to find cheap accommodations.