Public Transport Vienna

Vienna has a comprehensive and unified public transport network that is one of the most efficient in Europe. Flat-fare tickets are valid for trains, trams, buses, the underground (U-Bahn) and S-Bahn regional trains. Services are frequent and you rarely have to wait more than 10 minutes. Public transport starts around 5am or 6am; buses (with the exception of night buses) and trams finish between 11pm and midnight and S-Bahn and U-Bahn services between 12.30am and lam.

Transport maps are posted in all U-Bahn stations and at many bus and tram stops. Free maps and information pamphlets are available from Wiener Linien  located in nine U-Bahn stations. The Karlsplatz, Stephansplatz and Westbahnhof information offices are open 6.30am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday. Those at Schottentor, Praterstem, Floridsdorf, Landstrasse, Philadelphiabrücke and Erdberg are closed on weekends.

Tickets & Passes
Tickets and passes can be purchased at U-Bahn stations - from automatic machines (with English instructions and change) and occasionally staffed ticket offices - and in Tabakladen. Once bought, tickets need to be validated before starting your journey (except for weekly and monthly tickets); look for small blue boxes at the entrance to U-Bahn stations and on buses and trams. Just pop the end of the ticket in the slot and wait for the 'ding'. It's an honour system and ticket inspection is infrequent, but if you're caught without a ticket you'll fined Euro 62, no exceptions.

Tickets and passes are as follows:
Single Ticket (Einzelfahrschein) - (€ 1.50; good for one journey, with line changes; costs € 2 if  purchased on trams and buses (correct change required)
Strip Ticket (Streifenkarte) - Euro 6; four single tickets on one strip
24-Hour Ticket (24 Stunden Wien-Karte) - € 5; 24 hours unlimited travel from time of validation
72-Hour Ticket (72 Stunden Wien-Karte) - (€ 12; 72 hours unlimited travel from time of validation
Eight-day Ticket (8-Tage-Karte) - € 24, valid for eight days, but not necessarily eight consecutive days; punch the card as and when you need it
Weekly Ticket (Wochenkarte) - € 12.50; valid Monday through Sunday only
The Vienna Card (Die Wien-Karte) - € 16.90, 72 hours of unlimited travel from time of validation plus discounts

Children aged six to 15 travel for half-price, or for free on Sunday, public holidays and during Vienna school holidays (photo ID necessary); younger children always travel free. Senior citizens (women over 60, men over 65) can buy a € 2 ticket that is valid for two trips; inquire at transport information offices.

Buses
Buses go everywhere, including inside the Innere Stadt, and either have three digits or a number followed by an'A'or'B'. Very logically, buses connecting with a tram service often have the same number, eg bus 38A connects with tram 38, bus 72A with tram 72.

Night Buses
Vienna's comprehensive Nightline service takes over when trams, buses and the UBahn stop running. Twenty-three routes cover much of the city and run every half hour from 12.30am to 5am. Schwedenplatz, Schottentor and the Staatsoper are starting points for many services; look for buses and bus stops marked with an 'N'. All transport tickets are valid for Nightline services.

S-Bahn
S-Bahn trains, designated by a number preceded by an 'S', operate from train stations and service to the suburbs or satellite towns. If you're travelling outside of Vienna, and outside of the ticket zone, you'll probably have to purchase an extension; check on maps posted in train stations.

Trams
There's something romantic and just plain good about travelling by tram, even though they're slower than the U-Bahn. Vienna's tram network is extensive and it's the perfect way to view the city on the cheap. Trams are either numbered or lettered (eg 1, 44, J, D) and services cover the city centre and some suburbs.

U-Bahn
The U-Bahn is a quick and efficient way of getting around the city. There are five lines, U1 to U6 (there is no U5); the U2 line is currently being extended and by 2008 will run to the Ernst-Happel-Stadion in the Prater and by 2009 to Aspernstrasse in the eastern reaches of the Donaustadt district. Platforms have timetable information and signs showing the different exits and nearby facilities. The whole U-Bahn system is a nonsmoking zone.

Parking
Districts 1-9 and 20 are pay-and-display short-stay parking zones (Kurzparkzone) where a parking voucher (Parkschein) is required; other districts are general parking zones, but also contain some Kurzparkzone, mainly on the larger streets (look for blue signs circled in red with a single diagonal line). Parkscheine come in 30/60/90 minute lots (€ 0.40/0.80/1.20) and can be purchased from most Tabakladen (tobacconists), banks, train stations and Wiener Linien ticket offices. A free 10-minute voucher is also available. To validate a voucher, just cross out the appropriate time, date and year and leave it on your dashboard. The parking restrictions are in force from 9am, to 7pm Monday to Friday (maximum 1.5 hours parking) in the Innere Stadt and from 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday (maximum two hours) in other districts. Traffic wardens are quite vigilant and eager to hand out fines (€20 to €170). The MuseumsQuartier, Südbahnhof and Westbahnhof all sport private parking garages, as does the Ringstrasse; expect to pay anything between €2 and €5 per hour.