Vienna, the capital of #Austria is bustling with Imperial history, baroque architecture, musical heritage set by some of the greatest musicians in the world, and interesting food culture. No wonder it is a popular choice of holiday destination for one and all. If you’re planning a trip to Vienna, then you’d probably want to know how expensive it is. While #Vienna is not as pricey as some of the major cities like #London or #Paris, it is not as cheap as some of its neighboring friends Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. Here are some essential #moneysaving tips that would help you save dollars here and there so that your trip doesn’t cause a dent in your pocket.
1. SAVING ON THE HOTEL
Hotels are the biggest budget killers in the #travelplanning and since I’m not a big fan of staying at the hostels, hotels cost makes up a big portion of my travel expense. In order to manage this, I usually prefer staying in hotels slightly away from the city center, especially if the cities that are compact. This not only helps me save the touristy surge, but it also gives me a peek into a local neighborhood that I wouldn’t have explored otherwise.
We stayed at the IBIS #Budgethotel Wien, near #Prater. The place was 2 mins walk to the train station and literally 2 stations from #Stephansplatz and #Graben (two major tourist areas in the heart of Vienna.) We not only saved money, what’s interesting was the sights and sounds of the place. We ended up spending our dinner times at local eateries people watching and digging ourselves into some authentic local flavors.
2. EAT LIKE A LOCAL
Eating and drinking in Vienna can be pretty expensive. While the meal portions are big and it makes up for the high cost but for people with smaller appetites like myself, it not only puts a strain on my budget, I also end up wasting food. So, I found my pleasure in Austrian #streetfood. Vienna has plenty of food stalls selling #Wiener (Viennese sausage), kebabs and fried rice and these were my go-to meals during the day. Most dishes being sold at these stalls were between €5 - €7. For breakfasts, I’d pick up a coffee and sandwich from the local supermarket, #Spar. To be honest, I didn’t always get a spot to sit, but there’ll always be an interesting spot for people-watching & enjoying a cheap meal minutes away.
P.S. This doesn't mean I didn't try the authentic Sacher Cake or Schnitzel, it just means that I didn't have lavish meals each time I sat to eat.
3. DITCH THE OPERA AND ENJOY CONCERT AT A CHURCH
Vienna is the #cityofmusic, but tickets to its famous #operas sell out months in advance and can cost over €150. While there are standing tickets available for €3 - €4 80 mins before the show, but it’s a matter of luck. You need to be willing to queue up hoping they don't sell out by the time your turn arrives. You can only buy 1 ticket per person. I’d say save the hassle and go for a Classical #Musicconcert in the church. Be charmed by the splendid acoustics and the unique Baroque ambiance while listening to the works for the greatest musicians like #Mozart and #Beethoven at a fraction of the cost.
4. SAVING ON SOUVENIRS
One of the most popular Vienna souvenirs to buy is #Mozartballs, also known as Mozartkugel. These marzipan-filled chocolates are the perfect Vienna gift for anyone who loves sweets and treats. But you should know where to buy them from. The souvenir shops sell them for €10 - €15 per pack, but you can get the same chocolates from Supermarkets for literally under €5.
5. TAKING A DAY TRIP TO BUDAPEST OR BRATISLAVA? CHOOSE BUS OVER TRAIN!
We took an impromptu day trip to Budapest, and since we decided to go over the weekend, last-minute train tickets were shooting through the roof. So, we decided to take the bus instead. The bus ticket was 1/3rd the price and took literally 30 mins extra to reach. The beauty of traveling to Europe is the buses are as comfortable as trains, so you’re not compromising on comfort by getting a cheaper deal.
Our recommendation: FLEXIBUS
6. LASTLY, BOOK YOUR INTERCITY TRAVEL WISELY
We all know the best way to find a cheap fare is to book your tickets as far as in advance, but what we don’t know is that buying tickets from a cheaper country's website can mean paying less!
We were traveling from Salzburg to Prague, so the journey was 5 hours plus. While researching for the train fares, we realized that booking through the Prague-based website was a lot cheaper than booking through Vienna. Linking here the government website we booked through.
All in all, RESEARCH is the key! We all want to travel, make memories in every part of the world and see more places than we could remember and trust me, it is achievable, as long as you research well.
Must-try foods in Austria: http://bit.ly/2Gp93X5
Suggested Itinerary for Vienna (For 4 days): http://bit.ly/2sW5yEa
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