Probably few travellers have never heard of Vienna's Prater, one of the most popular destinations for tourists heading to the Austrian capital.
Wiener Prater is a large amusement park with an adjacent park, which together form one complex. In short, the Prater is an entertainment area for everyone - lovers of pilgrimages and attractions, entertainment or gastronomy, or just strolling in a pleasant park.
The history of the Prater dates back to 1766, when Joseph II declared the local hunting ground a public place for the entertainment of the Viennese. Cafés, restaurants and amusement attractions began to spring up here in the late 19th century.
Ferris wheel
The Prater boasts more than 250 different attractions, some of which are icons of Vienna.
The giant Riesenrad wheel, which many people call the "Ferris wheel", is definitely Prater's most famous attraction. It has been in service since 1897 and you can still ride it today in its original red cabins resembling a small railway carriage. You can enjoy a view from 65 metres, which offers a beautiful view of the centre of Vienna and the Danube.
For the record, the wheel rotates at a maximum speed of 2.7 km/h, so you will have plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful views.
- Open daily, opening hours vary according to the season - in summer usually from 9:00 to 23:45, in winter only until 20:45
- 14 eur Adults
- 6,50 eur child 3-14 years
To purchase tickets online and for more information about the Giant Wheel, visit wienerriesenrad.com.
Other attractions
Prater is one of Europe's largest amusement parks.
You can have fun on the many roller coasters (e.g. the famous Boomerang), water rides, haunted castles, chain rides (e.g. the 117-metre high PraterTurm) and, of course, car racing.
In short, the Vienna Prater offers absolutely everything for adrenaline lovers, fun lovers and even the youngest children.
A list of all attractions on the official website praterwien.com.
Admission and price list of Prater attractions
Admission to the park itself is free.
You will only pay for individual attractions. What are the prices of the attractions in Prater and how much will you pay for the entertainment? Take a look at the price list examples:
- Ferris wheel - 14 eur adults, 6,50 eur children under 14, see wienerriesenrad.com
- Boomerang roller coaster - 7 eur
- Black Mamba, Prater Tower and other roller coasters and high-altitude attractions - 5 eur to 6 eur
- Chain Carousel - 6 eur
- Autodrome - 4 eur
- Shooting Range - 3 eur to 5 eur
- Madame Tussauds Wien - 24 eur, see madametussauds.com
In general, prices for the big attractions (roller coasters, high-rise carousels, haunted castles) are between 5 eur and 10 eur, the smaller ones like the Autodrome around 4 eur and the smallest ones for children between 2 eur and 5 eur.
Opening hours
There is no time limit to enter the theme park itself. Each individual attraction has its own opening hours.
This usually ranges between 9:00 and 20:00, but in summer and at weekends it is adjusted to the current demand and many attractions are open until midnight.
The Prater is open all year round, but the main season, when all attractions are open, runs from 15 March to 31 October.
The park and the Liliputbahn children's train
The amusement park transitions into the classic green Prater park of the same name. The large green area is a welcome place to relax, especially on hot summer days.
All children will enjoy the small Liliputbahn train running on classic tracks and driven by a small diesel locomotive with a real driver, which starts at the fairground and runs across the park.
The length of the track is about 4 km and you can get on or off at a total of 4 stops. Total ride time is about 20 minutes.
The train runs at a basic interval of 30 minutes, every 15 minutes in good weather and at weekends, and even more frequently if demand is really high.
- Sightseeing - 6 eur adults, 3,50 eur children under 14
- Part of the route - 3 eur adults, 2 eur children under 14
- Combination ticket with the Giant Wheel - 15,50 eur adults, 8 eur children under 14
- Official Liliputbahn information
Accommodation at the Prater
If you are heading to Vienna especially for the fun of the Prater, there are several very good hotels in close proximity to the park:
Location and transport
Vienna Prater is located east of the city centre towards the Danube. If you are heading to Vienna by car just to visit the Prater, be sure to leave your car parked on the outskirts of the city (see the Transport chapter for details) and don't drive all the way to the Prater, where parking options are very limited.
Prater is easily accessible by public transport:
- S-Bahn - Wien Praterstern station about 80 metres from the main entrance (e.g. passenger trains from Breclav and S-Bahn S1, S2, S3, S4 and S7 stop here)
- Metro - Praterstern station approx. 80 metres from the main entrance (lines U1, U2) or Messe - Prater approx. 100 metres from the northern entrance (line U2)
- Tram - Praterstern station approx. 80 metres from the main entrance (lines 0, 5) or Prater Hauptallee in the middle of the park (line 1)
- Bus - Praterstern stop approx. 80 metres from the main entrance (lines 5B, 80A)
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