Visit Schönbrunn Castle in Vienna: tickets, prices, schedules

Passing to Vienna? What if you came to visit the Schönbrunn Castle, a real jewel in the capital of music?

Staying in Vienna guarantees a magical moment in this city rich in history: Vienna is one of these few cities that can boast of its cultural aspect. Once the heart of the powerful monarchy Habsburg , Vienna is full of historical monuments and sumptuous palaces such as that of Belvedere , Palace of the Hofburg and the famous Schönbrunn Castle.

Visiting Schönbrunn Castle is therefore mandatory if you are visiting the Imperial city. Ranked on the World Heritage List of Humanity, this former hunting lodge served as a summer residence for the Habsburg family and its court and now has nearly 3 million visitors per year.

Discover all the information to visit Schönbrunn Castle in Vienna!

History of Schönbrunn Castle

Before being the summer residence of the Habsburg royal family, Schönbrunn Castle was part of the Middle Ages fief of the Klosterneuburg Abbey. The property was then referred to as “Katterburg”, where a mill was operated and agriculture and viticulture were practised. After being transformed into a manor by Hermann Bayer, the property passed into the hands of the Imperial family when it was bought by Maximilian II of Habsburg in 1569. The Hasburgs used it as a summer residence, but the Turkish invasions unfortunately led to its quasi-destruction.

The architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach was then entrusted by the emperor Leopold Ier , the construction of a new castle that wanted to be the greatest rival of our Château de Versailles . Over the centuries, the castle has never ceased to evolve until the reign of the Empress Marie-Thérèse , who wanted a castle in a rococo style, as we know it today.

The castle was then the summer residence (the Hofburg being that of winter) of the emperor François-Joseph I of Austria and his wife, Empress Elisabeth, nicknamed Sissi .

Even today, and this since the 1960s, this castle, whose name means “beautiful spring”, is the most popular tourist site in the Austrian capital.

What to see and do at Schönbrunn Castle?

Although Schönbrunn Castle has 1441 rooms, you can only discover 42 if you come to visit Schönbrunn Castle in Vienna including:

• The Great Gallery : It served as a reception at official banquets until 1994
• Le Salon Vieux-Laque : Dressed by Marie-Thérèse after the death of her husband, you can discover her walls decorated with Chinese prints
• The Round Chinese Cabinet: It was in this room with walls decorated with lacquer panels that Marie-Thérèse received her chancellor for private conversations
• The Chinese Blue Salon: This is the chamber where Charles I signed his resignation from the throne on November 11, 1918.
• The Grand Salon de Rosa: In this room you can see magnificent rococo gildings that frame the landscapes of Northern Italy and Switzerland
• La Salle du Petit Lunch : Marie-Thérèse and her daughters decorated the walls of 26 medallions of embroidered flowers
• The Chamber of Napoleon: It was here that died Napoleon II, the king of Rome, at the age of 21. The isolation in which he lived at Schönbrunn Castle is recalled by a naturalized bird under a bell

In addition to the castle itself, there are also immense and sumptuous gardens that you can walk quietly to keep you busy. In these French gardens, drawn in 1695 by Jean Tréhet , are false Roman ruins , more or less monumental fountains – especially when in operation – labyrinths, orangery, Palmeraie which houses a varied collection of tropical and subtropical plants, the Gloriette neo-classical style and its terrace that offers an incredible view of all Vienna. How can we not yield to such a marvel?

If you come to the castle of Schönbrunn, you will not only discover this imposing building because a few steps from the castle, there are other curiosities that you will not forget to discover:

• The puppet theatre for the deployed imagination and the sense of detail that will charm the little ones like the great ones
• House of Desert (Wüstenhaus) with a formidable sundial with numerous plant and animal species from hot areas
• The Zoo de Schönbrunn, which is none other than the oldest zoo in the world! It is also one of the few zoos where you can watch giant pandas

Good to know: You can download a site map in Click here .

How to go to Schönbrunn Castle?

There are several ways to visit the Schönbrunn Castle, which is at the following address: Schloß Schönbrunn, 1130 Vienna .

• By metro: Take the line U4, Schönbrunn station
• In tram: Take lines 10 or 60, Schönbrunn station
• By bus: Take line 10A, Schönbrunn station
• By car: If you opted for the car rental When you arrive in Vienna or you have your own vehicle, you should know that parking is available near the Schönbrunn Castle. You will find all the details and prices of this parking lot by clicking on this link.
• By train:

• From the West Station : You will need about 15 minutes with public transport to visit the Schönbrunn Castle. Take tram line 60 towards Hietzing, then get off at Schloß Schönbrunn.

• From South Station: It will take about 30 minutes with public transport to the Schönbrunn Castle. Take line D from the tram to Karlsplatz. From there you take the U4 metro (green metro line) to Hütteldorf and get off to the Schönbrunn station.

Prices of Schönbrunn Castle

HORARI

If you want to visit the Schönbrunn Castle, know that it is open every day, even on holidays! However, pay attention to the schedules as these vary several times during the year:

• 1 April to 30 June: 8h00 to 5h30
• 1 July to 31 August: 8h00 to 6h30
• From 1 September to 31 October: 8h00 to 5h30
• 1 November to 31 March: 8:00 to 5:00

Good to know: The last entries are 45 minutes before the site is closed.

RATES

• Imperial Tour (22 rooms / 35 minutes): Adults – 16,00€ / Children (6 to 18 years old) – 11,50€
• Grand Tour (40 rooms / 40-50 minutes): Adults – 20,00€ / Children (6 to 18 years old) – 13,00€
• Classic Pass (Château + Jardin du Prince heéritier + Gloriette + Labyrinthe + Jardin de l’Orangerie) : Adults – 26,50€ / Children (6 to 18 years old) – 16,50€
• Classic Pass Plus (From 01/04 to 03/11 – Château + Jardin du Prince heéritier + Gloriette + Labyrinthe + Jardin de l’Orangerie + Zoo) : Adults – 40,00€ / Children (6 to 18 years old) 23,00€

Good to know: There are other tickets – combined or not – special rates for guided tours and reductions (Students, disabled...). To consult them, visit the official website Schönbrunn Castle.