Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Vienna Ring Tram, a yellow made-for-tourists streetcar, is an easier though pricier
option, running clockwise along the entire Ringstrasse (€7 for 30-minute loop, €9 for
24-hour hop-on, hop-off privileges, 2/hour 10:00-18:00, July-Aug until 19:00, recorded nar-
ration, includes a good set of earbuds you can keep and reuse). The tour starts at the top and
bottom of each hour on the Opera side of the Ring at Kärntner Ring. At each stop, you'll see
an ad for this tram tour (look for VRT Ring-Rund Sightseeing ). The schedule clearly notes
the next departure time.
Horse-and-Buggy Tour
These traditional horse-and-buggies, called Fiakers, take rich romantics on clip-clop tours
lasting 20 minutes (€55-old town), 40 minutes (€80-old town and the Ring), or one hour
(€110-all the above, but more thorough). You can share the ride and cost with up to five
people. Because it's a kind of guided tour, talk to a few drivers before choosing a carriage,
and pick someone who's fun and speaks English (tel. 01/401-060).
Local Guides
You'll pay about €140 for two hours. Get a group of six or more together and call it a party.
The tourist board's website ( www.vienna.info ) has a long list of local guides with their spe-
cialties and contact information. My favorite private Vienna guides are: Lisa Zeiler (mobile
0699-120-37550, lisa.zeiler@gmx.at ) ; Wolfgang Höfler (a generalist with a knack for hav-
ing psychoanalytical fun with history, enjoys the big changes of the 19th and 20th centur-
ies, €150/2 hours, mobile 0676-304-4940, www.vienna-aktivtours.com , office@vienna-akt-
ivtours.com , also leads bike tours—described earlier); Adrienn Bartek-Rhomberg (€140/
half-day, see website for tour topics, mobile 0650-826-6965, www.experience-vienna.at ,
bartek-rhomberg@chello.at ); and Gerhard Strassgschwandtner (who runs the Third Man
Museum—see here —and is passionate about history in all its marvelous complexity, €65/
hour, mobile 0676-475-7818, www.special-vienna.com , gerhard@special-vienna.com ) . If
these folks are booked, any of them can set you up with another good guide.
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