Great question! In Vienna, most shops and supermarkets are closed on Sundays, but there are a few key exceptions where you can shop for essentials. Here’s what you need to know:
Regular Sunday Closures #
Vienna adheres strictly to Austria’s Sunday trading laws (Ladenschlussgesetz), meaning most retail stores—including supermarkets—are closed on Sundays, as are banks and many other shops.
Where You Can Shop on Sundays #
Train Stations & Airport #
Supermarkets and convenience stores located within railway stations and the airport are legally permitted to open on Sundays—provided they limit their offerings to essentials. Examples include:
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Billa at Praterstern station – open ~6:00 am to 10:00 pm
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Interspar Pronto at Hauptbahnhof (Main Station) – open ~6:00 am to 11:00 pm
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Billa Plus at Westbahnhof – open early (approx. 5:30 am) until ~11:00 pm
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Several others include the airport and general hospital station locations
Bakeries & Turkish Shops #
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Bakeries, such as Ströck, Felzl, Joseph Brot, and others, are typically open on Sunday mornings until early afternoon (~1–2 pm)
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Turkish or “restaurant-style” shops—often registered as eateries or bakeries—operate on Sundays and sell groceries, snacks, and some essentials. Reddit users explain this is possible because they legally qualify as restaurant-type businesses, even if they look like corner stores.
Pharmacies & Kiosks #
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Pharmacies (Apotheken) are open on Sundays as essential services, with rotating “on-call” hours in each district. You can look up the current open pharmacy online.
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Kiosks at stations, including BIPA at Franz-Josef-Bahnhof, are also open and stocked with essentials.
Vending Machines in Vienna #
If you can’t reach a station supermarket or bakery, vending machines are a lifesaver. They’re scattered across the city and offer more than just snacks:
🔹 Where to Find Them #
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Major U-Bahn & train stations – sell drinks, snacks, SIM cards, even toiletries.
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Hospitals & universities – often have 24/7 food & essentials vending machines.
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Residential areas – some neighborhoods now have modern vending machines with basic groceries (milk, eggs, pasta, drinks).
🔹 What You Can Buy #
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Food & Drinks: sandwiches, salads, water, coffee, soft drinks, chocolate.
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Everyday Necessities: toothpaste, sanitary products, painkillers, condoms.
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Tickets & SIM cards: Wiener Linien ticket machines, prepaid SIM cards at the airport.
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Regional Products: In some districts (and suburbs), machines offer fresh bread, milk, or farm products.
🔹 Examples #
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“ÖBB Snack Machines” at Wien Hauptbahnhof → stocked with snacks & drinks 24/7.
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dm & BIPA vending machines → toiletries and hygiene products at select U-Bahn stations.
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Farm vending machines (e.g., in outskirts like Donaustadt) → eggs, cheese, honey.
Quick Summary #
| Location/Type | Open on Sunday? | Typical Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Regular supermarkets & shops | No | Closed all day |
| Train station / airport supermarkets | Yes | ~6 am – 10/11 pm |
| Bakeries (chain/local) | Yes | Morning to early afternoon |
| Turkish / restaurant-style grocers | Yes | Varies; often morning to evening |
| Pharmacies (on-call) | Yes | Check daily availability online |
| Kiosks (e.g., BIPA at stations) | Yes | Varies, usually daytime |
Tip for Visitors #
If you need groceries on a Sunday, head to one of the station-based shops like Billa at Praterstern, Interspar Pronto at Hauptbahnhof, or stop by a bakery early. For urgent items like medicine, check the nearest on-call pharmacy online.