Seeing a performance is one of the best reasons to visit Vienna, and it does not have to be expensive. This guide explains where to buy tickets, how standing room works and what to wear. Prices and sales rules change, so always confirm on the venue’s official site.
The main venues
- Vienna State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper): opera and ballet in one of the world’s leading houses, with a near-daily programme during the season.
- Volksoper: operetta, musicals and lighter opera, often easier to book.
- Musikverein: the golden hall, home of the Vienna Philharmonic’s concerts.
- Konzerthaus: a varied programme of orchestral, chamber and contemporary music.
Booking
Book directly through the venue’s own site where possible to avoid resale markups. Popular dates sell out well ahead, and the season’s programme is published in advance. Unofficial resellers and street sellers are best avoided, and tickets sold as “Mozart concerts” at tourist spots are usually smaller productions rather than the major houses.
Standing room
The State Opera and some other venues sell low-priced standing places shortly before the performance. You queue at the designated entrance, buy in person and mark your place on the rail with a scarf. Details such as queue times and prices are published by the venue and change, so check the current rules. Standing is tiring over a long opera, so choose a shorter work for your first visit.
What to wear
There is no strict code for most performances. Smart casual is the norm, and many people dress up for premieres and gala evenings. Avoid shorts and sports clothing. Coats and large bags go to the cloakroom, which usually carries a small fee.
See also our guide to classical music concerts for solo travellers.
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I’m Andrea, a travel writer based between Vienna and the Croatian coast, and I’ve been exploring both countries in depth for the past 10 years.
I’ve taken 50+ solo trips across Austria, Croatia, Germany, Switzerland, Slovenia, Italy and the wider Balkans, and I speak German, Croatian and English fluently, which means I get to have conversations most tourists never do. I know which Viennese coffee house the locals actually go to (hint: not the famous ones), and I know the Dalmatian islands well enough to tell you which ferry to take and which to avoid.
My writing is grounded in lived experience: I’ve navigated Austrian bureaucracy as a resident, hiked the Julian Alps in September when the crowds have gone, and eaten my way through Dubrovnik’s back streets at midnight. I cover Central Europe and the Adriatic for solo travellers who want something more than a highlight reel.
I also write in depth about Vienna and Austria at allaboutvienna.com, where you’ll find everything from neighbourhood guides to seasonal event coverage and expat tips.
When I’m not writing I’m usually hiking, swimming in the Adriatic, or arguing about which city makes better coffee. (It’s Vienna. It’s always Vienna.)