In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Vienna’s concerts are three different things. The halls’ own programmes (the Musikverein, the Konzerthaus, the State Opera) are sold by the halls, and the Musikverein’s general sale opens about seven weeks ahead. Tourist concerts are Mozart and Strauss selections in costume or in palace rooms, from €15 to €135: the Schönbrunn Orangery is €58 to €135, the Mozart Concert at the Musikverein from €69. Church concerts and light shows are from €15, and the Vivaldi concert at the Karlskirche is from €38. Coats and bags are not taken into the Musikverein hall. Check the seat category before you book a tourist concert.
The three kinds
| Kind | What it is | Price range | Sold by |
|---|---|---|---|
| The halls’ own programmes | The hall’s own season, with resident and visiting orchestras and soloists. At the State Opera, opera and ballet | Set by the hall; standing places at the Opera €13 to €18 | The hall’s own box office and shop |
| Tourist concerts | A Mozart and Strauss selection by an ensemble, often in costume or with opera singers, in a palace room or a hall | €15 to €135 | The organiser and resellers such as GetYourGuide |
| Church concerts and light shows | A small ensemble in a church, or a recorded light-and-sound show | €15 to €39 for a concert, €24 for the show | Resellers such as GetYourGuide |
The halls’ own programmes
- The Musikverein (Musikvereinsplatz 1, with the Golden Hall and the Brahms Hall). Members’ advance sale opens two months before a concert and the general sale one week later. The box office is open Monday to Friday 9:00 to 19:00 and Saturday 9:00 to 13:00, and in July and August Monday to Friday 9:00 to 12:00. Tickets are at musikverein.at. The dress is “festive attire”, with no sportswear. Coats, bags, rucksacks, umbrellas and folding chairs are not taken into the hall, even to standing places, and a cloakroom fee may apply. Guided tours do not run on Sundays and public holidays and can be cancelled for rehearsals; tickets are from €6. Wheelchair spaces are €17.
- The Konzerthaus. Remaining tickets for under-30s are €20 from 30 minutes before most events. Children aged 5 to 16 get 50 per cent off or a €20 remaining ticket, and wheelchair spaces are €14. See konzerthaus.at.
- The State Opera sells standing places at €13 to €18 on the day: see Vienna State Opera tickets.
- The Vienna Boys’ Choir sings at the Sunday Mass and on Fridays at the MuTh: see Vienna Boys’ Choir.
The Golden Hall of the Musikverein. Photo: Hieke, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Tourist concerts
These are sold to visitors, and each lists its programme and price by seat category.
| Concert | Where | Length | From | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mozart and Strauss at Schönbrunnad | The Orangery, Schönbrunn | 105 minutes | €58 | The Schönbrunn Palace Orchestra or Ensemble, with two opera singers. Mozart before the interval and Strauss after |
| Mozart Concert at the Musikverein, Golden Hallad | The Golden Hall | 2 hours | €69 | The Vienna Mozart Orchestra in period costume |
| Classical Concert in the World-Famous Musikvereinad | The Musikverein | 2 hours | €15 | Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven, with the Four Seasons on selected nights |
| Classical Concert at Mozart’s First Housead | Listed as Mozart’s First House | 1.5 hours | €59 | A classical concert, 2,827 reviews |
| Börse Palace Classical Concert with Ballet & Operaad | The Börse Palace | 1.5 hours | €46.75 | The Vienna Residence Orchestra with ballet and opera |
| Classical Concert at Eschenbach Palacead | Eschenbach Palace | 80 minutes | €44 | A classical concert |
| Imperial Gala Concert at the Palais Auerspergad | The Palais Auersperg | 1.5 to 3 hours | €49 | A gala concert |
| Classical Masters Concert at Haus der Musikad | Haus der Musik | 1 hour | €20.30 | The Wiener Klassik Ensemble |
| Johann Strauss Dinner Show at the Praterad | The Prater | 3 hours | €99 | A dinner with a Strauss show |
The Schönbrunn Orangery concerts
From €58 · 3,557 reviews · 105 minutes
The Orangery concerts are daily at 20:30, for about 1 hour 45 minutes with a 15-minute interval. The operator’s categories are C at €58, B at €85, A at €95 and VIP at €135, and seating is free within the category you choose. The Schönbrunn Palace Orchestra plays from 1 April to 31 October and from 20 December to 2 January, and the Schönbrunn Palace Ensemble from 1 November to 19 December and from 3 January to 31 March. In December there are also 16:00 concerts, on 24 December the concert is at 15:00, and on 31 December at 15:00 and 19:00. Packages add a palace tour or dinner. The GetYourGuide price is the category C price. See Schönbrunn Palace tickets for the palace.
The Orangery at Schönbrunn. Photo: Herzi Pinki, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Musikverein tourist concerts
From €69 · 6,173 reviews · 2 hours
Vienna: Mozart Concert at the Musikverein – Golden Hallad is the Vienna Mozart Orchestra in period costume. It is a tourist concert in the Musikverein’s hall, and is not the Musikverein’s own programme. A second listing, Classical Concert in the World-Famous Musikvereinad, is from €15 with 8,376 reviews and names the Golden Hall and the Brahms Hall. It is the cheapest ticket in the table.
Church concerts and light shows
A small ensemble plays in a church, usually for an hour or less. These are the lowest-priced concerts, and the church is the venue, not the orchestra’s home.
The Karlskirche. Photo: Suicasmo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Concert | Where | Length | From | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vivaldi’s Four Seasonsad | The Karlskirche | 75 minutes | €38 | A period-instrument ensemble, 17,937 reviews |
| Classic Ensemble Viennaad | St Peter’s Church | 1 hour | €39 | A classical programme, 5,532 reviews |
| Annakirche concertad | St Anne’s Church | 70 minutes | €27 | The Viennese String Ensemble, 3,863 reviews |
| Classical concert at St Stephen’s Cathedralad | St Stephen’s Cathedral | 1 to 1.5 hours | €15 | A classical concert, 4,892 reviews |
| Mozart, Schubert & Classical Masterpiecesad | The Capuchin Church | 1 to 1.5 hours | €15 | A classical programme |
| Christmas & New Year’s Concertad | St Peter’s Church | 1 hour | €49 | A seasonal concert |
| Light of Creationad | The Votivkirche | 30 minutes | €24 | An immersive light-and-sound show inspired by Genesis. It is not a concert, 10,630 reviews |
Which one
- The hall’s own programme: the Musikverein or the Konzerthaus, bought at their own box offices. The Konzerthaus has the €20 remaining tickets.
- A palace room and Mozart and Strauss: the Schönbrunn Orangery.
- The cheapest ticket: the €15 listings at the Musikverein, St Stephen’s and the Capuchin Church.
- An hour in a church: the Karlskirche, St Peter’s or the Annakirche.
- A light show rather than a concert: the Votivkirche, 30 minutes.
What to skip: a listing that does not name its venue and ensemble. The Musikverein’s own programme is sold at musikverein.at.
Hours, rules and getting there
- The Musikverein is at Musikvereinsplatz 1.
- The Orangery is 300 metres to the left of Schönbrunn’s main entrance.
- Cloakroom: coats and bags are taken at the Opera in free cloakrooms, and at the Musikverein for a fee that may apply.
The Vienna State Opera and the Vienna Boys’ Choir are the two music bookings with their own pages. What to book before you go to Vienna lists the Musikverein’s sale window beside the others, and 3 days in Vienna fits an evening round the day. For New Year’s Eve and the New Year’s Concert, see Vienna New Year’s Eve, and for the winter balls Vienna ball season. The Christmas markets page covers the Advent concerts. Where to eat in Vienna lists dinner before a concert, and where to stay in Vienna compares the areas. Vienna public transport has the night services.
Common questions
How much is a classical concert in Vienna?
Tourist concerts run from €15 to €135: church and Musikverein concerts sold by GetYourGuide start at €15, the Vivaldi concert at the Karlskirche is from €38, the Mozart concert at the Musikverein is from €69, and the Schönbrunn Orangery concerts are €58 to €135. The halls' own programmes are priced by the hall and sold at musikverein.at and konzerthaus.at.
What is the difference between the Musikverein's own concerts and the tourist concerts?
The Musikverein sells its own programme through its own box office. The tourist concerts, such as the Vienna Mozart Orchestra in costume in the Golden Hall, are sold to visitors by other sellers and are a Mozart and Strauss selection. Check the seller before booking.
How far ahead do Musikverein tickets go on sale?
The general sale opens about seven weeks before a concert. Members' advance sale opens two months ahead, and the general sale opens one week later.
What do I wear to the Musikverein?
The Musikverein asks for festive attire and no sportswear. Coats, bags, rucksacks, umbrellas and folding chairs are not taken into the hall, not even for standing places, and a cloakroom fee may apply.
Are there cheap tickets for the Konzerthaus?
Yes. Remaining tickets for under-30s are €20 from 30 minutes before most events, and children aged 5 to 16 get 50 per cent off or a €20 remaining ticket.
How long are the Schönbrunn Orangery concerts?
About 1 hour 45 minutes with a 15-minute interval, daily at 20:30 in the Orangery, 300 metres to the left of the palace's main entrance. Category C is €58, B €85, A €95 and VIP €135.
