Prater in the heart of the city is one of Vienna's most popular attractions.
As the oldest amusement park in the world, it provides ultimate fun, especially with Wurstelprater, which has been around since the early 19th century.
However, this landmark in Vienna is much more than just an adventure park. Green Prater, a popular recreation area, as well as a planetarium and a sports facility are also located on the more than six square kilometers of Prater.
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Ticket Options for the Prater
With numerous websites offering tickets for the Prater, it can be difficult to choose the right tickets. That's why we've taken the time to compare all the available options for you.
Below, you'll find a curated list of the most popular and cheapest ticket options for the Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel. Simply click on your preferred choice to purchase your tickets.
- Ticket Overview of Popular Giant Ferris Wheel Ride
- Skip-the-cashier-desk-line Ticket for a Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel ride
- Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel Ride Skip-the Line Ticket + Schönbrunn Zoo Skip-the Line Ticket
- Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel Ride (Skip-the-Line Ticket) + Vienna Prater: Wurstelprater Amusement Park City Exploration Game
- Combo Ticket: Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel Fast Admission Ticket + Big Bus 24/48 hour hop-on hop-off evening tour through Vienna
Attractions in Prater
Vienna Prater has more than 250 attractions. Although the season runs from March to October, Prater and many attractions, including the Vienna Ferris Wheel, are open all year round.
The numerous spectacular fairground rides, such as carousels, ball-throwing and shooting galleries, ghost trains and roller coasters as well as autodrome tracks, have been offering fun, adventure and entertainment for young and old for decades.
Top 10 Highlights in Prater
- Ferris Wheel: The main attraction in Prater is undoubtedly the Vienna Ferris Wheel. It is one of the symbols of Vienna. During the 15-minute ride, you can enjoy an incomparable view of Vienna from a height of almost 65 meters.
- Prater Turm Chain Carousel: At 117 meters, the Prater Turm chain carousel is the highest chain carousel in the world. You “fly” through the air at 60 km/h.
- Madame Tussauds: The Viennese branch of the famous Madam Tussauds wax museum has been in Prater since 2011. Marvel at international stars and famous Austrians, such as Empress Sisi, Falko, Sigmund Freud and Mozart.
- Skull Rock - Bane of the Pirates: This new attraction promises goosebumps. The 6-minute ride on the ghost train becomes an exciting pirate adventure with exciting surprises and effects.
- Black Mamba: The Black Mamba catapults you through the air at 80 km/h for an adrenaline rush.
- Hotel Psycho: Another popular attraction is the Hotel Psycho ghost train, which provides thrills and spooky fun.
- Liliputbahn: For train lovers, the Liliputbahn with its open wagons is definitely a special experience, because different locomotives, including steam locomotives, run on the 4 km long route.
- Volare: This roller coaster is something for the brave, because on the extraordinary ride, you whiz through the 420 m long track, lying head first on their stomach.
- Wildalpenbahn: A refreshing ride over a wide gully offers fun and sometimes also cooling for the whole family.
- Boomerang: This roller coaster has it all! On the looping track, you not only ride forwards, but also backwards.
Dining in Prater
Numerous cafés, food stands and restaurants in Prater provide for your physical well-being. From Viennese sausage stands to fine dining, there is something for every taste.
Schweizerhaus, which serves typical Austrian cuisine, is particularly recommended. The traditional inn with the huge beer garden is best known for its hearty dishes, such as the Schweizerhaus Stelze.
Nightlife in Prater
The Prater is home to the Praterdome, Austria's largest nightclub and one of the trendiest locations in Vienna.
Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday you can expect not only a lively party atmosphere, but also an exclusive atmosphere. The imposing building on Riesenradplatz offers 12 themed bars and four dance floors on two floors, where you can party all night to the latest music.
A special spectacle awaits you at midnight, when the walls between the two main dance floors are raised to the accompaniment of futuristic sounds and a laser show.
Prater Card and Prater Highlights
- Pratercard: With the Pratercard you can pay without cash at participating attractions and selected restaurants in Prater. At some attractions, the card holder is also offered a discount on the fare. A Pratercard can be ordered online with the desired credit and reloaded after the credit has been used up.
- Prater Highlights: Holders of the Prater Highlights Card enjoy free entry to 20 attractions in Prater, including the Vienna Ferris Wheel, Madame Tussauds, Liliputbahn and Vienna Flight. You will also receive a bonus booklet with discounts. Price: €45
History of the Prater
Prater was made accessible to all Viennese on April 7, 1766 by Emperor Joseph II. Previously, it was reserved for the nobility as an imperial hunting ground and for walks. At the same time, the Emperor also approved the construction of catering stands. With the construction of the first stalls, more and more innkeepers, coffee makers and Lebzelter settled, followed by the construction of swings, merry-go-rounds and bowling alleys. This is how the forerunner of today's Wurstelprater gradually developed.
Prater's heyday began with the 1873 World's Fair held in Vienna. For this purpose, a large area with exhibition halls was set up in Prater, the center of which was an 84 meter high rotunda. However, it burned down completely in 1937. Today you can find the main building of the Vienna Trade Fair on the spot.
With the construction of the "Venedig in Wien" amusement area in 1895, in the middle of which the Vienna Ferris Wheel was built two years later, Prater increasingly developed into a place of entertainment. Puppet theaters, cabinets of curiosities, as well as showmen and fairground rides were very popular with the public. Liliputbahn followed in 1928 and the world's first ghost train in 1933.
During World War II, however, Prater was not spared from bombing. Thanks to private initiatives, however, it was able to be rebuilt after 1945.
Numerous new and modern attractions and bars were added in the following years and made Prater one of the most popular and most visited sights in Vienna with around 5.2 million visitors a year.
Contact
- Address: Prater, 1020 Vienna
- Subway: Praterstern or Messe-Prater
- Opening Times: The Prater is open 24 hours a day, all year round. Opening hours of the respective attractions may vary.