Viennese Prater Top 10 Attractions 2024
The Prater is the most famous amusement park in Vienna. In this overview you will find a lot of relevant information for your visit to this popular sight. Choose from a wide range of attractions, such as roller coasters, ghost trains and carousels. Additionally to these different possibilities for an adrenaline rush there is also a highlight for nostalgia enthusiasts, the worldwide known Giant Ferris Wheel.
The Viennese Prater is usually open around the clock, throughout the whole year. Even though, various attractions are closed during the winter time and unfortunately sometimes in the high season at bad weather. The high season runs from the 15th March through 31st October 2024. Please click at opening hours for more details.
In contrast to many other theme parks you do not need to pay a general entrance fee. You only have to pay the ticket for the attraction, which you wand to ride. Most of the prices start from about 5 Euro per ride. Detailed info to the costs for each Prater Top 10 is available in the section prices.
The city-walks online travel guide presents 10 popular attractions with pictures and short description. For orientation you can find also a Prater Map as well as some facts for your arrival.
But the Prater is not only an amusement park, which is lovingly called "Wurstelprater" from the Viennese people. It is also a huge recreation park area with a long avenue of trees, which is named Hauptallee. Further info is available under Tips.
Giant Ferris Wheel
With a weight of more than 240 tons and a height of roughly 65 m the Giant Ferris Wheel looms over the Prater in Vienna since 1897. It is there the most popular attraction and an important landmark for Vienna. This is the right place to escape from the fairground noise for a short while. Enjoy the impressive view over Vienna in a historical atmosphere and at a leisurely pace.
Depending on the rush of people it could be necessary to line up until you can enjoy the ride which takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes. This experience is not exactly cheap but with a combination ticket you are able to save some money.
The worldwide known Giant Ferris Wheel is quite sure one of the top targets for all tourists in Vienna and that with good reason. But if you prefer more action instead of this relaxed and stylish experience, you can choose among numerous alternative rides.
Madame Tussauds
The well known wax museum has also a subsidiary in Vienna. It is established since 2011 and is one of 24 locations worldwide. The entrance is at the place directly across the Giant Ferris Wheel.
There are approximately 90 figures exhibited at 3 floors with totally 2000 m². Among the showed wax figures you can find more than 25 Austrian personalities like for example Sigmund Freud, Empress Sisi, Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Falco and Conchita Wurst.
This superb attraction is not only the perfect bad weather program but should also be a fix point on your visiting list. Especially if you are one of the few who did not visit a Madame Tussauds wax museum until now.
You should order the tickets online to receive a considerable discount on the entrance fee. Another possibility, which you should consider to save money, is to choose combination tickets.
Schweizerhaus
If you need a strengthening meal during your visit in the Prater you should consider the Schweizerhaus. This place is very well known for the hearty food and an excellent beer. The traditional restaurant offers the delicacies in a vast garden and a large indoor area, where at least 3000 visitors have place. Nevertheless, you should reserve a table for summer evenings, or on weekends and holidays just in case. Otherwise, you need very good luck to snatch a free table.
Especially recommendable is the "Schweizerhaus Stelze" which is the specialty of the house. This crispy and juicy knuckle of pork is charged by weight. In the most cases this is around 1.5 kg and depending on the size and hunger it is should be sufficient for 2 to 4 persons. Side dishes need to be ordered separately. The offered delicious Budweiser drought beer is the perfect drink to this hearty food. Unfortunately this Prater institution is not open all the year round.
Prater Tower
The Prater Tower is a gigantic chain carousel, which lets you fly around in circles, in about 100 m above the ground. If you do not get frightened by this impressive dimensions you may have your seat in one of the 12 double seats and will then be lifted to dizzying altitudes. At the same time you are flying with approximately 60 km/h in rounds above the Prater.
As soon as the fear gives way to the enthusiasm, you will be able to adore the unique view at the sea of houses and the several green islands in Vienna. A ride takes roughly 4 minutes, which may appear very long at a high anxiety level or too short at corresponding pleasure. Prices and Opening Hours.
Liliputbahn
This mini railway is a nostalgic highlight for young and old. The round trip is about 3,9 km long and leads along the avenue Hauptallee, from the Giant Ferris Wheel area to a place close to the Ernst Happel Stadion and back.
During the high season the train runs usually all 30 minutes in the morning on weekdays. In the afternoon and at weekends the interval changes to 15 minutes. The over-80-year-old steam locomotives, which are often used on weekends from the noon time, offer an exceptionally authentic driving experience. While such a train trip you will not only feel the airflow in your hair but also the smoke from the whistling steam locomotive.
A complete tour with the Liliput-train takes roughly 20 minutes. There are four stops on the entire route. Tickets are available for the complete round trip as well as for individual sections. Especially the short trip between the main station and the station at the restaurant "Schweizerhaus" is cheap and perfect for a brief test. Prices and Opening Hours
Black Mamba
The name certainly attracts already the right target audience for this attraction. It is all about thrill in extreme positions with strong acceleration up to 80km/h and unexpected twists.
Up to eight brave people can ride with the Black Mamba at the same time. Due to the special design in the form of a snake, which is mounted on 3 axes, the movements are unpredictable. This surprise effect may really mess up the pit of your stomach.
The exceptional experience lasts approximately 3 minutes and should have a high ranking at the Prater Top 10 list for all who are looking for action. Prices and Opening Hours
Wildalpenbahn
The Wildalpenbahn is the perfect family fun for hot summer days. In the first step the round boats, which can accommodate up to 9 guests, will be elevated in a tower at an altitude of about 30 m. After reaching the top of the tower the rapid descent begins in a wide water channel. Meanwhile sliding downhill, the boats are lively rotating.
At the end of the downswing the fast pace will be slowed down by a bit deeper water. Only with a great deal of luck, you will be spared by a splash of water and stay dry. If you have bad luck and get soaking wet you have the possibility to benefit of a large body dryer at the Wildalpenbahn exit. The cruise takes around 3 minutes and is suitable for children from 4 years of age. Prices and Opening Hours
Hotel Psycho
What would be an amusement park without a ghost train? There are several of those in the Prater and the Hotel Psycho is one of them. With a 360° revolving gondola you are passing all sorts of cruelties like a man on the electric chair and zombies in all variations. The horror drive takes approximately 5 minutes.
The numerous shock moments and well turned out special effects are not suitable for people with weak nerves. All who like horror and scare and are at least 12 years old, should have a great time in this unusual hotel.
Prices and Opening Hours
Boomerang
Another highlight for adrenaline junkies is this high-speed roller coaster. You do not drive as usual a simply lap with this roller coaster but pass the whole route in both directions. The key feature of the Boomerang is the direction in which you are sitting. First you sit in the driving direction and afterwards you drive the route back again with your rear facing to feel some additional adrenalin surges.
The track of this Prater attraction runs between two 37 m high towers, which are connected by a double looping. Each car has 2 rows with 2 seats side by side and the maximum speed exceeds 85 km/h. The trip with this hell vehicle takes roughly 2 minutes.
Prices and Opening Hours
Blumenrad
The flower wheel does not reach the dimensions of the Giant Ferris Wheel. The height of approximately 45 m is still high enough for a beautiful view at Vienna and the bigger brother, the Giant Ferris Wheel.
Unlike to the Ferris Wheel, here you sit in open and freely rotatable gondolas. This gives you a good opportunity to shoot gorgeous photos from the bird perspective. In the dark, the flower wheel is colorfully illuminated with countless LED lamps and offers pure kitsch romance.
A ride with this alternative to the Giant Ferris Wheel takes about 5 minutes and is much more affordable. Prices and Opening Hours
