Austria » Vienna

Vienna: 24-Hour Hop-On Hop-Off Bus & Danube River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★ 3.70 (61 reviews) 44% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellation

1/22

Duration1h 25m–1h 40m

Audio guideEN · AR +6

Mobile ticketAccepted

Two Bus Routes, One Ferris Wheel Ticket, and a Danube Cruise in 24 Hours

You get 24 hours of unlimited hop-on hop-off access across two bus routes covering Vienna's main palaces, museums, and landmarks; skip-the-line entry to the Wiener Riesenrad Ferris Wheel; a 1.5- to 2-hour Danube River cruise; and audio commentary in eight languages. Download the Big Bus Tours app to activate your ticket and track buses live, then move through Vienna at your own pace without arranging separate transport or buying individual attraction tickets.

1h 25m–1h 40m

Step-by-step itinerary

Redeem river cruise ticket voucher
Board hop-on hop-off bus
See Vienna State Opera and House of Music
Visit Museums Quarter and Hofburg Palace
Stop at City Hall and Votive Church
Hop off at Schwedenplatz for Danube Canal
Take Danube River cruise
Visit Prater Amusement Park
Continue bus tour to Uno City and Danube Island
Stop at City Park

The Experience

The Ferris Wheel ticket alone usually means a queue, but it comes included here, which changes how you move through Vienna. You board the double-decker buses at the Opera House stop and pick your own pace—get off at Schönbrunn Palace, stay as long as you want, then catch the next bus. The red route loops through the Prater, the Danube Canal, and City Park; the blue route heads south to Belvedere Palace and the Technical Museum. Audio commentary plays in eight languages, and the Big Bus Tours app lets you track buses in real time so you're not guessing when the next one arrives.

The Danube River cruise is the part that shifts your perspective. You redeem your ticket at the DDSG River Cruise Office—the staff at any bus stop can point you there—and then you're on the water for 1.5 to 2 hours, watching the city's skyline and bridges from a vantage point you can't get from the street. The cruise runs between 1.5 and 2 hours, so it's long enough to feel like a separate experience, not just a quick add-on. Heavy rain or high water can change the schedule, but the staff will tell you what's running that day.

What makes this work is the 24-hour window. You're not locked into a rigid itinerary—you can spend an hour at Schönbrunn Palace, skip the Museums Quarter if it's crowded, and come back to the Ferris Wheel in the evening when the light changes. The buses run all day, and you hop on and off as the mood takes you. Free WiFi on board means you can look up what's inside a building before you decide to get off, and the app keeps your ticket right on your phone.

What’s included

24-hour hop-on hop-off bus ticket valid on two routes (Red Route and Blue Route).
skip-the-line Wiener Riesenrad Giant Ferris Wheel ticket.
Danube River cruise lasting 1.5 to 2 hours (ticket redeemed at DDSG River Cruise Office).
audio commentary in eight languages.
free WiFi on board.
Big Bus Tours app for ticket storage, live bus tracking, and mobile ticket activation.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Big Bus - Austria

Is this one for you?Best for travelers who want to see Vienna's main palaces and landmarks without renting a car or buying separate transport and attraction tickets—the 24-hour window and two routes let you move at your own pace, and the Ferris Wheel and River Cruise are already paid for.