Location of Dock(s) for river boats stopping in Vienna?

[Baybear]

Does anyone know where the River Boats dock in Vienna? Are they near or in the city itself, or is it a long drive to get into the city? And if they dock "in" the City, is it within walking distances to any features of interest?

We're taking a Uniworld Danube cruise next Summer and one of their stops is Vienna.

TIA

[Hydrokitty]

Docks are not in downtown Vienna but we were provided with a shuttle that made the round trips between ship and city every 30-45 minutes. bus ride was about 15-20 minutes as I recall, I don't think you could really walk it. Once in the city, it's very walkable. We walked from the opera house(where the shuttle stop was) to the Stadtpark where the gold statue of Strauss is. It was a lovely walk and the park is beautiful. There are many things to see and do in Vienna....best thing would be to 1: research what's there on line and make a list of what you want to see and do; and 2: ask your tour manager how to do and see them. One of the things I hope you're offered is the Schonbrunn Palace, which I thought was even prettier than Versailles and I know some people in our group who had been to Vienna and Schonbrunn before booked their own trip to the Black Forest and said it was wonderful.

[Jesterscourt]

We were on Uniworld's River Beatrice for the Danube trip last year. There were no shuttle busses into the city every 30 minutes; the only transportation provided was for the bus tour of the city or the evening concert. Most people stayed in town after the tour and got back on their own. The ship will be docked on the Danube River (as opposed to the Donaukanal which is closer to the downtown if you look on the map). You will be docked on Handelskai (the promenade going along the Danube River) right near the Reichsbrucke (bridge) and about a 15 minute walk from the VOGARTENSTRASSE metro stop on the Red Line. You are then 4 stops from Stephansplatz which is right at St. Stephan's Church downtown where all the action is. If you decide to walk around where you are docked, the river promenade is nice, and there is a park and a beautiful church nearby as well as Lasallestrasse, a major avenue with a few grocery stores and cafes where the metro stop is.

[martygo]

Our ship, the Viking Prestige, docked close to the Vogartenstrasse metro stop, which is four stops from downtown Vienna on the red line.

[bphman]

Ama provided 2 shuttles for those who wished to remain behind. It is quite a ways from downtown to the ships.

[Baybear]

Thanks very much; that's exactly the information I was looking for! We'll be a group of six, fit 66-year-olds and the walk to the Metro and then the trip in sounds good for getting into town!

[GiannaD]

The ships definitely dock out of the city center. The canal through the city center is much too narrow and shallow for riverboats.

It depends on the tour company whether there are shuttles into the historic center. We were on a Vantage cruise that had an overnight stop in Vienna and we were provided free shuttle service to and from the ship after the morning tours were over until late afternoon. Depending on the ship location the subway station is generally walkable and as mentioned above there is a stop in the cathedral square. From there you can walk to most of the main sites.

Schonbrunn palace is a must see but not in the historic center.

[kuldalai]

The boats dock near a large road bridge over the river . Walk along the river and up the stairs to the pedestrian walkway beneath this road bridge, turn left and head approx 500m along the footpath to the nearest Metro station.

The Metro will take you most anywhere including Schonnbrun.

The railway is very shallow and just below the surface of the roadway. The "to' platform is accessed from the footpath on one side of the roadway, and the "from" platform from the footpath on the other side of the roadway . (i:e: You cannot interchange between the two platforms underground. )

Sights not to be missed in Vienna - Schonnbrun Palace, The famous Prater Amusement Park with its historic Ferris wheel as seen in the film The Third Man, and the Golden Hall of the Musikverein (where the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra broadcasts their annual New Years Day Concert to the world on January 1 each year .) If you are into horses also the Lipenzaner horses and Spanish Riding School .

[orchestrapal]

[quote=kuldalai;30285299

Sights not to be missed in Vienna - Schonnbrun Palace, The famous Prater Amusement Park with its historic Ferris wheel as seen in the film The Third Man, and the Golden Hall of the Musikverein (where the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra broadcasts their annual New Years Day Concert to the world on January 1 each year .) If you are into horses also the Lipenzaner horses and Spanish Riding School .[/QUOTE]

If there is any one intrested in culture in your group...there is a wonderful tour of the Opera House and some of the best museums in all of Europe. The Musikverein is a very beautiful building but if you can't catch a concert there you would be missing it's main highlight...the acustics.
The cafe's are not half bad either.

[Baybear]

Originally Posted by orchestrapal

If there is any one intrested in culture in your group...there is a wonderful tour of the Opera House and some of the best museums in all of Europe. The Musikverein is a very beautiful building but if you can't catch a concert there you would be missing it's main highlight...the acustics.
The cafe's are not half bad either.

Yes, thank you... all six in our group attend classical concerts in Baltimore MD, and DW & I attend frequently in Philadelphia as well. DW and I live in Lancaster PA, just 1 hour from Philly and 1.25 hours from Baltimore. Lancaster PA also has a respectable symphony orchestra. We'd love to do the Opera House tour... but I'm suspecting that since we'll be there August 2nd, there will not be any "real" concerts (other than the tourist ones) during that time of year. But we'll certainly check before traveling.

[Hydrokitty]

Originally Posted by kuldalai

The boats dock near a large road bridge over the river . Walk along the river and up the stairs to the pedestrian walkway beneath this road bridge, turn left and head approx 500m along the footpath to the nearest Metro station.

The Metro will take you most anywhere including Schonnbrun.

The railway is very shallow and just below the surface of the roadway. The "to' platform is accessed from the footpath on one side of the roadway, and the "from" platform from the footpath on the other side of the roadway . (i:e: You cannot interchange between the two platforms underground. )

Sights not to be missed in Vienna - Schonnbrun Palace, The famous Prater Amusement Park with its historic Ferris wheel as seen in the film The Third Man, and the Golden Hall of the Musikverein (where the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra broadcasts their annual New Years Day Concert to the world on January 1 each year .) If you are into horses also the Lipenzaner horses and Spanish Riding School .

I so wanted to ride on that ferris wheel, but there just wasn't enough time!

[Jesterscourt]

Just to let you know that the Prater Amusement Park is just one subway stop from your stop. Don't forget to memorize Third Man music as they will make you hum it when the bus tour goes by it! The other issue I wanted to mention is that every day there is an English-speaking tour of the Opera House either 1 or 2 PM regardless of whether there is a performance or not. Do not miss this. It's worth it to get tickets a few hours ahead of time to make sure you get in. There are great Viennese cafes nearby where you can hang out after you get your tickets. The other advantage of getting the tickets ahead of time is to make sure exactly what time your tour is and to find out which entrance to go as there was some confusion about this when we went.

[Baybear]

Originally Posted by Jesterscourt

Just to let you know that the Prater Amusement Park is just one subway stop from your stop. Don't forget to memorize Third Man music as they will make you hum it when the bus tour goes by it! The other issue I wanted to mention is that every day there is an English-speaking tour of the Opera House either 1 or 2 PM regardless of whether there is a performance or not. Do not miss this. It's worth it to get tickets a few hours ahead of time to make sure you get in. There are great Viennese cafes nearby where you can hang out after you get your tickets. The other advantage of getting the tickets ahead of time is to make sure exactly what time your tour is and to find out which entrance to go as there was some confusion about this when we went.

Great Stuff! Thanks!

[Jesterscourt]

Baybear, I just realized you will be going in the summer, and the opera house tours are not just 1 PM, but apparently every hour from 10 to 4. Also, since you seem to be classical music fans, try to get to the Haus Der Musik (House of Music) which is sort-of a high tech, hands-on musical experience including exhibits on all the heavyweight composers from Mozart to Mahler. You will also get a chance to humiliate yourself when you use the virtual baton to "conduct" the Vienna Philharmonic. If you screw up, the musicians laugh at you! Only in Vienna!...

[Hydrokitty]

Originally Posted by Jesterscourt

Baybear, I just realized you will be going in the summer, and the opera house tours are not just 1 PM, but apparently every hour from 10 to 4. Also, since you seem to be classical music fans, try to get to the Haus Der Musik (House of Music) which is sort-of a high tech, hands-on musical experience including exhibits on all the heavyweight composers from Mozart to Mahler. You will also get a chance to humiliate yourself when you use the virtual baton to "conduct" the Vienna Philharmonic. If you screw up, the musicians laugh at you! Only in Vienna!...

As will all the people watching who don't have the stomach to try it themselves!!

Wonderful experience for the classical music lover as was our private concert at the Kursalon. Don't know if it's offered on your cruise, but if it is, don't miss it!