Tickets · Numbered seats

Classical concerts in Vienna: Mozart and Strauss in the historic halls

Musikverein, Schönbrunn Orangery, Palais Auersperg, Karlskirche: pick your venue, your evening and your seat category. Mobile ticket, instant confirmation, free cancellation depending on the option.

Classical concerts in Vienna

Choose a concert type and a date to see what is available.

Choose a concert

Your visit date

The price shown is the cheapest option available on that day

A concert in Vienna: what to know before you book

Vienna is the only city where Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Bruckner and Johann Strauss all lived and composed, and where their music is played every night of the year in the very halls they knew. A classical concert here is as much a visit as a performance: the Golden Hall of the Musikverein, the baroque Orangery of Schönbrunn, the salons of Palais Auersperg or the nave of the Karlskirche are part of the programme.

The options look alike: 60 to 90 minutes of music, usually at 8:00 or 8:30 pm, a "Mozart and Strauss" programme with chamber orchestra, singers and sometimes dancers in period costume, and numbered seats sold by category. Prices range from about €30 in a church to €150 and more for a dinner concert at Schönbrunn. The ticket covers the hall and the concert; drinks and cloakroom are not included unless stated.

One piece of advice worth more than any other: book online, not on the street. The touts in Mozart wigs and costumes who approach tourists around the Opera sell expensive seats for short shows; the concerts listed here are given by established ensembles in well-known halls, with the seat category shown before you pay.

There is no dress code: smart casual is fine everywhere, and nobody expects a tuxedo. Children are admitted in most halls from age 6; church concerts and the Vienna Boys' Choir performances suit families well.

A packed, multi-tiered theater audience claps enthusiastically, with one person standing on stage wearing colorful clothing.

The different concerts in Vienna

Choose the venue first: it makes the evening. Programme and length are similar from one option to the next.

Hofburg Palace Vienna: Strauss & Mozart Concert

Hofburg Palace Vienna: Strauss & Mozart Concert Recommended

The Golden Hall of the New Year's Concert, with the Vienna Mozart Orchestra in costume.

  • Golden Hall of the Musikverein, opened in 1870
  • Mozart programme: overtures, opera arias, symphonies
  • Orchestra, soloists and singers in period costume
  • Numbered seats by category, about 1 h 45 with interval
From 90 €
Buy my tickets
All the details of this option

Plan your concert evening in Vienna

Tourist concerts sell out in categories A and B at weekends, at Christmas and at New Year. These tips save you bad seats and bad surprises.

  • Book the category before the date Categories A and B (centre of the hall, front rows) go one to two weeks ahead. In category C or D you hear just as well but see less of the dancers and costumes.
  • Arrive 30 minutes early Doors open 30 to 45 minutes before the concert; seating is on presentation of your mobile ticket. Once it has started, entry is only possible at the interval.
  • No evening dress required Smart casual is fine in every hall, the Musikverein included. Bring a jacket for church concerts: the churches stay cool even in summer.
  • Avoid the sellers in Mozart costume The touts stationed near the Opera and the cathedral sell expensive seats for short shows, with no seat category. Book online with the category shown and a cancellation policy.
  • Cloakroom and photos Paid cloakroom (€1–2) in the large halls. Photos are allowed before the concert and during applause, not during the music.
  • Combine with a visit Schönbrunn offers palace tour + concert; Palais Auersperg is five minutes from the Rathaus and the Parliament; the Karlskirche can be visited in the afternoon with access to the dome.
  • Christmas and New Year From 20 December to 6 January, special programmes and higher prices; book a month ahead. The Philharmonic's New Year's Concert is not on open sale: the Musikverein options on this page are the accessible alternative.

Concert times

All year

January – December

Concerts every evening, starting at 8:00 or 8:30 pm depending on the hall
Doors open 30 to 45 minutes before
1 h to 1 h 45 depending on the option, interval included

High season

April – October, 20 December – 6 January

Two performances on some evenings (6:30 pm and 8:30 pm)
Categories A and B sold out one to two weeks ahead
Special programmes at Christmas and New Year

Vienna Boys' Choir

September – June

Sunday Mass at the Hofburg Chapel, 9:15 am
Friday afternoon concerts at the MuTh
No performances in July and August

Vienna, capital of classical music

Beethoven, Mozart and Freud's Vienna

No other city has been home to so many composers: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Bruckner, Mahler, both Johann Strausses, Schoenberg. The imperial court, the aristocracy and a music-loving middle class made Vienna the centre of European music from the 18th century on — and the city has kept its halls.

The Musikverein, opened in 1870, houses the Golden Hall from which the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert is broadcast every 1 January to more than 50 million viewers. Palais Auersperg (1710) saw Mozart conduct his Idomeneo in 1786. The Schönbrunn Orangery, 189 metres long, hosted the 1786 contest between Mozart and Salieri staged by Emperor Joseph II. The Karlskirche, completed in 1737, offers one of Europe's finest baroque spaces to ensembles playing period instruments.

The Vienna Boys' Choir has sung Sunday Mass in the imperial chapel since 1498. Today the city offers more than 15,000 concert and opera seats every evening, from the State Opera to the churches of the old town.

See all activities

How to get to the concert halls

Musikverein

Musikvereinsplatz 1, 1010 Vienna
Metro U1, U2, U4 Karlsplatz (Oper exit), 3 minutes on foot
Tram 1, 2, D, 71 to Oper/Karlsplatz

Palais Auersperg

Auerspergstrasse 1, 1080 Vienna
Metro U2 Rathaus, 5 minutes on foot
Tram 46 to Auerspergstrasse

Schönbrunn Orangery

Schönbrunner Schlossstrasse 47, 1130 Vienna
Metro U4 Schönbrunn, 10 minutes on foot through the park
Tram 10, 60 and bus 10A to Schloss Schönbrunn
Dinner concert: entrance via the Orangery, east side of the park

Karlskirche and Peterskirche

Karlskirche: Karlsplatz 1, metro U1, U2, U4 Karlsplatz
Peterskirche: Petersplatz 1, metro U1, U3 Stephansplatz
Both under 10 minutes on foot from the Opera

Frequently asked questions about concerts in Vienna

Which concert should I choose in Vienna for a first visit?

The Musikverein for the venue — the Golden Hall is the most famous in the world — with an accessible Mozart programme. For a Viennese party with waltzes and dancers, the gala at Palais Auersperg; for a full evening with dinner and palace, Schönbrunn; on a tight budget and for an intimate atmosphere, a church concert.

How much does a classical concert in Vienna cost?

From about €30 for a church concert to €150 and more for a dinner concert at Schönbrunn. At the Musikverein and Palais Auersperg, expect €45 to €100 depending on the seat category. The "from" price shown corresponds to the category furthest from the stage.

Do I need to book in advance?

Yes for categories A and B, which sell out one to two weeks ahead, and a month ahead over the Christmas holidays. Lower categories often remain available the day before outside high season.

Is there a dress code?

No. Smart casual is the norm in every hall, the Musikverein included; shorts and flip-flops are discouraged out of respect for the musicians, but nothing is enforced.

Are the concerts suitable for children?

From age 6 in most halls; some concerts admit younger children on a parent's lap, others do not — the ticket page states it. One-hour church concerts and Vienna Boys' Choir performances suit families best.

Can I attend the Philharmonic's New Year's Concert?

Not through regular online sales: seats are allocated by lottery a year ahead on the Philharmonic's website. The Mozart and Strauss concerts held at the Musikverein and Palais Auersperg over the holidays are the accessible alternative.

Are the concerts sold on the street by people in Mozart costume any good?

They are commission-based touts: seats cost more than online, with no guaranteed category, for shows that are often shorter. Book online with the category shown and a clear cancellation policy.

What is the difference between the Musikverein and the Konzerthaus?

The Musikverein (1870) is home to the Philharmonic and the Golden Hall; the Konzerthaus (1913) is the city's large hall for visiting orchestras and jazz. Tourist Mozart concerts mostly take place at the Musikverein.

How long does a concert last?

One hour for a church concert, 1 h 30 at Palais Auersperg and Schönbrunn, up to 1 h 45 at the Musikverein with a 20-minute interval. Dinner concerts last about 3 h 30 in total.

Is the ticket refundable?

Many options sold by Tiqets can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 or 48 hours before the performance; the exact deadline appears on each ticket page before payment. Dinner concerts often have stricter conditions.

Where should I sit to see and hear well?

At the Musikverein, the central stalls (category A or B); the side balconies hear perfectly but see the stage at an angle. At Palais Auersperg, the front rows for the dancers. In churches, seating is free: arrive early for the central nave.

Can I combine a concert and a visit on the same evening?

Yes at Schönbrunn (palace tour at 6 pm, concert at 8:30 pm, with or without dinner) and at Palais Auersperg (dinner then concert). For the Musikverein, visit the hall by day on a guided tour, then come back for the concert.

Classical concerts in Vienna: Mozart and Strauss in the historic halls from 53 €
Choose my concert