Wiener Neustadt

Wiener Neustadt is a city and Vienna suburb in Lower Austria, Austria.

Understand

Hauptplatz (Main Square)

The city was nearly completely destroyed in World War II, therefore there are not many historic buildings left. Traditionally Wiener Neustadt is an industrial suburban town. It's also a commercial center for the surrounding area. There are many schools, among them the primary military academy of Austria. For travellers the city might be a starting point to explore the southern parts of Greater Vienna: to the west there are the foothills of the alps, to the east Neusiedler See and Hungary are not far away, and to the north central Vienna.

• 🌍 Stadtmarketing und Tourismus Wiener Neustadt, Hauptplatz 1-3 (next to City Hall), ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M-F 09:00-13:00, 13:30-18:00; Sa 09:00-13:00. Can offer assistance with accommodation and bookings. (updated Jun 2016)

Get in

By rail

• 🌍 Wiener Neustadt Trainstation (Wiener Neustadt Hauptbahnhof), Bahnhofplatz 1, ☎ +43 5-1717, e-mail: [e-mail]. Ticket counters: M-Sa 05:15-21:00, Su and holidays 06:15-21:00; ticket automats 24hrs. Frequent suburban trains run from Wien Mitte station in central Vienna on the S6 (via Ebenfurth) and S9 (via Baden) routes, reaching Wiener Neustadt in 75-80 min. Storage lockers available.  

By car

On the Südautobahn, Wiener Neustadt is within 40 minutes from Vienna or 2 hrs from Graz. From Hungary it's 30 minutes.

Get around

Bus and bicycle

• City bus (Stadtbus WNSKS), ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. The city offers bus service on ten routes labeled A-L; schedules for each route can be downloaded directly from the website. Most routes begin/terminate at either the train station (Bahnhof), or at the main square (Hauptplatz, near the tourist information office). Single trip: €2 (adults), €1.20 (concessions), €1 (children); day ticket: €4; week ticket: €11.60; month ticket: €36. 
• Nextbike (bicycle rental), ☎ [phone] (hotline). After registration (online or by mobile), pick up a bicycle at any Nextbike location, and drop the same bicycle off at the same or any other Nextbike spot. A map of pickup and drop-off points can be found here; a brochure with map is available for download. €1/hr, €10/day; free for the first ½ hr. (updated Jan 2017)

Taxi

• Taxi Zausnigg, ☎ [phone]. 
• Speedys Taxi Service, ☎ [phone]. 
• Funktaxi, ☎ [phone]. 

See

Castle (Burg)

15th-century stained glass window in St George's Church (Georgskapelle)

Spinnerin am Kreuz

Cathedral (Dom), dating from the late Romanesque period

• 🌍 Castle (Burg), Burgplatz 1. Built in the 13th century and later enlarged, this is the home of the Theresian Military Academy, established in 1752 and the first military academy in Europe. During WWII it was a German military academy, with Rommel as commandant. The building sustained heavy damage during the war and was subsequently rebuilt; today it is used once more as the Austrian officers' academy.  
  • 🌍 St George's Church (Georgskapelle/St. Georgskathedrale), ☎ [phone]. Tours daily 08:00-16:00. Located in the only corner of the castle to survive WWII, the 15th-century chapel was largely rebuilt. Of special note are three medieval stained glass windows. On the outside courtyard wall is the Heraldic Wall (Wappenwand), with 14 real and 93 imaginary Habsburg coats-of-arms.  
• 🌍 Spinnerin am Kreuz (literally: "Spinner at the Cross"), Wiener Straße. A 21m-high stone Gothic column, designed by the Master Michael Knab and erected between 1382-1384; a sister column is located in the Favoriten district in Vienna. According to medieval legend the column was erected in thanks for the safe return of a husband from the crusades. Free.  
• 🌍 City Museum of Wiener Neustadt (Stadtmuseum Wiener Neustadt), Petersgasse 2a, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. W 10:00-16:00, Th 10:00-20:00, F-Su and holidays 10:00-16:00. Housed in a former Dominican monastery, this museum has historic artifacts relating to the history of the city and wider region, and hosts regular special exhibitions. €4 (adults), €1.50 (concessions).  
• 🌍 Aviaticum Flight Museum (Flugmuseum Aviaticum), Ferdinand-Graf-von-Zeppelin-Straße 1, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. T-Su 10:00-20:00. Wiener Neustadt was the cradle of Austrian aviation, and this museum is dedicated to its history. One of the highlights on display is the only surviving and still operable Etrich Taube monoplane from 1912. €5.50 (adults), €2.50 (children 6-14).  
• 🌍 Jewish Cemetery (Jüdischer Friedhof), Wiener Straße 95, ☎ [phone] (registration required at least 4 days in advance), e-mail: [e-mail]. Apr-May, Sep-Oct; closed on F evening, Sa, and Jewish holidays. Until 1938 Wiener Neustadt had the second-largest community of Jews in Lower Austria. The cemetery was in use from the 13th to the 20th centuries, and is now maintained by the city along with the Jewish community of Vienna. At present the only way to visit is to call beforehand and arrange for a tour, lasting about 1.5-2 hours. Men are required to have their heads covered. €10. (updated Jun 2016)
• 🌍 Industrieviertel-Museum, Anna Rieger-Gasse 4, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M-Th 10:00-16:00, F 10:00-18:00. This historic building, formerly an iron forge, now houses a museum dedicated to the history of the industrial revolution in Lower Austria. €4 (adults), €1.50 (concessions).  
• 🌍 Reckturm (literally 'Torture Tower'), Reyergasse, ☎ [phone], [phone]. May-Oct: T-Th 10:00-12:00, 14:00-16:00, and the first Sa and Su of the month 10:00-12:00. This tower dates to the early 13th century, and is attached to one of the last remaining pieces of the city fortification, which was mostly demolished in the 19th century. In its early history the tower served as a jail and torture chamber, and now houses a small museum with old weapons and torture implements.  
• 🌍 Cathedral of Wiener Neustadt (Dom von Wiener Neustadt / Liebfrauendom), Domplatz. A late-Romanesque cathedral, with foundations dating to 1279. Much of the original interior was unfortunately destroyed during remodeling in the Baroque period, and the original Gothic stained glass windows are now found in museums as far afield as Glasgow and New York. In the 19th century the 64m-high twin towers were rebuilt after several earthquakes rendered them unstable, and since then the cathedral has been restored to its original Romanesque-Gothic form.  
  • Tower Museum (Turmmuseum im Dom), ☎ [phone], [phone]. May-Oct 10:30, 14:30 (in good weather). Tours of the towers are conducted by the City Museum (see listing above). €2 (adults), €1 (concessions). (updated Jun 2016)
• 🌍 City Hall (Rathaus), Hauptplatz. This building has served as the city hall since 1401. The current appearance dates from the Baroque period. 
• 🌍 Tin Figure Museum (Zinnfigurenwelt Katzelsdorf), Hauptstraße 69, Katzelsdorf (8 min SE of Wiener Neustadt), ☎ [phone], [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Sa Su and holidays 10:00-17:00; closed 24-31 Dec. This museum houses the largest tin figure collection in Austria, with over 30,000 specimens. An onsite shop sells reproductions. €5.50 (adults), €4.50 (seniors), €2 (children 6-14). 
• International Frontale Film Festival, Stadttheater Wiener Neustadt. Since 2011, this festival has shown feature films from all over the world and hosted an international short film competition. International filmmakers visit the city and you might meet some at after show parties. (updated Jan 2018)

Do

Wiener Neustadt Kanal

Friday or Saturday night go to Herrengasse close to the city centre. There are many bars and sometimes fun nightlife.

• 🌍 Aqua Nova, Ferdinand-Graf-von-Zeppelin-Straße 12, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Swimming pool: daily 09:00-22:00; segregated sauna: W 09:00-16:00; co-ed sauna: M-T 09:00-22:00, W 16:00-22:00, Th-Su and holidays 09:00-22:00. Public swimming pool, with segregated and co-ed saunas. 2 hrs: €4.90 (adults), €4.40 (concessions); 3 hrs: €6.70 (adults), €5.50 (concessions); 4 hrs: €8.50 (adults), €7.50 (concessions); 1 day: €12 (adults), €9.50 (concessions). (updated Jun 2016)
• 🌍 Paintball.at, Lichtenwörther Strasse 3, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Open year-round. Play Paintball on the outskirts of the city. The paintball field is one of the most modern in all Austria. €10-€45. 
• 🌍 Schifferlfahren, Rechte Kanalzeile 69, ☎ [phone] (reservations accepted), fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. May-Jun, Sep-Oct: M-Th 16:00-, F Sa 14:00-, Su and holidays 10:00-; Jun-Aug: daily 10:00-; closed during bad weather. Rents out river kayaks for paddling on the Wiener Neustadt Kanal. €4 (½hr), €7 (1hr), €3 (ea additional ½hr). (updated Jun 2016)

Buy

Weekly market (Wochenmarkt) at the Hauptplatz

• 🌍 Einkaufszentrum Fischapark, Zehnergürtel 12-24, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Mall: M-Th 09:00-19:00, F 09:00-20:00, Sa 09:00-18:00; Interspar: M-F 08:00-20:00, Sa 08:00-18:00. The second largest mall in Lower Austria, with an Interspar grocery store. (updated Jun 2016)
• 🌍 Special flea market (Spezial-Flohmarkt), Hauptplatz, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 3rd Sa of the month 08:00-16:00. Items on offer include books, stamps, coins, cameras, etc. (updated Jun 2016)
• 🌍 Weekly flea market (Flohmarkt), Herzog Leopold-Straße (between Karolinengasse and Adlergasse), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. S 07:00-13:00. Items for sale include handmade arts and crafts, handmade pots, wood carvings, and antiques, as well as textiles and secondhand clothes. (updated Jun 2016)
• Daily and weekly markets (Tages- und Wochenmarkt), Hauptplatz, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M-F 07:00-18:00, Sa 08:00-14:00 Uhr. A traditional farmers market with plenty of fresh local produce, sausages, and flowers. (updated Jun 2016)

Eat

The Wiener Neustadt Tourist Office (see listing above in 'Understand') has a helpful PDF listing all restaurants located in the city.

• 🌍 Hartig's Heurigen, Domplatz 2, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Daily 11:30-24:00; kitchen M-Sa 11:30-22:00, Su and holidays 11:30-21:00. Good and reasonable prices. (updated Jun 2016)

Drink

Sleep

The Wiener Neustadt Tourist Office has a helpful PDF for download listing all accommodation options.

• 🌍 Youth Hostel Europahaus (Jugendherberge Europahaus), Promenade 1, ☎ [phone], [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. €16.50+ including breakfast. 
• 🌍 Hotel Corvinus, Bahngasse 29-33, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 Hotel Zentral, Hauptplatz 27, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. €45+ (singles), €82+ (doubles). 

Connect

The train station offers free Wifi access via their network "OEBBfree" thanks to the Austrian railroad company.

Go next

Hohe Wand Nature Park

Seebenstein Castle

• 🌍 Eisenstein Cave (Eisensteinhöhle), Bad Fischau-Brunn (5km west of Wiener Neustadt), ☎ [phone], [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Jul-Aug every 1st and 3rd weekend, Sa 13:00-17:00, Su 10:00-17:00; May-Jun Sep-Oct every 1st and 3rd weekend by prior arrangement only. Located in a former quarry, this show cave was discovered in 1855. The cave is 2341m long and 73m deep, and contains three hot springs. Free.  
• 🌍 Bad Fischau Art Rest Area (Kunstraststätte Bad Fischau), A2, Bad Fischau-Brunn (A2 southbound, 10km NW of Wiener Neustadt; access also possible from Wiener Straße), ☎ [phone]. 24hrs. An autobahn rest area designed by the Viennese artist/architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser. It has a petrol station as well as a restaurant. 
• 🌍 Hohe Wand Nature Park (Naturpark Hohe Wand), Ortsstraße 33, Hohe Wand-Maiersdorf (10km west of Wiener Neustadt), ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Located in the Gutenstein Alps, the northeastern most fringe of the Alps, this park encompasses 230m-high cliffs as well as several limestone caves. Highlights include the Skywalk Hohe Wand, the Alpine Museum (see listing below), and several caves. Popular recreational activities include rock climbing (with both via ferrata and on open terrain), hiking (trails of 1-6 hours), hang gliding, and paragliding. For accommodation there are a number of guesthouses (Gasthäuser) within the park, as well as restaurants and cafés. A brochure with map and listings is available for download (in German only). €1.80 (adults), €1 (children 6-15), free (NÖ Card); on weekends there is toll charge of €2/auto for the Hohe Wand Straße.  
  • 🌍 Alpine Museum (Alpin- und Heimatmuseum), Ortstraße 33, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Easter-Oct T-Su 09:00-18:00, Nov-Easter Sa Su and holidays 09:00-18:00. Without park admission: €2; with park admission: €1.80 (adults), €1 (children 6-15). 
  • 🌍 Unicorn Cave (Einhornhöhle) (accessible via a 20 min hiking path), ☎ [phone], [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Easter-Sep Su and holidays 09:00-17:00; other times by prior arrangement. This limestone show cave was discovered in 1927, and contains the remains of cave bears as well as stalagmites and stalagtites. €4 (adults), €2.50 (children). (updated Jun 2016)
• 🌍 Seebenstein Castle (Burg Seebenstein), Bergschloß 1, Seebenstein (15km south of Wiener Neustadt), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Tours only: Easter-Oct Sa Su and holidays 14:00, 15:00. The castle was first built in the 11th century; the current structures date from the 13-14th centuries and from the 15-17th centuries. The castle changed hands a number of times, and successfully withstood a Turkish siege in 1683. It houses a valuable art collection, which includes a 15th-century wooden carved Madonna by Tilman Riemenschneider. The castle is privately owned and can be visited only with a guided tour. €5 (adults), €4 (students), €2 (children 5-15).  
• 🌍 Türkensturz Castle Ruins, Seebenstein (Naturpark Türkensturz-Seebenstein). A romantic 'artificial' ruined castle from the early 19th century. A footpath leads to the castle, which offers good views over the surrounding area. Free.  

Routes through Wiener Neustadt

Vienna ← Baden ←

N  S

→ Hartberg → Graz