Your essential guide to Schönbrunn Palace: tickets, transport, attractions, and practical tips.
Schönbrunn is not a single building but a sprawling imperial estate stretching 1.7 km from the iron gates on Schloßstraße to the top of the Gloriette hill. There's the palace itself (Imperial Tour or Grand Tour), the formal Great Parterre laid out by Jean Trehet for Emperor Joseph I in 1705 and reworked under Maria Theresa, the Neptune Fountain at the foot of the slope, the Gloriette pavilion crowning the ridge (1775), the Palm House (1882), the Tiergarten zoo (1752, the oldest in the world), the Maze and Labyrinth, the Orangerie and the Carriage Museum. On a first visit it can feel overwhelming — this guide walks you through it. Pair this with our opening hours and best time to visit pages.
The state-room floor of the palace is laid out as Empress Maria Theresa left it in 1763. The Imperial Tour covers 22 rooms — the Mirrors Room where Mozart played in 1762, Franz Joseph's spartan study and bedroom, Empress Elisabeth's salon, the Hall of Ceremonies. The Grand Tour adds the Great Gallery, the Vieux-Laque Room in black lacquer, the porcelain Million Room with its rare Indo-Persian miniatures, the Napoleon Room, the Chinese cabinets. Audio guide in 21 languages included. Allow 60–90 minutes for Imperial, 90–120 for Grand.
The Great Parterre stretches behind the palace — 200 metres of formal lawn flanked by 32 mythological statues. At its head, the Neptune Fountain (1781) frames the view back to the palace. Behind it, a steep path climbs to the Gloriette, a marble triumphal pavilion built in 1775 as a monument to Habsburg military glory; its terrace gives the best wide view of Vienna. Walking up takes 15–20 minutes; the side paths are gentler. The gardens are free and open dawn to dusk.
The Tiergarten Schönbrunn — founded 1752 by Emperor Franz I, the oldest zoo in the world — is on the west side of the park. The Palm House (1882) is an enormous wrought-iron-and-glass three-section greenhouse. The Maze and Labyrinth, the Privy Garden, the Roman Ruin folly (1778), the Orangerie (still used for the Schönbrunn Palace Concerts), and the Carriage Museum in the former Winter Riding School are all separate tickets or bundled in the Classic Pass.
The palace address is Schönbrunner Schloßstraße 47, 1130 Vienna, in the Hietzing district about 5 km south-west of the historic centre. Getting there is straightforward and there are three good options:
U-Bahn line U4 from Karlsplatz, Schwedenplatz or Schottenring runs every 3–5 minutes towards Hütteldorf. Get off at Schönbrunn for the main palace gate on Schloßstraße (the courtyard is a 4-minute walk through the iron gates) or one stop further at Hietzing for the gardens, the Palm House and the zoo. A single Vienna transport ticket costs €2.40; the 24-hour pass is €8.
Tram 60 runs along Hietzinger Hauptstraße on the south side of the park — handy if you're combining Schönbrunn with the Hietzing cemetery or the western suburbs. Buses 10A and 51A also stop near the gardens.
On foot or by bike along the Wien River from Karlsplatz — about 45 minutes walking, 15 minutes cycling on the riverside path. There's a Citybike station at Schönbrunn U-Bahn.
Once you arrive at the palace, walk through the iron gates into the Ehrenhof (Court of Honour), head to the Blue Staircase on the right-hand side, show your mobile ticket at the turnstile and collect your audio guide. Mandatory cloakroom for backpacks, coats and bags larger than 30×20 cm. The state rooms are upstairs — start with the Mirrors Room and follow the one-way route.
Practical answers to plan your visit