Vienna

thumb|Most of the historic core of Vienna has already been in place in early 1700s – do note the fortifications later replaced with the Ring. The low-lying Danube plain in and around what is now Vienna has had a human population since at least the late Paleolithic (see Prehistoric Europe); one of the city's most famous artifacts, the 24,000-year-old Venus of Willendorf, now in Vienna's Natural History Museum, was found nearby.

Vienna's own recorded history began with the Romans, who founded it in the 1st century CE as Vindobona, one of a line of Roman defensive outposts against Germanic tribes. Vindobona's central garrison was on the site of what is now the Hoher Markt (the "High Market" so-called because of its relative height over the Danube), and you can still see astounding excavations of its foundations there today.

thumbnail|right|Vienna International Airport sees direct flights to Europe, North America and Asia * | url=http://www.viennaairport.com | email= | address= | lat=48.110278 | long=16.569722 | directions=just outside the city limits of Vienna on the far side of the City of Schwechat | phone= | tollfree= | hours= | price= | wikipedia=Vienna International Airport | image=2011-06-14 10-23-53 Austria Niederösterreich Fischamend Markt.jpg | wikidata=Q32999 |lastedit=2025-07-26| content=To get to Vienna, you have three different railway options. The cheaper but slower S-Bahn line S7 (24 minutes; €4.60) and the more expensive but faster City Airport Train (15 minutes; from €11) both go to Wien-Mitte/Landstraße.

If you are taking the S7 train, and you have a valid Vienna public transportation ticket, you only need to purchase a ticket from the airport to Schwechat, as all onward stations are covered by the zone 100 ticket. To Wien Hauptbahnhof (central aviation) and onwards, there are long distance trains leaving every 30 min (15 minutes; €4.20).

Vienna has a good public transportation system, which includes rail, commuter rail, underground, trams (trolleys), and buses. The underground is very efficient and will take you to within a few minutes walk of anywhere you are likely to want to visit.

The subway alone has the second highest per-capita ridership in the world, and that is not accounting for the 27 tram lines, dozens of train lines or numerous buses. Enquiries for routes and timetables are possible with the mobile application WienMobil, that is supplied by the public transport operator.

thumbnail|right|The Austrian Parliament in Vienna at dusk Vienna is potentially one of the safest cities in the world for its size. There are no slums or districts you should avoid.

In general, you can visit any part of the city at any time of the day without taking many risks — just use your common sense. The Prater (fair grounds/amusement park area) is said by some locals to be less safe at night, though more in reference to pickpockets than anything else.