Hofburg

visiting

Getting to the Hofburg in Vienna and Which Entrance Leads Where

The Hofburg has no single front door. It's a block of 19 courtyards with gates on every side, and the museums inside each have their own entrance, ticket desk and opening days. The most common mistake is to queue at the wrong one.

Here's the short version. Everything on the old-town side, the Sisi Museum, the Spanish Riding School and the Treasury, starts at Michaelerplatz. Everything in the Neue Burg starts at Heldenplatz. The State Hall of the library is on Josefsplatz, between the two.

The curved Michaelertrakt of the Hofburg on Michaelerplatz in Vienna, with its green copper dome and the Michaelertor gateway, where visits to the Sisi Museum and the Spanish Riding School start

Photo: Virtual Travel Guide

Getting there

U-Bahn. U3 to Herrengasse is the closest stop to Michaelerplatz, two or three minutes on foot down Herrengasse. For the Heldenplatz side, take U2 or U3 to Volkstheater, or U2 to Museumsquartier, and walk across the Ring.

Tram. Lines 1, 2, D and 71 stop at Burgring, right by the Burgtor and Heldenplatz. Lines 46 and 49 stop at Dr.-Karl-Renner-Ring, on the Volksgarten side.

Bus. The small city-centre buses 1A and 2A stop at Hofburg, just off Michaelerplatz.

On foot. From Stephansplatz it's about ten minutes along the Graben and down Kohlmarkt, which ends right at the Michaelertor. That's the best way to arrive the first time: the street frames the green dome.

Which entrance for what

  • Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum, Silver Collection. Under the big dome of the Michaelertrakt, from Michaelerplatz. You exit on Ballhausplatz. Tickets online only, from the official seller. Our guide to the November 2026 reopening.
  • Spanish Riding School. The visitor centre is at Michaelerplatz 1, also under the dome. Tickets for performances, morning exercise and tours are sold there and on the school's own webshop. Which one to choose.
  • Imperial Treasury. Walk through the Michaelertor into the courtyard In der Burg, then through the red and black Swiss Gate into the Schweizerhof. What's inside.
  • State Hall, Austrian National Library. Josefsplatz 1, the square with the equestrian statue of Joseph II, reached from Augustinerstraße. What to expect.
  • Burgkapelle, for the Vienna Boys' Choir Mass. Also through the Schweizerhof. How Sunday Mass works.
  • Weltmuseum, Imperial Armoury, musical instruments, Ephesos Museum. The main door of the Neue Burg on Heldenplatz. Our Neue Burg guide.

The Albertina has its own entrance on Albertinaplatz, at the southern tip of the complex.

Accessibility

The Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments are reachable by ramps, mobile wheelchair rails and a lift, with free wheelchair loan. The rails don't suit heavy or three-wheeled chairs, so speak to staff before buying a ticket. The Treasury has a step-free entrance and a lift to the exhibition rooms. The Weltmuseum has a platform lift at the main door. There are disabled parking spaces on Heldenplatz.

The Spanish Riding School has no lift. Its galleries are up stairs.

Horse carriages and city passes

The fiaker stand on Michaelerplatz was cut to four carriages when the square was redesigned in 2024. As a guide, wien.info gives about €60 for a 20-minute old-town round and about €105 for 40 minutes taking in the Ring.

The commercial Vienna PASS covers the Sisi Museum, the Treasury, the Spanish Riding School, the State Hall and the Albertina. Whether it saves you money depends on how many sights you fit into a day; price it against the single tickets first. The Vienna City Card gives smaller discounts.

A route that works

Start at the Michaelertor at opening time. Do the Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments first, before the tour groups. Cross In der Burg to the Schweizerhof for the Treasury (not on a Tuesday, when it's closed). Lunch in the old town. In the afternoon, the State Hall on Josefsplatz, then out through the Burggarten to Heldenplatz and the Neue Burg if you still have the legs.