Staatsoper - Spending a night at the Staatsoper (Staat = state + Oper = opera) is one of the best things you can do in Vienna. The interior is splendid and performances are of the finest quality.

If you want to sit, prices start at 5 Euro and cost up to 178 Euro. Cheaper tickets have usually a limited view (you may indeed just see half of the stage). For about 20 to 40 Euro you already get pretty good places, though.

Since most tickets (especially the medium-priced ones) sell out early, it is a good idea to buy tickets well in advance. Usually the Opera starts selling tickets one month before the performance, but tickets for September can already be bought in June.

You can buy tickets online paying by credit card via the Culturall website:
http://www.culturall.com
The system is quite convenient and allows you to click on the seats you would like using an interactive map of the Opera.

If you pay by credit card, you can also order your tickets from anywhere in the world by calling this number:
++43 1 5131513
Lines are open Monday to Friday 10 am to 6 pm; Sat, Sun, and holidays 10 am till noon.

If you are already in Vienna, go to the ticket booth "Info unter den Arkaden" in the Staatsoper building (the entrance is on the side of the Herbert von Karajan square). The booth sells tickets for the State Opera Monday to Friday 9.30 am until one hour before the performance and Saturday 9.30 am till noon.

If you do not mind standing for the whole performance, you can enjoy a night at the opera even if you are on a tight budget or want to see a performance that is already sold out. At a ticket booth inside the Opera building you can buy a permission card for designated standing areas.
These tickets costs only 2 or 3.50 Euro and start being sold one hour before the performance begins. Since there is always a race for the best places, it is a good idea to be there when the booth opens and go inside the auditorium as soon as possible.

Staatsoper
1st district
Opernring 2
Metro: U1, U4 Karlsplatz
Tel: 51444 - 2250
http://www.staatsoper.at (in German)

Volksoper - The Volksoper (Volk = people + Oper = opera) in the 9th district is the city's second opera house. Although not as elegant as the Staatsoper, it is definitely a good alternative. The Volksoper can easily be reached from the center with the underground line U6 or the tramway lines 40 and 41 from Schottentor.

Like for the Staatsoper, tickets for the Volksoper can be bought online via the Culturall website:
http://www.culturall.com

There is also a ticket office directly at the Volksoper: it is open Monday to Friday 8 am to 6 pm; Saturday, Sunday, and holidays 9 am till noon; on the first Saturday of each month and on Saturdays during Advent 9 am to 5 pm.

Tickets can also be bought at the Staatsoper's ticket booth (see above).

If you pay by credit card, you can buy tickets on the phone by calling the number:
++43 1 5131513

For more information you can visit the useful Volksoper's website that has a good section in English (just click on the British flag on the top right corner of their web page).

Volksoper
9th district
Währingerstraße 78
Metro: U6 Volksoper
Tel: 51444 - 30
http://www.volksoper.at

LearnPlus Guides > German Guide Index > Vienna Guide Index > Vienna Entertainment Guide Index > Opera