25. March 2025
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Exploring Vienna Prater with the Prater Train (Pictured Story)

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

What’s a good way to explore the permanent fun fair and entertainment area in Vienna, the Prater, if you are lazy? The Prater Train (Praterzug)! Even though it is not really a train (don’t confuse it with the Liliput train which is in fact running on rails there…), I felt to explore it during my June 2024 stay in the Austrian capital. I take you on a ride and share impressions n my Pictured Story.

 

Vienna Prater Train – Location & Admission

The trip starts at the main gate of the Prater. You can easily reach it either by commuter rail (S-Bahn, multiple lines), Underground U1 and U2 as well as a couple of regional train services. The main entrance to the Prater, which is famous for its traditional Ferris wheel, is more or less across the street from the main exit of the station. The directions are signed in the train station itself.

The Praterzug typically operates daily between 11:00 and 19:00. As it is weather permitting, it might make sense to check out their website before. Late evening services might also be skipped, the frequency depends on the request. The adult ticket is 5 Euro. You can interrupt your trip on one of three stops on the road. Most people just went for the round trip, though, during  my visit. The ticket office is close to the main departure point. I used the Vienna Pass for my trip.

 

Vienna Prater Train – The Train

As said, the Vienna Prater Train is not in fact a train, but a typical train-themed trolley with three carriages pulled by the engine. The seating is rather comfortable – they are never really posh. However, the ride did not have that many passengers during my visit, so that I felt rather comfy. You are rain-protected by a roof. There are no announcements or similar, which felt a bit of sad.

 

Views of Vienna Prater

A round trip on the Prater Train takes approximately 25 minutes. The route is an eight-shaped trip through the Prater area, you have the main sights like the traditional Wiener Riesenrad (traditional Ferris wheel) or Madame Tussauds Vienna right at the beginning of the tour. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the whole trip. The slow speed of 10km/h max gives you sufficient opportunity to watch the people and see all the attractions around. Furthermore, the tour also gives you an impression how large the area in fact is and how many different attractions are there. The Prater features rather traditional fairground rides, but also indoor rollercoasters or kart tracks.

The pictures are in fact taken in the order of the trip. You also see why the area is so popular among locals as well – it features quite a range of different restaurants and snack opportunities. Several restaurants also offer a beer garden, which are very popular during summer months and other warmer days. The place works like a traditional fairground, by the way – you have to pay every ride separately. Prices are quite moderate, though.

The Ferris wheel below is not the traditional one, by the way. The last part of the trip more or less follows a walking and cycling route. Before that, you pass the main station of the Liliputbahn of the Prater. Both attractions are run by the same company (on top of some other Prater attractions and a cafe), but there are no combined tickets or similar. One of the last Prater-based attractions you pass is the Vienna Planetarium.

 

Vienna on Flyctory.com

Here are all my postings related to Vienna in Austria:

 

Sightseeing Tours

Boat, bus, walks or other ways – here are my postings about guided sightseeing tours:

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