New Year’s Eve in Vienna: 1–4 Day Hour-by-Hour Itineraries

Over New Year some of Vienna’s Christmas markets are still open; on 31 December the inner city turns into the free Silvesterpfad, and at midnight people dance to the Blue Danube as the cathedral’s Pummerin bell rings. There are no city fireworks. Our routes are built around places that close early on 31 December, the New Year’s Concert on 1 January and holiday opening hours. There are two paces: relaxed and balanced–packed.

Plan with your own dates

Enter your arrival and departure; the route adapts to that day’s opening hours, markets and your flights.

Itineraries by length

Where to be at midnight

Vienna has no city fireworks, and fireworks of category F2 and above are banned throughout the city. Everyone heads for the free Silvesterpfad in the inner city (2 pm–2 am). The midnight step is your choice; at both paces we suggest Stephansplatz. To avoid a long wait in the cold, we stay somewhere warm after dinner and head out in the last hour.

Stephansplatz: The Pummerin bell and the Blue Danube at midnight: the most iconic spot, and the most crowded. The U-Bahn station is closed after 9 pm (2025 arrangement), so come on foot.
Graben: The Silvesterpfad’s classical music and waltz mile; a little roomier than Stephansplatz.
Rathausplatz: One of the Silvesterpfad’s big stages, on a wide square. The ice rink is closed on 31 December.
Prater: The winter market is open until 2 am on 31 December; under the lights of the Riesenrad, away from the centre and calmer.
New Year’s Eve cruise on the Danube: Dinner, drinks and midnight on the river; sells out early.

When are the Christmas markets open?

Market	Dates	Hours
Rathausplatz (Vienna Christmas Market)	13 November – 26 December	Daily 10 am–10 pm; 10 am–6:30 pm on 24 December. The ice rink runs until 6 January (closed on 31 December).
Schönbrunn Palace	6 November – 6 January	Daily 10 am–9 pm; 10 am–4 pm on 24 December; 10 am–7 pm from 25 December to 6 January
Belvedere (K&K market)	20 November – 31 December	Mon–Fri 11 am–9 pm, weekends and holidays 10 am–9 pm; 11 am–5 pm on 24 and 31 December
Stephansplatz (Christmas village)	6 November – 26 December	Daily 11 am–9 pm; 11 am–4 pm on 24 December; 11 am–7 pm on 25–26 December
Am Hof	13 November – 23 December	Mon–Thu 11 am–9 pm, Fri–Sun and holidays 10 am–9 pm
Freyung (Old Viennese market)	14 November – 23 December	Daily 10 am–9 pm
Spittelberg	13 November – 23 December	Mon–Fri 2–9:30 pm, weekends and holidays 11 am–9:30 pm
Karlsplatz (Art Advent)	13 November – 23 December	Daily noon–8 pm
Maria-Theresien-Platz (Christmas village)	20 November – 26 December	Weekends and holidays 10 am–9 pm; the weekday closing time differs between two official pages (4 pm / 9 pm)
Prater (Riesenradplatz winter market)	20 November – 6 January	Mon–Fri noon–10 pm, weekends and holidays 11 am–10 pm; 11 am–5 pm on 24 December; noon–2 am on 31 December

Open and closed on 31 December and 1 January

Place	29–30 December	31 December	1 January
Schönbrunn Christmas market	10 am–7 pm ✓	10 am–7 pm ✓	10 am–7 pm ✓
Belvedere Christmas market	11 am–9 pm ✓	11 am–5 pm ✓	ended (31 December) ✓
Prater winter market	noon–10 pm ✓	noon–2 am ✓	11 am–10 pm ✓
Rathausplatz ice rink	10 am–10 pm ✓	closed ✓	10 am–10 pm ✓
Rathausplatz Christmas market	ended (26 December) ✓	ended ✓	ended ✓
Silvesterpfad	none ✓	2 pm–2 am ✓	none ✓
St Stephen’s Cathedral (tourist visits)	9–11:30 am, 1–4:30 pm ✓	day of services; not published !	day of services; not published !
Hofburg (Sisi Museum)	9 am–5:30 pm ◷	9 am–5:30 pm ◷	9 am–5:30 pm ◷
Schönbrunn Palace	8:30 am–5 pm ◷	8:30 am–5 pm ◷	8:30 am–5 pm ◷
Kunsthistorisches Museum	10 am–6 pm ✓	10 am–9 pm ✓	10 am–6 pm ✓
Albertina	10 am–6 pm (Wed until 9 pm) ✓	10 am–6 pm ✓	10 am–9 pm ✓
Upper Belvedere (Klimt)	9 am–6 pm ✓	9 am–7 pm last year ◷	9 am–7 pm last year ◷
Shops	open ✓	until 5 pm ◷	closed (public holiday) ✓
Public transport	normal ✓	U-Bahn all night; Stephansplatz station closed after 9 pm ◷	holiday timetable; not published !

Officially confirmed for 2026
Based on the last published season; the 2026 schedule is pending
Not published yet; check again before you go

Tips

In Vienna, shops are closed on Sundays and public holidays (25–26 December, 1 and 6 January) and open 10 am–6 pm on 8 December. They close at 1 pm on 24 December and 5 pm on 31 December (2025 arrangement). The Christmas markets are open on Sundays too.
Tourist visits to St Stephen’s Cathedral run Mon–Sat 9–11:30 am and 1–4:30 pm, and 1–4:30 pm on Sundays and holidays; no visits during services. Don’t plan on going inside over Christmas and New Year.
Most markets open on 13 November. Am Hof, Freyung, Spittelberg and Karlsplatz end on 23 December, Rathausplatz on 26 December and the Belvedere on 31 December; Schönbrunn, the Prater winter market and the Rathausplatz ice rink stay open until 6 January.
Book timed tickets for Schönbrunn, the Hofburg (Sisi Museum) and the Kunsthistorisches Museum: December queues are long and Schönbrunn’s slots fill up early. Schönbrunn tickets
During Christmas week, buying a ticket doesn’t mean you can visit on that day. Check the date.
On Christmas Eve (24 December) most restaurants are closed or close early; book Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve dinner in October or November.
There are no city fireworks at New Year, and private fireworks (category F2 and above) are banned throughout Vienna. The free Silvesterpfad in the inner city runs 2 pm–2 am; at midnight the cathedral’s Pummerin bell rings and the Blue Danube plays.
The U-Bahn runs all night on New Year’s Eve; Stephansplatz station is closed after 9 pm (2025 arrangement), so get off at Herrengasse or Karlsplatz and walk.
In December it gets dark around 4 pm and it’s cold: bring a warm coat, hat and gloves; you’ll be standing at the markets for a long time. Punch mugs carry a deposit: return them or keep one as a souvenir.

Frequently asked questions

Are there fireworks in Vienna on New Year’s Eve?

There are no city fireworks, and fireworks of category F2 and above are banned throughout Vienna. Midnight belongs to the cathedral’s great Pummerin bell, followed by the Blue Danube waltz.

What is the Silvesterpfad?

A free New Year’s Eve trail through the inner city on 31 December, 2 pm–2 am: food stalls and stages along Freyung, Am Hof, the Graben, Stephansplatz, Kärntner Straße and Neuer Markt, with Rathausplatz and the Prater also on the programme. There are waltz lessons on the Graben.

Are the Christmas markets open on New Year’s Eve?

Schönbrunn (until 7 pm), the Belvedere (until 5 pm, its last day) and the Prater winter market (until 2 am) are open. The Rathausplatz Christmas market closes on 26 December; the ice rink is closed on 31 December and reopens on 1 January.

What’s open on 1 January?

The Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s Concert starts at 11:15 am (conducted by Tugan Sokhiev); tickets are allocated by lottery, and it’s shown on TV. In our routes breakfast is at 10 am and the first part of the concert is optional. The Kunsthistorisches Museum (10 am–6 pm) and the Albertina (10 am–9 pm) are open (confirmed); last year the Hofburg, Schönbrunn and the Belvedere were open too. Shops are closed. The Schönbrunn and Prater markets stay open until 6 January.

When should I book New Year’s Eve dinner?

In October or November. Most restaurants serve a set menu and fill up early; choose one in the inner city, within walking distance of Stephansplatz.

How do I get back to my hotel after midnight?

Last year the U-Bahn ran all night, and Stephansplatz station was closed after 9 pm. Walk to Herrengasse or Karlsplatz. The easiest option is to stay in the inner city and walk back.

Sources

Hours compiled from official sources (23 October 2026). The marks in the table show each time’s status: confirmed for 2026, based on the last season, or not yet published. Holiday hours can change; check the official websites before you go.