Do and don'ts in Vienna? A pubcrawling guide for staying out of trouble
You’re new in town: do’s and don’ts in the Austrian capital
You’re new in town and want to know exactly the do’s and don’ts in Vienna. Not getting involved in any difficult situation is sometimes the best time you can have in some places. So here’s a list of the things you should and shouldn’t do in the Austrian capital, especially if you are thinking about pubcrawling, nightlife, transport, drinking, noise, tips, water, coffee and the small rules that make the city work.
Do and don'ts in Vienna public transport: tickets, U-Bahn and fines
The first thing that people always find fascinating, especially in Germany or in Austria, is that there’s no control to get into the metro or the U-Bahn or the trains. It always depends on you. So our recommendation is to always buy your ticket and always validate it, because if not, you’re going to have a big fine.
Talking about the transport in the U-Bahn alcohol is prohibited. Actually it is forbidden in the whole transport system, even in the stations. And that can get you a fine of 50 euros or more.
Vienna drinking rules: beer, wine, streets and prohibited areas
Another thing that is special in Austria is the drinking age. It is 18 for hard beverages, but for beer and wine, you can drink from the day you turn sixteen. Also, you can drink in the streets, but not 100% everywhere. For example, Praterstern has had a drinking prohibition since 2018. And to that, in 2025, they’ve added two more places to that list: Franz-Jonas-Platz in Floridsdorf.
Pub crawl etiquette in Vienna nightlife: noise, Gürtel and iconic venues
Broadly speaking, the city doesn’t enjoy people that make noise in the street, and one exception to that could be the Gürtel, because the shape of the arcs and the distance to the residential part of the city makes it an option to have a little more chaos than in the rest of the city.
So yeah, you might think you’re in Barcelona or Ibiza in the Gürtel. If you haven’t been there, it’s a must thing to do. It’s a part of iconic nightlife and full of very important partying venues.
Do’s and don’ts in Vienna by the river: Donaukanal and electro clubs
Now let’s get to the river. Donaukanal gets packed with people in summer and the beach bars offer a place to spend the evening and even part of the night there, but you shouldn’t camp in the zones that are pathways.
Something that you would expect from Austria, as you would in Germany, is that the electro clubs have a cultural grade in town. They are part of the identity of the town. Some of the big names can be Flex, Grelle forelle, Werk, Flux or Donau.
Vienna bar manners: smoking, tipping and finding a table
As you would expect, smoking is, as in the rest of Europe, forbidden in any interior. If you are thinking of leaving a tip, do it, but don’t make a show out of it. It is not the U.S. It is well appreciated, but in small quantities.
Regarding the table, if you want to sit directly on a table or to wait to be seated, the rule could be to find a label that says self-seated, and if you don’t find that, you can assume that a waiter is going to come to your table. And since we are here, you should learn one word that is easy, it’s Bitte, and they use it a lot and it means “please”.
Smart pubcrawling in Vienna: water, coffee and clean streets
Something that Austrians are very proud of is their water. The tap water comes from the Alps and there are more than 1,100 public fountains. And for example, for a pub crawl, it’s a wonderful mix to have. A sip of water in the street between shots and beers.
As you would expect, coffee is something you should try here. Viennese coffee is UNESCO heritage and also a social permit to get your revolutions down.
If you think the city is pretty clean, it’s because it’s actually part of a philosophy. Vienna has thousands of bins, public bins, recycling bins and ash trays. So, and if you don’t use them correctly, you can get a big fine. Viennese people are also proud of the cleanliness of their city.
Other do’s in Vienna: Stefan Platz and imperial streets
Lastly, other do’s are to go to Stefan Platz and see the Stefan Cathedral and have a long, long stroll through its imperial streets. Have a great time visiting Vienna.