Schönbrunn Palace Tickets 2026: Prices, Time Slots & How to Book
The gardens are free and open at 6:30 AM. The palace interior is timed-entry, sells out two to three weeks ahead in summer, and the ticket names changed in 2026 — here's how to book the right one.
The gardens are free and open at 6:30 AM, long before the ticket desks. The palace interior is the part that needs planning: entry is timed, the names of the tickets changed in 2026, and in summer the slots are gone two to three weeks out. Get the booking right and the rest of Schönbrunn is the easiest half-day in Vienna.
In 3 minutes
- The gardens cost nothing; the palace interior is timed-entry and sells out early.
- Two interior tickets: State Apartments (€28, ~40 min) or the full Palace Ticket (€38, ~75 min).
- Book online before you travel — walk-up slots vanish in peak season.
How much are Schönbrunn tickets in 2026?
The palace renamed its interior tickets, so older guides still using "Imperial Tour" and "Grand Tour" are out of date. There are two single tickets, both with an audio guide:
State Apartments: €28 adults. A compact route through selected rooms, about 40 minutes. The old "Imperial Tour."
Palace Ticket: €38 adults. The entire piano nobile, including the Franz Joseph and Elisabeth apartments and Maria Theresa's Rococo chambers, about 75 minutes. The old "Grand Tour."
Children 6-18 pay €19 and €28; students 19-25 pay €23 and €31.50; under 6 is free. The Classic Pass (€44) bundles the full palace with the garden attractions. Prices shift with the season.
Where to book
Our take: Book official for the lowest price if you're planning weeks ahead; take the €55 GYG guided tour if official slots are already sold out or you want a guide and skip-the-line entry.
What to look for inside
Stand in the Great Gallery before the crowd builds. Nearly 43 metres long, with ceiling frescoes and mirrors facing the garden windows. The audio guide rushes you through it; slow down.
Find the Hall of Mirrors. A six-year-old Mozart played here for Maria Theresa in 1762, then jumped into her lap. The room is small and easy to miss.
Look closely at the Millions Room. The rosewood panelling is set with Indo-Persian miniatures cut and reframed into the walls. It cost a fortune, hence the name.
Pick the route before you book. The State Apartments stop before Maria Theresa's private chambers; the Palace Ticket keeps going. If those Rococo rooms are why you came, you need the longer ticket.
What do most visitors wish they knew about Schönbrunn?
Go on a weekday, before 10 AM or after 3:30 PM. Weekends fill with families heading for the zoo and park, and the interior backs up. Early or late is calmer.
The gardens are the free half of the day. The park opens at 6:30 AM and costs nothing. Walk up to the Gloriette for the view back over the palace — only the terrace at the top is ticketed.
Buy only from official or known sellers. Several lookalike sites resell Schönbrunn tickets at a markup. The official shop runs through schoenbrunn.at.
Budget a half-day, not two hours. The interior takes 40 to 75 minutes, but the full estate of gardens, Gloriette, and zoo eats far more.
- Hours
- Palace from 9:30 AM; closes 5:30 PM (29 Mar-30 Jun), 6:30 PM (Jul-Aug). Park from 6:30 AM, free.
- Price
- State Apartments €28 · Palace Ticket €38 · Classic Pass €44 (palace + gardens)
- Free
- Park and gardens free; under 6 free. No free-admission day for the interior.
- Getting there
- U4 metro to Schönbrunn (~17 min from centre), then a 7-10 min walk.
- Web
- schoenbrunn.at
Hours and prices change seasonally. Confirm on the official site before you go.
Last verified: June 2026
Frequently asked questions
How much are Schönbrunn Palace tickets in 2026?
The palace interior has two single tickets, both with audio guide: the State Apartments (€28 adults, about 40 minutes, a selection of the finest rooms) and the Palace Ticket (€38 adults, about 75 minutes, the full piano nobile including Maria Theresa's private chambers). The Classic Pass at €44 adds garden attractions. Children 6-18 pay less; under 6 is free. Prices change seasonally — confirm at schoenbrunn.at.
Do you need to book Schönbrunn tickets in advance?
Yes, for the palace interior. Entry is timed and the palace takes more than 10,000 visitors a day in summer, so slots sell out two to three weeks ahead between June and August and on weekends. Book online before you travel. The gardens need no ticket.
Is Schönbrunn Palace free?
The palace park and gardens are free to enter during opening hours, from 6:30 AM. The palace interior is not free, and there is no free-admission day. Paid garden attractions include the Privy Garden, the Maze, the Orangery Garden, and the Gloriette viewing terrace.
What's the difference between the State Apartments and Palace Ticket?
The State Apartments ticket (€28) covers a compact route through selected rooms and takes about 40 minutes. The Palace Ticket (€38) covers the entire piano nobile, including the Franz Joseph and Elisabeth apartments and Maria Theresa's Rococo chambers, and takes about 75 minutes. Both include an audio guide.
How do you get to Schönbrunn Palace?
Take the U4 metro to Schönbrunn station, about 17 minutes from the city centre. From the station it's a 7 to 10 minute walk to the main entrance. Hietzing station is an alternative stop on the same line.
Book the interior ahead, then treat the gardens as the unticketed reward. Most people rush the rooms and skip the climb to the Gloriette. Do it the other way around.