how to move to vienna

We moved to Vienna in July 2016. We had previously been living and working in Hong Kong and, before that, England. We're definitely not pros at setting up home, but we've done it a few times now and each time thought, 'wouldn't it be useful if there was a guide for this stuff?!' So here it is! I hope it helps!

Wandering around the cobbled streets of the 1st district

The beautiful opera house

• Which District?

Vienna is split into 23 different districts that spread all over. Transport is amazing so it’s pretty easy to get around them all. We chose District 2 for our home because it seemed fairly up and coming and was close to our work, has the beautiful Augarten park very close by, the Prater park in walking distance, and is 6 minutes to central Schwedenplatz on the tram. We have the number 2 tram outside our building, which takes us to all the places we go: Karlsplatz, MuseumsQuartier, Rathaus, Stubentor, etc. A tip when you first move here- if you do your research before hand and know roughly the district you want to live in, stay in an Airbnb or hotel in the same area. It'll mean you spend more time getting to know the district and when you go on apartment viewings, you'll be close.

Obviously I’m biased towards the 2nd district so I’ve asked some reliable friends to comment on their home districts!

1st District:
No one lives here unless you have money to burn and love a tourist.

2nd District:
Pros- excellent transport and super close to the canals and the centre; Augarten park and Prater park; some nice new openings happening recently of bars and cafes. Also has the Saturday Karmeliterplatz market, which I love. My McFit gym is also here, which is E20 a month. Can't do much better than that!
Cons- can be a bit dodgy and the Praterstern main station isn’t recommended to walk around at night. However, this area can be avoided completely due to other stations and modes of transport close by. Quite a lot of building work going on at the moment.

Bars: Cafe Tachels, Der Garten
Cafes:  Lunzers, Cake Tree Wien, Balthasar, Volkertstplatz market, Supersense- this one is the favourite from the 2nd district peeps
Restaurants: El Hans- Spanish restaurant, L’Orient- Moroccan restaurant, Figar- Asian restaurant, Restaurant Seoul- wonderful Korean food, Harvest- excellent Vegan brunches on a Sunday, Mochi- Japanese, Ansari- general, Pizza mari- Italian

3rd District:
Pros - The third district is quirky, lively and has excellent transport links for accessing the centre of Vienna. Wien Mitte also creates an excellent hub for travel outside of Vienna and has all the shops you need. Includes hot tourist spots like Hundertwasserhaus and Stadtpark. It's worth noting that the 3rd District is pretty huge!

Bars: Hermann Strandbar - Funky beach bar on the Danube Canal. 
Cafes: Cafe Menta for coffee and breakfast, Josef Brot for Breakfast Brunch, Veganista - Vegan Ice Cream Parlour
Restaurants: Indus - one of Vienna's few Indian restaurant, Garage 01 - International Vegan Food, Wasabi - Excellent thai and sushi food

7th District:
The 7th district (Neubau) is a relatively small district but encompasses some important areas: it starts at MuseumsQuartier to the east, Mariahilferstrasse to the south, Westbahnof (major train station) and the Gürtel (lots of bars and clubs, although some sketchy) to the west. Along the north, there are some great streets full of restaurants with pockets of nightlife. This area is also quite artsy and expressive with many music and camera shops scattered throughout as well as many health shops, lending itself to a pretty cool crowd. 

Cycling home from work through the Prater park

Waiting for a bratwurst from a wurstelstand

• How to find an apartment

Having moved to Hong Kong 2 years prior to moving to Austria, where we literally walked in to an estate agents, were shown around 5 apartments that same hour and then moved in a day later, Austria was very different. I had tried to do research before moving about which area to live in and get in touch with various landlords and make viewing appointments, etc. This was difficult. There’s not a lot you can do until you’re actually here in Vienna. I managed to get one viewing in a newly renovated block in the 2nd district (which, ironically, we ended up getting), but ultimately, you will need to access the website Immobilien, which allows you to put in the district you’re looking for, how many bedrooms, outside space, etc. From there, you can find phone numbers that you can ring to organise viewings.

If, like us, you find yourself moving into an apartment that has been newly renovated or is still being renovated, don’t expect to move in any time soon. Fortunately for us, we were allowed to move in with the kitchen still being done up around us. We were in a hotel before and didn’t want to stay there for too long, even if that meant that our kitchen was a bomb site for a week or so.

There are two types of Austrian buildings in Vienna- the Altbau and the Neubau (old building and new building). There are pros and cons to both. The Altbau will look beautiful with traditional features, high ceilings and spacious rooms. However, if they haven’t been renovated, they can be a bitch in the winter and dusting anything up high, fitting the windows with curtains, etc, can also be a pain. The Neubau will probably not be as an attractive building, but you can be rest assured that you will be kept warm in the winter. We went for an altbau that had been renovated. Our apartment is actually an extra add on to the original building, which means we have the beautiful entrance and the old fashioned staircase, but we don’t have ridiculously high ceilings, we have good heating, a lift in the building and two balconies.

We signed our contract for 10 years. This, to us, seemed like a crazy long time, but it doesn’t mean that we have to stay here for 10 years, like it sometimes does in other places. It simply means that our rent won’t change for 10 years and we only have to actually stay for 13 months. Pretty good, I think. Because renting a property is more popular than owning in Vienna, the buildings can be made very personal. When we moved in, it was a blank canvas. We even had to get light fixtures to replace the loose wire hanging from the ceilings. I didn’t even know they existed! We are allowed to do anything, from banging nails in to the walls, painting the walls, changing fixtures on the cupboards, to getting new doors! The only condition is that it’s a blank canvas again when we move out. This suits us just fine, especially as we’re able to do a bit of decorating to the nursery.

Before the novelty of snow wore off!

Enjoying a drink in the Augarten park

• Banks and Meldezettels

When moving countries, one of the first thing to do is set up a bank account. You can’t do much without one as apartment rental companies require you to have one, our school required one pretty instantly, and you also can’t get a phone contract without one either. We decided to go with Bank of Austria over Erste or RZB, simply because there was one on our road and we figured that might come in use. Having come from Hong Kong and basically being set up with a HSBC bank account and appointments all made for us, setting up a bank account in Austria was actually more difficult than you’d think. Firstly, there are various accounts, each costing a different amount of money each month. We had to set up one that cost a certain amount but it allowed us to go in to the bank and ask for help if/when we needed it. However, the cost seemed a bit too much for my liking, so we downgraded as soon as we could to an online only account. We still, however, get charged for this, albeit a lesser amount. Sucks if you transfer savings and end up going into debt because you forget to leave money in there to cover the cost of the account alone.

The second thing that we discovered, that was a pain in the backside, was that in order to open a bank account, we needed a Meldezettel. This is a notification form of residence that you receive as soon as you have signed a contract for an apartment. Absolutely fine, except that in order to sign the contract for an apartment, you need a bank account. Also a phone number. Did I mention the phone number? What a palava! Luckily, now EU roaming calls don’t charge extra but when we first moved, we had to use our English SIM cards to make phone calls to the landlord, use this English number for the bank account, etc, and then change it all once we had the Meldezettel, bank account and could finally move into our apartment! It’s a bit of a frustrating cycle to say the least and many an hour was spent at various Austrian offices, grappling with the German language.

In any case, don’t downgrade your bank account to an online one until you have all of these documents/phone numbers sorted because you’ll have to make at least a couple of visits in to the bank and speak to someone. They will literally refuse to speak to you if you don’t have the particular account enabling you to access help.

The required documents for a Meldezettel are:

• Completed application form (residence registration form) and your landlord’s signature if you live in a rented flat
• Birth certificate
• If you hold more than one citizenship you have to submit all documents proving your identity, place of birth, and nationality, i.e. basically travel documents.
• Foreign citizens have to submit a passport or asylum certificate (Asylausweis)

You can go to any of the offices listed here to register.

The canals in the summer

St Stephens Cathedral in the winter

• Which phone company?

We went with Drei (Three) because we didn’t do a lot of research and recognised the company! We pay €20 a month and our credit and 4G never runs out. However, we don’t have a contract as such- we simply top up online each month. We set up with this as we needed a SIM card and an Austrian number pretty instantly when we first moved here and never got around to changing it. However, I know from friends that you can get cheaper deals- €15 or there abouts, from supermarkets and Saturn, which is basically a massive techie shop.

• Transport

Transport is amazing in Vienna. It’s so cheap and efficient. As soon as you get here, have your bank account set up, moved in, etc, apply for the yearly travel card that will allow you to travel on trams, trains and buses without purchasing other tickets. It costs €365 so works out at €1 a day. Perfect. You can also get the app so you don’t even have to have the card on you if you get checked. Click here to get your card! 

Download the app Qando Wien, which is a little confusing at first but will help you plan travel around the city. It includes times, problems on any lines, and the fastest ways to get from A to B.​

Knocking back the gluhweins at the Christmas markets

Dressing up for the Oktoberfest that happens in the Prater

• Shopping

We shop mainly at Spar. If you’re English, you may have negative connotations with this store. However, here, it’s the equivalent of a Sainsburys. Other places to shop are Billa (Morrisons equivalent), Merkur (Waitrose equivalent), and Penny Markt (Lidl equivalent). I get my veggies and hummus from this wonderful Jewish food store on Heinestrasse called Shefa. Seriously fresh and juicy and the biggest sweet potatoes you’ve ever seen! Most of the supermarkets do online delivery as well, which is really useful. Remember that basically everywhere is shut on a Sunday so you won't be able to get any food then! Tip: There are a couple of Billa stores and Spar stores open on a Sunday, including the large Billa at the Praterstern.

Because you’ll usually need to set up home from scratch, you’ll need to buy a washing machine, TV, fridge/freezer, vacuum, games console, music system, etc etc. Saturn is the best place for this if you’re after new items. It’s located on MariaHilferStrasse and is 2 floors of everything. They do home delivery as well. I’m not going to lie, I’ve had quite a few seriously stressful experiences here, especially if appliances go wrong (which has only happened once to a camera), but they do all your typical brands and most of the people who work there speak English. Try not to go at peak shopping hours. 

There are two Ikea stores, both unfortunately in annoying places to get to. The branch north of the city can take about an hour to get to. We tend to use Uber, which is a bit of a Godsend here. Recently, though, we have visited the branch south of the city. This is part of a massive shopping complex called Shopping City South (SCS) and has all the high-street shops you can think of (including the only Primark in Vienna) and some giant baby shops as well. Ikea do delivery and we’ve had furniture delivered on the day, which has been great. The only downside is that unless you have a car, it’s pretty difficult getting home with all your new purchases. The taxi ranks seem non existent and Uber is quite expensive from here- about €30-40. You can take public transport easily enough and there is a free shuttle bus that leaves from Siebenhirten station, which is right at the end of the U6 line. It’s very easy to find.
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If you don’t fancy buying everything new when you move, Vienna has some great second hand websites and is famous for its flea-markets. The Carla flea-market in the 5th district is massive and you’re certain to find some random bits and pieces there. You can also get home delivery on furniture. The Saturday flea-market at Naschtmarkt is also an experience where you’re guaranteed some interesting finds.
​*See the Apps guide below on how to get second-hand furniture/appliances.

Vienna showcasing how liberal it is!

I love these guys who are usually at MariaHilferStrasse

• Health:

The insurance card that you will receive with a working contract will get you any appointment with most doctors. Check that they accept this insurance first, though. The website Praxis Plan will give details of all the doctors of all specialities in Vienna. You can change the website to numerous languages as well. You can specify the area you want the doctor in as well as language preferences, specialities, etc. Be aware that if you move here without a working contract, it is much more difficult to get insured and you will have to do it privately. ​
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• Taxes:

You will need to claim back for tax and you tend to do this in February or March. You get the most in your first year and your last year. The tax is pretty high in Austria but things work, so you don’t feel as hard done by! Speak to the finance office at your work for more information!

The Expat Centre is in the 1st district and can be visited during the opening hours. They can provide you with any information you may need that friends/Facebook pages can’t help you with!
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• Websites and Apps:

The app Schpock is useful for furniture and appliances, as is the Facebook Marketplace page. If you’re a lady, you can sign up to the Women of Vienna Facebook page and there’s also a Women of Vienna Selling page. Likewise, if you have a family or are pregnant, you can join the Vienna Family Network. All of these are in English and are incredibly useful if you have any questions, are looking to meet people, need advice or literally anything. 

There are some really great blogs that focus on Vienna. Vienna Wurstelstand has weekly articles on what’s taking place during the week and also has a useful Facebook page. The Vienna Blog has some great ideas of where to eat/drink and events going on. Mike, from Travel and Destinations, has some great articles and beautiful photography on Vienna as well; he should know- he’s lived here for a while now! 

The app Delinski is really useful for booking at restaurants. They give so much money off and some really lovely restaurants are on here. Highly recommended.

Silent disco on the Danube canals

Watching the fireworks at the Prater

Order of things to do:
1) Make sure you have a phone number working in Austria
2) Find an apartment and have a credit card handy
3) Get the landlord/lady's signature on your apartment contract
4) Get Meddelzettel
5) Get bank account
6) Get phone contract (if you want one)
7) Apply for transport card
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So, that about sums it up. I hope it helps and you’re planning on moving to Vienna anytime soon, good luck! It’s a beautiful city with masses to offer. It gets voted number 1 place to live year after year and with good reason. Just make sure you bring your snow boots for the winter and don’t expect snow days off work! ​

View from Motto am Fluss

Updates from people in the know: Generally you have to be in a rented place for 15 months and we think it may be that you have to have been here 3 months before you can get a phone contract.

Vienna Wurstelstand have just posted this guide that's useful as well: