Is Vienna Safe? My Solo Female Traveller Experience

If you are wondering whether Vienna is safe then read on for my experience.

Austria and Vienna are very safe countries to visit.

That said it is always sensible to take normal precautions when visiting anywhere.

Read on for everything you need to know 👇

Is Vienna Safe?

Austria as a whole is a very safe country. It is rated as one of the most peaceful countries to live in and Vienna has consistently won awards for being one of the best cities in the world to live in.

The levels of crime relating to personal safety, theft, threats and racist attacks are all low. The worry about drug use is a bit higher but still low compared to many other cities.

Vienna scores low or extremely low in comparison to London which scores moderate or high for crime rankings.

Unfortunately the low crime rates in Vienna have made it a target for organised crime coming from other countries.

Vienna is ranked highly safe for walking at night and during the daytime.

The main issue with crime is pickpockets that target busy areas such as Christmas markets and packed public transport such as trams and trains.

As with anywhere the advice is always to keep an eye on your belongings.

Crime in Vienna seems mostly to be thieves targetting wealthy residential areas.

Is Vienna Safe?

Vienna Cannabis Plants

One thing I did not expect to see in Vienna were places growing cannabis plants. These were grown in shops on the main street near where I was staying.

The law around cannabis use in Austria is confusing. Cannabis use is illegal but personal and medical use has been decriminalised. This means those caught with small amounts will not be punished, but may be offered rehabilitation instead. It is illegal to cultivate and sell cannabis but legal to sell plants and seeds.

Very confusing!

I did see (and smell) people smoking cannabis during my visit to Vienna. It wasn’t endemic – probably about the same level as here in the UK, in my experience of it anyway.

Is Vienna Safe?

My Experience of Vienna

I did a lot of walking around Vienna and I didn’t feel worried or anxious at all.

I also travelled on the tram and metro, including at night time and again felt completely fine.

My accommodation was in a less visited part of Vienna and I was comfortable walking back at night time, despite there being lower levels of street lighting.

During the daytime I walked extensively through the city and felt comfortable or safe.

Nowhere I visited was crowded so I didn’t feel vulnerable in relation to any pickpockets.

I also visited a huge local shopping complex which was very busy and again felt quite safe and comfortable there too.

My explorations were limited to the city centre and the main tourist areas.

I felt comfortable using public transport, including the bus into Vienna from Bratislava and the bus from Vienna to the airport.

Is Vienna Safe? – Conclusion

• Vienna is a safe, friendly and welcoming city to visit.
• Taking the usual precautions you would when visiting anywhere is recommended

You Might Also Like;

• If you have found this post about whether Vienna is safe useful you might also like;

• Wondering if Vienna is worth visiting – check out my guide
• Check out when the best time to visit Vienna is
• Confused about getting there? Read How To Get To Vienna
• Wondering about costs? See Is Vienna Expensive?
• Check out my handpicked hotels to find where to stay in Vienna
• Visiting the airport? Check out my Vienna Airport Lounge Review
• Looking for things to do – check out the hop on and hop off sightseeing bus
• Thinking of an apartment? Check out my detailed apartment review including video tour

Find more inspiration on my Austria page

Further Reading