Normally when I’m searching for cheap flights from London, I use Skyscanner, but this time I decided to browse Trip.com, which I’ve used a couple of times before with no issues at all, and that’s when I found a good bargain: return flights from London Luton Airport to Vienna for just £42.60 per person.
This price was hand luggage only, and of course the cost increases if you add hold luggage, but for a short European city break you really don’t need it. My top packing tip is to roll your clothes, as it saves so much space and makes hand-luggage-only travel completely doable.
Once again, we hopped on the National Express coach from London Victoria to Luton Airport. The journey took around 90 minutes and cost £30.95 return for just myself and my daughter. That easily beat the price of an Uber from our house, which would have been around £70 or more, making this a much cheaper and stress-free option for travelling from London.
We hadn’t flown from Luton Airport in years, and I’d honestly forgotten how limited the food options are there, so that’s something to keep in mind. I’d definitely recommend packing snacks and/or having a proper meal before you set off! On the plus side, Luton Airport does provide pushchairs, and there’s also a family area near gates 1–6. It’s in a very odd location if I’m being honest, but you might still find it useful depending on your gate.
The flight time from London to Vienna was 1 hour and 55 minutes. I checked in 24 hours before departure so I didn’t have to pay extra for seat selection. Every time I do this — whether it’s with WizzAir (who we flew with) easyJet, British Airways or similar airlines — they always seat us together anyway. That’s a risk I’m happy to take, but if you want to guarantee sitting next to your children, it’s always a good idea to pay for seats.
For this trip, I brought the Decathlon Essential 20L sports bag, which now comes in a few other colours and is honestly the perfect under-seat bag for short European trips. It costs £5.99, fits neatly under the seat, and I’ve never had any issues using it on flights. The best way to pack it is by rolling your clothes or using a compression bag to save space. When folded, the bag measures 23 x 20 x 10 cm, and when unfolded it measures 40 x 23 x 20 cm, making it ideal for keeping flight costs down while still fitting everything we needed.
Once we arrived in Vienna, we had to go through passport control, which was quite long if I’m being honest. By now, I’m used to it, but leaving the EU really is annoying as it just means longer queues for things like this. Thankfully, we didn’t have anything planned for our first day, so we weren’t in a rush and could take our time getting through.
When travelling abroad, I actually prefer using Apple Maps over Google Maps. I popped in the location of our hotel and it showed me exactly how to get there, step by step, and it was really easy to follow. We could have taken an Uber, which would have been quicker, but it was also a lot more expensive. Similar to the UK, you have to pay extra when travelling to and from the airport, so I downloaded the ÖBB app and bought a train ticket for myself and my daughter. This cost €5.70, which worked out at around £4.95, and took us to the point where I could start using my 72-hour Vienna City Card. This card was kindly gifted to us by Vienna’s tourism board, and I’ll talk more about it later and why it’s such a good thing to have, especially if you’re planning to do activities and you want discounts while visiting Vienna.
We stayed at Somerset Schönbrunn Vienna, which is around a 30-minute drive from the airport and very easy to get to using public transport. What’s great about this hotel is that it literally has a tram stop and a bus stop right outside, making it a really convenient location. There’s also a Lidl and an Aldi just a short walk away, which is always handy when travelling with a child who constantly wants snacks.
Our hotel room was lovely and really well equipped. We had a dishwasher, tea and coffee-making facilities, a fridge freezer, microwave, cutlery, saucepans, a stove, shower, toilet, TV, dining area, living space, a double bed, air conditioning and plenty of wardrobe space. One really nice touch was the wireless charging ports by the bedside, which were genuinely so helpful.
Cleanliness is a big thing for me. I really can’t deal with dirt, and I always do a proper inspection before I fully settle into a room. I can honestly say this place was spotless and very well looked after.
To access the room, everything is emailed to you once you check in, from your door number to the access code. There are no key cards, which I actually found much easier, and I really liked that system. Another nice touch was the free tea and coffee available at reception, which just makes you feel welcome as soon as you arrive.
One thing I wasn’t expecting was a kids’ club. You don’t often see kids’ clubs in city hotels like this; they’re usually something you find at all-inclusive resorts, so this was a really pleasant surprise. There’s also a gym, which is great if you like to keep active while travelling.
I also loved that the hotel has a laundry room. You can grab extra towels there if you need them, which is really helpful rather than having to ask someone to bring them up to your room.
The layout of the hotel is quite different to what we’re used to. There are separate buildings for different things, so our room might be in a different building from reception, and breakfast was also in another building. It didn’t take away from the experience at all, it was just something different. Breakfast was only a few doors down and included things like eggs, croissants, sausages and coffee.
A short weekend away can be whatever you want it to be. You can relax, chill, do a bit of sightseeing, or try to pack in as much as possible. It really depends on your pace and how you’re feeling. Here’s what we got up to.
On our first full day in Vienna, we did a chocolate workshop at the Chocolate Museum with tasting. I found this activity on GetYourGuide, and it was such a fun and interactive experience. We’ve done similar workshops before, but this one felt extra special because we also got to make hot chocolate. My daughter absolutely loved it, and so did I. There’s also a chocolate museum in the basement. It’s on the smaller side, but definitely worth checking out, and I’d highly recommend it. Download the GetYourGuide app and use the discount code: KIDDOADVENTURES5!
We also visited the Kingdom of Railways in Vienna, which cost us €37.80 using our Vienna City Card discount. This is an interactive indoor attraction featuring detailed miniature railway worlds, model cities and landscapes, all brought to life with lights, sound effects and moving trains. It’s especially great for children who are really into transport, trains and hands-on experiences, as there’s plenty to look at and lots of interactive elements to keep them engaged. I do think it’s a little on the pricey side, but I’m still glad we checked it out, and it’s definitely a fun stop if you’re visiting Vienna with kids.
For reference, standard ticket prices are free for children under 1 metre in height, €17.90 for children from 1 metre up to 16 years, and €24.90 for individuals aged 16 and over. Pupils from 16 years, students and seniors pay €17.90, as do people with disabilities, with an accompanying person entering for free if noted on the ID. There’s also a senior promotion available Monday to Friday between 9 am and 12 pm, where tickets cost €9.90.
Right outside the Kingdom of Railways is Prater, one of Vienna’s most famous attractions and a huge amusement park that’s been part of the city for centuries. It wasn’t originally on our itinerary, but we had a quick walk through and it instantly caught our attention. Entry to Prater is completely free, and instead of paying an entrance fee, you pay individually for each ride or attraction, which makes it easy to visit even if you only want to do one or two things.
Prater is home to a mix of classic fairground rides, modern attractions and family-friendly entertainment, including the iconic Giant Ferris Wheel. It’s a great place to visit if you’re travelling to Vienna with kids, as there’s something for all ages, from gentle rides for younger children to bigger thrills for older kids and adults. Ride prices typically range from around €3.50 to €15.00 per attraction, depending on what you choose. Even if you don’t go on any rides, it’s still worth walking through to soak up the atmosphere and see what’s on offer.
Next up on our day of adventures, we visited the Austrian National Library. Entry is free for under-19s, so I didn’t have to pay for my daughter, and I paid around €8 for myself using my Vienna City Card discount. It was absolutely worth it. The library is stunning and reminded us both of the Beast’s library in Beauty and the Beast. There’s so much history to take in, the architecture is incredible, and you can take some amazing photos. It was busy when we visited in the late afternoon, so going earlier in the morning might be a good idea if you want fewer crowds.
On our last day in Vienna, we visited the Kindermuseum at Schönbrunn Palace, which was very easy to get to from our hotel. We could have walked, but we used public transport instead. This is genuinely one of the most beautiful children’s museums we’ve ever been to, and we have visited quite a few around the world. It’s extremely interactive, with opportunities for kids to dress up, learn about history, play, and even go down a slide inside the museum. It’s brilliant. Just be aware that you can’t take bags or coats inside, so bring some cash for the lockers — €1 will do. I’d recommend allowing around two hours, as there are multiple rooms and it just keeps going. With the Vienna City Card, you get an 8% discount on tickets.
It’s also worth noting that the zoo is just around the corner from here and is home to pandas. If I’d realised at the time, I definitely would have booked it because I would absolutely love to see a panda in real life. They’re so beautiful.
Going back to the Vienna City Card and why it’s worth considering when visiting Vienna: one child up to the age of 15, or one dog, travels for free with each card. The card also includes unlimited public transport on the metro, tram and S-Bahn operated by Wiener Linien. You can choose whether you want a 24-hour, 48-hour, 72-hour or 7-day card. Without the airport transfer add-on, you’ll need a separate ticket for the airport zone, which is something to keep in mind. The Vienna City Card also offers discounts on loads of attractions and activities, including all of the ones we did.
Vienna is absolutely stunning from an architectural point of view. We did a lot of walking and saw so many beautiful sights, from historic buildings to horse-drawn carriages. It really is a beautiful city. I can imagine it being incredible at Christmas for the Christmas markets, and I’ve also heard that the Easter markets are fantastic, so that’s definitely something worth looking into.
If you’re looking for activities in Vienna, I highly recommend browsing GetYourGuide to see what’s available. TikTok is also a great place for inspiration — that’s actually how I ended up discovering the Austrian National Library, and I’m so glad I did.
One thing I always look out for when travelling with my daughter is whether an airport has play areas for children, and Vienna Airport does, which is such a win when you’re travelling as a family. I’ve written a full blog post all about children’s airport play areas, so if this is something you actively look for too, it’s definitely worth checking that out. Travelling with kids isn’t easy, especially in airports where there’s a lot of waiting around, and having a space where they can move, play and burn off energy makes such a difference. It’s also great for parents who don’t always want their children glued to screens, and little things like this genuinely help make family travel feel less stressful and more manageable.
If you’re looking for fun things to do in Vienna with kids, I really hope this blog has been helpful and gives you a good idea of what to expect when visiting Vienna as a family.
@kiddoadventures AD| A quick weekend in Vienna 🇦🇹 ✨ ✈️ Flights from London Luton to Vienna with Wizz Air for £42.60 per person 🏨 Stayed at the beautiful Somerset Schoenbrunn 🍫 Booked a fun chocolate workshop via @GetYourGuide 🚆 Visited Kingdom of Railways – perfect for little transport lovers 📚 Explored the stunning Austrian National Library 🎨 Checked out the interactive children’s museum at Schönbrunn Palace Vienna was such a fun, family-friendly city and a great place to visit with kids 💛 Would you like to visit one day? 👇✨ #ViennaNow #VisitVienna #VisitAustria #Austriawithkids #europewithkids Vienna with children | Vienna city break | Vienna City Card | cheap flights to Vienna | family travel Europe | things to do in Vienna with kids | Vienna attractions | Vienna weekend trip | European city break with kids | Vienna itinerary | travelling with kids to Vienna | Flying with WizzAir | where to stay in Vienna | family friendly hotels in Vienna
♬ Syncopated Swing – Kairo Vibe
