How to Choose a Hostel in Vienna in 2025 (What to Expect)

This guide is part of our main page where you can compare all hostels in Vienna. Instantly find the best-rated hostels and real-time prices from Hostelworld and Booking.com. Compare prices side-by-side and save money every time. Learn how we compare prices.

Find your Perfect Hostel in Vienna

Vienna is a city where chandeliers hang in burger joints and the subway plays classical music at rush hour, so picking a hostel here shouldn’t be treated like a chore—it’s part of the adventure.

Think of this guide as your decoder ring to hostel life in the Austrian capital.

We’re going deep on how to choose a hostel in Vienna without draining your pastry fund or sleeping beside a life-size Mozart cut-out that snores louder than you do.

Types of Hostels in Vienna

Party Hostels

The playlist never pauses, and someone is always holding a shot tray shaped like the Prater Ferris wheel.

• Pros: Organized pub crawls, easy friend-making, sometimes free pasta to soak up the beer.
• Cons: Stomping in hallways at 4 a.m., scarce plug sockets, floors sticky with questionable liquids.
• Pick if: You think sleep is optional and stories are currency.

Social (Not Wild) Hostels

Game nights, walking tours, and quiet hours that staff actually enforce.

• Pros: Balance of chat and chill, mixed crowd, decent kitchens.
• Cons: Energy depends on who checks in; could swing from lively to library.
• Pick if: You like meeting people but also adore your eight-hour slumber.

Quiet & Budget Hostels

Bunks, lockers, and maybe a postcard on the wall—that’s it.

• Pros: Lowest prices, early check-out for dawn train riders, fewer party animals.
• Cons: Older mattresses, basic showers, limited social events.
• Pick if: Your itinerary is full and your only hobby is sleeping cheap.

Female-Only Dorms

Vienna offers plenty; expect them to cost about €3 more than a mixed bunk.

• Bigger lockers, mirrors that don’t distort your face, working hairdryers.
• Calmer vibe—no 3 a.m. wrestling over who owns the single charging outlet.

What to Expect from Hostels in Vienna

Hostels here sit between elegant coffeehouses and thrift stores. Cleaners scrub daily; check-in runs German-clock smooth, and receptionists usually hand out city maps like pizza menus.

Beds often include mini shelves, reading lights, and personal outlets—small joys that feel like five-star perks after a long train ride. Kitchens come with enough pans to cook but never enough forks.

Bring a spork if you’re serious about life.

What NOT to Expect:

• Huge lounges—square footage in the center is precious.
• Gordon Ramsay kitchens—Most travelers grab kebabs or bakery goods.
• Dorms under €20 outside January—Vienna isn’t that generous.

Best Location for Hostels in Vienna

• Innere Stadt: Best area for backpackers wanting landmarks outside the door; pricy but unbeatable for morning strolls.
• Mariahilf (6th): Café culture, shopping mile, two U-Bahn lines—solid middle ground on cost and convenience.
• Leopoldstadt (2nd): Close to Prater funfair and Danube Island; plenty of leafy parks and cheaper eats.
• Favoriten (10th): Budget beds near Hauptbahnhof, excellent connections, nightlife meh.
• Areas to avoid in Vienna: Outskirts past the Gürtel if you dislike late-night tram marathons.

How Much Do Hostels Cost in Vienna

Dorm prices jump faster than a Viennese waiter when opera premieres or Christmas markets deck the squares. Weekends, festivals, and major conferences also nudge numbers up.

Rule of thumb: bigger dorm means smaller price. Book three weeks ahead for summer and Christmas; wing it mid-January when even the statues look frozen.

How to Book a Hostel in Vienna Without Overpaying

Open Hostelz.com, plug in dates, and watch Booking.com and Hostelworld prices battle like dueling pianists.

Filter by “women-only dorm,” “free breakfast,” or “late check-out” as needed. Read the last ten reviews—if multiple guests mention cold showers, believe them.

Sneaky fees hide in linen rental, city tax, or credit-card surcharges, so scroll to the fine print before hitting pay.

Hostel Safety and What to Watch Out For

• Lockers: Bring your own padlock; reception sells flimsy ones for €5.
• Keycards: Prefer hostels with 24/7 desk or code entry—late opera nights happen.
• Food theft: Label yogurt with your name and an angry emoji—oddly effective.
• Pickpockets: Rare, but guard phones on tram 1 during rush hour.
• Bedbugs: Uncommon; still, peek at mattress seams before unpacking.

Final Thoughts

Vienna hostels add an affordable edge to an otherwise fancy city, but the fit must match your travel personality. Decide if you need party fireworks, morning peace, or a hostel that respects eight hours of sleep.

Price-compare smart on Hostelz, skim fresh reviews, and pack earplugs just in case someone’s accordion makes a cameo.

Choose well, and your bunk becomes more than a bed—it’s a launchpad into gilded halls, dive bars, and streets that smell like cinnamon and history.

Backpacking Vienna? Here’s What You Need to Know

These are the guides I wish I had before visiting. I’ve been there, had fun, did some minor mistakes, and now I’m passing the best tips on to you. Safe travels!

Must-Read

Backpacking Vienna

All those cool and unique experiences we are looking for!

Solo Travel Vienna

My experience and what you can expect

Where to Stay in Vienna as a Solo Traveler

Best Areas and how to get around

Where to stay in Vienna for First Time

My experience and what you can expect

I stayed in a Backpacker Hostel in Vienna

My experience and what you can expect

About the author: Matt Kiefer

Hey, I’m Matt, the founder behind Hostelgeeks.com. My team and I are collecting the absolute best hostels in the world for you. We share the coolest hostels so you can focus on your travels, rather than spending your time trying to pick a good hostel.

Personally, I’ve bunked in over 600 hostels and stamped my passport in more than 70 countries. My heart beats for Vietnam, Spain, and France, and so many more destinations. I’m a Foosball champ but a beer pong amateur.

Last but not least: Hostelgeeks is a proud ambassador of Hostelz.com.