Wurstelprater Amusement Park

Address: Prater (Wurstelprater), 1020 Vienna, Austria

Website: https://www.prater.at/en/

Admission: Free entry to the Prater grounds; individual rides paid

Wurstelprater is the historic amusement section of the Prater park in Vienna, Austria, known for its fairground rides and games. It developed around the site of the historic public Prater and features several long-standing attractions from the 19th and 20th centuries.

The area includes carnival rides, traditional carousels, food stalls and games concentrated along promenades and small streets. The best-known single attraction is the Wiener Riesenrad, a Ferris wheel rising about 64.75 metres that offers views over the Danube and city skyline; many other mid-size rides and seasonal stalls are clustered nearby.

The entertainment precinct grew up during the 19th century as leisure activities expanded in Vienna and continued to evolve through the 20th century with new mechanical rides and modernisations. The Ferris wheel was constructed in 1897 and has been rebuilt and repaired after damage in the 20th century.

The Wurstelprater sits inside the larger Prater green space in Vienna’s Leopoldstadt district, near the Danube Canal and within the central-eastern part of the city. It is easily reached from central Vienna by public transport and lies a few kilometres east of the historic centre.

• Wiener Riesenrad: The late 19th century **Wiener Riesenrad** is the park’s most recognisable attraction, standing about 64.75 metres tall and built in 1897.
• Opening hours and layout: The Wurstelprater is an amusement precinct inside the larger Prater public park and operates evening and night-time amusements, with many food stalls and smaller historic attractions clustered along the main avenues.

Wurstelprater (the Prater amusement area) in Vienna is beside the Praterstern transport hub. Take the U-Bahn to Praterstern (U1 and U2); from the station it’s a 3-8 minute walk to the main entrance/giant Ferris wheel area.

Praterstern is also served by regional trains and trams, making the Prater convenient by public transport; there is car parking around the park as well.

• Enter the Wurstelprater via the Praterstern transport hub (U‑bahn and S‑bahn) to avoid hunting for parking and to step straight into the main amusement area near the Riesenrad (Ferris wheel).
• Visit in the evening on a weekday for the classic fairground lights and atmosphere with fewer families and weekend crowds; weekend afternoons are when the park is busiest with local and tourist families.
• Walk beyond the main avenues into the older side alleys of the Wurstelprater to find traditional Viennese rides and snack stalls that many quick visitors miss while staying near the central attractions.