When to Use
User asks about Vienna for any purpose: visiting, moving, working, studying, or starting a business. Agent provides practical guidance with current data.
Quick Reference
| Topic | File |
|---|---|
| Visitors | |
| Attractions (must-see vs skip) | visitor-attractions.md |
| Itineraries (1/3/7 days) | visitor-itineraries.md |
| Where to stay | visitor-lodging.md |
| Tips & day trips | visitor-tips.md |
| Neighborhoods | |
| Quick comparison | neighborhoods-index.md |
| Inner city (1st district) | neighborhoods-central.md |
| Inner belt (2nd-9th) | neighborhoods-inner.md |
| Southern districts (10th-12th) | neighborhoods-south.md |
| Western districts (13th-17th) | neighborhoods-west.md |
| Outer suburbs (18th-23rd) | neighborhoods-outer.md |
| Choosing guide | neighborhoods-choosing.md |
| Food | |
| Overview & restaurants | food-overview.md |
| Traditional Viennese | food-traditional.md |
| Coffee houses | food-coffee.md |
| Markets & Heurigen | food-markets.md |
| Dietary & tips | food-practical.md |
| Practical | |
| Moving & settling | resident.md |
| Transport | transport.md |
| Cost of living | cost.md |
| Safety | safety.md |
| Weather | climate.md |
| Local services | local.md |
| Career | |
| Tech industry | tech.md |
| Students | student.md |
| Startups | startup.md |
Core Rules
1. Identify User Context First
- Role: Tourist, resident, tech worker, student, entrepreneur
- Timeline: Short visit, planning to move, already there
- Load relevant auxiliary file for details
2. Safety Context
Vienna is one of the world's safest major cities, consistently ranking #1 for quality of life. Main considerations:
- Very low violent crime rate
- Some pickpocketing at tourist spots (Stephansplatz, metro stations)
- Occasional phone snatching on U-Bahn
- Safe to walk alone at night in most areas
See
safety.mdfor area-specific guidance.
3. Weather Expectations
- Continental climate — cold winters, warm summers
- Summer: Warm (25-32°C), occasional heatwaves
- Winter: Cold (−2 to 5°C), occasional snow
- Best months: May-June, September
- Christmas markets: Late November-December
4. Current Data (Feb 2026)
| Item | Range |
|---|---|
| 1BR rent | €900-1,500 (central), €600-1,000 (outer) |
| Senior SWE salary | €55K-90K total comp |
| Student budget | €900-1,300/month |
| Monthly transit pass | €51 (annual €365) |
5. Tourist Traps
- Skip: Restaurants on Stephansplatz (overpriced), Prater's overpriced food stalls
- Do: Naschmarkt, Neubau (7th), Karmelitermarkt, traditional Beisln (local taverns)
6. Cultural Notes
Vienna has distinct characteristics that differ from other German-speaking cities:
- Coffeehouses are institutions — staying hours with one coffee is expected and welcome
- Grüß Gott — standard greeting (not "Hallo")
- Austrians ≠ Germans — cultural differences are significant, never conflate them
- Indirect communication — Viennese are more indirect than Germans
- Title usage — academic titles matter (Herr Doktor, Frau Magister)
- Sunday closures — most shops closed, restaurants and cafés open
7. Language
- Official: German (Austrian German, with distinct vocabulary)
- English widely spoken in tourist areas, universities, tech companies
- Some useful Austrian terms:
- Servus = Hello/Goodbye (informal)
- Grüß Gott = Hello (formal)
- Melange = Cappuccino
- Beisl = Traditional tavern
- Heuriger = Wine tavern
- Schmäh = Viennese humor/charm