Getting to the Hofburg
Which entrance you want depends on your ticket, because each attraction has its own door. Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments: the Michaelerkuppel dome on Michaelerplatz. Imperial Treasury: the Schweizerhof entrance. Neue Burg museums: the Weltmuseum desk on Heldenplatz. The Riding School uses the Michaelerkuppel, Reitschulgasse or Josefsplatz — your ticket says which.
Booked a tour? Check your meeting point rather than heading for a gate: the flagship meets at Michaelerplatz 3 or 4 depending on language (sent at booking), and the small-group tour starts at Albertinaplatz, by the fountain, under a green umbrella. The differences between them are on the guided tours page.
The courtyards and Heldenplatz are open to walk through, so you can cut straight through the complex on foot — arriving via Kohlmarkt and leaving through the Burggarten is the nicest free walk in the district.
Frequently asked questions
What is the closest U-Bahn station to the Hofburg?
Herrengasse on the U3 — about a two-minute walk to Michaelerplatz. Stephansplatz (U1/U3) works too at seven to eight minutes on foot along the Graben and Kohlmarkt. Once there, check which doors are open that day.
Can you walk to the Hofburg from Stephansplatz?
Easily — seven to eight minutes along the Graben and Kohlmarkt, ending under the Michaelerkuppel dome. The walk itself is worth it, and the free courtyard route continues through the complex; see what you can see without a ticket.
Where do Hofburg guided tours meet?
Not at the ticket gates. The flagship skip-the-line tour meets at Michaelerplatz 3 or 4 — the exact spot comes with your booking and varies by language — and the small-group tour meets at Albertinaplatz by the fountain, green umbrella. Arrive ten minutes early; both tours refuse latecomers.