Is St Stephen's Cathedral free to enter?

The cathedral says visitors can enter free of charge, but some areas are paid. In practice the entrance area is free, while the full cathedral visit during set visiting hours, the towers and the catacombs each cost extra.

How many steps are there up the south tower?

The cathedral lists 343 steps up the south tower, which is not step-free. The north tower has a lift to a platform with the Pummerin bell.

Is the All-Inclusive Ticket worth it?

At our October 2026 check it cost €29 and covered the cathedral with an audio guide, both towers, a catacomb tour and the Dom Museum. The separate cathedral visit, two towers and catacombs alone add up to €32.

How do you get from the Hofburg to St Stephen's Cathedral?

Take the U3 from Herrengasse to Stephansplatz. Both stations are on the same line, and Herrengasse is next to Stephansplatz in the station order. Bus 1A also serves the Hofburg and the cathedral.

St Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna: Towers, Catacombs and Tickets

Height of the south tower, known as the Steffl: 136.4 m
Steps to the south tower viewing room: 343
Visitors a year, according to the cathedral: 6 million+

What it is and why it is worth your time

St Stephen’s is Vienna’s cathedral, and it sits on Stephansplatz, the main square of the old town. The south tower, known as the Steffl, is 136.4 m high. The cathedral reports more than six million visitors a year, so it is rarely empty.

Wikipedia records a Romanesque church dedicated in 1147, with the south tower built between 1368 and 1433. The roof is covered in about 230,000 glazed tiles. A fire on 12 April 1945 brought the roof down, and the building was repaired afterwards.

It is worth at least a short stop. It is free to step in, it is close to the Hofburg, and the inside rewards a slower look.

What to see and how long to allow

The cathedral’s main entrance is the Riesentor (Giant’s Door) on the west side, opposite the access to the underground station. Inside the entrance area you can look around for free and see the confession booths on either side.

Exploring further inside the cathedral during the set visiting hours is a paid visit. On top of that, you can choose from these:

South tower (Steffl): 343 steps to the Türmerstube, a viewing room at about 67 m. Not for anyone with knee trouble.
North tower: a lift takes you to a platform beside the Pummerin, Austria’s largest bell (Wikipedia gives its weight as 20,130 kg).
Catacombs: guided tours only, running several times a day, with the underground burial places and Habsburg burial customs as the theme.
Dom Museum Wien: the cathedral museum at Stephansplatz 6, open 10am to 6pm daily except Thursday, when it stays open until 8pm. It is closed on public holidays.

For a basic visit, give it half an hour. Add time for each tower or tour you choose. The cathedral’s group tours are listed at 30 minutes each, which gives you a sense of scale.

Tickets and opening hours

The cathedral’s visit and ticket page is the reference, checked October 2026.

Church hours: open 6am to 10pm Monday to Saturday, and 7am to 10pm on Sundays and public holidays.
Visiting hours: mornings Monday to Saturday, and afternoons every day. They can shrink for services, so check the cathedral’s calendar.
Towers: both are open daily, 9am to 7pm, with the last climb or lift ride shortly before.
Price pattern: at our check the cathedral visit, each tower and the catacomb tour were each €8 for adults, with lower child prices. The All-Inclusive Ticket was €29 and lasts a year.

The All-Inclusive Ticket is the sensible choice if you want most of the above. Bought separately, the cathedral visit, both towers and the catacombs come to €32 before the museum.

Guide or no guide

Probably not. The cathedral runs its own public tour in English on weekday mornings (€8 at our check), and the All-Inclusive Ticket includes a smartphone audio guide. A private or walking-tour guide adds history and context, but it is a nice-to-have. Special evening tours of the roof and catacombs run on set dates, in German only.

Getting there from the Hofburg

Take the U3 (the Vienna underground) from Herrengasse, the Hofburg’s station, to Stephansplatz. Herrengasse and Stephansplatz are neighbours on the U3, so it is a single hop. The U1 also stops at Stephansplatz. Bus 1A serves both the Hofburg and the cathedral stops. The Wiener Linien planner shows live times. See our getting there guide for the wider picture.

One practical tip

Big luggage is not allowed. The cathedral does not accept large suitcases or trolley bags and has no storage on site, so drop them at your hotel first. Tripods are banned, and men are asked to remove hats. Photos are for private use only.

On access, the main portal is step-free. The north tower lift is only partly suitable for wheelchairs (the door is 56 cm wide), while the south tower and the catacombs are not step-free.

How it fits with a Hofburg visit

The cathedral works well as a short stop before or after the Hofburg, when you do not want a full museum day. The main Hofburg guide covers what to book there. For an easy afternoon, pair the cathedral with the Albertina, or fold it into the Vienna itinerary. If you want the old town explained as you walk, browse the walking tours in our tickets and tours guide.