Planning trip to Vienna - practical info advices?

Kakapo

Kakapo

Well-Known Member
Hi,
In September of this year I plan a trip with my mother to Vienna. But traveling with the current situation is difficult. I suppose, but I only can suppose, that by September I will be vaccinated of covid-19.

I want to visit the next places:

HAUS DES MEERES, a magnific place with extremely dreamed BOWFIN and BEARDED LEATHERJACKET!!!, only holder of magnific Giant Hawkfish, Oriental Flying Gurnard and Slender-billed Red-winged Starling, and many other interesting amphibians, fishes and small birds, from Lake Titicaca frogs to tope sharks and Borneo earless monitor.
The problem is: when I enter to their website first photo shows some signage regarding the obligated use of FPP2 mask and the obligation of being vaccinated or recently recovered from covid-19. I understood well? These are only image symbols so I'm not sure if there is an explicit obligation of doing this. I mean, in most zoos the mask is obligatory but not the vaccine certificate. Also, a third symbol appears with the other two and it says "Registration". It means that I must register in the Haus des Meeres for be able to visit it? I'm a bit confused by the supposed rules of this place...

TIERGARTEN SCHÖNBRUNN, with some incredible jewels, especially in reptiles, with some nice birds, small mammals and fishes too. One of my most wished is the Long-tailed broadbill, only holder in Europe, but ZTL says "behind the scenes?". Yes, with a question mark. So somebody know if this bird is or not behind the scenes?
This zoo apparently only ask for wear mask and keep social distance. No recent vaccination certificate needed for enter here. I'm right?
After reading the website I see that some animal houses are closed during pandemy, and it's probable that they're still closed during September. These include the bird house (aaargh), the jungle house (aaaaaargrrrrhhhh) and the rat house. What is the rat house? ZTL don't list an extensive series of rare rodents for Schönbrunn, only common rat and Gambian giant pouched rat. The later would be a lifer very interesting and wished for me. Are the Gambian rats in the Rat House?

A place that I'm in doubt to visit or not is GREIFVOGELZUCHSTATION HAGENBACHKLAMM . It's not in the same Vienna city and I don't know if public transport is easily available to this place and if it worth the price-time of travel. It's cheap, but it only open on weekend and for brief hours closing in the midday. Actually not much hours are needed for this little falconry show. The thing that attracts me from here is that they have WEDGE-TAILED EAGLE!! and AUGUR BUZZARD! as well as laggar falcon, Himalayan griffon vulture and Martial eagle, all of them are of my interest. I can't find many info in English and none about covid-19 restrictions. It worth the visit including public transport?

-The UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA BOTANICAL GARDENS, that are free. No apparent restrictions from covid-19.

-THE VIENNA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, that from all these places probably it's the most interesting one for me. Closed on Tuesays. It ask to wear mask, social distance and hand desinfection but apparently no vaccine certificate needed, except for guided tours and Museum Cafe.

-I know Turtle Island in Graz is in the same country, and it's very good for getting photos of many unique turtle species but turtles are not a group I'm specially fond about, and apparently this place is really far from Vienna, so I guess that the travel is not worthy...

So I want to know, this is all correct? Especially regarding covid-19-related visiting rules for each place? So, is Haus des Meeres the only one that ask vaccine certificate to enter? What means "registration"? It will be probably the same rules by September?

And also, there are any other places besides the mentioned ones that could be interesting for me species-wise? I know there is a butterfly house but seen photos from TripAdvisor and all the species are the commonly kept ones in every butterfly house, plus is a small place, crowded and expensive. But, maybe there are other aquariums, insectariums, natural history museums or botanical facilities in the place, or even temporary animal fairs that will take place in September, or extensive specialized pet shops that usually have rare species?
 
Kakapo said:
The problem is: when I enter to their website first photo shows some signage regarding the obligated use of FPP2 mask and the obligation of being vaccinated or recently recovered from covid-19. I understood well?
Click to expand...
At the moment, the Austrian government pledges zoos and aquaria (not museums) to follow the "3G-Rules" regarding visitors. As a visitor, you have to provide proof prior to your entry that
1. You have been vaccinated against COVID-19
OR
2. You have been recently tested negatively
OR
3. You have recovered from a COVID-19 infection.
Furthermore, the Haus des Meeres requires you to register and choose a time slot when you want to enter.
 
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Kakapo said:
What is the rat house?
Click to expand...
A small nocturnal house showcasing fancy rats, Gambian pouches rats and Northern Luzon slender-tailed cloud rats.

No one knows how the situation is going to be in September.
Graz is more than a two hours drive away from Vienna. Hagenbachklamm is tricky to get to via public transport. I don't know whether they still keep the species you're interested in. It's a quite typical private birds of prey zoo, which are rather common in Austria.
The butterfly house is soso, while the desert house is worth a visit.
Depending on your interest, Vienna has plenty of interesting museums, exhibitions and sights (Naschmarkt, Prater...)to offer.
54 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Vienna - Atlas Obscura
Its pet shops, however, are mostly just standard chain stores these days. The annual pet expo is planned for the end of September.
Infos allgemein
The Reptile Zoo Forchtenstein is about an hour's drive away from Vienna.
 
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Batto, you're the best!!! Many, many thanks for have solved basically all my doubts and questions at once!!!
OK, then is important to know that not only Haus des Meeres, but also every other zoo requires vaccination or other proofs of being covid-negative. I think this will not be a problem since by this time is almost sure that I will have been vaccinated.

I'm stranged about the registration and time slot to choose to enter in Haus des Meeres. I know no other zoological facility in the world that does that. It's that a post-covid measure or did they this also before? I suppose that it will not be a problem to register in the same moment of enter the place...

Hmm. I see, as I feared, the Gambian rats will be in the Rat house that probably will be still closed. But as you said, nobody can know if they will change this for September. Probably the bird and jungle houses holds more wished species for me, that I will be unable to see. But I hope that they may have outdoor enclosures that make some ofthe species visible in these houses...

Yup. forgot about Graz and the raptor center. Thanks for all the kind info :)

Desert house? This is a thing I was not aware of! I will investigate about it, thanks!
 
Kakapo said:
I'm stranged about the registration and time slot to choose to enter in Haus des Meeres. I know no other zoological facility in the world that does that.
Click to expand...
Most UK zoos etc have been doing this during the pandemic and I expect it's common in other countries
 
You're welcome.
Kakapo said:
I'm stranged about the registration and time slot to choose to enter in Haus des Meeres. I know no other zoological facility in the world that does that. It's that a post-covid measure or did they this also before?
Click to expand...
It's part of the anti-COVID-19 procedures and has been done in other facilities as well. The unique venue of the aquarium as a former "flak tower" aka anti-aircraft gun tower from WW2 limits its currently allowed visitor capacity to 150 people max.
 
Kakapo said:
'm stranged about the registration and time slot to choose to enter in Haus des Meeres. I know no other zoological facility in the world that does that. It's that a post-covid measure or did they this also before? I suppose that it will not be a problem to register in the same moment of enter the place...
Click to expand...
It has been very common over the last year and a half for zoos around the world to require pre-booking of tickets for specific time-slots in order to keep a limit on visitor numbers. For Haus des Meeres specifically, they say on their website that they can only contain 150 people and that registered visitors have priority over people just turning up without registering. So if you don't register in advance then it is probably likely that you won't get in.

From their website:
Depending on how many guests are still visiting our zoo, as our current maximum capacity is 150 guests and you need to register at our cash desk, where you can also buy your tickets. We ask for your understanding - you will always have priority entrance compared to guests who have not registered.

The specified ending time of your registration is not obligatory. It is only indicated based on our experience and the recommended maximum wearing time of a FFP2-mask. You can visit as long as you wish - we are open until 6 p.m.
 
Thanks a lot - now with the detailed explanation of Chlidonias I understand what is exactly the "registration" issue! Well I hope that if I cannot enter inmediately, then I can register and pre-order in situ, for visit within next days :)

Anybody has been in Schönbrunn recently and saw the long-tailed broadbill, or it's definitely BTS?

The bird house and jungle house have outdoor enclosures, or are them completely closed exhibits?

I checked the Desert House indeed - very near the zoo but not a part of it. Great place for succulent plant lovers, and I see it also hold some desert animals - rattlesnakes, Gila monsters, jerboas and naked mole rats, apparently.
 
@Kapapo
I visited yesterday and can confirm that the long-tailed broadbill is signed in Tropical House but was not lucky enough to catch a glimpse of it.
 
Thanks a lot Jakub, then the Tropical House (I assume it's the same than Jungle House?) is open to public? :D
 
@Kakapo
Yes, the same as the Jungle House;). But only upper part is open..but I managed to see almost every bird species within 15 minutes:).
 
The Rats house at Zoo Vienna is still closed, the Birds House either. Koala House and Panda House were open yesterday, the Orang.erie (orang utans) and the House of Insects and the Small Monkeys House too.

Late summer the Barbary sheeps and Barbary macaques will be moved to their new enclosure opposite the upper part of the Rainforest house. At that time the whole Rainforest house might be closed.

The "3-G rule" is present across the whole country (exception: museums and libraries). Being fully vaccinated (2nd shot at least 14 days before entering the country!) is a good idea. You are from Spain, aren't you? Well, at the moment travelling from Spain to Austria might be a pretty tricky thing as Spain might be listed as a (high-)risk area soon (like done by Germany this week).

Feel free to ask for details - I'm living at Vienna. :)
 
Many thanks for all the very useful info, Jola :-)
I'm very stranged that museums, that are closed espaces, do not implant the 3-G rule while zoos, open spaces, does it!!
 
Thanks Philippine eagle,
I've checked the animal list of both places in Zootierliste, and they're not enough interesting for me. Plus, Bratislava is in another country, and this would imply complications with the travel.
 
Hello,
Can anybody help with Haus des Meeres: is Slender-billed red-winged starling still on show, and how eventually best to see it?
About Tiergarten Schönbrunn: is Blue-backed manakin still on show, and how eventually best to see it?
Also, awhat are good places to see sousliks and wild hamsters in Vienna, especially good by public transport from ther airport or the central railway station?
best,
 
How long into autumn are sousliks active in Vienna? At colony nearest to me, as August progresses, you can see reduction of visible animals.
 
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