Euro 2008 Ernst Happel Stadium Vienna

Posted in Football by David on the February 22nd, 2008

Euro 2008 Travel Guide > Ernst Happel Stadium

This guide to Vienna and Ernst Happel Stadium has been written for football supporters visiting Ernst Happel Stadium during Euro 2008. Discover how to make the most out of a trip to watch the European Championships whether you are visiting for the day or staying overnight in one of the many hotels in Vienna, Austria.

About Vienna

Vienna, Austria was first founded in 500 BC as a Celtic settlement. Vienna is the capital city of Austria and is also the site of seven Euro 2008 games including the final. The city is by far the largest in Austria with a population of just under two million and is also the economic and political centre of the country. The city is in the east of the country and is situated close to the Czech, Slovakian and Hungarian borders.

Vienna is known for its food and drink, particularly for its Wiener schnitzel, breweries, vineyards and cafes. The homemade wines and beers are served in pubs known as Heuriger, where visitors can order a sample of Wiener schnitzel, which is nothing more than pounded veal that is coated in flour, eggs and breadcrumbs and then fried to perfection. The cafes around the city are renowned and some date back centuries. Even if visitors do not have a caffeine addiction, do not want to consume alcoholic beverages and certainly don’t want to stuff themselves with fried foods, the city’s Naschmarkt is a permanent market that is filled with fresh fruits, veggies, spices, fish, meats and speciality foods from all over the world.

The Vienna International Airport is the busiest in Austria. When it was built in 1938 it only had one small terminal but two additional ones have been added since. Its runways can handle large capacity aircraft like the Airbus A340 and the airport serves destinations across Europe and Asia. Vienna International Airport is 11 miles (18kms) southeast of the city and has a city airport train that runs every half an hour straight into Vienna city centre to the Landstrasse/Wien Mitte station. Journey time is about 15 minutes and the train costs 9.00 euros one way.

Where to Stay in Vienna

Euro 2008 fans looking to stay in hotels near Ernst Happel Stadium should look at the Hilton Danube which is only 800 metres away. However we recommend that you stay in the city centre for easy access to noth the stadium and the cities bars, restaurants and sights. Why not stay in either the K&K Hotel Maria Theresia or the Altstadt Vienna – both are in TripAdvisors top 10 Vienna hotels and give great access to both the city centre and the Ernst Happel Stadium. To find and reserve Vienna hotels use the MATCHhotels hotel price comparison service to find cheap Vienna accommodation.

About Ernst Happel Stadium

The Ernst Happel Stadium is the largest football stadium in Austria with a capacity of 53,008. Ernst Happel is the home of the Austrian national football team. The stadium was opened in 1931 and was named the Prater Stadium until 1992 when it was renamed the Ernst Happel Stadium in honour of Ernst Happel following his death. You may like to note that the address is Meiereistraße, Wien, 1020, Austria.

Getting to Ernst Happel Stadium

The Ernst Happel Stadium is in the heart of Vienna’s 2nd District in an area that is known as Prater (stadium was originally named Prater Stadium). When travelling from Vienna city centre to Ernst Happel Stadium you can either take the number 80 or 84A buses which go direct to the stadium. However the easiest way to get to the ground from Vienna city centre is by taking the U1 Subway to Praterstern and then tram number 21 to the stadium.

After the Match

There are many great restaurants and bars in Vienna to keep you occupied during your time there. For traditional Viennese food try Augustinerkeller near the Karlsplatz underground station, it is open until midnight each day and serves numerous hot and cold dishes along with great local wines. For party animals, Adolf Loos is an American bar that serves fantastic cocktails and Porky and Bess is the cities best Jazz club.