How to Get Tickets for the Vienna Opera for €3

If you want to enjoy an opera show, you have to like it. And to like it, you need to experience it in person. Watching a concert on television is not the same; you must go, like Julia Roberts, to discover how this musical genre can touch your soul and bring you to tears.

We travel to Vienna to discover the State Opera or Wiener Staatsoper, the most important and well-known opera company in the world, as well as the heart of Viennese musical life. The impressive building, located on Ringstrasse (the most important avenue in the city), was inaugurated in 1869 with a performance of a Mozart work and, surprisingly, it was a disappointment for the Viennese, who expected much more from both the building and the staging.

Travelers who are not fans of opera may not know that tickets for all shows in the year go on sale in April when the season opens. Subscriptions reach exorbitant prices and sell out quickly, but all is not lost, as around 500 tickets are reserved for each performance on the same day of the event.

The most expensive tickets usually start at €220, but there is a low-cost way to enjoy the show that few people know about. And when we say low cost, we do not refer to the cheapest tickets (which are around €15) but to tickets that are very cheap, costing €3 and €4.

These tickets allow you to enjoy the show, but they do not include a seat. That's the downside; you will have to stand. And it's known that operas can last a good 3 to 4 hours. You also have to consider that you'll be watching the performance in a very cramped space with many other visitors, and you cannot leave the hall until intermission. Well, you can leave, but you won't be able to come back until the break.

Low-cost tickets are called Stehplatz, which means standing and cannot be purchased online. To acquire them, you must go to the ticket office of the Opera on the day of the performance. If you do not want to wait in long lines, it is best to get them in the morning, confirming the ticket office hours, since, in the afternoon, the queues are tremendous, and you risk being left out.

It is also important to know that only one ticket is sold per person, and the earlier you arrive, the better spot you will get. Once inside the building, head to the assigned area and do not move around too much, or you will lose your place. If you're traveling alone, you can always ask someone nearby to save your spot in case you need to go to the restroom before the show starts.

Enjoying the Vienna Opera can be a wonderful experience, but let's not kid ourselves: low-cost tickets allow you to enjoy the show, but you will end up quite tired after spending several hours on your feet.

Some do not recommend the experience under any circumstances. The standing tickets are purchased by students and tourists who end up crammed into small areas with a lot of heat and without much possibility to move. The treatment from the staff is not as professional as that offered for those who have purchased more expensive tickets, and the security guards do not do much to understand those who want to enjoy the Vienna opera in a low-cost manner. Still, it's a unique opportunity for anyone who cannot afford a more expensive ticket.

If you are interested in history and architecture, it is also worth visiting the Vienna Opera, as they conduct guided tours lasting 40 minutes in different languages that will allow you to discover anecdotes and curiosities about this emblematic building that was bombed in 1945. During the tour, you will enter through the entrance hall and ascend the main staircase to see an auditorium with space for 2,800 people, the stage, the tea room where Franz Joseph rested during intermissions, or the Marble Hall, among other rooms.

In short, if you plan to escape to Vienna, the Wiener Staatsoper is a must-see in the city. And, additionally, you will have the chance to enjoy the most important and well-known opera company in the world for less than the cost of a slice of Sacher cake.